Even though the events mentioned in verse 15 hadn’t yet happened, they’re presented in the past tense. When it comes to God’s promises, they are so certain, it’s as if they’ve already occurred. We can trust Him to come through. The judgment sentence the Lord passed on the nation is lifted. Receiving God’s love and grace should automatically bring joy to a repentant sinner. The Lord also turned back the enemy. Zephaniah doesn’t specify what enemy he meant, but it really doesn’t matter. The LORD, the Holy God of Israel, is greater than any enemy. God was with them, so they needn’t fear any attack, any disaster, any evil. Think about this for a minute: punishment removed; enemies conquered; the LORD nearby…fear removed. Are these not cause for great celebration?
You May Also Like
How we glorify the Father
I love the symbolism of baptism. Being “buried” in the water, which represents sin’s death, then emerging drenched in the newness of Christ. There’s a joke about a church overrun by squirrels. One of the deacons says he knows how to get rid of them—“Let’s baptize them. After that, we’ll…
Changed from the inside out
Has someone ever apologized to you for a wrongdoing, then turned around and did the same thing again? Their apology suddenly doesn’t seem so sincere, does it? Saying we’re sorry when we’ve done wrong is the first step; being repentant—turning from that behavior to wiser choices—is the second. God forgives…
God’s amazing grace
Paul had a calling directly from the Lord to tell others about God’s grace. He was determined to fulfill that call because he had experienced its power for himself. The job Paul mentions isn’t limited to him. Are you saved? Have you basked in the incredibly extravagant generosity of grace?…

