Come Home

The book of Zephaniah ends on a beautiful note of hope. A famous line describes God's love for His people and rings deeply in the heart of every grateful saint He has saved. As the prophets began in Isaiah, so Zephaniah continues here, some will be saved from the day of judgment. 

Isaiah 1:9 (ESV) If the LORD of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah.

What should be our response to this great salvation?

Zephaniah 3:14–15 (ESV) Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 15 The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil.

The Lord's remnant is called to sing, for they have escaped the judgment against the city. How? Through their humility and seeking the Lord, as was mentioned in verse 11. And then that remnant is promised God's protective care, who sings over them in loud celebration. 

Zephaniah 3:16–17 (ESV) On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. 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.

What are the promises of this scripture? That God will dwell among them and save them. He will not judge them but rejoice over them. He will, like a mother, quiet them in love, and He will sing over them. That the God of the universe would sing over people is unheard of in every other religious enterprise, but Zephaniah declares that it will happen for those the God of Israel redeems.

It begs the question: if God sings over our redemption, shouldn't we sing as well? And it's not just singing, it's LOUD singing. God is not stoic and stale. He loves joy and victory. He enjoys His people! What a thought! How often do we think church should be dry and crusty while the world's offerings are fun and entertaining? The opposite is true. The world is dead, and heaven is alive. Jesus will tell us all the angels rejoice when ONE sinner comes to repentance! The fattened calf was slaughtered for the prodigal's return, and the Father tells the older son, "It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found." (Luke 15:32). 

Thus, Zephaniah closes on the call to praise for what God will do for those who seek him, even when the world seems to run from Him. 

Zephaniah 3:19 (ESV) Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth.

And the most important blessing of all is the promise God makes that the NIV translation captures so beautifully in the final verse:

Zephaniah 3:20 (NIV) 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.

HOME. God will bring His people HOME. Don't our hearts long for that? Don't we understand we are truly strangers now upon this Earth? We see that things are as they should be, and as Paul says, we groan inwardly, we "groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." Romans 8:23. 

The repeated emphasis of the prophets is that in times of great spiritual decay, God has a remnant prepared for Himself. They are those who seek Him, stay humble before Him, and experience the blessing of His presence. The most important question we will ever answer is: Are we a part of that? We can be, through Christ who calls us home. 

Matthew 11:28 (ESV) Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.