Today in God's Word—December 2024
East Tallassee Church of Christ
December 15, Zephaniah 3
The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
- Zephaniah 3:17
The picture at the end of Chapter 3 is a long way from the sad declaration of "Woe" at the chapter's first line. That's because two different groups are described in the chapter. As in so many other Bible passages, there is a dichotomy (a division of a whole group into two distinct parts) in the text of chapter 3 and across the book of Zephaniah. The group addressed with a "Woe" was destined for misery, destruction and death. But the other group was envisioned to enjoy a glorious welcome and homecoming, a time to celebrate a great deliverance and receive a reward. This chapter not only reveals the two groups and the two outcomes; it also explains why the outcome is so different.
Zephaniah first addressed the rebellious, prideful group of the great majority in Judah. The rebels would not listen to the warnings God sent through the prophets. They ignored calls to repentance. They refused correction, they did not trust God, and they spurned his invitation to leave their idols and draw near to the LORD. Judah's rulers were violent men who devoured their own people. The nation's spiritual leaders were treacherous and profane. The wicked nation was shameless in their sinfulness. Injustice and impenitence were so deeply entrenched in their hearts that they would neither learn from history nor listen to God's prophets. Eventually God's perfect justice and judgment came to the city of Jerusalem and the nation of Judah. The nation would be gathered with other wicked nations around them to be destroyed in the consuming fire of God's righteous wrath against the unrepentant sinners.
The other group God addressed in Zephaniah's closing words was a much smaller remnant of faith. There were still humble, God-fearing people among the Israelites. God knew them and had a different and better outcome planned for them. Instead of wrath, they would know blessing and peace. The coming Messiah would take away their judgment and protect them from their adversaries. Those who turned to God and trusted him could live with joyful courage and calm confidence instead of anxious fear. God would celebrate his redemptive work in them and exult over them with loud singing.
We usually think about joy and singing among God's people as we worship him. But here is God himself rejoicing and singing over his redeemed people. Even the poor and disabled people who had been treated as outcasts would be rescued and enjoy the blessings God promised his faithful people. God's joyful celebration over his redeemed people reminds us of Isaiah's description of the bridegroom rejoicing over his bride and the prodigal son's father as he celebrated when his long lost and presumed dead son came home.
Zephaniah used two similar expressions to describe two very different relationships between God and these two groups. Of the doomed sinful city of Jerusalem, he said, "The LORD within her is righteous." God was among them in the sense that he was familiar with them and their wickedness. He was faithful, but they were unfaithful. He was just, but they were shameless in their unjust conduct.
To the second group, the redeemed remnant, Zephaniah wrote, "The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil." Here, “in your midst” means more than familiarity; in this case, it is a relationship. These people loved and feared God. He was their faithful protector and provider. They were in fellowship with him. They didn't have to fear the evil around them because God was with them.
You and I are blessed to know that all the promises of redemption, forgiveness and God's abiding presence with us are fulfilled in Christ. We can enjoy peace with God, one another and within ourselves because Christ is our peace. We can have an unshakable joy in Christ and our salvation. Regardless of what circumstances we may face and endure, his promises are sure. We have escaped from the wrath we were due as sinners because Jesus took that wrath on himself at the cross. God's people in Christ are privileged to live the reality of what Zephaniah foresaw and foretold. Our God rejoices and sings over us! Let's rejoice with hearts that overflow with praise because Jesus is our Savior!
Copyright © 2024 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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