He sings over you

"Sing O Daughter of Zion"
by Charles Joseph Staniland (1838-1916).

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Zephaniah 1-3; Psalm 134

TO CHEW ON: "The Lord your God in your midst,

The Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

Zephaniah ends his mostly doom-filled message on a note of hope. Though the "day of the LORD" has been pictured as a terrible time of judgement, there is another aspect to it as well. The Day of the Lord also means.
- There will be singing, shouting and rejoicing - Zephaniah 3:14.
- There will be deliverance from enemies - Zephaniah 3:15.
- God's people will be exalted - Zephaniah 3:20.
- And God shows His love for His beloved people - Zephaniah 3:17.

Let's take a minute to dig into this promise:

"The Lord your God in your midst..."
He is not far off, but right among us.


"The Mighty One will save..."He is a great hero who has and will come to our rescue.

"He will rejoice over you with gladness..."
[Rejoice here (sus) means to rejoice, be glad, be greatly happy.] It is a rejoicing that is the complete opposite of mourning—a pervasive, irresistible joy.

"He will quiet you with His love..."
I see the picture of God as a parent, calming a fretful child, hugging, comforting, saying things like "It's okay. Everything will be alright."

"He will rejoice over you with singing."
[Rejoice here is gil. It contains the suggestion of "dancing for joy" since the verb originally meant 'to spin around with intense motion.'] A word study article in my Bible says: "This lays to rest the notion that the biblical concept of joy is only a 'quiet inner sense of well-being.' God dances for joy over Jerusalem and because of His people - Isaiah 65:9, Zephaniah 3:17." New Spirit-Filled Bible, p. 1228.

I can only imagine the songs accompanying that kind of rejoicing as songs of celebration, joy, and victory.

Here's a great sum-up of this verse for us to take into our day:

"Did you know that God sings, shouts for joy and dances over you because He loves you so much? Take time to think about that; let the Holy Spirit imbed this truth in your spirit. Allow this understanding to bring new joy, fresh freedom and tender love for God into your devotional life" - Leslyn Musch, Truth-In-Action Through Zephaniah, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1239 (emphasis added).

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for this beautiful picture of Your love, Help me to be quieted by the knowledge that you are tenderly watching over me. Help me to "hear" your songs. How can I not love you back? Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 134

The Bible Project VIDEO: Zephaniah (Read Scripture Series)





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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Salvation songs

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Zephaniah 3:1-20

TO CHEW ON: "In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
'Do not fear;
Zion, let not your hands be weak
The Lord your God is in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.' " Zephaniah 3:16,17

As we begin today's reading the litany of rebellion, disobedience, stubborn injustice, insolence, and sacrilege continues, along with God's reaction of cutting off, devastating, destroying, and punishing (Zephaniah 3:1-7).

Then, in verse 8, the prophet makes an about-face. He goes from reporting misdeeds and predicting doom to promising salvation. (There it is, the third component of our prophetic message: 1] Judgment; 2] Repentance; 3] Salvation).

Notice all the things that are righted:

• There is a return to justice among nations (Zephaniah 3:8).

• Their speech is cleaned up, now putting them in sync with God (Zephaniah 3:9). (One can't help but think of the Day of Pentecost when tongues and languages were indwelt by the Holy Spirit.)

• God's people come back from exile, their ignominy changed to praise and fame (Zephaniah 3:10, 19,20).

• Shame for sins committed is washed away (Zephaniah 3:11).

• Meekness, humility and trust replace pride and haughtiness (Zephaniah 3:11,12).

• Honesty and integrity of life characterize the remnant of God's people (Zephaniah 3:13).

Though Zephaniah's words were prophetic of events that overtook his country, and prophetic of end-time events still to come, I can't help but see parallels in his message for our life before and after salvation.

• God changes us from rebellious, haughty God-haters, known for our insolence, treachery, pride, blasphemous speech etc. to meek humble folks of "a pure language" who "trust in the name of the Lord."

• He washes away our shame and regrets.

