Read Zephaniah Chapter 3
Take Heed!
This chapter caught me by surprise because I quickly assumed God was talking about the evil of other nations and certainly not Judah or Israel. But God is confronting his own people for being rebellious.
– they run their cities in a TYRANNICAL manner.
– they don’t LISTEN to God’s voice.
– they don’t ACCEPT His instruction or outside help.
– they don’t TRUST God
– nor do they DRAW NEAR to him.
Their leadership team is horrendous. No matter how much God reveals His Justice and Righteousness to them they continue to sin against God.
God has cut off other Nations for doing such evil, and thought for sure his people would Revere him and obey him.
But God says to his people, “Wait For Me!” God is going to take the Nations through a purification process. He will remove the haughty and arrogant ones and leave the humble and meek who trust in the Lord. And God will protect them from all evil, and the people will shout for joy. The joy of the Lord is mentioned four times. There will be a complete restoration amongst his people.
Where is your focus? Self? God? Someone or something else? What consumes your mind? The joys of the flesh or the stresses of life? Or is your hunger and thirst truly for the Lord and for his word? Is that what consumes your heart throughout the day?
May we all heed the words mentioned at the beginning of chapter 3:
1. Listen to God’s voice.
2. Accept Godly instruction and help.
3. Trust in the Lord God only.
4. Draw near to your God for it is then that He will draw near to you.
