Zephaniah 3:18-20, The Vindication of All Who Suffered

It would seem that Zephaniah could have ended his prophecy with his description of the joy and glory of the perfect kingdom of peace and safety. But he doesn’t. God has him speak at the last of those who suffered the indignity and injury of exile from the land, those who were not guilty of rebellion against God but who nevertheless suffered from His judgment on His guilty people.

¹⁸ “I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals, which is a burden and reproach for you. ¹⁹ At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame. ²⁰ At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says Yahweh.

During the judgment of the Day of Yahweh Israelites were bereft of their appointed festivals (the Day of Atonement, the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles, etc.), festivals that were special times of rejoicing in Yahweh’s salvation. And they were oppressed by their conquerors. They were treated with indignity and with injury (“reproach” and “lame”). But all that was changed with the coming of Yahweh’s kingdom.

Now they will be given “praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame.” They will be recognized as belonging to Yahweh and as deserving of “honor and praise” by everyone. The fortunes that were lost to them will be restored. We see a foreshadowing of this in the restoration of the art treasures that were stolen by the Nazis from Jews and the celebration of Jews after their release from the death camps.

This people will never again be persecuted or shamefully treated. The suffering they experienced will not be able to compare with the glory which will be theirs in God’s kingdom.