Kingdom Keys - Zephaniah Series

So maybe you’ve heard it said, ‘read your bible’ so you tried and failed. Our hope as leaders is that all of us will pick up God’s word and come to understand the true nature of God. After all, the bible is God’s Word curated over centuries detailing His nature, His will, the meaning of life and humanity’s historical interactions with Him. The Bible details the hidden keys to the Kingdom. Hence, the reason we are reviewing a new book each week.

This week we move ahead to the book of Zephaniah. His name means “The Lord Protects” and lived from 640- 609 BC. He was also a contemporary of Jeremiah.

The book of Zephaniah is a prophetic word for the nation of Judah, as the downfall of the conquering Assyrians is at hand, AND Babylon is about to destroy them and everything in Judah. Zephaniah keeps preaching repentance to stave off the impending doom before it's too late. A plea He knew would go ignored by everyone. Would you continue sharing a message that would save everyone even if you knew they wouldn’t listen? What kind of person doesn’t quit when it's evident they’re not going to win?

A person who lives by two core beliefs: God loves his creation and a hope in God’s promise of a future in which we will see:

“....God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” …. And we will hear him say, “I am making everything new!” (rev 21:3-5b)

Both hopes are present in Zephaniah’s revelation including the assurance to his audience that even if they ignore him, the pain of God’s judgment would pave the way for a new world in which justice would prevail and all humankind would worship the Lord.

Take a listen to Zephaniah 3:8-13:

Therefore wait for me,” declares the Lord,

“for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on them— all my fierce anger. The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger.

9 “Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord

and serve him shoulder to shoulder.

10 From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, my scattered people, will bring me offerings.

11 On that day you, Jerusalem, will not be put to shame for all the wrongs you have done to me,

because I will remove from you your arrogant boasters. Never again will you be haughty on my holy hill.

12 But I will leave within you - the meek and humble. The remnant of Israel will trust in the name of the Lord.

13 They will do no wrong; they will tell no lies. A deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouths. They will eat and lie down and no one will make them afraid.”

Zephaniah’s writings have a urgency to them and also a future aspect. They are a plea to his people but also to future generations of believers. Generations like ours who see the decay of society.

It doesn’t take the brightest person in the room to see the similarities:

Government leaders who no longer serve for the good of the republic but serve only to insure re-election to continue to feed their selfish desires

Business leaders who have voided a social contract for a profit motive, or decide to treat workers like expendable tools, instead of God’s creation in need of nurture.

Education leaders who forgo God’s moral teaching for a humanism indoctrination

Religious leaders who prevert God’s call, to serve in His name and for his glory, so they can acquire monetary riches and glory for themselves.

Family leaders who forsake their responsibility to be integrity examples for their children

Public figures who are more interested in their appearance and popularity than their possible impact on a society in need of real character.

Dr. Lee Roberson once said, “Everything rises and falls with leadership.”

Now, I know some within earshot of this message will say, “I am not a leader.” But that fails to recognize one of the greatest truths of our faith, “Christ is within us.” The only leader worth emulating is insidious - Jesus. As a committed follower of Jesus, we have been made new with the power of God within us.

Edward Hale, author of “The Man without a Country” once wrote:

“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”