Advent Week 3 Part 1: Don't Be Afraid

Zephaniah 3:14-20  Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel!
   Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!
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.
On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, “Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid!
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.”

“I will gather you who mourn for the appointed festivals; you will be disgraced no more.
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.
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!”

Context:  Zephaniah was a prophet in the seventh century BCE in the time before Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians.  He was a contemporary of Jeremiah in the time of King Josiah but probably composed his judgment oracles before temple reforms began and sets the stage for them.  He is particularly scathing in the proclamations leading up to the focus in this passage on the day that will lead to future salvation.  Zephaniah writes to a community composed of a people experiencing communal devastation and breakdown. They were under constant threat from foreign sources and instability brought shortages of food and water.  

Going Deeper: This passage was meant for reading aloud!  At the end of the judgment oracles, we hear Zephaniah proclaim the promise of all ages ... past, present, and future.  God is always with us!  In its entirety Zephaniah reminds us that this future day of the Lord is both a day of judgment and a day of salvation.   God's purpose is to call the community boldly into the world, not just to lament systemic oppression, but to change systems of injustice in preparation for the day of the Lord's coming.  Perhaps we can also take the opportunity to examine ourselves for any signs of oppression or injustice or prejudice in our own attitudes or behavior.  In the face of our shortcomings and temptations and shame, we can listen to the prophet as says, “Don’t be afraid!”  

In this advent season as we await simultaneously the birth of the Christ Child and the "day of the Lord", through the prophet Zephaniah we catch a glimpse of Messiah, Emmanuel, God with us!   

Pondering: Zephaniah causes me to lament deep within my soul!  How do I rejoice in a world that is filled with oppression and violence and poverty and pain ... and how do I confront my own inability to take action to alleviate the injustice that I see in the world I live in.  How do I confront the shame that is a result of my inaction?

Do not fear!  This is the message we all have to internalize.  Where does the courage come from to face all situation without fear?  Emmanuel, God with us!  God's presence in our community of faith heals and challenges us to lean into the promises of God for an alternative future ... a future of peace and wholeness.

Prayer:  Take a couple of moments this week and read Zephaniah's Proclamation aloud.  Savor the joy! 
 

Create a “breath” prayer to take with you through the rest of the Advent season.  What words of Zephaniah draw you in and fill you with a sense of God's presence.  Perhaps you might:         

Breath in … Rejoice!
Breath out … Do not Fear

Allow the Spirit of God to fill you as you breathe out your worries and breath in the calming presence of God

Breath in … Rejoice!
Breath out … Do not Fear