Devotional Reading: Deuteronomy 8:11-18
Background Scripture: Zephaniah 3:1-8
Zephaniah 3:1-8
1 Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!
2 She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God.
3 Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
4 Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
5 The just Lord is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.
6 I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.
7 I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.
8 Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
Key Verse
Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey. —Zephaniah 3:8
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. Identify the objects of the Lord’s condemnation and the reasons for it.
2. Explain why the topic of God’s judgment is as relevant today as it was to Zephaniah’s audience.
3. Tell specifically how the theme of God’s judgment will influence his or her daily living and message to an unsaved world.
Introduction
A. A Special Date
June 12, 2016, the day on which this lesson is to be taught, is a special one for my wife and me—it’s our 40th wedding anniversary! Now, the reader should keep in mind that when I began work on this lesson it was early 2014, more than two years before the date’s arrival. As I was writing, I had no specific plans for celebrating the day. And of course there is no guarantee that either of us will still be living when the time comes. But there is no question as to when the date of our 40th wedding anniversary should be observed.
Getting ready for the day of the Lord is quite different, mainly because we do not know when that specific day will be. The prophet Zephaniah warned of a day of judgment in his own time, but he also prophesied a sweeping, global administration of divine judgment. Jesus provided an unmistakable warning regarding that final day: “Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36). This is not a date that one can circle on a calendar as we would “save the date” for an upcoming wedding. A better word of advice comes from Peter on the Day of Pentecost: “Save yourselves from this untoward generation” (Acts 2:40).
In truth, the only way one can prepare for the coming day of the Lord is to be a devoted, day-by-day servant of Jesus. To be faithful to Him, even in the little things, is to be making big plans for that special day.
B. Lesson Background
Last week’s lesson introduced us to the man and message of Zephaniah. The focus of that study was on his opening warning of judgment on the sinful people of Judah. The prophet followed with a series of similar announcements of judgment on peoples and nations beyond Judah’s borders, including the Philistines (Zephaniah 2:4-7), Moab and Ammon (2:8-11), the Ethiopians (2:12), and Assyria (2:13-15).
Today’s lesson text refocuses the theme of judgment back on Judah, specifically the capital city of Jerusalem.
I. Rebellious City
(Zephaniah 3:1, 2)
A. Defiled (v. 1)
1. Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!
Woe is a word in Scripture that often introduces oracles of judgment against individuals or nations. Several decades earlier, Isaiah declared a series of woes against God’s people (Isaiah 5:8-23); several centuries later, Jesus will utter a series of woes against the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23). Here the woe is directed against her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city. But which city?
We initially may think the reference is to the city of Nineveh, which is mentioned by name just three verses earlier. But the content and context of what follows indicate that the reference is to Jerusalem. The idealized “holy city” of Isaiah 52:1 is anything but!
“What Happens in Vegas …”
Many fine Christians live in Las Vegas, Nevada, but the rest of the world doesn’t seem to be aware of that fact. Most people have been taught to think of Vegas as “Sin City.”
That reputation was promoted by the “What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas” marketing campaign that began in 2003, as commissioned by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. One of the first video ads featured a sultry woman in a slinky dress inside a limousine as it departed from downtown Las Vegas. She ended up wearing a business suit and having her hair in a bun as she exited the limo at the airport on her way back home.
How to Say It
Ammon Am-mun.
Assyria Uh-sear-ee-uh.
Blagojevich Blah-goi-yuh-vich.
Ethiopians E-thee-o-pee-unz (th as in thin).
Judah Joo-duh.
Lamentations Lam-en-tay-shunz.
Nineveh Nin-uh-vuh.
Pentecost Pent-ih-kost.
Philistines Fuh-liss-teenz or Fill-us-teenz.
Reuben Roo-ben.
Zephaniah Zef-uh-nye-uh.
In other words, the message is that you can “let your hair down” in Vegas and become someone else for a while. But as you depart, you can leave your alter ego behind, no harm done! No one back home will know what wild things you did while in Sin City. When shown the ads, women in certain focus groups said they found them to be “empowering”—whatever that means!
