sing aloud! zephaniah 3:14-20. sing aloud! ♫ if anyone has a reason to smile, it’s we christians

SingSingAloud!Aloud!

Zephaniah 3:14-20

Sing Aloud!Sing Aloud!

♫ If anyone has a reason to smile, it’s we Christians.


♫ If anyone has a reason to smile, it’s we Christians.♪ God has done so very much for us.


♫ If anyone has a reason to smile, it’s we Christians.♪ God has done so very much for us.♪ No wonder Scripture urges us to rejoice.



♫“Rejoice in hope” (Rom 12:12, ESV).



♫“Rejoice in hope” (Rom 12:12, ESV). ♫“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice” (Phil 4:4,

ESV).


ZEPHANIAH ENCOURAGES ZEPHANIAH ENCOURAGES THE ISRAELITES TO BE THE ISRAELITES TO BE JOYFUL!JOYFUL!


ZEPHANIAH ENCOURAGES ZEPHANIAH ENCOURAGES THE ISRAELITES TO BE THE ISRAELITES TO BE JOYFUL!JOYFUL!

Zephaniah 3:14-20


♫ What could possibly cause the Israelites to rejoice?


♫ What could possibly cause the Israelites to rejoice?♪ Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of Josiah, a king who

“did what was right in the eyes of the LORD” (2 Ki 22:2, ESV).




♪ But, Josiah reigned immediately after his evil father & grandfather.




♪ But, Josiah reigned immediately after his evil father & grandfather.♫Amon, Josiah’s father, “did what was evil in the sight of the

LORD, as Manasseh his father had done. He walked in all the way in which his father walked and served the idols that his father served and worshiped them. He abandoned the LORD, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the LORD” (2 Ki 21:20-22, ESV).




♪ But, Josiah reigned immediately after his evil father & grandfather.♫Amon, Josiah’s father, “did what was evil in the sight of the

LORD, as Manasseh his father had done. He walked in all the way in which his father walked and served the idols that his father served and worshiped them. He abandoned the LORD, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the LORD” (2 Ki 21:20-22, ESV).

♫Manasseh, Josiah’s grandfather, was one of the most evil kings ever to reign in Judah.


♫ Manasseh “did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel. For he rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, ‘In Jerusalem will I put my name.’ And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. And he burned his son as an offering and used fortune-telling and omens and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger. And the carved image of Asherah that he had made he set in the house of which the LORD said to David and to Solomon his son, ‘In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever. And I will not cause the feet of Israel to wander anymore out of the land that I gave to their fathers, if only they will be careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the Law that my servant Moses commanded them.’ But they did not listen, and Manasseh led them astray to do more evil than the nations had done whom the LORD destroyed before the people of Israel” (2 Ki 21:2-9, ESV).


♫ The Book of Zephaniah explains how God will judge Judah for the sins of Manasseh & Amon.


♫ The Book of Zephaniah explains how God will judge Judah for the sins of Manasseh & Amon.♪ “I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the

inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests, those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by Milcom” (1:4-5, ESV).


♫ The Book of Zephaniah explains how God will judge Judah for the sins of Manasseh & Amon.♪ “I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the

inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests, those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by Milcom” (1:4-5, ESV).

♪ “‘Wait for me,’ declares the LORD, ‘for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed’” (3:8, ESV).


♫ But, in the midst of such indignation, God offers hope.


♫ But, in the midst of such indignation, God offers hope.♪ Those who turn to the Lord can escape his judgment.


♫ But, in the midst of such indignation, God offers hope.♪ Those who turn to the Lord can escape his judgment: “Seek

the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the LORD” (2:3, ESV).


♫ But, in the midst of such indignation, God offers hope.♪ Those who turn to the Lord can escape his judgment: (2:3).♪ God has a long history of offering hope in the midst of

judgment.



judgment. ♫Jesus to Laodicea: “I know your works: you are neither cold nor

hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth” (Rev 3:15-16, ESV).





♫But, Jesus still offers hope.





♫But, Jesus still offers hope: “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne” (Rev 3:19-21, ESV).


♫ At the end of the age, God will offer great hope in the midst of judgment.


♫ At the end of the age, God will offer great hope in the midst of judgment.♪ “God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict

you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thess 1:6-8, ESV).



you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thess 1:6-8, ESV). ♫There is great judgment in those two verses.



you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thess 1:6-8, ESV). ♫There is great judgment in those two verses.♫But, there is also great hope—those in Christ will have “relief.”


