The book of Zephaniah declares God’s judgment on His people and upon all the nations of the world.  In chapter one, we saw His pronouncement of judgment upon His people for their sins.  Yet, amid the declaration of His just judgment; He foretells of the coming Messiah and the ultimate end of evil.  It is the story of a perfect love for a rebellious, head strong people who spend their time chasing after other lovers. A people whom He wooed with a perfect love; yet, repeatedly, they turned away from Him.  He provided them fortress, manna, sweet water to drink; yet, they would turn away to seek after sin and worldly pleasure.  They would build idols to other Gods, forsaking the one true love. Yet, God’s love would rise above their rejection to love them still. With open arms, He waits from them to turn once more to seek Him.

Chapter two foretells of His judgment against the evil nations who tormented His chosen, as He foretells of the rise of Babylon to destroy the surrounding nations.  Despite His rescuing them from their enemies; we know the next chapter of the story.  They would once more turn their hearts away from Him and God would allow the Babylonians to take them captive.  Through it all, God’s love remained and reaches out to all who would accept that love.  Amid all the pronouncements of judgment, Zephaniah is a story of God’s undying love that calls forth and bids them come and rest in His arms of love.

GOD’S JUSTICE IN JUDGMENT

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Amid the rebuke and the pronouncement of judgment declared in Zephaniah, there reigns a theme of God’s grace and perfect love toward the sinner.  We see throughout the impending judgment and wrath of God, a thread of hope for mankind.  When perfect love and judgment meet, where are you?

Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; 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.  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. Zephaniah 2:1-3

Therein, we find our hope.  Gather together all you sinners, deserving of God’s wrath; and, seek the Lord.  Seek His righteousness and seek meekness; so that, you may be hid in Him during the day of the Lord’s anger.  A righteous and just God must cry out against the sin and the evil of this world; otherwise, His Perfect Love is thwarted.  There can be no semblance of perfect love, were that not judgment against the evil that destroys us from within.

Perfect Love Demands Justice

Continue reading When Perfect Love & Judgment Meet, Where Are You? →

Awaken Christians, the day of the Lord draws near.  As we turn from Nahum’s judgement upon Nineveh, that wicked city, to now look at Zephaniah’s prophecy; we cannot help but see how swift and complete will be the judgement upon this earth.  Zephaniah not only predicts the judgement upon Israel that would come; but also, the judgement that will ultimately come upon any nation who has turned their back on God.  This small book, written by one of the minor prophets; presents glimpses of Jesus Christ who came to be the ultimate sacrifice for sin and the judgement that will come upon this earth for having rejected the good news of the gospel message.

Zephaniah’s words of warning came during the reign of Josiah, King of Judah.  Although, Josiah lead the nation in revival; Zephaniah forewarns the people of the judgement that would come because of their once more turning their backs upon God.  His prophecy also foretold of God’s righteous, just judgement of all mankind one day.

Zephaniah 1:1-3

Continue reading Awaken Christians, The Day of the Lord is Near →

 In Christ, I am God’s own Beloved

Accused, Condemned in eyes of men

Rejected, hated for my sin

No one stopped to see my heart

Cast aside some broken part

That no one cared to see inside

The scars and sorrows that abide

A heart so filled with hopes and dreams

Of meadows green and crystal streams

Lay shattered, broken cast away

With nothing good or kind to say

Chorus

Then God’s Dear Grace that loved me so

Looked deep within and bid to know

Each crevice of my heart and soul

Each broken piece to then make whole

In Christ I am set free from sin

My guilt and shame all taken in

And bore upon that rugged cross

My strength to stand though all else loss

My sins all covered by His blood

In Christ, I am God’s own Beloved

 

How quickly men’s own selfish pride

Does cast away and cast aside

A fallen one—a broken heart

Who needs your hand to help them start?

Christ had come to heal the lame

To lift their guilt and take their shame

He called the sinners to His side

To know His love-in Him abide

So why do we not give our hand

To help a fallen one to stand

So, prideful man with heart so small

Be careful lest you too shall fall

Chorus

For it was God’s dear Grace that loved me so

Looked deep within and bid to know

Each crevice of my heart and soul

Each broken piece to then make whole

In Christ I am set free from sin

My guilt and shame all taken in

And bore upon that rugged cross

My strength to stand though all else loss

My sins all covered by His blood

In Christ, I am God’s own Beloved

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR?

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. Because there is nothing more important than this, I urge you to seek Him today.

OR ARE YOU IN OF NEED PRAYER?

If you have a prayer request email me by clicking here or if you wish to leave a comment:  comment here

OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE

Recently reduced in price, just in time for the holiday season. Check it out at Amazon.com  If you want to know more about this book or my other  books I have written:  You can read more about each one at: Book Resources.

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2017

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post.  I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Although the inscription I added, Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

God is righteous and just in judging nations, as clearly presented in chapter 3 of Nahum.  He had shown such mercy and grace to Nineveh when he sent Jonah to preach many years before. However, now an evil nation stood to be destroyed by God. Having seen the love and light of God shine upon them with great sweeping salvation.  Still, the subsequent generations turned from light to darkness; seeking power and riches.  Instead of the succeeding generations following God, they grew in pride and selfishness.  They became a brutal city, filled with lies, bloodshed, tyranny and violence. John Steinbeck in The Winter of Our Discontent wrote, “It’s so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone.”¹ Thus, God was Just and Righteous in His judgement of this evil nation; who after tasting of His Goodness, rejected it.

             For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned (Hebrews 6:4-8).

AN EVIL NATION POISED FOR JUDGEMENT

Continue reading An Evil Nation Destroyed by Just Righteousness Why? →