“The LORD your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior!” Zephaniah 3:17.
The third chapter of Zephaniah records rebellion and then deliverance. Israel's rebellion and disobedience to God's instructions are in Zephaniah 3:1-7. These prophecies display our God’s ability to deal with the obstacles of sin with the amazing result of victorious deliverance and blessing for all people.
Next follows a general prophecy of judgment and worldwide deliverance:
“Therefore [because of the rebellion of Israel and also all the nations] My decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out on them my indignation, all my burning anger; for all the earth will be devoured by the fire of My zeal.” Zephaniah 3:8
God's judgments will symbolically ‘devour’ the organizations of the present governments. We know the fire and the earth must be symbolic. Otherwise, the next verse would not make sense. Zephaniah 3:9, “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call on the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one consent,” Which people? If the fire were literal there would be no one left. The fire (destruction of Earth’s systems) of judgment prepares the people to receive the heart changing blessings of the Kingdom. The pure word of truth will be written in their hearts and they will worship and serve our the true God and honor His Son with one consent, in cooperation with one another. Jeremiah 31:33-34; Philippians 2:9-11
Deliverance of Natural and Spiritual Israel
Though the nation of Israel is ‘blind in part,’ “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob,” Romans 11:25-31. A special deliverance is promised to Israel, beginning with a remnant of Israel. The result is “The remnant of Israel will do no wrong, they will speak no lies, nor will deceit be found in their mouths…” Zephaniah 3:13; Zechariah 12:8-14 This remnant becomes an example and a source of proof of the delivering power of God. Nations will join Israel to seek God. Isaiah 14:1; Isaiah 2:1-4
Our delightful God shows his delivering power to both Natural Israel (the nation) and Spiritual Israel, the true followers of Christ. Both are refined by the fire of challenging experience. (Isaiah 4:2-6 -natural Israel; 1 Peter 1:7 -Spiritual Israel.) As followers of Christ, our God is a victorious warrior of His people!
We can take this verse very personally.
Our delightful God is a victorious warrior on our behalf. He takes delight in the holiness he creates in our lives. He will exult: to be cheerful over you with joy. He will be quiet in His love and affection: a love that broods and longs for the highest blessing of the one that is loved. He will rejoice with shouts of joy!!! An exuberant joy that cannot be kept in!!!
Our delightful God takes delight in the deliverance and resulting Holiness of the Peoples He delivers!
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