Zephaniah 1:1-3

Every day has its own set of troubles to overcome through the power of the Holy Spirit. Every day His coming draws nearer to us.

 Listen closely can you hear Him?

God abhors all forms of idolatry. 

Anything that has a hold on our affection and attention has the potential to become an idol in our life. In our culture today the material things of life have become substitutes for the pursuit of God.

The message of Zephaniah begins with a pronouncement of universal judgment. These words not only introduce the particular judgment that would be pronounced upon Judah, but they also speak of the final judgment that will usher in the kingdom of God on earth.

In Zephaniah’s time the deterioration of society had become a cause of frustration and disappointment for the godly. Abuse of power, acts of injustice, and oppressive deeds were common in Judah.

Zephaniah denounced the materialism and greed that exploited the poor. He also was aware of world conditions and announced God’s judgment on the nations for their sins. Above all, God’s prophet had a deep concern for God’s reputation and for the well-being of all who humbly trust in Him. Zephaniah’s life and ministry are a testimony that one man, yielded wholly to God, can effect great things. 

Yet it is somewhat ironic that Ashurbanipal, who had already reigned some thirty years by the time of Zephaniah and under whom the zenith of Assyrian affluence and culture was achieved, was possessed by a personal weakness that would be mirrored in the Assyrian state itself.

It was a defect of Ashurbanipal as a king that he had nothing in him of the great strategist, statesman, or soldier. He was as barren in political insight as he was rich in vindictiveness. It was his misfortune that he was called to be king when by inclination he was a scholastic. 658 Bible.org

Zephaniah 1:1-3

²      “I will utterly consume everything

From the face of the land,”

Says the Lord;

³ “I will consume man and beast;

I will consume the birds of the heavens,

The fish of the sea,

And the stumbling blocks along with the wicked.

I will cut off man from the face of the land,”

Says the Lord.

Zephaniah 2:3 

³ Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, Who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden In the day of the Lord’s anger. 

Revelation 19:1–6 

9 After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! ² For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” ³ Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!” ⁴ And  the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!” ⁵ Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!” ⁶ And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!