Time to Rejoice
Opening Prayer
Lord, teach me to sing and rejoice with all my heart.
Read ZEPHANIAH 3:14–20
14 Sing, Daughter Zion;
shout aloud, Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
Daughter Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away your punishment,
he has turned back your enemy.
The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;
never again will you fear any harm.
16 On that day
they will say to Jerusalem,
“Do not fear, Zion;
do not let your hands hang limp.
17 The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.”
18 “I will remove from you
all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals,
which is a burden and reproach for you.
19 At that time I will deal
with all who oppressed you.
I will rescue the lame;
I will gather the exiles.
I will give them praise and honor
in every land where they have suffered shame.
20 At that time I will gather you;
at that time I will bring you home.
I will give you honor and praise
among all the peoples of the earth
when I restore your fortunes
before your very eyes,”
says the Lord.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
“The Lord your God… will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing” (17).
The mood of Zephaniah’s prophecy shifts dramatically. Warning and condemnation now give way to rejoicing, and he even ends with a song. It has two simple themes which can inform and stimulate our own praise and worship. Zephaniah reminds Judah and Jerusalem of what God has already done and then of what he will do in the future.
First, God has dealt with the things that make them fearful. The punishment they fear (or should fear, at least!) is removed. This punishment hasn’t been conveniently forgotten. It hasn’t been casually shoved aside but rather taken away (15). Observing this through our New Testament perspective, we’re reminded of John the Baptist’s bold declaration of Jesus: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
Moreover, God has also turned back the enemy. Whether the enemy was approaching or following becomes irrelevant now, because “The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you” (15).
This is only the start, however—there is more to come. God will be with them as their Savior and will “take great delight” in them (17). At the heart of the relationship is God’s love for his people. Like them, we often need reminding of God’s passionate love for us (the word used for love here is the same as for Jacob’s love for his wife Rachel; Gen. 29:16–30). It parallels Christ’s love, from which we can never be separated (Rom. 8:35–39).
Finally, God will continue to act on their behalf. He will deal with their oppressors, neutralizing their power (19). The lame and the exiles will be rescued and gathered and their shame turned into honor (20; cf. Mic. 4:6,7). Thus, God will “restore your fortunes before your very eyes.” What a hope!
Apply
Spend some time recalling what God has done for you. Let that fuel your worship of him today.
Closing prayer
Lord, we can’t comprehend the depth of love that You have for us, Your people. Teach us to luxuriate in that love.
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Encounter with God is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.