GRACE BIBLE FELLOWSHIP | 恩道堂

Scripture Reading   : Zephaniah 3

Theme                    : Day of Judgment and Salvation

Destruction of the Rebellious (1-8). Israel is a stubborn nation that will not accept God’s correction even when God punishes her. The whole society is corrupted because all the leaders, including officials, judges, prophets and priests, are all corrupt. Even when God uses the destruction of the nations around Israel as object lesson of His wrath, Israel still will not listen (6-7); therefore in the end times, God will gather the world and Israel, then punish them all.

Deliverance of the Righteous (9-20). At the end of God’s great wrath in the end times, there will be a great spiritual revival in the whole world (Rev. 20). The whole world will forsake idols and worship God with one accord. God will also cleanse Israel of all rebels (cf. Zech. 13:1-9). In that day, the King of Israel, who is Jesus, will physically be in Jerusalem reigning the world (vv.15-18, cf. Rev. 20). Israel will fulfill God’s purpose and be renown (20).

Praying the Scripture

1. In the minor prophets, God repeats over and over again that He will restore Israel and her glory. Yet, many Christians believe that the church has replaced Israel. They say Israel has forfeited God’s promises because of their sins. This is an erroneous interpretation that denigrates the faithfulness of God and weakens our trust in God. If God has replaced Israel with the church and will not revive Israel, then He is not faithful to His promise or to Israel. If God is not faithful, then how can Christians be sure that God will be faithful to forgive our sins through Jesus and to preserve us in the midst of trials? Our trust in God is tightly linked to God’s faithfulness to fulfill all His promises to Israel. The existence of the state of Israel testifies to the faithfulness of God; therefore, we can whole-heartedly trust God with our lives.

2. We have to wait until the end to see all the nations of the world worshipping the true, living God. But even now, we are getting a taste of this glorious future. God is already saving many people from many different nations, peoples and languages. This also is a miracle. Praise be to God for His glorious work of salvation. Let us marvel and be thankful for the coming paradise that God has prepared for us. Let us arrange our values and lives according to this eternal, majestic paradise.

Scripture Reading   : Zephaniah 2:4-15

Theme                    : The Day of the Lord on the Nations

Judgment against Philistines (4-7). All the cities mentioned here belong to the Philistines. Woe means both judgment and lament in v.5. God does not promise to restore the Philistines, but he promises that He will restore the fortune of Israel. This was fulfilled when Israel returned from exile in Babylon, 70 years after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.

Judgment against Moab and Ammon (8-11). Moab and Ammon are people from Lot’s incestuous relationship with his two daughters (Gen. 19:29-38). Even though, they are distant relatives of Israel, they did not help Israel but taunted at Israel and gloated over its destruction. Therefore, God will destroy them, but Israel’s remnants will return and possess their land. In the end times, all the nations of the world will bow down to God (2:11).

Judgment against Cush (12). The Cushites were people in modern day Sudan and Ethiopia. God will judge all the sins of the world, no matter where they are on earth.

Judgment against Assyria (13-15). When God’s wrath is kindled against sin, no nation can protected itself, not even the most powerful nation in the world at the time: Assyria.

Praying the Scripture

1. We must not think that all this judgment and wrath by God is senseless. God is not wrathful or angry by nature, but He is loving by nature (1 John 4:8). He is wrathful only in response to evil. His wrath is not senseless or purposeless. His wrath satisfies His justice and His wrath will eventually result in all the nations on earth worshipping Him (2:11). True paradise will result. Let us not lose heart and become hopeless when God judges, but use it as an opportunity to proclaim salvation through Jesus, just as God proclaims salvation to Judah in the midst of judgment.

2. After reading so much about God’s judgment, pray that we do not become desensitized, apathetic or think God is too angry. All these judgments by God are meant to show us the ugliness and seriousness of sin. God hates sin with a passion because He is gloriously righteous. We should be sober and never take sin lightly. So many false teachers in the prosperity gospel movement do not even like to mention sin. When they do mention sin, they twist the definition of sin to mean negative thoughts. All who down play the seriousness of sin will not run to the cross to seek forgiveness. They treat the cross as an insurance policy to pursue sin; therefore, they will face the great day of the Lord.

Scripture Reading   : Zephaniah 1-2:3

Theme                    : The Day of the Lord on Judah

Zephaniah prophesied before the reforms of King Josiah (640–609 b.c.), who brought spiritual revival to Judah after the long and wicked reign of Manasseh. His message is to Judah, warning them of impending judgment for their idolatry and offering salvation for those who repent. His ministry spurred Judah to reform itself under Josiah. Zephaniah is also the great great grandson of king Hezekiah.

The Idolatry of Judah (1-13). In vv.2-3, God warns of His great wrath against evil by invoking the language of the flood. This massive destruction of evil will be on Judah if they do not repent of their idolatry. God is going to kill Judah like killing a sacrifice offering. Judah is commanded to keep silent and not talk back, as God unfolds His righteous judgment against evil. God’s judgment will start with the rulers of Judah because they are most responsible for corrupting Judah with idolatry, injustice and violence. Those who are complacent, by thinking God does not care about evil or take action against evil, will also be punished.

The Day of the Lord on Judah (14-2:3). Zephaniah uses the phrase “the day of the Lord” more than any prophet. This phrase means a time of God’s judgment against evil, which will culminate in the end times during the seven years of tribulation. When God brings His rod of anger, the Babylonians, to punish Judah, all of mankind around Judah will also be punished for their sins. God is fearful when His wrath is kindled, but even in His anger, God is merciful by offering salvation to those who humble themselves and repent (2:1-3).

Praying the Scripture

1. Complacency is a dangerous sin that blinds people to the coming wrath of God against sin. Many people in the world, especially those who are from wealthy nations, are complacent of their sins and are blinded to the coming of God’s wrath. Our job is to awaken the truth about sin and judgment that their hearts are suppressing and lead them to their only hope of salvation (Rom. 1:32). Let us pray to God for opportunities to share the gospel in this perverted and complacent world.

2. Zephaniah’s faithful preaching restored the spiritual wellbeing of his nation. If we faithfully proclaim the gospel from our pulpits and in our workplace and families, we can also bring wellbeing to our communities and our nations. If the pulpit goes, the nation will perish too. Let us take hold of God’s precious word and proclaim it with boldness and love, and with great anticipation of God’s miraculous work of salvation.