The Days of Jubilant Song

Day 12 - Encountering the delight of God

“Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter 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, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home.
I will give you honour and praise among all the peoples of the earth
when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the Lord.”

-Zephaniah 3:14-17 & 20

(photo credit: Lisa Shkrobot: Skyline Trail 2021)

The book of Zephaniah might seem an unlikely stop on our Advent journey. It is one of the so-called ‘minor prophets’ and  if we are honest, it can be a bit tricky to find in our Bibles. The reason why this passage has found a place in the traditional reading for Advent is that is it is understood to describe the time of Christ’s return, His second Advent. In Zephaniah 3:9-20 we find the larger prophetic description of a future when all the nations of the world will ‘call upon the name of the Lord’ (v. 9) and the people characterized as ‘meek and humble’ (v. 12), which many have seen as the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise that ‘the meek will inherit the earth’. (Matt. 5:5).

These verses are a radiant beam of hope! In these challenging days, we can allow ourselves to be touched by the promise of these Scripture verses. God intends for this prophetic picture to be a pathway of divine hope, because in Romans 15:13, Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit awakens hope in our hearts.

We have reason to be glad and rejoice, to sing and to shout in joy! The Lord has taken away the punishment of sin and has defeated our enemy, the Devil. This passage describes that glorious day when our King will return and we will ‘never again fear any harm’. We will feel and experience His delight in us, as never before, and that rejoicing will be cause for jubilant song.

The prophetic Scriptures are full of rich and vibrant images, metaphors and descriptions. They are intended to fill our minds and hearts with emotion and anticipation for the promises of God. Take a few moments to re-read these verses from Zephaniah 3, slowly, perhaps out loud if that is helpful for you. As you read, pause at any word or phrase that stands out to you. Think and imagine and linger around it. Ask the Holy Spirit to awaken a fresh hope for that day of Jesus’ glorious return.

If this resonates with you, I’d love to hear it. Please offer a comment, using the ‘speech bubble’ icon below and share it with others readers. Blessings!