Author’s note: This is an update of something I wrote for a Bible study blog at church about 11 years ago.
Have you ever dreamed of what the perfect world would be like? All of us have said it at one time or another, “In a perfect world,” such-and-such would happen. Maybe you wish your boss would give you a raise. Maybe you wish your family were more understanding. Or maybe you wish you could take something back you said or did.
For ages, dreamers and theorists have come up with ideas for a perfect world. There’s a word for it: utopia. The Greek word utopia essentially means “no place.” The reason that definition applies is because these ideals either failed when tried – like the communitarian experiments of the mid-19th century – or never made it off the drawing board – like Walt Disney’s ultra-cool Progress City, where residents would always have the newest technology at their fingertips.
At the end of Zephaniah, we get a glimpse at the only real perfect world, where God’s people will live with Him forever, and nothing – not even sin or enemies – will stand between Him and His beloved.
“Therefore 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.”
Zephaniah 3:8 (ESV)
Related: Sunday Thoughts: The Awe of God
God promises to bring all His people together:
“For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord. From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering. On that day you shall not be put to shame because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me; for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain. But I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord, those who are left in Israel; they shall do no injustice and speak no lies, nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue. For they shall graze and lie down, and none shall make them afraid” [says the Lord].
Zephaniah 3:9-13 (ESV)
And in that perfect new heaven and new earth, God will make His people clean, and they will be with Him forever:
Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 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. 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. I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach. Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says the Lord.
Zephaniah 3:14-20 (ESV)
How inspiring is that! There will be a day when God’s people will be with Him forever! A time when He will take great delight in us! A day when he will rejoice over us with singing! (Think about the idea of God singing directly to you. I bet He has a cooler voice than even Al Green or Chris Robinson or Johnny Cash…)
There are two takeaways from this passage, depending on where you are in your relationship with God. If you’re certain that you’ve accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, be excited! Rejoice in what’s to come! If you’re not sure of your eternal destination, today is not too late to become a follower of the Most High God.
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