“Don’t despair. Your God is present among you, a strong Warrior there to save you. Happy to have you back, He’ll calm you with His love and delight you with His songs.” (Zephaniah 3:16-17 MSG)
Parts of the Bible can read like a self-help book if we lose sight of the original audience. This scripture in Zephaniah could feel like a happy little love story instead of the six thousand year long heroic epic that is God’s devotion to His people.
We can’t forget that Israel had been split in two as a result of monarchial sin. For centuries after that, the northern and southern kingdoms struggled to follow God with their whole hearts, failing more than succeeding. The northern kingdom had already been invaded by Assyria, plundered and deported. As Zephaniah was prophesying this particular message, the Babylonians were gaining ground. They’d defeat the Assyrians shortly and then come with sights set on Jerusalem. They’d sack it and the more skilled residents would be carried off to exile, only peasants left to till the land.
Why would this happen and how does this scripture fit in to the story? Both the north and south kingdoms had sinned deeply against God and were either already paying reparations or about too. Amazingly though, throughout the Old Testament, even amidst these prophetic books filled with indictments and oracles against His wayward children, God slipped these promises of restoration: written reminders of His love and good plans for His people.
It’s a bit like parenting. As Mom and Dad, we must discipline our children. Otherwise, an undisciplined child becomes yet another reckless and narcissistic adult. So we correct and we wield consequences in proportion with their age and offense. As they grow, the consequences grow, so they are adequately prepared for the unbending expectations of adulthood. All the while, though, good parents remind their children that they love them, that they are hopeful about their future and that they are still planning good things on their behalf. We use these disciplinary moments as teaching opportunities; drawing the connection between their action and the consequence (causation). We do all of this in love, not anger.
When we look back at our scripture with this loving discipline in mind, we can see how carefully God tends to His own people. Though they were either in exile or about to go to exile by their own causation, He was still present with them. He promises to rescue them, to delight in them. To bring them back home to Him when they are finally willing.
I read an article about a young woman with a heroine addiction. She said her first hit felt like “coming home” and every hit after that was her chasing that feeling. I believe the only home that will ever satisfy long term is the home made available through Christ Jesus. Like the Israelites, we can either reject the relationship God offers or we can accept it.
When sin has taken us too far, we may have to pay a high price for our participation. But even still, if we repent, if we’ll turn back and call on God, He’ll rescue us and He’ll calm us down with His love. If we allow Him, He’ll even bring us home.
Perhaps an even better plan is to learn to live in His love long term. We have opportunity to abide. We can choose to honor God with our thoughts and actions. The Word tells us this is how we love God in return; through righteousness and justice, by valuing His instruction more than our own inclinations. John Eldredge writes “Abiding in the love of God is your only hope, the only true Home for your heart… Let your heart come home to Him.”
“Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them and we will come and make our home in each of them.” (John 14:23 NLT)
Lord, as we read Your scriptures we are over and over amazed with Your long-suffering love for Your people. We might grow perplexed over Your people’s propensity for apostasy until we begin to examine our own story. Lord, we are in deep need of Your grace. You are so faithful to forgive. May we always be grateful for Your relentless pursuit of restoration with Your people. May we learn to live at home in Your love. Amen.