Zephaniah 1:1-6 Clean House
God tells the people of Judah that He is going to ‘clean house’ of ALL; man and beasts. This will be done in stages but WILL be accomplished.
Zephaniah is speaking to the people of Judah during the reign of one of the most godly kings to hold the throne. But even under Josiah’s rule, there was still idol worship going on. From God’s ‘case’ against Judah, it looks like there were even still priests to these false gods. Josiah did a CLEAN SWEEP when he was king, but the people’s hearts were already set on worshiping other gods. They tried to ‘mix the two’ by making offerings to both God and the false gods. THIS DID NOT GO WELL WITH GOD!
The prophecy given to Zephaniah is partly still to come. There is a time coming when God destroys EVERYTHING. He will begin again with a new heaven and new earth; one untouched by sin. This will not be until AFTER the war following Satan’s release from the pit. Jesus will rule for 1,000 years on THIS earth.
His kingdom on earth will be populated by those who follow Him. The nations around Him will not all follow Him but will long to see Him. They will be like a moth drawn to a flame. They will want what He has but without having to ‘give up’ their own ways for it. They will be like the people spoken of in this prophecy.
My ‘morbid curiosity’ has me wondering how God is going to destroy the earth. I wonder if He will let it happen by man’s hands. After Satan is released, will man return to wars with one another? Will we annihilate one another with nuclear weapons? Or will more deadly means of mutual destruction exist by then? Will God use ‘natural disasters’, such as fire, flood, earthquake, or storms? Or will He step in with ‘one fell swoop’ and wipe it all away? I KNOW He won’t use a flood to destroy everything. He promised Noah this after He brought him from the ark. But He never said anything about any other means of destruction.
I want to know how the people of Judah received this prophecy. They scoffed at most of the other prophecies speaking of judgment. This one appears to be the harshest one of all. Did it get their attention or were they already ‘deaf’ from hearing the warnings before? I’m hoping for some insight into the people as we walk through Zephaniah’s vision from God.
I always want to know how God would have me apply, to my life, the lessons I learn during our time together. Because the final fulfillment of the prophecy is still to come, I suppose that my lesson is to ‘look up’ and see that He is GOOD and WILL complete ALL He has promised. And to walk humbly before Him so I don’t become one of the ones ‘swept away’ in the process.
BECAUSE I am HIS, I WILL NOT be ‘swept away’ with those who have rejected Him. But my life and the example I am may speak with the wrong message and cause another to be ‘swept away’. I NEVER want that to happen!
Father God, I KNOW Your final judgment is still in the future. I don’t know if You will ever put me in a place that I am the ONLY one speaking for You in someone’s life. IF that ever happens Father, let my words and my deeds speak only of YOU. As Zephaniah spoke to those You sent him to; help me to speak to those You send me to. I am NO ONE’S answer to their problems. But I KNOW the ONE who is! Let ALL I do and ALL I say point to You. Including pointing to Your forgiveness when I have done wrong.
THANK YOU for Your assurance that I WILL be with You ALWAYS. That I will NOT be ‘swept away’ BECAUSE I belong to You. ‘Where’ You will put me during this task, I leave that in YOUR hands.