• He lives with us as the Holy Spirit, our constant guide.

• He quiets our fears and soothes our restlessness with songs. I imagine all kinds of music here—praise, worship, and victorious battle songs for life, then songs of peace and reassurance the lullabies for sleep.

Leslyn Musch's words sum up Zephaniah 3:16-17 so well:

"Rejoice in the Lord! Did you know that God sings, shouts for joy, and dances over you because He loves you so much? Take time to think about that; let the Holy Spirit imbed this truth in your spirit. Allow this understanding to bring new joy, fresh freedom, and tender love for God into your devotional life" - Leslyn Musch, Truth-In-Action through Zephaniah, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1239.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for this picture of life-changing salvation. Help me to hear Your songs over me today. Amen. 

MORE: No Longer Slaves
The picture of God singing over us from Zephaniah 3:17 is expanded on beautifully in the song "No Longer Slaves" (Jonathan and Melissa Helser - Bethel Music). It has become one of my favorite modern worship songs.

 

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

What to do BEFORE it is too late

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Zephaniah 2:1-15

TO CHEW ON:"Before the decree is issued,
Or the day passes like chaff,
Before the Lord's fierce anger comes upon you
Before the day of the Lord's anger comes upon you!
Seek the Lord all you meek of the earth,
Who have upheld His justice.
Seek righteousness, seek humility,
It may be that you will be hidden
In the day of the Lord's anger." Zephaniah 2:2,3

In the beginning of Zephaniah 2 we have the call to repent, Part II of a prophet's typical message.

Repent means 1] To feel remorse or regret over something you have done or failed to do; 2] To change your mind about a past action; 3] To feel such sorrow for your sins as to reform - Funk & Wagnall's Dictionary.

Though the word "repent" isn't used, the plea to "Seek the Lord" implies the hearer should turn attention from other things they are presently seeking, to seek God.

All the "Before"s in verse 2 insert a sense of urgency. This is not something to leave to whenever—a more convenient time. Do it now, "Before the decree is issued…the day passes like chaff… the day of the Lord's anger (fierce anger) comes upon you."

The attitude needed for this search is meekness. [Meek = a patient, mild, gentle, compliant disposition.] No more bristling at God, talking back to Him, insisting on one's own way.

The return is to God, to justice, to righteousness, to humility so that "it may be that you will be hidden / in the day of the Lord's anger."

As we view our own lives in the light of a still-awaited "Day of the Lord" so many of these things apply to us:

• Like the people of Judah, we don't know when that Day will come. We still have time to turn "Before the decree is issued…"

• Like them we too need meekness to admit we were/are wrong. If we've accepted Jesus as Saviour we have taken the first step for sure. But repentance can also involve a multitude of turnings as our lives are regularly checked by Scripture.

• Our turning to God, to justice, to righteousness, to humility is without glamor and fanfare. There isn't self-exaltation here. The only way such qualities will trend on Twitter is as they disturb society's status quo… which may make them harder and less attractive. But God's judgments, such as those on unrepentant nations, spelled out in the remainder of the chapter, are enough to tip the balance in repentance's favor.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to take seriously this warning about the Day of the Lord. Show me where I need to make changes to prepare for it by repenting and seeking the right things. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Day of distress, disaster, desolation, darkness

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Zephaniah 1:1-18

TO  CHEW ON: "The great day of the Lord is near …
That day is a day of wrath,
A day of trouble and distress,
A day of devastation and desolation
A day of darkness and gloominess
A day of clouds and thick darkness." Zephaniah 1:14,15

In the next three days we'll be reading the entire book of Zephaniah. It's written by Zephaniah, a princely prophet (a descendant of King Hezekiah) who was a contemporary of the prophets Jeremiah and Nahum. He prophesied during the reign of King Josiah.

King Josiah was the king of Judah who purged the land of idols and idolatrous priests and practices. During the cleaning of the temple, the priests of God found the Book of the Law. That led to the people again celebrating feasts like Passover.

