SUMMARY
The remnant of the judged people is reconstituted as a singing, celebrating community with God in their midst to protect them and to restore their reputation.
ANALYSIS
The transformation of the judged and reconstituted people of God is expressed in boundless promises on God’s part. The punishments of the Day of the Lord are withdrawn and punishing enemies are removed. The embarrassing loss of community life will be overturned. The taunts and boasting of the nations over against Judah in its judged state are turned into praise and honor. The Lord is now a warrior working for them, not against them. God removes the divine rebuke. God encourages and soothes the people unconditionally. The weak, scattered, oppressed, and shamed are remade by God into a humble, joyful, and straightforward people. All there is for the people to do is to sing, shout aloud, be glad, and rejoice. In fact, the Lord is already delighting and rejoicing over them (3:17). The book that opened with no one escaping the view of God’s wrathful eye concludes with a people regarded by everyone as utterly renewed.