In Zephaniah’s time, Jerusalem was a morally polluted city that oppressed its inhabitants in various ways. That was the cause for the wrath of God that destroyed the city in 586 BC. That should make us wonder: How much patience does God have left when He sees all the moral pollution and oppression that exist today?—C. R. B.
What Do You Think?
What are some ways to address the tragic spiritual condition of modern cities? What will be your part in this?
Points for Your Discussion
Regarding involvement with existing ministries
Regarding creation of new ministries
Other
B. Defiant (v. 2)
2a. She obeyed not the voice.
Zephaniah proceeds with a litany of charges against the city. (In the Hebrew Old Testament, the feminine pronoun she is used of cities because they are considered to be “mothers” of those who live within them; see 2 Samuel 20:19.) The voice not obeyed is the Lord’s voice, the only one to whom His people should be giving their attention. As one of the Lord’s prophets, Zephaniah speaks for Him. But it appears that his words fall on deaf ears.
2b. She received not correction.
The fact that Jerusalem received not correction highlights the people’s arrogance toward God. They are unwilling to be disciplined by the Lord’s standards. The Hebrew word translated correction occurs 30 times in the book of Proverbs, often translated there as “instruction” (examples: Proverbs 1:8; 4:1). In its sense of “chastening” (as used here), it describes a result of living by the principles of wisdom (compare Proverbs 1:2, 3; 3:11, 12).
What Do You Think?
How can we discern and accept the Lord’s correction in various circumstances?
Points for Your Discussion
In times of personal struggle
In times of family crisis
In response to seemingly unanswered prayer
When asked by others during their struggles
Other
2c. She trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God.
To refuse to trust in the Lord is to ignore the admonishment to do so that appears throughout Scripture (examples: Psalm 20:7; Proverbs 3:5, 6; Isaiah 26:3, 4; Hebrews 2:13). To fail to draw near to God is to spurn one of His most gracious invitations (Isaiah 55:1-7; Hebrews 7:19). Zephaniah’s list of charges reveals the rejection of some of the most essential and foundational attitudes that are to characterize God’s covenant people. The city’s spiritual condition is tragic indeed.
II. Ruthless Leaders
(Zephaniah 3:3, 4)
A. Civic (v. 3)
3. Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
Here Zephaniah cites a major contributor to Jerusalem’s sad spiritual state: the leadership is corrupt. The phrase her princes likely refers to kings of Judah and their royal sons. After the death of godly King Josiah (see last week’s Lesson Background), none of the four kings who rule Judah until its fall in 586 BC—three of whom are sons of Josiah—are considered righteous (see 2 Kings 23:30-24:20). Here they are portrayed as lions on the prowl, roaring as they seek to pounce upon and devour their prey.
Corruption extends to the city’s judges. These men are supposed to be just and fair. Instead they are ruthless, like wolves that stalk their prey under cover of darkness. Such judges consider themselves to be above the law.
The phrase they gnaw not the bones till the morrow describes the thoroughness of these judges’ heartless efforts. When they are finished devouring their victims, nothing but bones remain. Jesus will use similar language of the religious leaders of His day, of men who “devour widows’ houses” (Luke 20:47).
No Moral Compass
For several years, the state of Illinois suffered the infamy of being the only state in America with two former governors serving prison terms at the same time. They were George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich. Ryan, governor from 1999 to 2003, was convicted of racketeering; Blagojevich, governor from 2003 to 2009, was convicted on various corruption charges, including trying to sell President Obama’s former seat in the U.S. Senate.
Two other Illinois governors sent to prison were Dan Walker, governor from 1973 to 1977, and Otto Kerner Jr., governor from 1961 to 1968. This isn’t meant to pick on Illinois, however. All states and nations have had leaders who disgraced themselves by misusing the power of their offices.
The problem seems to have been even worse in ancient Jerusalem, the city that was supposed to be ruled by the laws of God. Zephaniah’s description of her corrupt leaders boggles the mind. Of all the people who should have known better! With elections approaching, how high do morals and ethics count on your list of criteria regarding which candidates will receive your vote?—C. R. B.
