Today’s Bible Reading: ZEPHANIAH 2:8-3:20, 2 CHRONICLES 35:20-272 KINGS 23:29-30 , JEREMIAH 47:1-48:47
Zephaniah 3:17
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.
We often wonder how God feels about us. We don’t often know or understand what He thinks of us. Like any relationship we long to discern and discover their impression of us. In knowing this we can build a better relationship from it.
In our text God gives us some insight into just how He feels about His people. We are told that God is present among them. He is “in our midst”. He has not abandoned them, but was among them. We are also told that He is powerful around them. He is “a mighty one who will save”. He was strong and they were secure. These two facts brought comfort and confidence to a people in distress in the surviving southern Kingdom of Judah. Their fears were founded in that the northern kingdom of Israel had fallen to the Assyrians and their brother Israelites had been taken captive. The assumed that they were the next to fall. That is why these encouraging words of the prophet detailing God’s continued presence among them and His power surrounding them gave them peace in their perilous times.
But the text goes further in describing God’s feeling for His hurting people. Yes, He hadn’t left them to fend for themselves, but was with them and would watch over them, but there was more that the prophet added. He speaks of God’s intimate relationship with them and what three actions that sparked within the Lord. First, we are told His people are the source of His joy. The texts states, “he will rejoice over you with gladness.” God is happy with His people; he rejoices over them. They are the source of His gladness. He looks at them with joy. Whatever their rebellion was toward Him, His response was still to rejoice over them. Their sin did not squelch His joy regarding them. It’s like a parent who is displeased with the actions of their child, but still delights in them.
Second, our text tells us God will quiet you by his love. The collapse that occurred to the kingdom of Israel caused concern among the remaining kingdom that it might happen to them. This was very disheartening. It caused great despair and disillusionment. God understood and quietened their fears. His affection for them silenced their apprehensions. They heard the prophet speak of their Father’s love for them and their hearts and minds were eased. Knowing that He still loved them in spite of their sin silenced the voices of doubt and discontent.
Finally, Zephaniah states that the Lord “will exult over you with loud singing”. He sings over us. His song brought the solace that they needed in their situation. God is so happy with His people that He breaks into song over them. Like a nursing mother singing to calm their frightened child, so God sings over His frightened children. It is the most wonderful of songs. It is just what His frightened and fearful children needed to hear. But it was not a hushed hymn, but one that was played and sung loud. It was broadcasted so that all of heaven and earth to hear. It’s that song that makes you want to roll the windows down and cruise. His affection for His children made Him want sing over them with “loud singing”.
The great thing about this text is that these three things are for you just like they were for them. What He did for them, He will do for you when fear and frustration overtakes you. He will rejoice, He will quiet and He will exult. There is nothing that He did for them that He won’t do for you. You can count on that. So, when trouble and terror come upon you, trust Him to do what this verse says. He is in your midst, a mighty one who will save.” You can rely on Him.
Today, thank Him that as He was for them, so He is with you and will watch over you. Thank Him that no matter what you have done or what has been done to you, The Lord will rejoice over you, He will quiet you and He will sing over you loudly. Praise Him for the peace and comfort that these words of Zephaniah bring into your present predicaments and problems.
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