The feeling in the land was one of relief. The threat of the Assyrians was diminishing. Josiah's reforms led to a sense of complacency: All was again right between God and man in the Kingdom of Judah.

"Into this complacent atmosphere the devastating message (of Zephaniah) comes like a searing blast" writes Mary LaVonne Phillips in my Bible's introduction to Zephaniah (New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1231).

Why the doomful message when things were apparently going so well?

"In retrospect the reform was one of externals since the hearts of the people had not been changed" - Ibid.

Like many prophetic messages, Zephaniah's has three parts:
1. A pronouncement of judgment.
2. An appeal for repentance.
3. A promise of salvation.

It's easy to see that the part of the message we're reading today is the pronouncement of judgment. And lest we think predictions of "the day," or "the day of the Lord" or "judgment" are just in the Old Testament, consider these words:

Jesus: " 'He who rejects Me … the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day' " - John 12:48.

Paul: "But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God" - Romans 2:5.

Jude: "And the angels … He has reserved in everlasting chains and darkness for the judgment of the great day" - Jude 1:6.

John: "For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand" - Revelation 6:17.

It's a message of coming judgment that is out-of-fashion for us moderns—even Bible-believing Christians. Hearing about judgment makes us squirmy and uneasy in the climate of the present evangelical world that emphasizes the love, grace, and mercy of God. But there it is in the Bible—an uncomfortable truth that we all must face.

There is a day of distress, devastation, desolation and darkness ahead. But thank God that is only the first part of the message!


PRAYER: Dear God, help me to view You realistically as not only the source of infinite, boundless love, but as Someone whose standards of purity and holiness demand a day of reckoning. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

What God values

"He will rejoice over you with singing" (pixabay.com)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Zephaniah 3:1-20

TO CHEW ON: "I will leave in your midst
a meek and humble people,
And they shall trust in the name of the Lord." Zephaniah 1:12

After all the dire predictions, the "woe"s and scoldings and lectures, Zephaniah ends his prophecy on a positive note. Zephaniah 3:8-20 expresses God's love and fierce loyalty to those who are faithful and return to Him.

Though this passage is addressed primarily to Israel it does also have an international component: "… the peoples…That they all may call on the name of the Lord…From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, the daughters of My dispersed ones, shall bring My offering" - Zephaniah 3:9,10. And so we take the liberty of applying its truths to ourselves.

These verses show us some of the things God values. They also show us how He will intervene on behalf of those who adopt His values.

God values:

• Truth:

"For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language…" Zephaniah 3:9.
"The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness and speak no lies" - Zephaniah 3:13.

• Humility:

"For then I will take away from your midst those who rejoice in your pride, and you shall no longer be haughty… I will leave in your midst a meek and humble people" - Zephaniah 3:11,12.

• Meekness:

"I will leave in your midst a meek ... people" - Zephaniah 3:12.

For those who adopt His values, God will:

• Restore:

"For then I will restore to the people a pure language…" Zephaniah 3:9.
"At that time I will bring you back… I will gather you… I return your captives before your eyes" - Zephaniah 3:20.

• Remove shame:

"In that day you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds" - Zephaniah 3:11.

• Protect:

"They shall trust in the name of the Lord" - Zephaniah 3:12
"For they shall feed their flock and lie down, and no one shall make them afraid" - Zephaniah 3:13.
"He has cast out your enemy… You shall see disaster no more - Zephaniah 3:15.

• Cancel judgment:

"The Lord has taken away your judgments" - Zephaniah 3:15.
"The Lord your God is in your midst, the Mighty One will save" - Zephaniah 3:17.

• Comfort:

"He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing" - Zephaniah 3:17.

• Show favor:

To those who were lame and driven out:  "… I will appoint them for praise and fame … I gather you; for I will give you fame and praise" - Zephaniah 3:19,20.


