The time to be really concerned in any relationship is when one of the parties behaves in a way that shows that they no longer care.
One of the beauties of the book of Zephaniah is how it displays the ongoing care of God for His people. He is not apathetic to their plight. He does not allow what He sees to just carry on without responding and engaging. He is very much active in the relationship and He is because He cares.
This is in contrast to the behaviour of His people at the start of Zephaniah 3. Whether in royalty or the courts, in the temple or through His own mouthpiece, God finds folks that plainly don’t care for Him. The only people they care about are themselves and despite the many clear hints He’s shown to His people, their sheer apathy to Him and pursuit of their own pride and arrogance has become a stench to Him. They have stunk out His holy mountain through that behaviour.
As the place stinks, God is going to purify it and that purification process eliminates the proud and arrogant to allow the lowly and humble to remain. Once that has been completed then there’s reason for those who remain to be joyful. There’s a reason to hope, there’s something great to look forward to and that thing is the return of God the King.
For the Lord will remove his hand of judgement
and will disperse the armies of your enemy.
And the Lord himself, the King of Israel,
will live among you!
At last your troubles will be over,
and you will never again fear disaster. (Zephaniah 3:15 NLT)
What a promise! What a hope! The presence of the King removing all troubles and fears. The presence of the King among His people fully engaged with each other living together without deceit. What glorious picture Zephaniah presents to a people that are about to go into captivity because of their faithlessness. That captivity is not the final note in the story. There will be a return to God’s holy mountain. There will be a return for the scattered to the city God designated. Not only with there be a return, but there will be a righteous rule for His people that will allow them to live without fear or shame – what a promise. What a hope! All because their King is fully engaged.
Lots to take note of an be inspired by reading this chapter. The King would later reinforce to His people that those who belong to His Kingdom will be marked by being lowly, humble, meek and pure. Zephaniah’s note on those who mourn is also a hallmark that the King will outline in the attributes of those who follow Him and inherit His Kingdom.
This is another reason why it’s worth appreciating what God says through this prophet. Underrated though He may be, rarely mentioned though he is among references to God’s Holy Word, Zephaniah still has something profound and insightful to show about God. Just absorbing this last chapter gives us the idea of God’s watchful eye as His reasonable expectations are dashed by rebellious folks, but His own commitment to redeeming and restoring that which He is fully engaged in.
There is a particular closing image Zephaniah gives that not only fills the reader with hope, but gives the remnant joy to see just how engaged God is in the process.
For the Lord your God is living among you.
He is a mighty saviour.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
With his love, he will calm all your fears.[b]
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs. (Zephaniah 3:17 NLT)
(Photo by Elizabeth Tsung on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
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