sing aloud

SingAloud!

Zephaniah 3:14-20

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

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♪ God has done so very much for us.

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♪ No wonder Scripture urges us to rejoice.

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♫“Rejoice in hope” (Rom 12:12, ESV).

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♫“Rejoice in hope” (Rom 12:12, ESV).

♫“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice” (Phil 4:4,

ESV).

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ZEPHANIAH ENCOURAGES

THE ISRAELITES TO BE

JOYFUL!

Sing Aloud!

ZEPHANIAH ENCOURAGES

THE ISRAELITES TO BE

JOYFUL!

Zephaniah 3:14-20

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♫ What could possibly cause the Israelites to rejoice?

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♪ 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).

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ESV).

♪ But, Josiah reigned immediately after his evil father &

grandfather.

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ESV).


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).

Sing Aloud!




ESV).


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.

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♫ 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).

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♫ The Book of Zephaniah explains how God will judge Judah

for the sins of Manasseh & Amon.

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♪ “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).

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♪ “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).

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

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♪ Those who turn to the Lord can escape his judgment.

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♪ 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).

Sing Aloud!


♪ 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.

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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).

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judgment.





♫But, Jesus still offers hope.

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judgment.





♫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).

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

of judgment.

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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).

Sing Aloud!


of judgment.







♫There is great judgment in those two verses.

Sing Aloud!


of judgment.







♫There is great judgment in those two verses.

♫But, there is also great hope—those in Christ will have “relief.”

Sing Aloud!

♫ In this morning‟s text, God offers hope & pardon in the

midst of judgment.

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midst of judgment.

♪ Therein is the cause of singing & rejoicing!

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midst of judgment.


♪ The daughter of Jerusalem is encouraged to sing a song of

praise unto God.

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midst of judgment.


♪ The daughter of Jerusalem is encouraged to sing a song of

praise unto God.

♪ This is A SWEEPING SONG & A STOUT SONG.

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A SWEEPING SONG

v 15

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♫ The Israelites need to sing “A Sweeping Song,” for the Lord

will sweep away their judgments.

Sing Aloud!

♫ 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).

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♫ The Lord has swept away the judgments of Judah.

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♪ “Judgments” certainly refers to the Babylonian Captivity.

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♪ God had promised to send judgment upon Israel for their sins.

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♫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).

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♫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.

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♫ But, there was coming a time when God would remove their

sins.

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sins.

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

sins?

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sins.


sins?

♫God sent the Babylonian Captivity to humble the people.

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sins.


sins?

♫God sent the Babylonian Captivity to humble the people.

♫When they were humbled, he would remove his judgment.

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♫ “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).

Sing Aloud!

GOD WILL BRING GREAT

JUDGMENT ON THE EARTH!

Here‟s the point for us:

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♫ It will be a complete destruction.

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♫ 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).

Sing Aloud!

♫ It will be a complete destruction: (2 Pet 3:10).

♫ But, the Lord promises us an opportunity to have our sins

swept away.

Sing Aloud!



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).

Sing Aloud!



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.”

Sing Aloud!

THE LORD OFFERS YOU THE

OPPORTUNITY TO SING “A

SWEEPING SONG” THIS

MORNING.

Sing Aloud!

THE LORD OFFERS YOU THE

OPPORTUNITY TO SING “A

SWEEPING SONG” THIS

MORNING.

Will you give him that chance & sing “A

Sweeping Song”?

Sing Aloud!

A STOUT SONG

vv 15b-17

Sing Aloud!

♫ The Israelites could sing “A Stout Song,” for they had no

reason to be afraid.

Sing Aloud!

♫ 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).

Sing Aloud!

THE ISRAELITES WOULD

NEVER NEED TO FEAR AGAIN.

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

fear.

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fear.

♪ The Babylonian Captivity was going to be horrible.

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fear.


♫Nebuchadnezzar came against Jerusalem, captured the royal

family, & took the vessels out of the temple (2 Ki 24:11-16).

Sing Aloud!


fear.


♫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).

Sing Aloud!


fear.


♪ Even after the Restoration, the Jews faced many challenges.

Sing Aloud!


fear.



♫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).

Sing Aloud!


fear.



♫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.

Sing Aloud!


fear.

♫ Because the Jews were going to suffer so intensely, I don‟t

believe this time of fearlessness could refer to the

Restoration.

Sing Aloud!


fear.

♫ 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.

Sing Aloud!

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

peace.

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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).

Sing Aloud!


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).

Sing Aloud!

♫ 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).

Sing Aloud!




♪ When the King of Israel in the form of Jesus Christ would

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

Sing Aloud!




♪ 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.

Sing Aloud!

♫ We can sing “A Stout Song”—because of Jesus Christ, we

have no reason to fear.

Sing Aloud!



♪ When sending out the disciples, Jesus warned that they might

face persecution.

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face persecution. He then says, “Fear not, therefore; you are

of more value than many sparrows” (Mt 10:31, ESV).

Sing Aloud!






♫How could the disciples not be afraid in the face of persecution?

Sing Aloud!







♪ “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” (Mt

10:28, ESV).

Sing Aloud!








10:28, ESV).

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

Sing Aloud!








10:28, ESV).


♫What a glorious message!

Sing Aloud!








10:28, ESV).



♪ We might face much in this life.

Sing Aloud!








10:28, ESV).




♪ But, our souls cannot be touched!

Sing Aloud!








10:28, ESV).





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

Sing Aloud!








10:28, ESV).





• 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).

Sing Aloud!

♫ 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).

Sing Aloud!





♫ We don‟t wish to minimize the grief of death.

Sing Aloud!






♪ But, death is not the end!

Sing Aloud!







♫When death overtakes these bodies, angels bear our souls to

Abraham‟s bosom (Lk 16:22).

Sing Aloud!









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

Sing Aloud!










♪ “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better”

(Phil 1:23, ESV).

Sing Aloud!










♪ “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).

Sing Aloud!

WE CAN SING “A STOUT

SONG,” FOR IN THE AGE OF

THE MESSIAH, DEATH HAS

BEEN SHATTERED.

Sing Aloud!

DO YOU HAVE FEAR THIS

MORNING?

Sing Aloud!

DO YOU HAVE FEAR THIS

MORNING?

Do you need to have that fear removed in

Jesus‟ blood?

sing aloud

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