In our time when responding to enemies—personally to internationally—with truth, humility and meekness feels all wrong, let's remember God's promises to His people through Zephaniah. He is the Mighty One who gives ultimate protection and safety. By living in His ways of truth, humility, and meekness, we position ourselves for the spiritual freedom, protection, comfort and favor that only His intervention can bring about.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for these beautiful promises of restoration, protection, safety, comfort and favor. In these times of uncertainty, help me to live in truth, humility and meekness. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Hidden

Photo © 2015 by V. Nesdoly

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Zephaniah 2:1-15

TO CHEW ON: "Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth,
Who have upheld His justice
Seek righteousness, seek humility
It may be that you will be hidden
In the day of the Lord's anger." Zephaniah 2:3

We hear too many stories lately of people needing to hide during angry attacks. Whether they're playing dead in the presence of a crazed terrorist or locking themselves in a bathroom or closet during a school shooting, the urge to hide is one of the first instincts that kicks in during such a time.

Zephaniah here, talks about the same reflex. Only this time it's hiding, not to escape from human anger but from the poured out anger of the Lord. Zephaniah has just described that anger in Zephaniah 1, where he detailed "The great day of the Lord" and "That day."

It's an anger sinful humans deserve to suffer the full effects of. But Zephaniah gives a ray of hope that there is an escape for the meek and repentant:

"It may be that you will be hidden
In the day of the Lord's anger."

The theme of hiding may have had special significance for Zephaniah, as his name means "The Lord has hidden." My Bible's introduction to the book points out how Zephaniah's words about hiding here are connected to the ministry of Jesus:

"The truth of the Passover in Egypt, where those hidden behind blood-marked doors were protected from the angel of death is repeated in the promise of Zephaniah 2:3, where the meek of the earth who have upheld God's justice will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger" - Mary LaVonne Phillips, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1233.

Paul picks up this theme of hiding in Colossians, naming Jesus as the One in whom God has hidden His deepest secrets: "… the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations but now has been revealed to His saints … Christ in you, the hope of glory" - Colossians 1:26,27.
"… in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" - Colossians 2:3.

And, after we have accepted Him Paul points out, we are hidden in Him:
"For you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God" - Colossians 3:3.

Of course the death Paul refers to is not literal physical death but a death (unresponsiveness) to sin. We keep living in this trouble-worn word where we may still have very real reasons  to call for God to hide us—as Cory Ten Boom describes The Hiding Place—her book about her experiences during WWII.

An encouraging hiding verse to memorize:

"You are my hiding place
You shall preserve me from trouble
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance" - Psalm 32:7

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for sending Jesus in whom I hide from Your righteous and justified anger against my sin and Your judgment. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

That day

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Zephaniah 1:1-18


TO CHEW ON: "The great day of the Lord is near;

It is near and hastens quickly,

The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter;

There the mighty men shall cry out.

That day is a day of wrath,

A day of trouble and distress,

A day of devastation and desolation,

A day of darkness and gloominess,

A day of clouds and thick darkness,

A day of trumpet and alarm

Against the fortified cities

And against the high towers." Zephaniah 1:14-16

"The Day of the Lord."  As we read Scriptures that allude to this day we are continually warned of judgment and doom—as in today's graphic and oratorical prophecy of Zephaniah's.

It's interesting to note the setting of his message. Zephaniah (a contemporary of Jeremiah and Nahum) lived in Judah during the reign of Josiah. The nation of Israel was no more, having been carted into exile by Assyria 100 years earlier. Those Assyrians forced Judah to pay tribute under kings Manasseh and Amon. Judah's servitude didn't affect the people only politically but spiritually too.

The pagan religion imported by the Assyrians who resettled Israel spread to Judah. King Manasseh built temples to their gods and practiced child sacrifice (2 Kings 21:3-6). But a Babylonian uprising defeated Assyria and under King Josiah the nation turned back to God.

Josiah found the Book of the Law, purged the land of idols, and again celebrated the Passover. Things were great, right? Apparently not. My Bible's introduction to Zephaniah tells us:

"In retrospect the reform was one of externals since the hearts of the people had not changed...Into this complacent atmosphere the devastating message of Zephaniah comes like a searing blast" - Mary LaVonne Phillips, "Introduction to Zephaniah," New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1231.