♫ In this morning’s text, God offers hope & pardon in the midst of judgment.


♫ In this morning’s text, God offers hope & pardon in the midst of judgment.♪ Therein is the cause of singing & rejoicing!


♫ In this morning’s text, God offers hope & pardon in the midst of judgment.♪ Therein is the cause of singing & rejoicing!♪ The daughter of Jerusalem is encouraged to sing a song of

praise unto God.


♫ In this morning’s text, God offers hope & pardon in the midst of judgment.♪ Therein is the cause of singing & rejoicing!♪ The daughter of Jerusalem is encouraged to sing a song of

praise unto God.♪ This is A SWEEPING SONG & A STOUT SONG.


A SWEEPING SONGA SWEEPING SONGv 15


♫ The Israelites need to sing “A Sweeping Song,” for the Lord will sweep away their judgments.


♫ The Israelites need to sing “A Sweeping Song,” for the Lord will sweep away their judgments.

♫ “The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil” (v 15, ESV).


♫ The Lord has swept away the judgments of Judah.


♫ The Lord has swept away the judgments of Judah.♪ “Judgments” certainly refers to the Babylonian Captivity.


♫ The Lord has swept away the judgments of Judah.♪ “Judgments” certainly refers to the Babylonian Captivity.♪ God had promised to send judgment upon Israel for their sins.



♫Even after Josiah’s reforms: “Still the LORD did not turn from the burning of his great wrath, by which his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him. And the LORD said, ‘I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there’” (2 Ki 23:26-27, ESV).



♫Even after Josiah’s reforms: “Still the LORD did not turn from the burning of his great wrath, by which his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him. And the LORD said, ‘I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there’” (2 Ki 23:26-27, ESV).

♫Throughout Zephaniah, God promised judgment upon Judah.


♫ The Lord has swept away the judgments of Judah.♫ But, there was coming a time when God would remove their

sins.



sins.♪ If God planned to judge Judah, why would he sweep away her

sins?




sins?♫God sent the Babylonian Captivity to humble the people.




sins?♫God sent the Babylonian Captivity to humble the people. ♫When they were humbled, he would remove his judgment.


♫ “Thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile” (Jer 29:10-14, ESV).


GOD WILL BRING GREAT GOD WILL BRING GREAT JUDGMENT ON THE EARTH!JUDGMENT ON THE EARTH!

Here’s the point for us:


♫ It will be a complete destruction.


♫ It will be a complete destruction: “The day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed” (2 Pet 3:10, ESV).


♫ It will be a complete destruction: (2 Pet 3:10).♫ But, the Lord promises us an opportunity to have our sins

swept away.



swept away.♪ If anyone sins, “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus

Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 Jn 2:1-2, ESV).



swept away.♪ If anyone sins, “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus

Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 Jn 2:1-2, ESV).

♪ “Propitiation” is basically “that which sweeps away sin.”


THE LORD OFFERS YOU THE THE LORD OFFERS YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO SING “OPPORTUNITY TO SING “A A SWEEPING SONGSWEEPING SONG” THIS ” THIS MORNING.MORNING.


THE LORD OFFERS YOU THE THE LORD OFFERS YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO SING “OPPORTUNITY TO SING “A A SWEEPING SONGSWEEPING SONG” THIS ” THIS MORNING.MORNING.

Will you give him that chance & sing “A Sweeping Song”?


A STOUT SONGA STOUT SONGvv 15b-17


♫ The Israelites could sing “A Stout Song,” for they had no reason to be afraid.


♫ The Israelites could sing “A Stout Song,” for they had no reason to be afraid.

♫ “The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: ‘Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing’” (vv 15b-17, ESV).


THE ISRAELITES WOULD THE ISRAELITES WOULD NEVER NEED TO FEAR AGAIN.NEVER NEED TO FEAR AGAIN.


♫ When Zephaniah was writing, the Jews had many reasons to fear.


♫ When Zephaniah was writing, the Jews had many reasons to fear.♪ The Babylonian Captivity was going to be horrible.



♫Nebuchadnezzar came against Jerusalem, captured the royal family, & took the vessels out of the temple (2 Ki 24:11-16).



♫Nebuchadnezzar came against Jerusalem, captured the royal family, & took the vessels out of the temple (2 Ki 24:11-16).

