Sunday School Lesson
Lesson Scripture: Zephaniah 1:4–6, 14–16; 2:3
Introduction: The Bible is full of contrasts related to God’s people. There was the line of Seth and the way of Cain; the sons of God and the daughters of men; the seed of promise (Isaac) and the house of Ishmael; the kingdom of God and the domain of darkness; the church and the world; Jerusalem and Babylon; the remnant and the unfaithful. But what if the remnant leaned toward unfaithfulness? The promise (Genesis 12:1-3) could be compromised. So God even had to purge the remnant by coming in judgment against his own people. A disturbing text says that judgment begins with the household of God (1 Peter 4:17). Zephaniah had to deliver such a judgment message to God’s people. Their day of reckoning had come. While Nahum was prophesying against Nineveh, Habakkuk and Jeremiah were trying to get Judah ready for coming captivity. If Habakkuk and Jeremiah gave the spiritual side for coming judgment, then Zephaniah gave the secular side. Zephaniah had royal blood running through his veins (the great-great-great-grandson of Hezekiah). He prophesied during the reign of Josiah (Judah’s last great king).
Riding The Fence
Zephaniah 1:4-6KJV
4 I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests;
5 And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham;
6 And them that are turned back from the Lord; and those that have not sought the Lord, nor enquired for him.
The judgment of God that Zephaniah predicted was staggering (Zephaniah 1:2, 3). It sounds worldwide and similar to that of Noah’s day (Genesis 6:5-7). Zephaniah had some things to say to the nations (primarily in chapter 2). But similar to Amos’s prophecy, the day of the Lord was coming against God’s own people (Amos 2:4–4:13).The same outstretched hand that brought God’s people out of Egypt (Exodus 6:6) was now turned against them. Notice the parallelism against Judah and Jerusalem. God would bring disaster to the Baal worshippers, who sometimes even set up shop in the temple itself. God would bring disaster on the astrologers and on those who bow down and swear by the Lord and who also swear by Molek—syncretists. God would bring disaster on those who rebelled against him with sins of commission—turn back from following the Lord and with sins of omission—neither seek the Lord nor inquire of him.Other sins are mentioned: Leaders were not truly leading (Zephaniah 1:8; 3:3, 4). People were living more by fate than faith (1:9). Some were unrestrained in their unbridled power (v. 9). Complacency, presumption, and materialism abounded (vv. 12, 18). They failed to trust God or draw near to him (3:2). Some acted corruptly and others were haughty (vv. 7, 11). Maybe the biggest reason for the coming disaster was plain old sin (1:17) and no desire to be corrected (3:2).
The Day Of The Lord
Zephaniah 1:14-16KJV
14 The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.
God’s people did experience some good days during the reign of good King Josiah. But the Lord is in total control. The Lord is the Mighty Warrior. The great day of the Lord or “that day” or “at that time” or “the day of the Lord” or “the day” appear throughout Zephaniah’s prophecy as well as other parts of the Old Testament (Isaiah 13:6; Amos 5:18-20; Malachi 4:5). Most often this phrase does not refer to some cataclysmic end-times destruction. Mostly it refers to some kind of judgment—often local. God’s people would be surprised that he had turned against them. He would come quickly and give a victory shout. His coming would be marked with distress and anguish, trouble and ruin, darkness and gloom. The trumpet would announce his coming and even the watchtowers (corner towers) wouldn’t be able to stand against his judgment.
Seek Humility
Zephaniah 2:3KJV
3 Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.
If God’s people turned to him, then disaster could turn to delight. Earlier we were told that Judah did not seek the Lord. Zephaniah pled with God’s people three times to seek the Lord. He called for them to be humble and obey God. He called for them to seek righteousness (justice). If they did this, they might be sheltered (covered) by the Lord himself during this day of the Lord’s anger. There is a bumper sticker that reads, “Jesus is coming back—and he is not happy.” It is partially true. Jesus is coming again (Hebrews 9:28). But God lives in perpetual joy and does not have an occasional bad day. However, he does seem to schedule various days of judgment to prepare and purify us.
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