But what does this ancient prophecy have to do with us? My Bible's introduction again:

"Because of the repeated use of the term 'the Day of the Lord,' the Book of Zephaniah has meaning for end times. The Day of the Lord is either the period of time or the actual day when God will bring His purposes to culmination for mankind and for the Earth. The righteous will be rewarded with eternal blessing, and the wicked will be consigned to eternal damnation" - New Spirit-Filled Bible, p. 1232.

So Zephaniah's over-2600-year-old clarion cry of doom is a warning to us too. Let's not be lulled into complacency by our own peace and prosperity. Rather, let's search our hearts to make sure they are right with God. And let's sound the warning of that coming day to our oblivious neighbors and friends.


PRAYER: Dear God, it's so easy for me to get mesmerized by this world and my busy life. I confess I easily lose sight of eternal things like the coming Day of the Lord. Please make these things real to me. Help me to live with the consciousness of their nearness. Amen

MORE: Fiction that brings history to life

Among the Gods (Chronicles of the Kings #5)by Lynn Austin explores the life and times of King Manasseh, the king who preceded Zephaniah's time by a few years. (Read my review of it here.)

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Seek God

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Zephaniah 2:1-15


TO CHEW ON: "Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth,

Who have upheld His justice.

Seek righteousness, seek humility.

It may be that you will be hidden

In the day of the Lord's anger." Zephaniah 2:3

After sounding the alarm about the coming Day of the Lord, Zephaniah begs Judah—both the shameless sinners ("O undesirable [shameless] nation") and those who upheld His ways all along—to seek God.

The Bible is peppered with similar advice. We are to seek God:

• When He feels distant - Acts 17:27
• When we're in trouble - Hosea 10:12; Amos 5:4.
• When we're in need - Matthew 6:33; Luke 11:10.
• Continually - Psalm 105:4.
• Wholeheartedly - Deuteronomy 4:29; Jeremiah 29:13
• Before it is too late - Isaiah 55:6, Zephaniah 2:2-3.
• Personally - Psalm 27:8

About such personal seeking, Matthew Henry in his commentary about our Zephaniah passage says:

"How careful should we all be to seek peace with God, before the Holy Spirit withdraws from us, or ceases to strive with us; before the day of grace is over, or the day of life; before our everlasting state is determined! Let the poor, despised, and afflicted, seek the Lord, and seek to understand and keep his commandments better, that they may be more humbled for their sins" (emphasis added).

• And as a nation - 2 Chronicles 14:4; Zephaniah 2:1.

Matthew Henry on a nation seeking God in repentance:

"The prophet calls to national repentance, as the only way to prevent national ruin. A nation not desiring, that has no desires toward God, is not desirous of his favour and grace, has no mind to repent and reform....The chief hope of deliverance from national judgments rests upon prayer" (Matthew Henry's Commentary - his commentary and more study helps here - emphasis added).

I ask myself, am I seeking God with the zeal and urgency that Zephaniah begs his listeners to have? Do I pray for unsaved loved ones to seek God before it is too late? Do I have faith for my nation, and pray for a national turning to God?

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for Zephaniah's words of warning. Help me to be diligent about seeking You, helping others to find You, and praying for my nation to seek You before it is too late. Amen.

MORE: O Come All Ye Faithful sung by Chris Tomlin

He sings over you

"Sing O Daughter of Zion"
by Charles Joseph Staniland (1838-1916).

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Zephaniah 3:1-20

TO CHEW ON: "The Lord your God in your midst,

The Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

After all his doom-filled prophesying, Zephaniah ends his message on a note of hope. This too is what the Day of the Lord means.
- There will be singing, shouting and rejoicing - Zephaniah 3:14.
- There will be deliverance from enemies - Zephaniah 3:15.
- God's people will be exalted - Zephaniah 3:20.
- And God shows His love for His beloved people - Zephaniah 3:17.

