On That Day...

9 “Then I will purify the speech of all people, so that everyone can worship the Lord together.
10 My scattered people who live beyond the rivers of Ethiopia will come to present their offerings.
11 On that day you will no longer need to be ashamed, for you will no longer be rebels against Me. I will remove all proud and arrogant people from among you. There will be no more haughtiness on My holy mountain.
12 Those who are left will be the lowly and humble, for it is they who trust in the name of the Lord.
13 The remnant of Israel will do no wrong; they will never tell lies or deceive one another. They will eat and sleep in safety, and no one will make them afraid.”
14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!
15 For the Lord will remove His hand of judgment and will disperse the armies of your enemy. And the Lord Himself, the King of Israel, will live among you! At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster.
16 On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, “Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid!
17 For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”
18 “I will gather you who mourn for the appointed festivals; you will be disgraced no more.
19 And I will deal severely with all who have oppressed you. I will save the weak and helpless ones; I will bring together those who were chased away. I will give glory and fame to My former exiles, wherever they have been mocked and shamed.
20 On that day I will gather you together and bring you home again. I will give you a good name, a name of distinction, among all the nations of the earth, as I restore your fortunes before their very eyes. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

"Thank You, Father, for the conclusion of this prophet's ministry, and the encouragement we can receive from it. As we go through our lives, may we remember that You will take care of us when we need You. There will come a day when You will come again, and have Your revenge on the world for our sinfulness. Then we will all worship You. Help us to remember that, Lord. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

I got the text as an NLT from http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=zephaniah+3:9-20;&version=NLT today, by the way.

My version (NKJV) at verse 16 through 17 says "In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: 'Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak. The LORD your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

So in our exciting conclusion of this Zephaniah series, we are looking at chapter 3. God has written you and me a beautiful passage of encouragement. Today, I'm just going to let it stand on its own.

In His Service,
Joyce