Zephaniah 3:14 says, Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. God called on the people of Israel to rejoice. This was a call to those who truly trusted in God. We, as followers of Christ should daily rejoice in the Lord with all our heart. Verse fifteen adds, The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. God told the people of Israel why they should rejoice. He had taken away His judgment against them, and He was their King living in the midst of them. This is what happened when Jesus Christ came and died for our sins, and the Holy Spirit came to dwell in every believer. We will no longer see evil one day when God establishes His everlasting kingdom. Still, it is not a free pass on sin, but total forgiveness through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. Verse sixteen continues, In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. God said that those who put their faith in Him would no longer need to live in fear of anything that might happen to them in this world. This is still true for Christians today. Verse seventeen concludes, The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. God said once again that He would be in the midst of those who were truly His people, and that He would rejoice over them. He would save them, and they would rejoice in His love. We today as followers of Christ are saved by God and should rest in His love as well. Verse eighteen declares, I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. God said that He would gather those who were sorrowful and reproached by the world because of their faith in Him. They were saddened by the lack of true worship and were scattered, but God would gather them again. We should be saddened today by the lack of the worship of God in the world, but if we are His followers, even if the world reproaches us, He will gather us to Himself one day. Verse nineteen adds, Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. God said that when He gathered His people together that He would get them fame and praise and that those who had reproved them would be put to shame. One day, every person who ever lived or ever will live will acknowledge God and those who are His, not to glorify them, but to glorify Him. Verse twenty concludes, At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD. God promised to restore His people, those who put their faith in Him. This is the promise to Christians today. No matter what happens in this world, we have an everlasting victory through our faith in Jesus Christ.
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