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.
So, Zephaniah brings words of gloom and doom like…
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
… because the people needed to be shaken from their sin and pointed in the direction of repentance and salvation. We see in Zephaniah that God did not want His people, who are called by His Name, to be full of pride and ignore Him and not seek Him and lean into their wicked ways because then He would ignore them from Heaven and strike their land (opposite of 2 Chronicles 7:14).
* He wanted the opposite for His people in this passage.
* He wants the opposite for us.
TRANSITION
Let’s read from Zephaniah 2 one more time and focus there on two thoughts.
READ ZEPHANIAH 2:1-3 (ESV)
Gather together, yes, gather, O shameless nation, 2 before the decree takes effect —before the day passes away like chaff— before there comes upon you the burning anger of the LORD, before there comes upon you the day of the anger of the LORD. 3 Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do His just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden
on the day of the anger of the LORD.
SIN IS RUIN
The first thought we see in these verses from Zephaniah is that sin is ruin.
CONTENT: THE PULPIT COMMENTARY, 1913, ZEPHANIAH PAGE 44, PRINT
I was reading a sermon on this passage this past week and the preacher (D.T.) said: “It was sin in form of idolatry and gross immorality that exposed the Jewish people to the terrible doom that was now hanging over them. Sin is evermore the cause of all human suffering. Spiritual sin brings spiritual suffering; moral sin brings moral suffering; national sin brings national suffering.”
Wow! He said it better than I could.
I would like to remind you of what I said when we dove into the Book of Nahum a few weeks ago because we are again reading and thinking and praying over a passage where God is angry. God does not get angry because He didn’t get what He wanted for Jesus’ birthday or a new species of anaconda He had hidden away was discovered or Satan threatened the archangel Gabriel a little too much on the playground… nope! God does not get angry for the reasons that you and I do.
God gets angry at one thing: sin. God’s anger is perfect anger and is directed at sin. God’s anger at sin is part of His holiness and perfection and is never misdirected or sinful or out of place or out of proportion or out of control.
Zephaniah is preaching and teaching the people of Judah that because they did not obey the voice of God and they did not listen to God and they did not trust in God and they did not draw near to God that they are now the focus of His anger.
APPLICATION
That truth is the same for us. How good are you at ignoring God?
It may be that we are good at not obeying the voice of God. We have the Bible readily available to us and it could be that time and time again God communicates something to you through His Word and you just don’t obey. For example: His Word tells us clearly that Jesus is the only way to a relationship with God and you believe, but just never obey in baptism. How about you change that! Today!
It may be that we are a pro at praying to God and getting out your thoughts and feelings and requests, but we “amen” before we have to listen to Him. Correction often comes in the listening. Perhaps there are issues with your significant other or how you manage your money or how you treat your children or habits you have at your job and you just don’t listen to God about it.
It may be that we do not really trust in God. You may have developed the skill of relying on yourself, your income, your own wisdom, a substance, sports, entertainment, and even family for fulfillment and meaning and direction in life. We act like we trust in anything else but God and because we wanted all those other things, we look and sound like someone who doesn’t know God.
It may be that we do not want to draw near to God. We don’t want to draw near to God because if we do we will have to change our living arrangements or change how we talk about other races or shift how we vote or spend our time different because we already know God is not a priority and we don’t want Him shining a light on that. Day-to-day we look like everyone else and we are comfortable with that.
TRANSITION
The passage from Zephaniah that we read this morning does not just shed light that the people of God were sinful and many times omitted God from their lives which has led them to ruin (the first thought), but he gives them a pathway back to God (the second thought). He does not leave us without hope! In Zephaniah 2:1-3, the prophet’s second thought is emphasizing repentance for Judah so they can find their way to God. He does the same for us.
REPENTANCE REBUILDS THE RUIN
The second thought we see in these verses from Zephaniah is that repentance rebuilds the ruin. What is the spiritual pathway out of the ruin of sin and back to God?
In verse 1, Zephaniah tells the people to “gather together.” These are preparation words. I imagine them gathering together to worship and read God’s Word and pray. There is something detrimental about meeting together with other sinners who are only wanting to sin more. A sinner meeting with another sinner to sin goes down the broad path to destruction. There is something beneficial about meeting together with other sinners who are also seeking to repent. A sinner meeting with another sinner to repent and focus on God goes down the narrow path to life.
The Book of Hebrews in the New Testament says the same thing:
READ HEBREWS 10:23-27 (ESV)
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.
If you are wanting to repent, the questions must be asked: Who do you hang around with the most? Do the people with whom you gather push you towards God or away from God? Zephaniah and the writer of Hebrews knows repentance is more lasting and has strength if we surround ourselves with people who are also repenting and desire to encourage us. We encourage them and they encourage us. We sharpen each other and let each other know that it is not good to deliberately sin.
