SCRIPTURE: ZEPHANIAH 1
INTRODUCTION:
Zephaniah was the son of Hezekiah during the reign of Josiah. He warned that God would bring judgment to Judea and Jerusalem and called them to return to God. He also predicted that neighboring nations will also be judged and God would bring His people home.
Zephaniah spoke of God’s awful wrath that would sweep away everything in the land. No living thing would escape as it will be a day of tremble, distress and anguish. But he also pronounced hope and deliverance in the succeeding chapter to show God’s mercy and love
WARNING OF COMING DESTRUCTION (vs. 1-3)
God will sweep away among men, animals, birds of the air, fish of the sea and everything from the face of the earth.
AGAINST JUDAH (vs. 4-13)
- All the people and the idolatrous priests who bow down and worship Baal and Molech will be cut off. (vs. 4-5)
- All princes, the king’s sons and everyone who fill the temple with their gods with malice and deceit will be punished. (vs. 8-9)
- All merchants will be wiped out and all who traded with silver will be ruined. (v. 11)
- All the wealth of those who are unrepentant will be plundered and their houses will be demolished. They cannot live in their house nor drink the wine of the vineyards. (vs. 12-13)
THE GREAT DAY OF THE LORD (vs. 1-18)
- It will be a day of wrath (v. 15a)
- It will be a day of distress and anguish. (v. 15b)
- It will be a day of trouble and ruin. (v. 15c)
- It will be a day of darkness and gloom. (v. 15d)
- It will be a day of clouds and blackness. (v. 15e)
- It will be a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the corner towers. (v. 16)
- God will bring distress on the people and they will walk like blind men. (v. 17a)
- Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like filth because of their sins. (v. 17b)
- Their silver or gold will not be able to save them on the day of the Lord’s wrath. (v. 18)
THOUGHTS:
What God will do on “The Day of the Lord”:
- I will sweep away everything. (vs. 2-3)
- I will stretch out my hand against Judah and Jerusalem. (v. 4a)
- I will cut off every remnant of Baal. (v. 4b)
- I will punish the princes and the king’s sons. (v. 8)
- I will search Jerusalem with lamps. (v. 12)
- I will bring distress on the people. (v. 17)
“The day of the Lord” was near. The Babylonians would come and destroy Jerusalem. The Day of the Lord is also near us. There will be a day of final judgment, a day of worldwide destruction. Just as the Babylonian conquest had occurred, God’s final day of judgment is sure to come. So, better confess your sins so that you will be spared from judgment. At the time of final judgment, our riches will be worthless because only Christ’s redemptive work can save us. So, be prepared. Trust God and serve Him faithfully and you will be able to enjoy eternal life.