Gardens

For Gaza shall be deserted, and Ashkelon shall become a desolation; Ashdod’s people shall be driven out at noon, and Ekron shall be uprooted. Woe to you inhabitants of the seacoast, you nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; and I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left. And you, O seacoast, shall be pastures, with meadows for shepherds and folds for flocks. The seacoast shall become the possession of the remnant of the house of Judah, on which they shall graze, and in the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening. For the LORD their God will be mindful of them and restore their fortunes.
Zephaniah 2:4–7
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Gardens
            When one plants a garden, it requires them to tend it. If left unattended then weeds and pest risk overrunning the garden and destroying it. When a weed first springs forth, it can be unnoticeable, that is, until it gets too big. The enemies of God were like weeds in the garden that had grown too big. They were destroying that which God had planted. So like a weed, they will be pulled up by their roots and left to die in the sunlight. And following the destruction of Judah’s enemies, a peaceful, productive garden would be maintained by God. The weeds of sin, death, and the devil continuously prop up in our lives, threatening to chock our faith and destroy the seeds the Lord has planted. But the Lord comes to us and waters us through Holy Baptism, feeds us through His Word and with His Body and Blood. And in holy Absolution, our enemies are ripped out by their roots and left to die in the light of the Son, Jesu Christ. Our lives are nourished and sustained by the blood of His cross.  The Lord has remembered His people and restored our fortunes. God’s people, you dear Christian, will again enjoy forgiveness and peace.