Midweek Message from the Archive
Finding Jesus: Zephaniah
There are special days in our lives that hold particular expectations: Christmas Day, birthdays, wedding, or graduation day. We anticipate, eagerly prepare, and await its arrival. Not knowing for sure how it’ll look or turn out we keep our hopes peaked for the best day ever. Our last prophet before the Babylonian conquest is Zephaniah who kept his hopes high and gave us a message from God about a day, unlike any other that’s coming: The Day of the LORD.
Zephaniah’s focus, the Day of the LORD, has two references: stay with me. When King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon rode into Jerusalem it was the fulfillment of many prophecies, including Zephaniah’s, that judgment would fall. In other words, Babylon would be God’s instrument of temporary punishment on His chosen people. However, this would only be a forerunner to the final Day of the LORD. As you read this book you can identify which coming event, Babylon or Christ, by the context. Zephaniah used words like ‘everything’, ‘face of the earth’, or ‘mankind’. These indicate the final Day of the LORD. References to Judah and Jerusalem alerts us to the coming, temporary conquest of the Babylonians.
Descriptions of the great Day of the LORD (used 23 times) are similar to the prophet Joel, but more importantly, to Jesus’ own descriptions in Matt. 24:29-31. It will be a day unlike any other when there are sounds of grief, ruin and desolation, darkness and gloom, and a trumpet blowing the war cry (1:14-16). It’s the day of God’s wrath.
This doesn’t sound like a warm and cozy book we’d enjoy reading, does it? Yet Zephaniah writes that it will also be a time of singing and dancing (3:14-17). How can it be both? That’s where we find Jesus.
Anyone who seeks forgiveness for their sin and desires a new life in Christ are, as Jesus said in John 3, born again. Their sins are literally washed away and they’re considered in ‘right standing’ before God. Since the judgment, punishment, was placed on Jesus they have no fear of God’s wrath anymore; The Day of the LORD described by Zephaniah assures us of that truth. Even if we’re physically present on earth on that Day God will protect us, even hide us, from the judgments coming to the earth. Interestingly, Zephaniah’s name means hidden by or for God. That’s great comfort.
For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a Mighty Savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17 NLT
God’s desire is for all mankind to be saved, but we know from Revelation that not all mankind will bow their knee voluntarily, remaining in rebellion. He has a remnant though, a smaller part of mankind, Jew and Gentile, that will humble themselves, submit to Him, and willingly follow Him. That’s my family and I hope it’s yours.
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