December 19, 2014
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

All Things New

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Opening Prayer

Lord, lead me along the path of renewal, and help me recognize the necessity of being honest before You.

Read Zephaniah 3:1-13

[1]Jerusalem Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled! [2] She obeys no one, she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the LORD, she does not draw near to her God. [3] Her officials within her are roaring lions; her rulers are evening wolves, who leave nothing for the morning. [4] Her prophets are unprincipled; they are treacherous people. Her priests profane the sanctuary and do violence to the law. [5] The LORD within her is righteous; he does no wrong. Morning by morning he dispenses his justice, and every new day he does not fail, yet the unrighteous know no shame. [6]Jerusalem Remains Unrepentant “I have destroyed nations; their strongholds are demolished. I have left their streets deserted, with no one passing through. Their cities are laid waste; they are deserted and empty. [7] Of Jerusalem I thought, ‘Surely you will fear me and accept correction!’ Then her place of refuge would not be destroyed, nor all my punishments come upon her. But they were still eager to act corruptly in all they did. [8] 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.”

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Reflect

“Pain insists on being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world” (C. S. Lewis, 1898-1963). It can also rouse a deaf church and a disobedient Christian.

Like Amos (Amos 1:3–2:5), Zephaniah pronounces judgment on the enemies of Judah and then comes full circle and hones in on Judah and Jerusalem. Jerusalem has had many chances. God has called, rebuked, corrected, but to no effect (2). Zephaniah laments this failure. He reflects the heart of a God who longs for his people, a God who in the person of his Son weeps over the same city over 600 years later (Luke 19:41). Zephaniah’s message is that God cannot forever leave rebellion and idolatry unpunished. But God never takes pleasure in this. Judgment is God’s “strange work” (Isa. 28:21). The idea that God is vindictive finds no support in Scripture. God must establish righteousness; this is a costly business and he pays in the end the supreme price to do it (1 Pet. 1:18,19).

For Jerusalem, the moment has passed. She could have come back, but did not. She will therefore share in the judgment to be passed on all corrupt and disobedient people. But we are reminded again that this judgment is the way to a better future. Beyond lies a vision of nations streaming to God’s holy hill (Isa. 2:1-4), of a renewed people (9), of a city free of pride, injustice and deception.

This is God’s Kingdom in all its fullness, bringing shalom, wholeness, peace and prosperity. This Kingdom has come in the person of Jesus, and yet is still to come. We await the full consummation beyond the final judgment, of which this is the precursor. God is working on a grand scale. The humble and the obedient will inherit this Kingdom (12), in contrast to the proud and rebellious who are excluded (11). How far do we, as the people of God, demonstrate these counter-cultural qualities? Or are we so conformed to the pattern of this world that we have no distinctive edge?

Apply

Are you resisting God’s call on your life? What work of renewal do you think God is trying to do in Your life? How are you handling it?

Closing prayer

Holy Spirit, guide my footsteps, show me the way, and empower and encourage me to walk in it.

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