Day 218 – Zephaniah

Talking Points

• The prophet Zephaniah appears, speaking a threefold message too Judah. He tells them of God’s wrath toward sin, His destruction of the earth, and a remnant and coming day of restoration. He holds true to the pattern of God’s prophets, proclaiming judgment and salvation, both at the hand of God.
• Zephaniah is a descendant of King Hezekiah, which makes him a distant cousin of King Josiah. Most likely, they would have been acquainted, and it’s possible they were contemporaries or even friends. It’s interesting to see how God weaves lives together in His plan. A king and a prophet will lead this generation to honor the LORD.
• Zephaniah lists Jerusalem’s sins. They have not heeded God’s voice, have not walked in obedience, and will not draw near. Their judges are corrupt, prophets are neglectful, and priests are false. The city is eager to sin. All of this is the result of one core problem: they “did not trust in the LORD” (Zephaniah 3:2). When someone has a true trust in the LORD, there is a love for God and an obedient walk. Again we see all issues of disobedience, all issues of sin are ultimately issues of trust.

Thoughts

The rebuke that God gave through Zephaniah still rings true today. In it, He includes two types of people. First, are those who are religious. They “swear to the LORD,” however, they mix their worship in with worship of false gods, “and yet swear by Milcom” (1:5). God demands full devotion and total commitment. Anything less is met with His disdain. How many people today worship God loudly on some days, yet worship the things of the world most days? Are we part of this first group?

The second group of people includes those who are apathetic toward God. He calls them “stagnant in spirit” (1:12). They consider the LORD to be of no consequence, and so He doesn’t factor in to the course of their lives. These people believe “The LORD will not do good or evil” (1:12). Basically, they have fooled themselves into saying that God’s not going to do anything. How many in our day have this same attitude toward God? Do our attitudes and thoughts or our actions and words proclaim our belief that God is powerless and an insignificant part of our lives? What do our lives reflect? What could be sadder than having stagnant relationships with such a mighty and personal God?

May our prayer be that time spent in His Word would leave us astonished with Him! May that drive us to radical commitments and vibrant walks. He is worthy!