B. Spiritual (v. 4)
4a. Her prophets are light and treacherous persons.
While the previous verse focuses on those who might be termed the civic leaders of Jerusalem, here Zephaniah indicts the spiritual leaders. Prophets should speak God’s truth, but these men do not. The Hebrew verb translated light is rare. It occurs in Judges 9:4, where it describes certain people who lack moral compunction as “light persons,” and in Genesis 49:4, where it characterizes the man Reuben as “unstable.” A closely related word is used in Jeremiah 23:32 to describe the “lightness” of “them that prophesy false dreams.” These usages convey a sense of recklessness. It means nothing to these treacherous persons to trivialize God’s Word.
4b. Her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
The sanctuary cannot remain holy when unholy priests officiate there. The prophet Ezekiel will later describe some of the hideous, disgusting practices that are taking place in the temple (Ezekiel 8). Such activities will eventually result in the Lord’s glory departing from there (8:6; 10:15-19).
Using the same two Hebrew words that Zephaniah uses, Ezekiel will also have his say regarding how the priests have treated the law: “Her priests have violated my law” (Ezekiel 22:26). And as Ezekiel will go on to note in that same passage, it is not just the law that suffers from such shameful actions by the priests; the Lord himself is “profaned among them.”
The words of the prophet Jeremiah, a contemporary of Zephaniah, offer a fitting summation of Judah’s plight: “A … horrible thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” (Jeremiah 5:30, 31). With such leaders guiding God’s people, can His judgment be far behind?
What Do You Think?
In addition to praying, what can we do when leaders fail to carry out their responsibilities?
Points for Your Discussion
Regarding the local church
Regarding church leaders on the national stage
Within the home
III. Righteous God
(Zephaniah 3:5-8)
A. Every Day (v. 5)
5. The just Lord is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.
In contrast with how far God’s people have strayed from Him, God himself has never moved one inch from His own holy standards. The fact that He is in the midst implies that He sees everything that goes on among His people and their leaders. It is similar to how Jesus describes himself as walking “in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks” (Revelation 2:1), which represent the seven churches (1:20). He knows their works and says so at the beginning of each of His seven messages (2:2, 9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15).
Zephaniah’s statement every morning doth he bring his judgment to light is similar to that of Lamentations 3:22, 23, which proclaims that the Lord’s “compassions … are new every morning.” God works among His people on a daily basis, though admittedly we as finite human beings may not be able to recognize every such instance of judgment or compassion. The final Day of Judgment will be the consummation of what God the righteous judge has been doing all along.
Everything about the just Lord stands in sharp contrast with the unjust who knoweth no shame. In their minds, they have outgrown the need for God’s straitjacket of right and wrong standards. Like many today, they do not sin secretly, but rather they gloat and boast over actions of which they should be ashamed. As Jeremiah astutely puts it, “Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush” (Jeremiah 6:15).
What Do You Think?
How can shame be used to honor God today?
Points for Your Discussion
In witnessing
In disciplining children
In preaching and teaching
In holding a fellow believer accountable
In standing up for a specific moral issue
Other
B. Every Nation (v. 6)
6. I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.
Thus far this chapter has focused on the judgment that awaits God’s covenant people; the promise to cut off in the context of judgment was seen also in last week’s lesson (Zephaniah 1:4). But by no means is this judgment limited to them. Though the nations have built towers as a means of defense, such efforts are useless in withstanding divine judgment (1:16, 17).
A complete desolation is pictured here: their cities are destroyed, and no inhabitants remain. Consider, for example, what the prophet Isaiah declared concerning mighty Babylon, which arose after his day: “And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation” (Isaiah 13:19, 20). Isaiah’s prophecy comes to pass, as does Zephaniah’s.
C. Evil City (v. 7)
7. I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.
Here the Lord’s words appear to be redirected to Jerusalem, since the pronoun thou is a feminine singular in Hebrew, as it would be if the city is addressed. God expects more from the city of David, the holy city, the home of the temple. Surely its inhabitants will not reach the point where they will have to be cut off in judgment! Surely they will be willing to receive instruction from the Lord!