In verse 3, Zephaniah shares with us a blanket statement, but then gets more specific. His blanket statement in verse 3 is: “Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do His just commands.” The command to “seek the Lord” is a good one and is a command often given in the Bible to people who love God.
READ DEUTERONOMY 4:29 (ESV)
But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find Him, if you search after Him with all your heart and with all your soul.
READ 1 CHRONICLES 16:11 (ESV)
Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually!
READ MATTHEW 7:7-8 (ESV)
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
The prophet Zephaniah gets more specific in verse 3.
He says to “seek righteousness” as part of repentance. If the people of God wanted to repent, this means to stop doing those actions and habits and attitudes that are unrighteous and begin to do those actions and habits and attitudes that are righteous. Repentance means to change. Repentance means a change of direction. More specifically, repentance means to change from unrighteousness towards a direction of righteousness.
The problem is that we don’t always know what direction to move. We realize that we are stuck in a sin, but we aren’t sure how to change because we are influenced so much by our culture and our culture mixes right and wrong like a cocktail. This is where the Bible comes in essential providing spiritual common sense. We can always look to the Bible because the Word of God will always direct us to what is right and good and in God’s will. The eternal Truth found in the Bible will not steer you wrong. It may be difficult or painful, but it won’t be wrong or the wrong path.
The Book of Hebrews reminds us:
READ HEBREWS 4:12 (ESV)
For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
He also says to “seek humility” as part of repentance in verse 3.
Here is where repentance usually breaks down. Here is where it broke down most often for Israel and here is where it usually breaks down for you and I. Once we come face-to-face with righteousness on the written page and the Holy Spirit gives us spiritual common sense, we must then decide to act. That’s repentance.
But we don’t wanna. We don’t wanna admit we made bad choices. We don’t wanna admit we have conducted our romantic relationship backwards according to God’s Word. We don’t want to stuff our pride and confess that money is more important than God. We don’t wanna share that we just come to church to check a box. We don’t wanna admit that we live one way Monday through Saturday and show up here in our Sunday best with a mask on. Nope. We don’t wanna do that.
READ JAMES 4:10 (ESV)
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.
Repentance requires us to let go of our morality the way we think our life should go and follow God’s way. Repentance means we humbly come before God and confess that the way we have been living has been according to our rules and not His. Repentance means we knew what was right and good and we decided to do what everyone else was doing and we ignored God knowing full well we were sinning.
* Repentance requires humbly confessing we chose do to wrong and we knew better.
* Repentance requires humbly admitting our addiction gets the better of us.
* Repentance requires humbly seeking the best way from God no matter how it feels.
READ ZEPHANIAH 2:1-3 (AMP)
Gather yourselves together [in repentance], yes, gather [in submission], O nation without shame,
2 Before the decree takes effect [and the time for repentance is lost]— The day passes like the chaff [whirled by the wind]— Before the burning and fierce anger of the Lord comes upon you, Before the day of the wrath of the Lord comes upon you. 3 Seek the Lord [search diligently for Him and regard Him as the foremost necessity of your life], All you humble of the land who have practiced His ordinances and have kept His commandments; Seek righteousness, seek humility [regard them as vital]. Perhaps you will be hidden [and pardoned and rescued] In the day of the Lord’s anger.
SUMMARY/APPLICATION/INVITATION
It could be that you, like Judah, are a pro at ignoring God and keeping Him in the background of your life. Perhaps you don’t really want to listen to God. Today’s message from Zephaniah is a call to change that. It is a call to repentance and to listen and to lean into faith like never before and make Him the priority. I invite you to do that.
It could be that you, like the nations around Judah, do not know God. Will you please seek a relationship with Him by the blood of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit “before the burning and fierce anger of the Lord comes upon you.
CHILDREN’S SERMON BEFORE THE MESSAGE
https://sermons4kids.com/sermons/listening-for-god [adapted]
I want to preview a little bit what I will be talking about today so that as you listen to the sermon, you know a little bit what it is about!
One of the words you might hear a lot as a kid is: listen.
Do your parents tell you to listen to them?
Do your teachers tell you to listen to them?
Do your coaches tell you to listen to them?
They all probably do and sometimes I think you might ignore them. You don’t listen even though they tell you to listen! Not listening to our parents or teachers or coaches is usually a bad thing.
Today, I am going to be talking about paying attention to God. Prayer is what we call talking to God. Sometimes prayer is hard because God is spirit and we can’t see Him. Sometimes it is hard to stop and listen to God because we are busy. But, we can pray and can pay attention to God with practice.
I'm going to play a quick game with you to remind you to practice listening to God. Close your eyes and I will make a sound. No peeking! I want you to practice listening. I want you to listen for the sound I will make and I want you to guess what it is. No peeking and concentrate on listening!
1- Snap
2- Clap
3- Crumble a piece of paper
4- Jingle some coins in your hand
5- whoopie cushion
Good job. I know this was a silly game, but I want to encourage you and remind you to listen to God.
PRAYER
