Tuesday 16 December 2008

Background

The short book of the prophet Zephaniah begins with adeclaration of God's destructive judgement on the world. It's noteasy reading! Zephaniah has announced that the day of the Lord iscoming, bringing with it darkness, distress, devastation, and moredarkness, and then he turns his attention to the surroundingnations - the enemies of God's people.

In today's passage, he addresses Jerusalem. Judah will not escapethe coming wrath. In fact, the sins of God's chosen people are evenworse, because God has spoken to them in a special way.

Zephaniah's ministry was most likely during the reign of KingJosiah, around the same time as the prophet Jeremiah. It ispossible that his words came before 621 BC, when Josiahrediscovered the book of the Law in the Temple and began his greatreform. As we can read in 2 Kings 21, therewere great evils rife among the people of Judah during this time:worship of other gods, occult practices and child sacrifice. TheLord had become just one more god among many. This could explainthe tone and content of Zephaniah's prophecy. God is furious!Zephaniah 3:8 ends with God gathering the nations together andpouring out righteous anger upon them. Who can escape?

Rewind several centuries to the story of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11) whereGod "confused the language of all the earth" and "scattered themabroad over the face of the earth" (verse 9). When God gathers themtogether again, Zephaniah says, God will restore their language toa 'pure speech', leading to universal worship and service of theLord. At that time, pride and arrogance will be removed from theplace of worship ("my holy mountain" means Mount Zion in Jerusalem,or the Temple) and in the midst of the people will be left a humbleand lowly remnant who will be without lie or deceit. "Then theywill pasture and lie down, and no one shall make them afraid"(verse 13).

Zephaniah's time is far removed from ours, but our world is notwithout the sin that brought God's anger in those days. Where isthe humble and lowly remnant that will save us?

Think of Jesus cleansing the Temple (Matthew 21:12-14);think of Jesus who uttered no lie; think of Jesus who said "Come tome, all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens ... for I amgentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls"(Matthew11:28-29). Could it be that this remnant is as small as oneindividual person? At Pentecost the dispersed were gatheredtogether, "bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in thenative language..." (Acts 2:6). The presence of the Lord is in ourmidst. It has begun.

To Ponder

We sometimes shy away from the idea of a God whois angry at humanity. In the light of the hideous evils perpetratedagainst some of the most vulnerable people of this world, could weseriously worship a God who did not have anger at injustice?

Humility and lowliness seem to be key words inthis passage. To what extent does our worship of God always reflectthese characteristics?

Zephaniah ends on a very different note to whatit began with. Read for yourself up to the end of thebook. What do you think has happened for this change of mood?How might this speak to you?