Zephaniah was written in an attempt to shake the people of Judah out of their complacency and return to God. It was written during the reign of King Josiah and may have been the motivating factor in the reforms implemented by the King. It is a message of both judgment and hope.
Some thoughts from my Life Application Bible....
God does not take sin lightly, and it will be punished. But be encouraged by teh words of hope - our God reigns, and he will rescue his own. Decide to be part of that faithful remnant of souls who humbly worship and obey the living Lord....
Zephaniah warned the people of Judah that if they refused to repent, the entire nation, including the beloved city of Jerusalem, would be lost. The people knew that God would eventually bless them, but Zephaniah made it clear that there would be judgment first, then blessing. This judgment would not be merely punishment for sin, but it would also be a means of purifying the people. Though we live in a fallen world surrounded by evil, we can hope in the perfect Kingdom of God to come, and we can allow any punishment that touches us now to purify us from sin.
3:17 stood out to me....
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
The thought of God, the One who is mighty to save, singing over us and rejoicing over us is amazing. We sing praises to Him all the time, and rightly so. But there will also be a day where He will sing over us with rejoicing.
Colossians 4:6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
An excellent reminder to guard our tongue, and to be careful what we say, and how we say it.
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Ezra 1-2; 2 Timothy 1
3 comments:
Verse 2 stood out to me in our NT reading - "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."
This was my own take on it.......we are to pray continually to God who gives us hope and strength. Look out for satan's attack, but also for answered prayer. Remember what He has done and how He answers our prayers and to be thankful for all that He has done and continues to do.
the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak
A reminder to pray for opportunity to talk about God to others.
I will bring distress on mankind,
so that they shall walk like the blind,
because they have sinned against the Lord;
their blood shall be poured out like dust,
and their flesh like dung.
18 Neither their silver nor their gold
shall be able to deliver them
on the day of the wrath of the Lord.
I've been thinking about the video series we are watching in SUnday School and how atheists are sharing how they arrived at their beliefs. It reminds me that so many are walking as if blind and one day there will be judgement on them and nothing will be able to save them. How am I walking?
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