Zephaniah: Fortunes Restored

Zephaniah contains some of the most beautiful language in the entire Bible. Amid the terror of the day of the LORD, the prophet proclaims a glorious hope for the remnant of God's people. Fortunes shall be restored, the lame shall be saved, and the LORD will be in our midst (Zeph. 3:17-20). Jesus' mission of mercy fulfills this hope. He inaugurated God's salvation plan in his first coming, and all will be accomplished when he returns (cf. Matthew 5:2-12; 11:2-6; Rev. 21). Meanwhile, God's people have a mission too. During God's season of mercy, before the coming day of judgment, the gospel compels us to share God's message of hope to the lost (cf. Acts 17:30-31; 2 Pet. 3).