It has been a long time since I read the book of Zephaniah. When I did so some weeks ago, I found this beautiful verse that God, in his love, will give his people new life. One can hardly believe that God will sing and be joyful over the people who have forsaken him. To understand why this is so, we need to know something about the era and circumstances in which the prophet operated.

 

According to the first verse of this book, Zephaniah received his calling in the time when Josiah was king, approximately 640 B.C. It was probably at the very beginning of Josiah’s reign and before he started his big reforms of all religious practices. Josiah’s father, Amon, and his grandfather, Manasseh, brought idolatry into Israel. This was the reason that God wanted to destroy everything and this was the message that Zephaniah had to bring to the people of Judah.

 

Fortunately, this was not the whole message. God will not completely destroy his people. He is planning a new dispensation for a remnant of Israel, for those who will turn away from idolatry and come back to the Lord. In our verse from today, God made a promise that his power will give them victory. He is actually pictured as a warrior who will save them from destruction.

 

The translation of this verse is not easy. Other translations, instead of saying God in his love will give them new life, say that God will quiet them with his love. I have read different Bible commentaries on this verse and to me, the most satisfying explanation is that God loves them so much that he will take away their fear when the time of danger arrives and after that, he will give them new life. I see in my mind’s eye a picture of a Father who is holding the hand of his little child when danger threatens and walking forward to a new life when the danger has passed.

 

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, that I can walk hand in hand with you in times of danger. Amen

 

Die Here jou God is in jou midde, 'n held wat verlos. Hy verheug Hom met blydskap oor jou, Hy maak jou stil met sy liefde. Hy sal oor jou juig met jubelkrete.” Sefanja 3:17, 2020-vertaling

 

Ek het baie jare laas die boek van die profeet Sefanja gelees. Toe ek dit onlangs doen, ontdek ek hierdie juweel van 'n vers. God maak sy volk stil met sy liefde. 'n Mens kan amper nie glo wat jy hier lees nie. God jubel en juig oor sy volk. Om die volle impak van die vers te verstaan moet ons iets weet van die tyd en omstandighede waarin die profeet opgetree het.

 

Sefanja kry sy opdrag volgens die eerste vers van die boek in die tyd van koning Josia. Dit is ongeveer 640 v.C. Waarskynlik was dit heel aan die begin van Josia se regering, nog voordat hy groot hervormings op godsdienstige terrein aangebring het. Josia se pa, Amon, en sy oupa, Manasse, het afgodediens in Israel ingevoer. Dit is teen veral hierdie afgodediens wat Sefanja profeteer wanneer hy praat oor die groot dag van die Here wat op hande is. Dit is die groot dag van afrekening en verwoesting.

 

Te midde van hierdie doemprofesie skyn daar egter 'n helder lig in die donker. God gaan nie sy volk geheel en al verwerp nie. Hy beplan 'n heel nuwe bedeling vir die “oorblyfsel van Israel”, hulle wat geluister het en hulle verootmoedig het. Vir hierdie oorblyfsel sê God in ons teksvers dat Hy by hulle sal wees. Hy word voorgestel as 'n krygsman wat hulle sal uitred uit die komende oordeel.

 

Die vertaling van die vers is nogal moeilik. 'n Mens kan byvoorbeeld vertaal dat God deur sy liefde vir hulle nuwe lewe gee. Ek het verskillende kommentare oor die vers gelees en as ek kan saamvat is vir my die bevredigendste antwoord dat God die oorblyfsel so liefhet dat Hy hulle sal stil maak of anders gesê, hulle vrees sal wegneem wanneer die dag van afrekening opdaag. Dan sal Hy vir hulle 'n nuwe lewe gee. Ek sien in my verbeelding 'n prentjie van 'n Pa met sy klein kindjie aan die hand wanneer die gevaar dreig en wanneer die gevaar verby is stap hulle die nuwe lewe tegemoet.

 

Gebed: Dankie Here dat ek hand aan hand met U kan stap wanneer gevaar dreig. Amen