Zephaniah 3:14-17 – Rejoicing!

What a difference from the opening two and a half chapters of the book! What magnificent notes this book draws to a close with! Sing! Rejoice! Exult! (v14) ‘The LORD has taken away the judgements against you’ (v15) – what a clear and powerful description of what God does for the one He saves.

The book of Zephaniah is placed towards the end of our Old Testaments. Soon the New Testament will open and there we read even more clearly about ‘the LORD your God … in your midst, a mighty one who will save’ (v17). John is one of the writers who tells us about Jesus, and one of the first things he says is: ‘The Word became flesh and dwelt among us’ (John 1:14). Or, as Zephaniah foretold: ‘The LORD your God is in your midst’ (v17). What a truth to make our hearts sing!

Amazingly, though, it isn’t only the Church that is rejoicing and exulting (v14). It is also God Himself (v17), rejoicing over and exulting over and delighting in us – His Church, His Bride. What an astonishing truth! Our hearts should be singing today.

Zephaniah’s prophecy speaks of two contrasting days: a day of judgement and a day of restoration. Jesus is the Lord of both of these days. It is your relationship to Him that will determine how you experience both of them. If you are not trusting in Jesus as Saviour, you will be caught by surprise and you will know the fear and terror of the Day of the Lord. If you are trusting Him as Saviour, then you will experience the rejoicing of the new day. Read again v14 and v17!

Questions
1. How is the Church to respond to God’s presence in her midst (v14)?
2. How does God respond to those He is in the midst of (v17)?

Prayer Points
1. Think about and give thanks for the wonderful truth (v17) that God rejoices over you with gladness.
2. Use prayer points from your congregation.
3. Pray for family matters.