Zephaniah 3:14-20 Sing Aloud!
The future that God is bringing is MORE than enough reason to shout for joy and to sing aloud. Life with Him NOW is worthy of song too.
Zephaniah is sharing with the people a glorious future. One where their sins are forgiven completely, they are restored as a people, and their enemies are silenced. It is something for them to hold fast to during the time that is quickly approaching. A time when their Savior walks among them and they are secure forever!
I wonder how many of the people hearing Zephaniah sharing God’s words of hope expected it to happen immediately. How many of them held onto this, expecting God to move on their behalf in the situation they were currently in? How many of them weighed the words and saw them for a future time? And how many of them dismissed them completely as impossible?
We know from our earlier times with several of the prophets, that the northern kingdom of Israel (especially her kings) were all too eager to receive messages of victory over their enemies. And her false prophets were all too happy to provide such messages. The prophets of God spoke of judgment coming and were a call for repentance. I don’t know for certain if any of the prophets who spoke to the northern kingdom also spoke of restoration. Maybe that can be our next study, when we finally reach the end of the Old Testament books.
Several of the prophets who spoke to Judah spoke of a restoration and a sure future. Isaiah was foremost among that group. Many of the words he shared from God were prophecies that Jesus would fulfill while walking this earth. The hardest thing, I believe, for the people to grasp was the “suffering Servant” side of their messiah. This rejection of the Messiah suffering most likely played a LARGE part in their rejection of Jesus as that Messiah. I would venture to say that Zephaniah’s prophecy is the most reassuring prophecy of all!
From the beginning, it is clear that Israel/Judah has sinned, but then comes the promise that they will be restored and forgiven as well as one day rule over everything. It is without a doubt the most positive ending possible. But I believe it is the farthest ahead in history. It tells of a time even beyond Judgment Day. I believe it is for a time AFTER the final war with Satan.
Zephaniah speaks for God of a time of perfection. That time will NOT happen until God completely wipes the slate and starts over. But today’s passage could fit an earlier time frame. It speaks of forgiveness and restoration without the perfection piece being part of it. What is central though is forgiveness. THIS piece is critical for ALL positive futures with God; including for today.
God LONGS for His people to come to Him. To leave their sins behind. A restored relationship is His greatest desire. If it weren’t so, He would NEVER have sent His ONLY begotten Son to die a horrible death on the cross to make it possible. And that death made forgiveness attainable.
We don’t have to wait for final victory to celebrate His work on our behalf. We can sing today of His mercies. We can shout His praise to the highest heavens. Those who put their trust in Jesus and His redemptive work can and SHOULD praise Him NOW! We don’t have to wait until the entire world is bowing at His feet before we make His mercies known. We NEED to SING His praises! We HAVE to share what He has done for us with those around us. How else will they hear of the One who can do the same for them?
Zephaniah speaks of conquered enemies too. He doesn’t say that we can ONLY sing when the enemies lie at our feet. Their subjugation is NOT our reason to praise. His MERCY IS! And that mercy is available to all who would ask of Him. THAT is why we can sing!!! We don’t have to earn His mercy. We don’t have to be perfect for Him to love us. All we have to do is be willing to say; “I can’t do it on my own. I NEED You to take my life and make it Yours. I humbly ask for the free gift of salvation Jesus bought for me. Be Lord of my life from this moment on.”
He will take it from there. He will walk WITH you through EVERY step along the path to ‘perfection’. ONLY through Him walking with us can we EVER hope to attain that perfection. And that place of VICTORY. That journey is WORTHY of song!!!
Father God, I want to SING Your praises to the HIGHEST! I want to praise You with, no only my mouth but my WHOLE being. I want my life to reflect Your love for me and Your commitment to walk with me to my perfection one day.