But no—if anything, they are as determined as ever to refuse to listen. So eager are they to pursue wrongdoing that they rise early to do so. Of course, this will not escape the attention of the Lord, who “every morning” carries out His judgment (v. 5, above).
What Do You Think?
What place should fear of God have in our daily walk with Him? Why?
Points for Your Discussion
Regarding times when we seek His will
Regarding times when we carry out His will
Considering “do fear” passages (1 Peter 2:17; Philippians 2:12; Revelation 14:7; etc.) in relation to “no fear” passages (Luke 12:32; 1 John 4:18; Revelation 1:17; etc.)
D. Extensive Judgment (v. 8)
8. Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
Sometimes in Scripture the command to wait upon the Lord is meant to offer comfort and encouragement to those who are enduring an especially trying experience. Two notable examples of this are found in Psalms 27:14; 37:7. Here, however, the command to wait ye upon me is associated with God’s intention to rise up to the prey, that is, to carry out His judgment. Thus individuals such as the leaders of God’s people who have treated people as prey (Zephaniah 3:3, above) will end up finding themselves to be the Lord’s prey in turn.
But God’s judgment, as He has earlier stated in verse 6, will also encompass the nations and the kingdoms of all the earth. The language of pouring out judgment is similar to that found in Revelation 16 concerning the vials of God’s wrath that are to be poured out upon the earth.
God also speaks in this verse of the fire of my jealousy. God’s jealousy should not be viewed in the same way we think of jealousy as being wrong for people, which implies covetousness. Just as God’s wrath is His holy anger against sin, His jealousy reflects His holy zeal for what is right and His passionate hatred of what is wrong. He is jealous in a positive sense for His people, desiring only what is good for them and despising anything that threatens their relationship with Him.
God earnestly desires that His people choose what is right and remain faithful, and He is deeply grieved when they do not. But at the same time, He allows people to choose whether or not they will obey. Judgment awaits those who turn from God and spurn His mercy, but rich blessings are promised to those who remain faithful. We will consider some of those blessings in next week’s third and final study from Zephaniah.
Conclusion
A. Preparing for Finals
The late comedian George Carlin is quoted as saying, “I was thinking about how people seem to read the Bible a whole lot more as they get older; then it dawned on me—they’re cramming for their final exam.” In the process of receiving certain degrees as part of my education, I learned what it’s like to have to prepare for a major exam.
Prior to receiving my Master of Divinity degree, I had to prepare for an oral examination, during which I was to be questioned about various subjects that were part of my field of study. Some years later, I had to prepare for a series of written examinations as I neared the completion of a doctoral program. Believe me, there were plenty of “butterflies,” especially the night before these exams were administered!
Even so, things were made easier by the fact that every exam was scheduled for a certain day or a series of days. I knew exactly when each was to occur and could plan my preparation accordingly. I shudder to think what my frame of mind would have been if a test could have happened at any time and I had to live “on pins and needles” knowing that any night I could receive a phone call saying, “Tomorrow’s the day of the test. Be here at 8:00 a.m.!”
However, we don’t know the day or the hour when we will take God’s “final exam.” Such a day is indeed coming—a Day of Judgment—and no one will be exempt (2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:12). But even though we do not know when that day will be, we do not have to live in a constant state of dread regarding whether or not we will “pass our final.” We know that we can stand before the Lord, the righteous judge, on that day, because Jesus took the penalty for our sins upon himself at the cross (1 Peter 2:24).
As 1 John 2:1 tells us, we have an “advocate” to speak up on our behalf, “Jesus Christ the righteous,” so that we will have nothing to fear when we face the ultimate judge. We can rest assured knowing that the “wages of sin” (Romans 6:23) have been paid in full. As Elvina M. Hall (1822-1899) put it in these oft-sung words:
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
Even so, we are cautioned by the fact that Judah, the nation of God’s covenant people, is the first nation mentioned by name in Zephaniah’s judgment list (Zephaniah 1:4). This calls to mind the truth in 1 Peter 4:17: “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.”
