Zephaniah 2

Read Zephaniah 2 – Second chances – Our chapter opens with a second chance to repent. “Gather before judgment begins, before your time of judgment begins, before your time to repent is blown away like chaff. Act now, before the fierce fury of the LORD falls and the terrible day of the LORD’S anger begins. Seek the LORD, all who are humble, and follow his commands. Seek to do what is right and to live humbly. Perhaps even yet the LORD will protect you – protect you from his anger on that day of destruction.” :2-3

The LORD’S will is that all will repent and turn to him and here in the face of extreme wickedness the people get one final last chance. The commentaries say that Zephaniah was the last to prophecy before the destruction of Nineveh in 612b.c. and the Babylonian invasion that conquered and exiled Judah. During the exile we get the events of Daniel like Shadrack, Meshak and Abednego in the fire… Daniel in the lion’s den… the writing on the wall – I’m just trying to tie in some of your old Sunday school lessons to give you a historical perspective and remind you that this prophecy was fulfilled then and foreshadows the end times events that may very well be in our lifetime.

Zephaniah mentions the remnant of the tribe of Judah in verses :7 and :9 . God always protects the remnant, the few that are godly. We live in wicked times, but rest assured that God sees you and sets you apart as his beloved.

The chapter describes what the destruction will look like, this is a responsibility of God’s to tend to the wicked. At a certain point all the second chances are finished and it’s time for judgement.

Beloved, we live in trying and defiant times. Take heart in the fact that Jesus is on the throne; keep the faith and keep pointing others to Christ.