God's Two-Part Plan (Zephaniah 2:1-15) Series

Today, we'll work through Zephaniah 2. This chapter is a "little" difficult. So what I want to do is give you a framework to help you understand what you are reading/hearing.

And I'll just say, up front, that there are things in here that are confusing. No one really understands several verses in this chapter, so when you find yourself getting confused, you are in good company. I'm just going to pass over them, and act like the verses make perfect sense. Maybe I'll fool you.

Last week, in Zephaniah 1, we read about how God is gathering the entire world, to bring an end to it. He's gathering livestock, and birds, and fish-- and humans. This will a horrible day-- a day of wailing, and crying out, and despair. A day when nothing can save you can from God's wrath.

And why is God coming in judgment? The main reason is that his people in Judah, have stopped serving, and following, and worshipping God alone. They are worshipping Yahweh+. And the reason they are doing that, is because they've decided that God alone is not enough. He doesn't act; He's not strong enough; He doesn't really bless his people-- or harm them, when they disobey.

So that's what God is doing, and that's why He's doing it.

What then should we do? How should we respond? Is there anything we can do, that may make God change his mind about all of this?

If there's any solution, we haven't heard it yet. Just weep and wail, knowing that your time is coming to a violent and bitter end.

This brings us to Zephaniah 2. In this chapter, Yahweh announces a two part plan.

In the first stage, Yahweh is going to go through Judah, and bring his promised judgment to fulfillment. The judgment is coming-- BUT, the judgment isn't going to literally kill off every single person. He will kill off the arrogant, and the mockers, and the idolaters, for sure. But Yahweh will leave a faithful remnant in Judah. AND, Yahweh will leave a faithful remnant, surprisingly, among the nations.

In the second stage, Yahweh will restore his faithful remnant: He will enlarge their territory, and give them places to live in safety, and bless them.

So that's Yahweh's plan, and the big picture for chapter 2. Let's read verses 1-3:

(2:1) Gather together, and gather, O Undesired/Shameless Nation.

Before He brings the judgment to fulfillment.

Like chaff, the day has flown away.

Before the heat of Yahweh's nose comes against you;

before Yahweh's anger comes against you.

(3) Seek Yahweh, all the humble ones of the land,

[the ones] who, his regulations, they have performed.

Seek righteousness.

Seek humility.

Perhaps, you will be concealed/undetected on the day of Yahweh's anger.

Zephaniah says that Yahweh is (1) coming, that (2) He is angry, and (3) that He is bringing judgment.

The question is, how will you respond?

The answer depends on whether or not you believe Zephaniah.

If you believe Zephaniah, you'll be scared by the idea that an angry God is coming against you for judgment. This should terrify you, right?

You'll seek Yahweh (and not idols/other elohim), and you'll humble yourself. You'll plead for forgiveness and mercy.

Someone (Karl Barth?) once said that at the root of every sin, is pride. We don't usually think of it that way, but maybe God does. It's pride that tells us that it doesn't matter what God wants, or what God thinks. If I choose to be a drunk, or violent, or an idolater, I'm making a deliberate choice to thumb my nose at God. I'm lifting myself up against God.

This is not how humble people live. Humble people walk through life remembering that Yahweh is God Most High. He is the one who created the world, and sustains it. He is the one who rules over all. He is the Glorious One. And when humble people start to lose sight of this, they turn back to God. They go outside, and look at the heavens, and they remember what God is really like. (And/or they read something like Revelation 4). They turn back to God. They seek God. They seek righteousness-- to act rightly toward God and people. And they seek humility.

So that's what God wants from his people. But verse 3 makes no promises, that if you do this, you'll survive. All you get, is a "maybe." A "perhaps." Perhaps, when God comes in judgment, your humility and righteousness will create a hiding place to protect you.

And so these verses are like a wake-up call. Be honest about how you've been living. Have you been humble? Have you been righteous?

All of us, probably, want to call ourselves "God's humble ones." We want to claim this, as something that's true for us. If we want to be considered "God's humble ones," and dodge the coming judgment, then let us be humble-- toward God, and toward each other.