Third Sunday Meditation: The Message Of Zephaniah

The prophet, Zephaniah, whose name means, "he whom

the Lord has hidden" was a contemporary of the biblical prophets

Jeremiah, Nahum, and possibly Habakkuk.

Frieze Of The Prophets, West Wall

(ca. 1890-95)

From left to right: Zephaniah, Joel, Obadiah, and Hosea

 A painting John Singer Sargent

(1856-1925)

God's judgment and God's mercy is the message of

Zephaniah, in which the prophet describes the 

impending sentence of destruction on Judah and Jerusalem

for their continual disobedience and their spiritual adultery

 in turning away from the Lord, disavowing His great abiding love,

mercy, and faithfulness  in order to follow after the abominable 

  worship rituals of the gods of the Canaanites,  Baal and Molech.

When I read this book, I am reminded of how much the condition

 of ancient Israel mirrors that of modern day America in regards

to turning away from the godly principles which founded this

great nation, to follow after the ungodly and inferior wisdom

of man, the forsaking of the Creator God to embrace the  

gods of science and secular humanism;  the love of money

and materialism, the acceptance of rampant perversion;

the murder of innocent babies through abortion, 

the increase in lawlessness and disrespect for authority;

the unprecedented levels of contempt and unreasonable hatred 

  which is dividing and destroying America at a time
 in world history when we  greatly need to be standing

  together united as a nation and a people.

Civil unrest in the streets of our nation.

My prayer this morning is that the Lord will rise up a remnant of

 His people here,  who, without reserve, will boldly and fearlessly speak the

truth of the Gospel to those who are lost and hurting in this nation,

 the ever glorious and timeless message of  the Lord Jesus Christ,

  Who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that

through Him alone, we are, "Born anew into an inheritance

which is beyond the reach of change and decay, unsullied

and unfading, reserved in heaven for you."

1 Peter:4

I further pray that God will continue to have mercy on America.

THE MESSAGE OF ZEPHANIAH

(Zephaniah 2:1-3)

Collect your thoughts, yes, unbend yourselves in

submission and see if there is no sense of shame and no

consciousness of sin left in you! 

O shameless nation, not desirous, or desired!

The time of repentance is speeding by like chaff 

whirled before the wind! Therefore consider, before God's

decree brings forth the curse upon you, before the time to

repent is gone like the drifting chaff, before the fierce anger 

of the Lord comes upon you-yes, before the day of the wrath

of the Lord comes upon you!

Seek the Lord, inquire of Him, and require of Him as the

foremost necessity of your life, all you humble in the land

who have acted in compliance with His revealed will and have

kept His commandments; seek righteousness, seek humility,

inquire for them, require them as vital.

It may be you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger.

Adonai

Paul Wilbur