Zephaniah 2:1-15 Judah’s Enemies
God is pronouncing judgment against all those who were Judah’s enemies; especially during her time of exile. These judgments also come in stages.
God STILL loved Judah and Israel. Even in their WORST times, He never stopped loving them. He stopped working on their behalf and turned a ‘deaf ear’ to their prayers during that time. And He promised to restore them. But, to restore them, He had to put an end to those who rose up against them.
GOD raised up Babylon as an instrument of His judgment. He KNEW it was only for a season though, because He KNEW how they would ‘revel’ in their ‘triumph’ over His people. It was NO surprise to God when then turned cruel. He knew it would happen all along. He NEEDED that hard lesson for Judah, and He brought in the nations to do the job.
Afterwards though, it was time to bring His people back to the place of victory. Doing so included judging those who stood against Judah. The ‘scales’ would be balanced. And His name would be vindicated.
Many of the nations God mentions in this prophecy are gone. The Assyrians were done in by the Babylonians. The Babylonians fell to the Persians. Nineveh is no more. But there are some things that still wait to be fulfilled. In other words, God is not done with His work in subduing the enemies of HIS people.
This message of subduing those who mistreat His children goes farther than Judah’s or Israel’s borders. It surrounds ALL those who call Him Lord. God WILL balance the scales of justice for His children; ALL of them. And it won’t be tied to a national heritage. There are those who follow Jesus in EVERY nation of the world. Some have to hide to survive. Others can come to Him openly. Each individual who seeks Him will be counted and each nation that throws up obstacles for His people WILL receive their ‘reward’.
GOD is the one to mete out justice, NOT me. HE knows the ‘tally sheet’. He knows the heart. God did not call Israel or Judah again to ‘purge the land’ of the sinful nations. Their task was to walk humbly before Him and TRUST HIM to bring about His justice. God does NOT call for us to seek vengeance against our enemies. Jesus teaches us to “turn the other cheek” to those who wrong us. It is both a testament and an inditement against those who struck us to begin with. We may never see the ‘justice’ ourselves, but we can be CERTAIN that He WILL work it out.
Judah/Israel has not yet seen the fulfillment of this prophecy. I don’t believe that the sea coast becoming a meadow where Judah grazed their flocks has come to pass yet. I would expect this to happen in the time of Jesus’ reign here on earth. God DOES NOT LIE, so we can believe He will do EVERYTHING He says. So, that is why I see this portion of the prophecy He revealed through Zephaniah as completed in stages. God still has a LOT ahead for those who love Him. Be still and see His hand at work!
Father God, I KNOW I can trust You to make ALL thing right. I trust You to bring about Your justice, even if I never see it personally. The issue with the company that won’t return my investment; have YOUR way in this situation. Even if I never see it personally, I TRUST YOU to ‘balance the scales’ for me as well as the MANY others they have treated this way. Have YOUR way Lord.
