Ruin Series

Minor Prophets Major Message

“Ruin”

Zephaniah 2:1-3

#minorprophets

READ ZEPHANIAH 2:1-3 (MSG)

1-2 So get yourselves together. Shape up! You’re a nation without a clue about what it wants. Do it before you’re blown away like leaves in a windstorm, Before God’s Judgment-anger sweeps down on you, Before God’s Judgment Day wrath descends with full force. 3 Seek God, all you quietly disciplined people who live by God’s justice. Seek God’s right ways. Seek a quiet and disciplined life. Perhaps you’ll be hidden on the Day of God’s anger.

SERIES INTRODUCTION

In the Bible, when God wanted to get His people’s attention He would often do something demonstrative like speak from a burning bush or lead by a pillar of cloud or shake the ground or do a miracle in nature. God did all of those things. God also spoke through people we call prophets. Prophets had many roles and many jobs:

Preaching what God shared with them to others

Rebuke those in power who were misusing political or religious power

Ordain those who would be kings

Predict the future and what God would do among His people revealing His plan

Heal diseases

Evangelize other nations and bring God’s Word to them

Teach about God and God’s Law

We know some of the names of these folks whom God called to be His prophets: Moses, Miriam, Deborah, Nathan, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Huldah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Anna, John the Baptist, and many more. God calls the people through His prophets and gives them directions in their relationship with Him. God calls the people through His prophets and encourages their faithfulness and warns them that faithlessness would have dire consequences.

This morning as we begin our new sermon series in the last twelve books of the Old Testament called “Minor Prophets Major Message.” I want to focus on one of these specific prophets and the message that he had to bring to the people of God because those messages are important for us.

Today, we will be in the Book of Zephaniah where the prophet is definitely preaching and teaching in light of what he is predicting of the future and what God would do among His people and the nations around them.

READ ZEPHANIAH 2:1-3 (KJV)

Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; 2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you. 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.

GLOOM AND DOOM FOR A GOOD REASON

I mentioned that Zephaniah is predicting the future for the people of Judah and for the nations around them. He does not bring nice words:

Anger (4x): Zephaniah 2:2-3, 3:8

Destruction (1x): Zephaniah 1:15

Desolation (6x): Zephaniah 1:15, 2:4, 2:9, 2:13, 2:14, 2:15

Destroy (2x): Zephaniah 2:5, 2:13.

Distress (2x): Zephaniah 1:15, 1:17

Indignation (1x): Zephaniah 3:8

Woe (2x): Zephaniah 2:5, 3:1

Wrath (2x): Zephaniah 1:15, 18

In Zephaniah 3:1-7, which is the beginning of the chapter after where we will focus today, Zephaniah names the sins that plagued Israel. Zephaniah framed Israel’s sin with in terms of all things they DIDN’T do.

First, Israel did not obey the Voice of God. No other people had received such communication and prophets and writings from God as did Israel. Prophet after prophet had appeared with pronouncements and announcements and correction from God and yet we see time and time again, Israel would not listen to the voice of the Lord.

Second, Israel did not listen to God. This is a bit of a repeat from the first reason. God repeats Himself in case we don’t get it! Israel did not listen to the correction that came their way. The Jews never seemed to understand why God allowed other nations to conquer them. We see this specifically in the Book of Judges, but it is played out all throughout the Bible even into the New Testament with Rome.

Third, Israel did not trust in God. There were always idols at play with the people of God and they were always relying upon something else other than YHWH. They relied on armies and alliances and walls and kings, but never seemed to understand that God would always fight for them. Because they wanted to connect so much with the nations around them, they soon became just like the nations around them.

Fourth, Israel did not draw near to God. This is a bit of a repeat from the third reason. God repeats Himself in case we don’t get it! The people had no fellowship with God and it showed. Their lives did not match His way of life, but rather day-to-day they looked like everyone else.