Zephaniah 3:2
Wednesday Night Prayer and Praise • Sermon • Submitted
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She obeys no one,
she accepts no correction.
She does not trust in the Lord,
she does not draw near to her God.
Who is “she” in this passage?
She is of course referring to Israel, particularly the people of Jerusalem. The problem is spelled out in that verse. When people, as group or individual, becomes disobedient to the Lord, the bottom line is not trusting the Lord and does not draw near to God. In this passage, as on writer put it, God’s elect nation became a depraved people. Morality and values disappeared. Depravity happens and becomes apparent when the person and nation decide to rebel against the ways of God.
Israel did this- 2000 years ago and now our nation continues to do this.
If you read this one verse, you would think there was absolutely no hope. I have learned that wherever a problem is presented in scripture, God provides a remedy.
Sing, O Daughter of Zion;
shout aloud, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O Daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away your punishment,
he has turned back your enemy.
The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;
never again will you fear any harm.
On that day they will say to Jerusalem,
“Do not fear, O Zion;
do not let your hands hang limp.
The Lord your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.”
“The sorrows for the appointed feasts
I will remove from you;
they are a burden and a reproach to you.
At that time I will deal
with all who oppressed you;
I will rescue the lame
and gather those who have been scattered.
I will give them praise and honor
in every land where they were put to shame.
At that time I will gather you;
at that time I will bring you home.
I will give you honor and praise
among all the peoples of the earth
when I restore your fortunes
before your very eyes,”
says the Lord.
God’s remedy in spite of what is said in verse 2 is to remove, restore and rejoice.
How does He restore? Vs. 15 says “The Lord has taken away your punishment, He has turned back your enemy.” When your punishment is taken away, He has removed it.
What has God removed from you?
God also restored you.
When your enemy is turned back, you are restored! Verse 15 also says that God is with you and you do not have to fear any harm. That is because you are restored!
Verse 20 says God “will restore your fortune right before your eyes.”
How has God restored you?
God also rejoices over you.
The Lord your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.”
I love this verse. What a promise!
God is with me.
God saves me.
God takes great delight..not just any delight, but GREAT delight.
God will quiet you with His love. How does He do that?
He reminds us of Who He is.
He reminds us of What He is.
He reminds us by being bigger than the sum of all that we face.
He reminds us be restoring us and removing from us that which kept us away from Him.
But the best way I find that He quiets us with His love is by rejoicing over us with singing! Have you ever been sang to.....Have you ever been rejoiced over? Has anyone ever spun around with joy because of you?
God has done just that! He continues to do so!
The Lord your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.”