Let's take a minute to dig into this promise:

"The Lord your God in your midst..."
He is not far off, but right among us.

"The Mighty One will save..."
He is a great hero who has and will come to our rescue.

"He will rejoice over you with gladness..."
[Rejoice here (sus) means to rejoice, be glad, be greatly happy.] It is a rejoicing that is the complete opposite of mourning—a pervasive, irresistible joy.

"He will quiet you with His love..."
I see the picture of God as a parent, calming a fretful child, hugging, comforting, saying things like "It's okay. Everything will be alright."

"He will rejoice over you with singing."
[Rejoice here is gil. It contains the suggestion of "dancing for joy" since the verb originally meant 'to spin around with intense motion.'] A word study article in my Bible says: "This lays to rest the notion that the biblical concept of joy is only a 'quiet inner sense of well-being.' God dances for joy over Jerusalem and because of His people - Isaiah 65:9, Zephaniah 3:17." New Spirit-Filled Bible, p. 1228.

I can only imagine the songs accompanying that kind of rejoicing as songs of celebration, joy, and victory.

Here's a great sum-up of this verse for us to take into our day:

"Did you know that God sings, shouts for joy and dances over you because He loves you so much? Take time to think about that; let the Holy Spirit imbed this truth in your spirit. Allow this understanding to bring new joy, fresh freedom and tender love for God into your devotional life" - Leslyn Musch, Truth-In-Action Through Zephaniah, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1239 (emphasis added).

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for this beautiful picture of Your love, Help me to be quieted by the knowledge that you are tenderly watching over me. Help me to "hear" your songs. How can I not love you back? Amen.

MORE: A vision of Jesus

I recently read Mike Mason's book Adventures In Heaven. In it he tells of a friend, Neil, who had many visions of heaven. Mike himself had only one. In it he saw Jesus. His description of Jesus reminds me of Zephaniah 3:17:

"The first thing that struck me was His joy. He was positively beaming like ten thousand suns. And I knew it was all for me. He was so happy to see me! And that face—how full of character! I could have gazed and gazed at Him forever..." Mike Mason, Adventures in Heaven, Kindle Location 3407 (emphasis added).

Seek God

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Zephaniah 2:1-15


TO CHEW ON: "Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth,

Who have upheld His justice.

Seek righteousness, seek humility.

It may be that you will be hidden

In the day of the Lord's anger." Zephaniah 2:3

After sounding the alarm about the coming Day of the Lord, Zephaniah begs Judah—both the shameless sinners ("O undesirable [shameless] nation") and those who upheld His ways all along—to seek God.

The Bible is peppered with similar advice. We are to seek God:

• When He feels distant - Acts 17:27
• When we're in trouble - Hosea 10:12; Amos 5:4.
• When we're in need - Matthew 6:33; Luke 11:10.
• Continually - Psalm 105:4.
• Wholeheartedly - Deuteronomy 4:29; Jeremiah 29:13
• Before it is too late - Isaiah 55:6, Zephaniah 2:2-3.
• Personally - Psalm 27:8

About such personal seeking, Matthew Henry in his commentary about our Zephaniah passage says:

"How careful should we all be to seek peace with God, before the Holy Spirit withdraws from us, or ceases to strive with us; before the day of grace is over, or the day of life; before our everlasting state is determined! Let the poor, despised, and afflicted, seek the Lord, and seek to understand and keep his commandments better, that they may be more humbled for their sins" (emphasis added).

• And as a nation - 2 Chronicles 14:4; Zephaniah 2:1.

Matthew Henry on a nation seeking God in repentance:

"The prophet calls to national repentance, as the only way to prevent national ruin. A nation not desiring, that has no desires toward God, is not desirous of his favour and grace, has no mind to repent and reform....The chief hope of deliverance from national judgments rests upon prayer" (Matthew Henry's Commentary - his commentary and more study helps here - emphasis added).

