Category: Zephaniah

Zephaniah

Zephaniah 1-3 

Do not be like the rest of society, not obeying, not trusting, and not drawing near to the Lord (3:2) Instead, seek out the Lord, do what He commands, and seek righteousness and humility (2:3)

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” This quote by philosopher George Santayana has famously been reiterated by Winston Churchill and probably every history teacher you’ve ever had. It just makes sense, right? We can avoid so many problems if we learn from the mistakes of others, whether it’s personally or corporately. Unfortunately, as Santayana noted, even those who DO learn history repeat it. 

Sadly, as a society, we’re not doing any better than the people of Israel in the book of Zephaniah. 

In the very short book of Zephaniah (we’re going to call him Zeph for short), Zeph is giving a warning to the people of Judah to turn from idols, stop their violence and evil, and most importantly, TRUST the LORD! In my short amount of google research, it seems most Biblical scholars believe Zeph was a cousin and possibly a friend of King Josiah. Zeph was most likely preparing the people for the coming revival of faith and obedience brought by King Josiah. 

Not to spoil it, but Judah does turn from their wicked ways and turn to the Lord! Yay! 

But, not remembering the warnings and history, they forget and are later captured by Babylon. Sigh. 

But are we any better? Zeph prophesies to the people way back in 640 BC. One of the major problems Zeph preached against were those who knew God exists but that He “will not do good, nor will He do evil.” (1:12) This is ambivalence. 

This ambivalence continued into the Roman Empire. In 1776, Edwin Gibbon wrote in his book, “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” about the religious attitudes in the last day of the Roman Empire around 476 AD. 

-The people regarded all religions as equally true. 

-The philosophers regarded all religions as equally false. 

-The politicians regarded all religions as equally useful. 

(Enduringword.com) 

These were the attitudes of the people of Judah some 1100 years before. And they are exactly the same attitudes of our society 1550 years later! We do not learn. Even with history laid out before us. 

However, as Zeph wrote in his book, there were those in Judah who did not go along with everyone else and they will be rewarded. We need to be like that “remnant of Judah” (2:7).

We may not live in a society that learns from its history, but we certainly can be individuals and a church that does. 

Prayer: 

Dear Lord, please open our minds to allow us to not only learn history, but to avoid actions we have seen that lead to destruction. Please let us be a light to those who know you exist but deny your goodness in their lives. Thank you for allowing us to come before you to seek righteousness and humility. 

In Christ’s name, Amen 

-Maria Knowlton

Reflection Questions

  1. What similarities do you see between the people of Judah in Zephaniah’s day and the people of your world today? Any differences?
  2. What is the problem with being ambivalent toward God? What could/would/will you say to someone who is ambivalent toward God?
  3. If you were to write a letter of warning to the people today what do you think God would want you to say?
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“The Lord Will Not…?”

Zephaniah 1

Saturday, November 12, 2022

Without repeating themes from the previous days this week, like the punishment of Israel or the reconstruction of the remnants of Jacob, we’re going to focus on one verse in particular. 

“It will come about at that time That I will search Jerusalem with lamps, And I will punish the men Who are stagnant in spirit, Who say in their hearts, ‘The Lord will not do good or evil!’ ” (Zephaniah 1:12)

These words of God issue a strong warning to a multitude of people, many of whom are within our churches. Similar to the warning issued by Jesus about not having a lukewarm faith, here God is warning us to increase our own. The follow up to that is when those who are stagnant in spirit then say “The Lord will not do good or evil”, It is stated that God will indeed punish them. This draws me to think of Romans eight, when Paul writes about either being in the flesh or the spirit.

It is my understanding that you are either living in the flesh or in the spirit. There isn’t really a way to balance it. The people saying that “The Lord will not do good or evil” are trying to balance and will receive punishment.

I am reminded of a saying I have heard from an elder in my church that goes like “Being a Christian requires more than being a ‘good ole boy.’ ” The older I get, the more I realize that is much too prevalent in our world. Too many think that just being a good person is all there is to living for God.

It is my encouragement to all readers today to structure a prayer along with the wishes of the apostles in Luke 17:5. “Increase our faith!” When we become on fire for God and don’t remain lukewarm we can truly experience what God has required of us. To fully dedicate our lives, as a living sacrifice.

-John Evans

Reflection Questions

  1. How would you describe the stagnant in spirit or those with a lukewarm faith? What are their attitudes toward God? Where do you see this today?
  2. Do you want your faith to grow? If so, definitely pray for it! Then what? How badly do you want your faith to grow? What are you willing to change in your life, your schedule, your speech, your heart, your priorities in order to see your faith grow?
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Life and Death – and Life Again

Zephaniah 1 – 3 and Revelation 13

Today’s reading contains some disturbing imagery, so readers be warned.

In Revelation 13, we find details of the person we call the antichrist. In Revelation 13:7, we’re told “He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them…”  In Revelation 13:9-10 we read, “He who has an ear, let him hear.  If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go.  If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed.  This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.

In a nutshell, we know that at some point in the future (I believe in the relatively near future), a person we call the antichrist will arise.  He will deceive the nations and will control the economy such that only those who receive the “mark of the beast” will be able to buy or sell.  (We will find out in Revelation 14:10 that those who do receive the mark of the beast will be tormented in the lake of fire.) And he will successfully conquer Christians.