♫Nebuchadnezzar continued a long siege against Jerusalem. During that siege, “the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land” (2 Ki 25:3, ESV).


♫ When Zephaniah was writing, the Jews had many reasons to fear.♪ The Babylonian Captivity was going to be horrible.♪ Even after the Restoration, the Jews faced many challenges.



♫Antiochus IV Epiphanes: “His power shall be great—but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints. By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Without warning he shall destroy many” (Dan 8:24-25, ESV).



♫Antiochus IV Epiphanes: “His power shall be great—but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints. By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Without warning he shall destroy many” (Dan 8:24-25, ESV).

♫Antiochus brought a reign of terror on Judea—In the span of three days, he killed 40,000 Jews.



♫ Because the Jews were going to suffer so intensely, I don’t believe this time of fearlessness could refer to the Restoration.



♫ Because the Jews were going to suffer so intensely, I don’t believe this time of fearlessness could refer to the Restoration—Much more likely, it refers to the time of the Messiah.


♫ The time of the Messiah was often depicted as a time of peace.


♫ The time of the Messiah was often depicted as a time of peace.♪ “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be

no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore” (Is 9:7, ESV).


♫ The time of the Messiah was often depicted as a time of peace.♪ “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be

no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore” (Is 9:7, ESV).

♪ “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together . . . . The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Is 11:6, 8-9, ESV).


♫ Notice when the Israelites would have no reason to fear: “The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil” (v 15, ESV).


♫ Notice when the Israelites would have no reason to fear: “The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil” (v 15, ESV). ♪ When the King of Israel in the form of Jesus Christ would

enter Judea, the people would have no reason to fear.


♫ Notice when the Israelites would have no reason to fear: “The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil” (v 15, ESV). ♪ When the King of Israel in the form of Jesus Christ would

enter Judea, the people would have no reason to fear.♪ Human kings were insufficient to keep the people safe.


♫ We can sing “A Stout Song”—because of Jesus Christ, we have no reason to fear.


♫ We can sing “A Stout Song”—because of Jesus Christ, we have no reason to fear.♪ When sending out the disciples, Jesus warned that they might

face persecution.



face persecution. He then says, “Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Mt 10:31, ESV).



face persecution. He then says, “Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Mt 10:31, ESV). ♫How could the disciples not be afraid in the face of persecution?




♪ “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” (Mt 10:28, ESV).





♪ Those whom the disciples faced could not take their souls.





♪ Those whom the disciples faced could not take their souls.♫What a glorious message!






♪ We might face much in this life.






♪ We might face much in this life.♪ But, our souls cannot be touched!







• As long as we abide in Jesus, our souls are safe with him.







• As long as we abide in Jesus, our souls are safe with him.• “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will

snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (Jn 10:28-29, ESV).


♫ Jesus became flesh and suffered so “that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery” (Heb 2:14-15, ESV).



♫ We don’t wish to minimize the grief of death.



♫ We don’t wish to minimize the grief of death.♪ But, death is not the end!




♫When death overtakes these bodies, angels bear our souls to Abraham’s bosom (Lk 16:22).





♫Those who die in the Lord have a better existence than we.





♫Those who die in the Lord have a better existence than we.♪ “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better”

(Phil 1:23, ESV).





♫Those who die in the Lord have a better existence than we.♪ “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better”

(Phil 1:23, ESV). ♪ “I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write this: Blessed are the

dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Blessed indeed,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!’” (Rev 14:13, ESV).


WE CAN SING “WE CAN SING “A STOUT A STOUT SONGSONG,” FOR IN THE AGE OF ,” FOR IN THE AGE OF THE MESSIAH, DEATH HAS THE MESSIAH, DEATH HAS BEEN SHATTERED.BEEN SHATTERED.


DO YOU HAVE FEAR THIS DO YOU HAVE FEAR THIS MORNING?MORNING?


DO YOU HAVE FEAR THIS DO YOU HAVE FEAR THIS MORNING?MORNING?

Do you need to have that fear removed in Jesus’ blood?

sing aloud! zephaniah 3:14-20. sing aloud! ♫ if anyone has a reason to smile, it’s we christians

Documents

evil father grandfather

josiahs father

reign of josiah

evil kings

josiahs grandfather

wonder scripture

ahab king of israel

sight of thelord