The promise of a coming day of the Lord should never produce a sense of smugness among Christians that all the sinners will get their just deserts in the end. The promise of that day should instead move us to remain continually humble before the Lord and to be more committed than ever to helping others prepare for the day of the Lord.
B. Prayer
Father, we recognize that Your wrath against sin is real and that our sin is real. But just as real is Your grace demonstrated in Jesus’ payment for our sins on the cross. We praise You for being not only just but also merciful. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
Prepare for the final day every day.
Kid’s Corner
God Dispenses Justice Every Morning
Zephaniah 3:1-8
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Zephaniah 3:1-8
(Zephaniah 3:1) Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, The tyrannical city!
God described the capital of the kingdom of Judah, which describes the leadership of many in many nations around the world today. God judged Jerusalem in 587 BC, but God will also judge cities and nations that contain leaders who oppress others in a variety of ways, which includes enacting and enforcing unjust laws. God will judge those who oppress people who live outside of a nation’s boundaries. God will judge the rebellious, including those who practice lawlessness and refuse to enforce just laws. The defiled are those who have turned from God to immoral practices.
(Zephaniah 3:2) She heeded no voice, She accepted no instruction. She did not trust in the LORD, She did not draw near to her God.
God went on to describe Jerusalem, but we can easily think of government leaders in a variety of nations that obey no one and no laws; they only do what others tell them or what is of selfish advantage to them and other leaders or groups. No matter what God does or says, or what the just do and say, they ignore all efforts to influence them to rule justly and lawfully. They do not trust in the LORD, but worship creation instead of the Creator. They do not draw near to God, but try to exclude all references to God in public life and in the governing of the nation.
(Zephaniah 3:3) Her princes within her are roaring lions, Her judges are wolves at evening; They leave nothing for the morning.
The government in Jerusalem, as in many nations, was filled with people who threatened others and devoured the earnings of those they ruled over instead of shepherding the people as good leaders. Night and day they plotted with others like themselves to steal the lives and livelihoods of those they ruled over. To save the godly, these leaders needed to repent or be removed from Jerusalem, and because they would not repent God removed them and will remove others like them in His time.
(Zephaniah 3:4) Her prophets are reckless, treacherous men; Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.
God not only condemned and threatened to punish (and did and does punish) secular political leaders; God also did and does the same to religious leaders, especially those who profane God’s name and twist the meaning of God’s laws. An unprincipled person does not follow sound judgment or obey God’s laws or the moral law or natural law, but does what his fleshly nature dictates. They do things that harm others to fulfill their selfish desires. The true prophets of God tried to call the political and religious leaders and people to repent. Instead, false prophets supported lawless political and religious leaders and taught principles and laws contrary to the laws of God in the Scriptures. To do violence to the law is to so twist the law that it no longer means what the lawgiver meant or intended, whether that lawgiver is God in the Bible or a just government that made the law. Priests and religious leaders profane the sanctuary when they practice rituals contrary to the Bible and other immoral practices inside or outside the sanctuary, even encouraging others to do likewise.
(Zephaniah 3:5) The LORD is righteous within her; He will do no injustice. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He does not fail. But the unjust knows no shame.
The horrible sins of the political and religious leaders in Jerusalem were not because God was not present among His people. Every day God was dispensing justice in the nation; every day God was doing what was right and wise; but the unrighteous continued to abuse His grace and mercy. God was against those who had turned from Him and refused correction, and all God did was righteous; God did no wrong in the city. No one could justly blame God for what evil and rebellious leaders did. God acted justly, but the unjust and immoral showed no sense of shame for their evil deeds and continued down their path to ultimate destruction.
(Zephaniah 3:6) “I have cut off nations; Their corner towers are in ruins. I have made their streets desolate, With no one passing by; Their cities are laid waste, Without a man, without an inhabitant.
Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire that destroyed the kingdom of Israel in 722 BC. The Babylonians destroyed Assyria and Nineveh in 612 BC, and began the systematic destruction of the neighboring nations around the kingdom of Judah. God used the Assyrians and Babylonians to bring just judgment on His rebellious people and leaders as well as the evil kingdoms around them. Through Zephaniah, God reminded Jerusalem and Judah of previous punishments to lead the people to repent, but they refused to turn back to God and be saved. Therefore, God did what He promised and brought judgment upon them.
(Zephaniah 3:7) “I said, ‘Surely you will revere Me, Accept instruction.’ So her dwelling will not be cut off According to all that I have appointed concerning her. But they were eager to corrupt all their deeds.
In spite of God’s warnings and what they should have learned from Zephaniah’s teaching from historical precedents, the kingdom’s leaders were still eager to act corruptly in ways similar to the political and religious leaders of many nations today. There is no place of refuge for those who refuse correction and persist in acting contrary to God’s laws in order to enjoy the benefits of their corruption. People today need to heed Zephaniah’s warnings, because God is the same as He was in Zephaniah’s day.
(Zephaniah 3:8) “Therefore wait for Me,” declares the LORD, “For the day when I rise up as a witness. Indeed, My decision is to gather nations, To assemble kingdoms, To pour out on them My indignation, All My burning anger; For all the earth will be devoured By the fire of My zeal.
Zephaniah not only pointed to a day when Judah and the nations that surrounded her would be judged and punished but also to a day yet to come when the whole world will be consumed by God’s just judgment and God will save the faithful. A coming judgment by fire is often foretold in the Book of Revelation (for examples, see Revelation 18:8 and Revelation 20:9). Between now and the day of God’s just judgment, God tells believers to remain faithful to Him and wait on the Lord to do what He has promised.
God Dispenses Justice Every Morning
Zephaniah 3:1-8
Sunday, June 12, 2016
“The LORD within her is righteous; he does no wrong. Morning by morning he dispenses his justice, and every new day he does not fail, yet the unrighteous know no shame” (Zephaniah 3:5).
Zephaniah lived and preached in Jerusalem, a city similar to many cities today. He condemned the city’s leaders as oppressors and the people as rebellious. Because these city dwellers did not trust in God or draw near to God, they had degenerated to the level that leaders and citizens obeyed no one, nor would they accept correction from God or those who sought to promote justice and righteousness. He compared city leaders to roaring lions and evening wolves who devoured all they could from those under them. He condemned religious leaders as unprincipled and treacherous; furthermore, they twisted the law to satisfy their lusts and selfish interests. Imagine living in a city similar to Jerusalem in Zephaniah’s day! Yet, in spite of living in such an unjust and unrighteous place, that must have deeply grieved those who trusted in God and sought to live close to God, Zephaniah gave believers the assurance that despite all appearances God is righteous and He dwelt in the city. Though people might wrong one another, God does no wrong. Though people may not see into the spiritual dimension, each day God dispensed His justice in the city and He would not fail, even though the unrighteous were not ashamed of their behavior. Eventually, God had to destroy Jerusalem because the vast majority in the city “were still eager to act corruptly in all they did” (Zephaniah 3:7). Someday, every city that behaves similar to Jerusalem in Zephaniah’s day will also be destroyed, but those who repent and trust in God will be saved.
Thinking Further
God Dispenses Justice Every Morning
Zephaniah 3:1-8
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Name ____________________________
1. What do you think it would be like to live in a city today similar to Jerusalem as described by Zephaniah?
2. What do you think it would be like to live in a city today where almost all the ministers in most of the churches denied the Bible was true, ignored the teachings of Jesus, and were unprincipled, treacherous and similar to the prophets and priests as described by Zephaniah?
3. Why do you think the unrighteous in Jerusalem ignored God and the preaching of ephaniah?
4. Consider the city or town where you live, can you believe that God is righteous within the city or town where you live?
5. When you think about what you see on television or read in the news, do you see examples of some people who are “eager to act corruptly in all they do”? Without Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior in your life, how might you act?
