Advent Devotion for December 19, 2019 from Apostles By-the-Sea - Episode 19

Thursday, December 19, 2019

 

Zephaniah 3:14-20

¹⁴ Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! ¹⁵ The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies.

The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. ¹⁶ On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. ¹⁷ The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing ¹⁸ as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. ¹⁹ I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. ²⁰ At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord.

 

Reflection:

If you know Zephaniah, you know he’s one of the gloomiest, doomiest of the Old Testament prophets. However, today’s reading is full of joy - from the joyous singing of Israel, to God’s rejoicing over his people in gladness. The reason for all of this joy is that, through Zephaniah, God promises to restore the people after their judgment in exile. In one sense, Zephaniah’s prophecy of restoration was fulfilled when Jesus was born. Notice the phrases in verse 15, “The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst,” and verse 17, “The Lord, your God, is in your midst.” Zephaniah is speaking of Emmanuel, which means “God with us”. The final fulfillment of Zephaniah’s prophecy of restoration will happen at the second coming of our Lord. On that day, Jesus will be the “warrior who gives victory”, especially victory over sin, and restores our relationship with God. As Christians, we look forward to this future joy of restoration, and we can rejoice now because of what will happen later. So, let all of God’s people sing aloud with joy!