Today we are reading Zephaniah 3. In this chapter the prophet concludes with a glorious prediction of the Messianic reign.“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.” Zephaniah 3:14-17 When I think of the difficulty of our present time I look to history to see parallels. For Israel, the coming of the Messiah brought a glorious conclusion to the suffering and spiritual rebellion of the people. For us today, I think of the day peace was signed in Europe and in Japan. How wonderful that day must have been for those whose sons and daughters were in uniform! Right now, we worry about the threat of a virus. We worry about our jobs and our children. God’s word of promise is that this too shall pass and that in the end a glorious life will be ours. May God keep your vision heavenward! Pastor Tim