Questions for Discussion and Thinking Further
1. What do you think it would be like to live in a city today similar to Jerusalem as described by Zephaniah?
It would be like living in a city where most of the residents were oppressed by powerful and threatening people, even by evil business, political, and religious leaders. It would be like living in a city where more and more people openly practiced more and more immoral behaviors contrary to the Bible’s teachings. It would be like living in a city where more and more leaders and people disobeyed good laws, and where almost everyone ignored or ridiculed the efforts and warnings by those who trusted in the true God to change their behavior and turn to an obedient faith in God.
2. What do you think it would be like to live in a city today where almost all the ministers in most of the churches denied the Bible was true, ignored the teachings of Jesus, and were unprincipled, treacherous and similar to the prophets and priests as described by Zephaniah?
It would be difficult to find a church to attend or take your children to attend. It would be disheartening to see the ministers and churches simply going along with and/or promoting the decadent culture and immoral leaders in church and government.
3. Why do you think the unrighteous in Jerusalem ignored God and the preaching of ephaniah?
They were not ashamed of their behavior (see Zephaniah 3:5). They did not believe that God had really punished Israel and other nations, so God would not punish them. They thought they could do very well ignoring God and those who love God who warned them.
4. Consider the city or town where you live, can you believe that God is righteous within the city or town where you live?
Yes. Only because the Bible tells me that was the case with Jerusalem, and our righteous God is everywhere present. I do see some examples of God dispensing justice.
5. When you think about what you see on television or read in the news, do you see examples of some people who are “eager to act corruptly in all they do”? Without Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior in your life, how might you act?
Yes. Unhappily, the same or similar. All sinners need Jesus to save them from the consequence of sin and continuing to sin.
Word Search
God Dispenses Justice Every Morning
Zephaniah 3:1-8
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Name ____________________________
D R O H Q X C G T R N V I F S
S E P T J E R U S A L E M S L
E C L R M O V A U V K Q N V A
Z N I P O C P Z R G M O R F I
I E A J I P S P T A I B L Y C
F L X F A C H Y R L H N S T I
A O D M O K N E E E R Y Q M F
G I X Z P R O I T B S J K E F
L V M H L M P U R S O S C H O
Y R A U T C N A S P V G O D F
X D E F I L E D Y T N F Q R G
T R E A C H E R O U S U M W S
J A H R S E V L O W X L Q D U
S D M C O R R E C T I O N B Z
Z R U L E R S L R B F U K F S
Oppressors
Rebellious
Defiled
Jerusalem
Correction
Trust
God
Obeys
Officials
Rulers
Lions
Wolves
Prophets
Unprincipled
Treacherous
Sanctuary
Profane
Violence
True and False Test
God Dispenses Justice Every Morning
Zephaniah 3:1-8
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Name ____________________________
Circle the true or false answers. Correct the false statements by restating them.
1. Because the priests could be trusted, the righteous in Jerusalem were happy. True or False
2. The people in Jerusalem obeyed all Zephaniah taught them to do. True or False
3. The people in Jerusalem needed to draw near to God. True or False
4. The leaders in Jerusalem were like evening wolves that devoured everything they seized. True or False
5. The prophets in Jerusalem were unprincipled and treacherous. True or False
6. The priests in Jerusalem tried to influence people to obey the Law of God in the Scriptures. True or False
7. Though most in Jerusalem were rebellious, the LORD in Jerusalem was righteous, True or False
8. Zephaniah declared that the LORD dispensed His justice in Jerusalem. True or False
9. The unrighteous were ashamed of their behavior before the LORD. True or False
10. God will pour out His fierce anger on those who remain rebellious and refuse correction. True or False
Answers to the True and False Test
Zephaniah 3:1-8
Sunday, June 12, 2016
1. False
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. True
6. False
7. True
8. True
9. False
10.True
Closing Prayer
Father, we recognize that Your wrath against sin is real and that our sin is real. But just as real is Your grace demonstrated in Jesus’ payment for our sins on the cross. We praise You for being not only just but also merciful. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Sunday School Lesson