Know Your Bible
VOL. 6                           March 4, 2007                           NO. 7

Zephaniah:

The Day Of The Lord's Anger Is Near

    Early in the reign of Josiah, Zephaniah spoke against Judah, Jerusalem, and the nations. King Josiah began to seek the Lord in the eighth year of his reign (2 Chron. 34:3), and to purge Judah and Jerusalem of their trappings of idolatry in the twelfth year of his reign. Likely Zephaniah wrote sometime in these early years of Josiah's rule. Ninevah had not fallen yet (Zeph. 2:13-15).

    Zephaniah's prophecy captures the feeling of the righteous. He is indignant at the wickedness he sees around him yet fearful of the suffering that the judgment of the ungodly will bring to him. Righteous men have always been conscious of the wickedness and evil that surrounds them.

    Righteous men desire that the justice of God prevail, but how will the righteous endure the punishment of the wicked?

    The idolaters of Judah will be cut off (1:4-6). The day of the Lord is near, He has prepared a sacrifice (1:7,8), and the ungodly will be the ones offered up to assuage the Lord's wrath, as Isaiah spoke earlier concerning the Edomites (Isa. 34:6). Jeremiah will say the same a little later concerning the Egyptians (Jer. 46:10). Unfortunately the victims of this sacrifice will be the wicked inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judah. In a reversal of the beautiful promise of Deut. 6:11, "they shall build houses, but shall not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but shall not drink the wine thereof". (Zeph. 1:13), judgment would come. Their silver and gold will be unable to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath (Zeph. 1:18).

    Though so much of Zephaniah is filled with vivid threats of judgment against the wicked, who is going to read this prophecy? Note that in Zeph. 2:3, the Lord directly addresses His "meek of the earth, that have kept His ordinances." These are the ones who are assured of the judgment of the Lord upon the wicked, but the Lord also offers them the hope that "it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger" (2:3). The Lord will address these same people a little later (3:8).

    God's wrath will also be upon other nations of the area, the Philistines (2:4-7), the Moabites and Ammonites (2:8-11), upon the Ethiopians (2:12), and even upon Assyria and mighty Ninevah (2:13-15). Where there were vibrant cities and flourishing societies in Philistia, shepherds will keep their sheep and live in rude huts, (2:6); the land of Moab and Ammon will be possessed by nettles and filled with salt pits (2:9). Desolation will prevail where the imperial city of Ninevah thrived, and various wild animals will lodge among its ruins (2:13-15).

    But the remnant of God's people will not see desolation and oblivion. As Isaiah (chs. 34,35) and Ezekiel (chs. 35,36) contrasted the future of Edom versus the future of Israel, so does Zephaniah (2:7,9b). But the fate of present day Jerusalem is dark and fearful. The people have despised God's attempts to correct them. If Judah had received the rebuke and mended their ways "her dwelling would not have been cut off" (3:7). She will now, however share the desolation of many of the nations round about her (3:6).

    Once again the Lord addresses the righteous (3:8). The remainder of the message will be to the redeemed. The proud and the haughty will be removed from God's holy mountain, and He will leave an afflicted and poor people who will take refuge in the name of the Lord (3:11,12). Those that are left will not do iniquity nor speak lies (3:13). The spiritual purity of the true remnant of God's people is spoke of frequently in the prophets (Isa. 4:3,4; 11:6-9; Zech. 5:11). Likewise Zephaniah describes the holiness that shall be the hallmark of God's restored people. Zeph. 3:14-20 ranks among the most beautiful of the passages that describe the blessings God will bestow upon His precious remnant. Having taken away their judgments, "the King of Israel, even Jehovah, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not fear evil any more" (3:15). "Fear not, O Zion, let not they hands be slack. Jehovah thy God is in the midst of thee, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love; He will joy over thee with singing" (3:16,17). He will restore the solemn assembly to those who have been deprived of its blessing. He will render affliction to those who have afflicted His people and will heal the lame and will bring together His people to make them a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth (3:18-20).

---Bob Waldron

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Relevant Teaching

    When Peter spoke to the Jews on Pentecost, he talked to them about their actions and needs (Acts 2). He did not center his lesson upon the Gentiles, who were not there to hear his words. When he spoke the gospel to Cornelius and the Gentiles with him, he gave them information which they needed in order to please God (Acts 10). When Peter wrote his letter to those of the Dispersion, he taught them things relative to their needs as those set apart to God (I Peter). Note how many times the word "you" is used in these three passages. He was talking to his hearers about those things relevant to their obeying God and remaining faithful. He didn't talk in vague generalities so as to avoid hurting someone's feelings or "offending" some who then would go away and be lost.

    When Paul preached to the Gentiles at Athens, his approach was suited to the needs of his audience (Acts 17). He did not spend his efforts talking to them about the sins and needs of the Jews. When he talked to pagans, he pointed out to them the errors and vanity of paganism (Acts 14:11-18). When he wrote to the saints at Corinth, he addressed their errors and told them what to do to correct what was amiss (1 Corinthians). Each letter he wrote was relevant to those to whom it was written: Romans to the saints at Rome, Galatians to the churches of Galatia, Colossians to those at Colosse, etc.

    Our teaching today needs to be relevant to the audience before us. We need to say those things which will inform, encourage, and correct those who hear. The Scriptures are our text, handled aright (2 Timothy 3:16,17; 4:1-5). In warning about dangers and dangerous men, Paul named names and was specific (1 Timothy 1:19,20; 2 Timothy 4:10,14,15; 2:14-18; 1 Corinthians 15:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). We, too, need to deal with specific truth specifically, so that people will know what we are talking about, what the Scriptures say, and what the responsibility of each one is. Preachers, do you preach so as not to make anyone uncomfortable, or do you, in love, tell your hearers what they need to hear in language that they will not misunderstand? How often do you use the word "you" in teaching others what they should do? Note Acts 2:37;38.

---Gilbert Alexander

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