Rejoice, Give Thanks and Sing

Zephaniah 1:1 dates this prophetic book during the reign of King Josiah of Judah, from 640 to 609 bce. King Josiah brought about important religious reforms in Judah. (You can read about Josiah’s reign in 2 Kings 22–23.) However, most of Zephaniah’s prophecy concerns judgment against Judah and its neighbors. After several chapters of doom and gloom in which the prophet actually suggests that the best thing God could do is “sweep away humans and animals” and cut “off humanity from the face of the earth” (1:3), the clouds seemingly part to allow light to break through: “Rejoice and exult with all your heart!” The New Revised Standard Version refers to today’s scripture as “A Song of Joy.” The prophet encourages his audience to rejoice because God has rescued them from their adversaries and they can now look forward to a future without judgment and oppression. Zephaniah describes that future time using the phrase “on that day,” a common theme in these chapters. The message of the text is clear: Salvation is near. God comes to redeem.
Recently I saw a story on television that illustrated the concept of joy in the midst of trouble. The story was about a boy born with autism. His mother was determined to, as she put it, “not change him, but bring out the best in him.” Perhaps the most helpful thing she did was to buy him a bird. That boy, now a teenager, said that the bird was a perfect pet because it couldn’t talk and neither could he. Currently this boy, who has just graduated from high school, has been awarded a Rhodes scholarship and is on his way to study at Oxford. His mother offers a shining example of finding joy in a difficult situation.