As a Christian, this doesn’t sound very appealing.  If all we’re focusing on is this life, it won’t seem worth maintaining our faithfulness to God.  When that time comes, we’ll need to remember what God has promised for the wicked, as recorded in Zephaniah – also part of today’s reading.

In Zephaniah 1:2-3, we read, “I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth, declares the Lord.  I will sweep away both men and animals; I will sweep away the birds of the air and the fish of the sea.  The wicked will only have heaps of rubble when I cut off man from the face of the earth, declares the Lord.”

In Zephaniah 1:18, we read, “…In the fire of his jealousy the whole world will be consumed, for He will make a sudden end of all who live on the earth.”

Zephaniah 3:8 tells us, “…I have decided to assemble the nations to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on them – all my fierce anger.  The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger.

But then we find hope in Zephaniah 3:12-13, where we read, “But I will leave within you the meek and the humble, who trust in the name of the Lord.  The remnant of Israel will do no wrong; they will speak no lies, nor will deceit be found in their mouths. They will eat and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.”

In short, terrible times are coming for Christians, when the antichrist will try to annihilate us from the earth.  It will be critical to remain faithful to God during those difficult times, even if we lose our lives.  Because ultimately, God will judge the world, and completely destroy the wicked.  Even if we die, we will be resurrected to live in peace forever.  While the wicked will be completely destroyed forever.

I’m reminded of Deuteronomy 30:19 where we read, “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”

Choose to remain faithful to God.  Choose life.  Even if you have to succumb to death.

-Steve Mattison

Read or listen to today’s Bible reading passages at BibleGateway.com here – Zephaniah 1-3 and Revelation 13

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Growing Sin

Zephaniah 1-3

Zephaniah 3 1 NIV sgl

The book of Zephaniah is quite short, but it is full of descriptive language. It recounts the vision given to Zephaniah in the time of King Josiah’s reign. This prophecy paints a colorful picture of the price that must be paid for sin.

Sin is not something that we can pretend has never happened. If we deliberately continue living a life filled with sin, it will eventually catch up with us. To maybe understand this a bit better, I was reminded of our physical wear and tear. For those that play sports or enjoy physical activity, you may know that these pastimes can result in injury. The injury may start out as a minor sprain or cut, but we keep going rather than caring for this injury. It is inconvenient to allow something that seems so minor to hold us back from doing what we want. So eventually this minor sprain gets worse or that unattended cut gets infected. Slowly something that was in our grasp to fix becomes a bigger problem.

Sin is also like this. At first, we may stray a bit as a mistake, but then we slowly get lured in. “What difference will it make if I do this one more time”, we may ask ourselves. But slowly the minor problem turns into something bigger as we continue to turn our backs on God. Slowly this sin, whatever it may be, will eat at us. We will have to face the consequences that sin has left in its wake.

Just like in Zephaniah, one day, the LORD will eradicate the sin of this world. It will be good to one day be in a world without sin or pain. And thankfully, God has given us the possibility to be reconciled to him. We do not have to allow sin to rule our life. We can turn to God and he will help us fight temptation. We just must trust in him. In chapter 2 of Zephaniah, God summoned Judah to repent. He did not want these people to be lost to their sin. He wanted them to turn to him, so that they could be sheltered. He gave them a chance as he has given us one. He wants us to take refuge in the shelter he has lovingly offered.

Just as a government wishes for its citizens to abide by the law, the LORD wishes for us to turn to him. However, when those citizens rebel against those guiding principles, they must face the consequences of their actions. We, however, must make the choice to live for him. We must enter that shelter that our heavenly Father provides.

Hannah Deane

 

Today’s Bible passage can be read or listened to at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=zephaniah+1-3&version=NIV

Tomorrow we begin the book of Jeremiah (chapters 1-3) as we continue on the 2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan

Different Prophet; Same Message

Zephaniah

Zephaniah-3_17

Friday, April 21

The job description of a prophet doesn’t vary much. Speak the words God has given you. Usually these words and utterances are judgement and wrath, Zephaniah follows the same pattern. Something worth mentioning is the name Zephaniah provides in verse one: “Zephaniah son of Cushi”. Cushi in Hebrew has meaning and connotations of African descent. In other words, Zephaniah may have an african heritage and we may have a book written by an African.

Zephaniah is believed to have been proclaimed and written between 630-620 BCE to the residents of Judah concerning Judah’s judgement and her enemies judgement. We have seen a common thread in all the minor prophets we’ve looked at this week: God holds all evil, wickedness, and injustice accountable whether it’s done by his own people or people of foreign nations. God is impartial. Chapter one contains God’s judgement on his own people. Chapter two is judgment pronounced on many of Judah’s enemies and chapter three is a mixture of judgement with the promise of a remnant being left who will love the true God with their heart, mind, soul, and body and God will dwell with them.

The minor prophets, I would say, are the most neglected books in the Bible. Though their historical contexts and their way of life is completely foreign to the modern Christian, the promises and principles communicated by God through prophets are ones that apply to us today. Injustice, oppression, apathy, disobedience, and so on are things we see and deal with in our lives. God speaks to us about these things in the minor prophets.

-Jacob Rohrer

(Photo Credit: https://worshipwithscripture.com/tag/zephaniah-317/ by Kelli Wommack)