I ask myself, am I seeking God with the zeal and urgency that Zephaniah begs his listeners to have? Do I pray for unsaved loved ones to seek God before it is too late? Do I have faith for my nation, and pray for a national turning to God?

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for Zephaniah's words of warning. Help me to be diligent about seeking You, helping others to find You, and praying for my nation to seek You before it is too late. Amen.

MORE: Seeking God's face for my nation

Recently a letter came to us from Bruce Clemenger, president of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC), asking that we pray for a case that is currently before the Supreme Court of Canada. (The case has arisen from circumstances outlined here.)  In his words:

"In November we will be in the Court to defend the rights of Evangelicals and others to speak truth—sometimes hard truth—into the public square.


The Court will decide if we can speak about a biblical understanding of sexual morality without being fined or imprisoned. This is what is at stake. This is one of the most crucial and challenging cases we have taken on. We need your prayer and your support."

The two questions the court will rule on are, again as outlined in his letter:

"1. Can Christians preach and teach against what we believe to be a sinful behaviour—a behaviour that we believe ultimately harms the person involved—but still love the person?

2. Can Christians be critical—in public—of the activities of a person or community without this criticism being understood as hatred?"

Will you join me in prayer for Canada, and the continuation of our freedom to speak God's truth?

That day

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Zephaniah 1:1-18


TO CHEW ON: "The great day of the Lord is near;

It is near and hastens quickly,

The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter;

There the mighty men shall cry out.

That day is a day of wrath,

A day of trouble and distress,

A day of devastation and desolation,

A day of darkness and gloominess,

A day of clouds and thick darkness,

A day of trumpet and alarm

Against the fortified cities

And against the high towers." Zephaniah 1:14-16

"The Day of the Lord."  As we've pored over Scriptures that allude to this day in the last little while, we've had other warnings of judgment and doom—and now this graphic and oratorical prophecy of Zephaniah's.

It's interesting to note the setting of his message. Zephaniah (a contemporary of Jeremiah and Nahum) lived in Judah during the reign of Josiah. The nation of Israel was no more, having been carted into exile by Assyria 100 years earlier. Those Assyrians forced Judah to pay tribute under kings Manasseh and Amon. Judah's servitude didn't affect the people only politically but spiritually too.

The pagan religion imported by the Assyrians who resettled Israel spread to Judah. King Manasseh built temples to their gods and practiced child sacrifice (2 Kings 21:3-6). But a Babylonian uprising defeated Assyria and under King Josiah the nation turned back to God.

Josiah found the Book of the Law, purged the land of idols, and again celebrated the Passover. Things were great, right? Apparently not. My Bible's introduction to Zephaniah tells us:

"In retrospect the reform was one of externals since the hearts of the people had not changed...Into this complacent atmosphere the devastating message of Zephaniah comes like a searing blast" - "Introduction to Zephaniah," New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1231.

But what does this ancient prophecy have to do with us? My Bible's introduction again:

"Because of the repeated use of the term 'the Day of the Lord,' the Book of Zephaniah has meaning for end times. The Day of the Lord is either the period of time or the actual day when God will bring His purposes to culmination for mankind and for the Earth. The righteous will be rewarded with eternal blessing, and the wicked will be consigned to eternal damnation" - New Spirit-Filled Bible, p. 1232.

So Zephaniah's over-2600-year-old clarion cry of doom is a warning to us too. Let's not be lulled into complacency by our own peace and prosperity. Rather, let's search our hearts to make sure they are right with God. And let's sound the warning of that coming day to our oblivious neighbours and friends.


PRAYER: Dear God, it's so easy for me to get mesmerized by this world and my busy life. I confess I easily lose sight of eternal things like the coming Day of the Lord. Please make these things real to me. Help me to live with the consciousness of their nearness. Amen

MORE: Fiction that brings history to life

Among the Gods (Chronicles of the Kings #5)by Lynn Austin explores the life and times of King Manasseh, the king who preceded Zephaniah's time by a few years. (Read my review of it here.)