Read Zephaniah 3:14–20
Questions from the Scripture text: What four things do v14 command? To be done with what? To be done by whom—called by what three names? Why—what has YHWH taken away (v15a)? Whom has He cast out (v15b)? Who is He (v15c)? Where is He? What will they see no more (v15d)? To what does v16a refer? What will happen on that day? To whom is it spoken? What are they not to do (v16b)? What are they called in v16c? What are they not to let happen? Who is where (v17a)? Whose is He? What will He do to them (v17b)? What will He do over them (v17c)? With what? What will He do them (v17d)? With what? What will He dover them (v17e)? With what? Whom will He gather—over what do they sorrow (v18a)? Whom are they among (v18b)? What is a burden to those who sorrow over the appointed assembly (v18c)? With what command does v19a begin? What will He do with whom in v19b? And what to whom in v19c? And what to whom in v19d? For what will He appoint the lame and driven out (v19e)? In what places (v19f)? To when do v20a, v20b refer (cf. v16, 19a)? What two things will He do to them? And what will He give them (v20c)? Among whom (v20d)? By doing what (v20e)? As assured by what (v20f)?
What will God’s remnant people do? Zephaniah 3:14–20 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God’s remnant people will rejoice over the God Who rejoices over them.
The book began with the all-consuming blaze of God’s wrath, and chapter 3 began with woe, specifically on Jerusalem. What an amazing change has occurred, now, in v14. How can Jerusalem sing, and shout, and be glad, and rejoice? And with all her heart, at that?!
The answer, as we know from the whole of Scripture, is Christ. And we see that in some important ways.
Only Christ could atone. The rejoicing (v14) is in response to, among other things, the removal of her judgments (v15). The enemy would be brought as a judgment upon their sin against God, but when God had forgiven them, their enemy would be cast out.
Only Christ can be King. v15 says something amazing. YHWH is the King of Israel. The Davidic line is about to all but disappear in exile. But the Lord will preserve it, according to His promise (cf. 2Sam 7). More remarkably, the Son of David will also be the Son of God (cf. Rom 1:4), YHWH Himself.
Only Christ can be Priest. v15 goes on to say that YHWH is in her midst. In purifying her, He would remove from her midst those who rejoice in pride (v11), and leave in her midst a meek and humble people (v12). But now, it is YHWH Himself Who is in her midst. He humbled Himself to be found in shape as a man (cf. Php 2:6–8), so that He could be selected from among men as their Priest (cf. Heb 5:1–11). Christ Himself is the true Holy of Holies. It is by His priesthood that YHWH is in the midst of His people.
Only Christ is great enough to be the full object of the delight in v17. Here is a truly wonderful verse. YHWH, the Lord God of all, being mighty to save… out of joy, love, and delight. God, of course, is immovable. Nothing can affect Him; He affects everything. But there is, from within God, such divine love and delight as is the original after which the joy in v14 is commanded. She is to sing (v14), because YHWH rejoices over her with singing (v17). She is to be glad and rejoice (v14), because YHWH rejoices over her with gladness (v17). She is liberated for shouts of joy (v14), by the quiet from her enemies that His love has given her (v17).
But the big question is: how can it be that a mere creature would be the object of the full joy, love, and delight of the infinite YHWH? Only because God the Son became a Man, so that we might be united to Him by faith. It is in Him that the Lord has loved and delighted in us before the world began (cf. Eph 1:3–14).
It is in Christ that the Lord has covenanted to be gracious to His people. And this passage is dripping with covenant language. “daughter of Zion” and “Israel” are covenant names (v14). “YHWH your God” (v17) employs the possessive of the covenant bond; He is covenantally theirs, and they are covenantally His.
What great glory there is in this passage! Jesus came, and Jesus spoke to us, so that His joy may dwell in us, and that we might have it to the full (cf. Jn 15:11). But, those who will rejoice with Christ’s joy currently grieve with Christ’s grief. Those who sorrow over the appointed assembly in v18 have had much cause for grief in the corruption of Israel’s worship assemblies, and will have more cause for grief in the interruption of those worship assemblies by the exile. This grief is turned into the greatest joy; His people, and their appointed worship assemblies, will be restored to purity and praise and fame (v19–20), not just in Israel but among all the peoples of the earth (v20). The Lord give you to be His by union with Christ, dear reader.
What has been done about the judgments that you deserve? What will happen with all of your enemies? Who is your King? How is He king? Who is your Priest? What does He do as Priest? What place does joy and singing have in your Christian life? What place does joy and singing have in your hope? What effect does it have upon you, when worship is corrupted or interrupted?
Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for rejoicing over us, to make us rejoice over You. Grant that trusting in Christ, and being united to Christ, we would be conformed to Christ and His joy, we ask in His Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP98 “O Sing a New Song” or TPH448 “Union with Thee”
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