MINORS’ LESSONS THAT HAVE MAJOR IMPACT I: HUMILITY - Learned from Zephaniah
If you know baseball, you know that major league players are developed at the minor league level. The goal of every player in the minors is to make it to the majors. There’s a lot to be learned in the minors so that one’s combined skills will have a major impact.
Up to this point in our study of the Minor Prophets, we have focused on the basics of KNOWING God. Joel majored on God’s mercy; Obadiah – His lordship; Nahum – His justice; Habakkuk – God’s appointed time. None of the prophets, major or minor, let us forget about God’s judgment.
Now we come to a study of three Minor Prophets who teach us six actions God’s people need to practice if we are to measure up to God’s expectations of us.
The first lesson that has a major impact on our society comes from the prophet Zephaniah. His emphasis was humility. His purpose was to help us humble ourselves before God. Is there anyone within the sound of my voice who could not use a little more humility? Do you know of anyone who is as humble as they could be? Do you agree that there is room for improvement?
Zephaniah’s theme of humility was echoed by Jesus: “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:4). “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12).
James the brother of Jesus reminded us of an Old Testament proverb:
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Peter quoted the same proverb, then followed it up by drawing this conclusion: “Humble yourselves therefore under God’s mighty hand, that He may exalt you in due time” (I Peter 5:6).
Let’s go back to that period of Israel’s history right before the fall of Judah in 612 B.C. - when the Babylonians – the empire that had conquered the Assyrians –would not stop their relentless crusade until they had brought Judah under their dominion.
God allowed the fall of Judah to happen even though Judah’s good king Josiah had initiated some reforms for turning Judah away from their ungodly ways.
This godly king had believed and heeded the warnings of Habakkuk; but even the spiritual revival that took place during Josiah’s reign could not stop the judgment of God from happening anyway.
Now why was that? It was so because God knew what was going to happen when Josiah died; He knew that the people of Judah would go back to their wicked ways – probably since the reforms had been forced on them by Josiah, and were not from the heart.
After Josiah died, it appears that God had laid it on Zephaniah’s heart to take up where Habakkuk left off, and to approach the difficult challenge of bringing God’s people into line - but from a somewhat different angle.
So, Zephaniah appears on the scene to define the problem as PRIDE, and he proposed HUMILITY as the solution, knowing that if the people refused to humble themselves, their pride would be defused by the Lord God who would humble them Himself.
Had you rather humble yourself before God, or would you prefer to be humbled by God? Let’s ask Zephaniah a few questions about humility:
(1) WHY DO WE NEED HUMILITY? Zephaniah 1:12-15 . . .
So many folks “settle down comfortably” and then decide that they “have it made in the shade” and therefore no longer need God.
But if there was ever any doubt in anyone’s mind as to the futility of depending on wealth for happiness, Zephaniah’s word from the Lord ought to convince us that, yes, it’s okay to provide shelter and all the basic needs of life (to the extent that we can afford them); but forget it if anyone has the idea that accumulation of wealth – whether houses or lands or vineyards – is going to satisfy the deepest, innermost longings of the heart.
When the Day of the Lord gets here – the Day of Judgment – the Day of accountability - do not expect God to ask how wealthy you are in terms of material possessions or bank accounts. Although God has given us ability and the means to meet our needs; although God does expect us to be good stewards of all that He has blessed us with; there remains the unalterable truth that God demands that we give Him first place in our lives.
One of the problems in the church today is that many church people don’t believe God rewards good and punishes evil. So they don’t think that God will hold them accountable for their actions. They prefer to “enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” rather than think about accountability.
The only solution to the problem of pride is humility.
(2) HOW DO WE GET HUMILITY? Zephaniah 2:1-3 . . .
There are times in life when we must come together as a group for understanding the problem and seeking solutions. We do this in our society quite often in community meetings when there are issues that need to be discussed by everyone concerned about the problem.
Gathering the people together for spiritual awakening has been the way preferred by the Lord God since the beginning of the human race.
I suppose the classic example of such a gathering was the day Moses came down from the mountain to assemble the people for receiving the Ten Commandments.
Zephaniah gathered the people of Judah together because God told him to; however, he also he had a burden for them, knowing that the Lord God considered them to have become an undesirable nation due to their callousness about the evil in their society.
Are we aware that much of our nation seems to have become callous as to our moral and spiritual fiber? Do we need a revival?
Zephaniah in effect was telling them that it was not too late to turn back to God – to seek righteousness that breeds humility that leads to repentance; after all, there can be no favor with God apart from genuine repentance; and the humble person does not shy away from repenting of his or her sins and, in that way, getting right with God.
Zephaniah uses a word here that tells me of his humility; he suggests that, if we seek humility, “perhaps” we will escape the brunt of God’s anger.
He could not bring himself to say with finality that we shall be favored by God; he was too humble to claim that what a prophet said would be the case 100%; it was his way of saying, “It’s not up to me.”
(3) WHAT IS THERE TO BE GAINED BY HUMILITY - Zephaniah 3:11-12 . . .
This makes it clear that, once God’s judgment has come to pass, those who sought humility and acted accordingly will be restored to favor with God. The “high and mighty” who became haughty will be removed; only the meek (those who understand their helplessness apart from trust in God) and humble folks (those who bow in awe and reverence to God) will survive – often referred to as “the remnant.”
Those who experience this revival of humility will go on trusting God and serving Him; for, you see, the final Day of the Lord is yet to come - and will be fulfilled in the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Be ready! Take to heart words of the senior prophet: Isaiah 55:6-7 . . . Amen.
