Proper 28: Old Testament, Zephaniah 1:7-16                        

Zephaniah 1:7-16

We all like a “sure thing.” Something that we can count on. A friend perhaps, who we know will come through whenever a call goes out from us for aid. For the Christian, the most dependable thing we have in life is the Word of God. Of course God and His Word cannot be separated so I am not attempting to put the Bible over its Author. In the first chapter of the prophet Zephaniah we have a declaration of something sure, namely the Day of the LORD.

In Holy Scripture the day of the LORD is not a 24-hour dawn to dusk proposition. It is rather a period of time set by the Triune God where His wrath will be poured out in an ultimate and final sense on His enemies. In our passage the first subject is the nation of Judah and God speaks of a sure judgment day for them. But at the end of our reading we find that the clarion call of judgment is expanded to the whole earth. It's not a pleasant thought, but it is necessary to consider. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” says the blessed apostle Paul. And it will be a day of  “darkness and gloom” (v.15) for all those who, with inherited sin, have ended their allotted days with a fist raised in rebellion. 

There’s plenty more to read, ponder, and pray through in our reading and through the three short chapters of Zephaniah’s burden from the LORD. It may be a good exercise to do just that. Read, ponder, and pray. And not just as a task, but as a mark of devotion to the God who wills that no one should taste His wrath. Lord, have mercy!