God Speaks
The LORD’s Judgment Against His Enemies and the Restoration of His People
Verse of the Day: Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what He commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger. (Zephaniah 2:3 NIV 2011)
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Watch TBR Day 218
We Respond
Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding Zephaniah 1-3:
1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
[Since the prophecy of Zephaniah is a short continuous narrative on the same topic (58 verses in total), it will be examined as a whole.]
1. God is so angry because of His chosen people’s idolatry, wickedness, and disloyalty to Him that He is considering doing again what He did in the great flood (Genesis chapters 6-9)–wipe all the humans, animals, birds, and fish off of the earth.
2. People are to gather together and repent, to “Seek the LORD, all who are humble, and follow His commands. Seek to do what is right and to live humbly. Perhaps even yet the LORD will protect you–protect you from His anger on that day of destruction.”
Prayer:
3. How might I pray regarding Zephaniah 1-3?
O Almighty God, You have both the right and the ability to wipe all the human beings, animals, birds, and fish You created from the face of the earth. The idolatry, wickedness, and disloyalty to You, of the people in Zephaniah’s and in my own times, deserve Your fiercest judgment. We have sinned against You, LORD. Holy Spirit, help us to humble ourselves, repent claiming the blood of Jesus as our protection, and then to live humbly, seeking to do what is right. O LORD God, visit Your people in kindness and restore our prosperity again. At this time in history, those who oppose You, LORD, are mocking Your people and invading our borders. LORD, destroy these enemies as completely as You did Sodom and Gomorrah. May they receive the wages of their pride, for they have scoffed at the people who stand for the Truth. Terrify them as You destroy all the gods in the land. What sorrow awaits the rebellious, polluted major cities (even the most holy city of Jerusalem)–the cities of violence and crime. Those in positions of power are corrupt. No one can tell them anything; they refuse all correction. Our national motto is not true; in general, we no longer trust in God or draw near to the LORD. Our leaders hunt down and incarcerate their victims. Judges ravenously prosecute (and persecute) their opponents. Our professors are arrogant liars seeking their own gain. Our priests (and other spiritual leaders) defile their calling and Your Temple by disobeying God’s instructions. But LORD God, You are still among the people who fear You. All You do is right and good. Day by day You hand down justice, and You never fail. You have wiped out many wicked cities in the past; do it again, LORD. Help those You are calling to have reverence for You now. May we listen to Your warnings so that You don’t have to strike again, destroying our homes. Help us to watch patiently and wait as You take a stand, accuse the evil nations, and pour out Your fiercest anger and fiery jealousy for (not on) Your people. Then You promise to purify the speech of all people, so that everyone will worship the LORD together. In that day, we, Your people, will not be ashamed. We will no longer be rebels against You. You will remove all proud, arrogant, and haughty people from Your presence. Those who are left will be the lowly and humble ones who trust in (and fear) the LORD and revere Your name. The remnant of true believers will not do wrong, tell lies, or deceive one another. We will live our daily lives in safety with no one to make us afraid. There will be wholehearted singing, gladness, and rejoicing wherever Your people gather. You will lift the hand of judgment from Your enemies and scatter them among Your people. You Yourself, LORD, will come to dwell among Your people! At last, our troubles will be over, and we will never again fear disaster. When that day comes, the announcement will be made, “Cheer up, O people of God! Don’t be afraid!” Jesus, God the Son, has lived among us and will come back and rule the nations when the time is complete. He is a mighty Savior. He will delight in us (not because of anything we have done, but) because of what He has accomplished at the cross as well as in and through those who fear Him. His love will conquer all our other fears. He will sing joyful songs over us. We will no longer be ashamed when we attend His appointed feasts. We’ll no longer be oppressed, weak, and helpless. We won’t be chased away or isolated, mocked, or shamed. You, LORD, will bring us home again [like the prodigal son]. You will give Your people a good reputation, a name of distinction, among all the nations of the earth. You will restore the fortunes of Your chosen people before the eyes of all the people. This is what You, O LORD, have spoken, declared, and decreed! Your own actions will bring You glory, LORD. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Zephaniah 1-3? With the help of God’s Holy Spirit:
- I will examine my own life to see where I need to repent of participating in or promoting or permitting by my silence any of the sins mentioned by Zephaniah.
- I will pray with a trusted friend who fears the LORD about how our culture and nation need to repent of participating in or promoting or permitting by our silence any of the sins mentioned by Zephaniah.
- I will talk with someone about what it means to believe in and follow Jesus, fearing, trusting, and obeying Him.
- I will praise God for the glorious future He has planned for those who fear and obey Him.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.