Zephaniah served in the reign of Josiah. He became king at age 8 after his dad's assassination. Babylon was rising as an empire and Judah was worshiping idols. He began repairs on the temple, during which, they found the Book of the Law, probably Deuteronomy, or the first five books of our Old Testament. In light of this, Josiah initiated reforms.
"Josiah also got rid of the mediums and psychics, the household gods, the idols, and every other kind of detestable practice, both in Jerusalem and throughout the land of Judah. He did this in obedience to the laws written in the scroll that Hilkiah the priest had found in the LORD’s Temple. Never before had there been a king like Josiah, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the laws of Moses. And there has never been a king like him since. Even so, the LORD was very angry with Judah because of all the wicked things Manasseh had done to provoke him. For the LORD said, 'I will also banish Judah from my presence just as I have banished Israel. And I will reject my chosen city of
Jerusalem and the Temple where my name was to be honored.'" - 2 Kings 23:24-27 (NLT)
Josiah's grand-father, Manasseh, introduced idol worship to Judah. Ironically, the Book of the Law found during Josiah's reign explained why God would judge the nation, despite Josiah's reforms.
"You must not bow down to them or worship them (idols), because I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the fathers’ sin to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commands." - Deuteronomy 5:9-10 (HCSB)
During the reign of Jehoiakim, four generations from Manasseh, Judah was conquered by Babylon. I'm glad for the devotion of our founding fathers. I believe that's the reason American still stands, despite our sin.
So Zephaniah tells the people that God will allow them to be conquered because of their sin. Scholars identify nine different messages in this book. Eight speak of God’s judgment. But in the ninth, we discover that the God of judgment is also a God of forgiveness and hope. We learn of a day when God's people would be restored by His presence.
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Scholars call prophesies like this "prophetic foreshortening." There's an immediate, later, and ultimate fulfillment. As we mentioned, when one stands far from a mountain range, it seems each peak follows one after the other, with no gap in between. Yet as one goes through the range, they realize there are large gaps between each mountain.
Such is the case here. Zephaniah tells of Judah's return from captivity; the 1st coming of the Messiah; and the ultimate fulfillment in the 2nd coming of Christ. God's presence with His people would be recognized as what brought restoration to Judah when they returned to Jerusalem after captivity; and His presence with His people will be the cause of the ultimate restoration of the universe when Christ returns.
But I want us to focus on the restoration the presence of God can make in the lives of those who believe in Christ as Savior - acknowledging that God came in human flesh to live a perfect life and die for the sins of the world. Who 3 days later was raised from the dead and ascended to heaven, from where, through the person of His Holy Spirit, He enters into the life of everyone who will call upon Him as Savior and Lord.
"And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago." - Ephesians 1:13b (NLT)
God's presence within us through the Holy Spirit was made possible because God came to be present with us in the person of Jesus.
". . . and they will call him Immanuel (which means 'God with us')." - Matthew 1:23 (NIV)
The prophet gives three reasons why God would come to be present with us in the person of Jesus.
1. He came to rescue us - vs. 15-16
As we apply this prophecy to the first coming of Christ, we readily recognize how He came to rescue us. For through Christ, God has taken away our punishment and turned back our enemy.
". . . as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins." - Romans 3:21-24 (NLT)
"Jesus Christ, being the infinite Son of God, was able to suffer in a finite period of time on the cross, what you and I, being finite human beings, would have to suffer for an infinite period of time in hell."
A boy was always late for dinner. Though warned to be on time, one day he arrived later than ever. He found his parents already seated at the table, about to eat. Quickly he sat at his place, and then noticed what was set before him - a slice of bread and a glass of water. He stared at his plate, crushed. Then his father's hand reach over, picked up his plate and set it before himself. His dad then put his full plate in front of his son, smiling warmly as he made the exchange. When the boy became a man, he said, "I came to know what God was like by what my father did that night."
That's what God did for us in Christ. In fact, that's what He's done for everyone. Yet, too many today are like that boy, sitting there, looking at the plate full of food, provided by his father, but never tasting it.
"Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see - how good GOD is. Blessed are you who run to him." - Psalm 34:8 (The Message)
2. He came to rejoice over us - v. 17
We who are born again through Christ, are God's children; and as a parent loves on and sings to their child; God loves on and sings to us! Just as a parent dreams of the life awaiting them; our Father sees the life that awaits us! But unlike earthly parents who are unsure of what the future holds, our heavenly Father's certain about what awaits us! He has a plan for us and He rejoices in what He sees awaiting us!
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" - Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
"The assuring truth that God’s plan is certain is because it is God’s plan. This is based on the truth that God is all-knowing and all-powerful, that He is faithful to His promises, and that His glory is at stake. It is also based on the fact that God’s plan is eternal and all-inclusive. Nothing is more certain than the plan of God. You and I do not set up insurance programs, savings accounts, or college education funds for every child in the neighborhood. We make provisions for the good of our children. God’s plan is not only for His glory, but for the good of “those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28)." - Bob Deffinbaugh, God's Perfect Plan
A roller-coaster is a thrilling ride where you speed along an erratic track that rises, curves and drops. The rider has two options: grit your teeth until it’s over or sit back and enjoy the ride. Life's like riding a rollercoaster - it has many ups and down with unexpected twists and turns. Some don’t enjoy the ride because they can’t control the direction in which they’re heading. Just like the roller-coaster, life has no steering wheel, but this doesn't mean it's out of control. God has designated a route for each of us to travel, with many dips, curves and rises; but in the end, it will bring us safely to our destination. In the meantime, we need to trust God and enjoy the ride like the rider who rides with their hands raised, which by the way, is also the universal sign of surrender.
"I need to be still and let God love me, I need to be still and let God love me, When this old world starts to push and shove me, I need to be still and let God love me." - B. J. Thomas
3. He came to reorient us - vs. 18-20
That which will be true of us one day, God wants us to begin to enter into today, as we learn to see ourselves as He now sees us - people with tremendous potential because of the presence of the Person within us!
As we grow in our awareness of who we are now by virtue of the presence of God within us, we can be reoriented from living . . .
A. A life of frustration to a life of fulfillment - v. 18
B. A life of defeat to a life of victory - v. 19
C. A life of ridicule to a life of restoration - v. 20
God came to be with us in the person of Christ, in order to take the punishment for us, so we might be forgiven and know the blessings of God available through a personal love relationship with Him. Now the One who came to be with us is within us through the Holy Spirit, who seeks to enable us to see ourselves as our Father now sees us.
"This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike 'What’s next, Papa?' God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us - an unbelievable inheritance." - Romans 8:15-17a (The Message)
