promised land. But this reading also suffers from the lack of any mention of the people. In my view, the best understanding is that this passage rests on the Sinai tradition (cf. also Hab. 3:3). Thus God is seen figuratively as coming from his distant residence on Sinai to aid his people in their hour of distress. The people cannot help themselves, and there is no one else, so God himself must come (cf. also Isa. 59:15–20). 4 The one thing the people can do is to prepare the way for the coming King.