Zephaniah 2:1-15

Repentance is the Right Response to God’s Warning!

We find in the Bible that God desires that all people should seek after him and find him.

The first step in seeking God is Repentance. It should begin there!

REPENTANCE A change of attitude and action from sin toward obedience to God

Jesus always preach about Repentance - Repent for the Kingdom of God is near!

Also preached by the Apostles:

Acts 3:19 NASB95

19 “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;

It is only through the door of repentance that grace can be experienced.

As we acknowledge our disobedience and humble ourselves before Him, we are able to experience grace and God’s affection.

In the opening of this section, Zephaniah declares that the only hope for the children of Israel is repentance (Zeph 2:1–3).

He calls the nation to gather together and seek Yahweh before the announced judgment takes effect.

Repentance Is Necessary in Response to God’s Judgment

Main Idea: In light of God’s judgment, God’s people must seek the Lord in humility or face destruction.

A Call to Repentance

I. A Return to Worship Is Necessary (2:1)

Zephaniah 2:1 NASB95

1 Gather yourselves together, yes, gather, O nation without shame,

God commands the nations to Gather together. They are called to assemble in order to hear

The call to hear these severe warnings is itself an act of divine grace, for the warnings are designed to bring about repentance.

shameless. They have become so Spiritually insensitive and no longer capable of evaluating their own conduct in accordance with divine standards.

II. Now Is the Time to pay attention to the Warning and Turn to the Lord (2:2)

Zephaniah 2:2 NASB95

2 Before the decree takes effect— The day passes like the chaff— Before the burning anger of the Lord comes upon you, Before the day of the Lord’s anger comes upon you.

God is giving time for people to repent. God is patient and kind even to sinners.

Think for a moment of the patience of God in your life, despite of the sins that you have repeatedly done..

The Kindness of the Lord leads us to repentance Romans 2:4-5

Romans 2:4–5 NASB95

4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

III. Judgment May Be Avoided If God’s People Will Seek Him (2:3)

Zephaniah 2:3 NASB95

3 Seek the Lord, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of the Lord’s anger.

A command to seek - Imperative

Seek = search, desire, find, encounter the presence of God.

it indicates hunger and pursuit of God!

A. Seek the Lord in humility.

Zephaniah acknowledges at the beginning of verse 3 that repentance cannot be found until they humble themselves. This is such a key element to walking faithfully with God.

He not only calls them humble, but he further exhorts them to seek humility.

It implies that like all of humanity, we are constantly prone to turn toward self. Every person, or nation is like a car that is out of alignment, constantly turning inward.

Our natural bent is away from humility and toward pride, and pride is the mother of all sin.

B. Seek the Lord in obedience.

Not only must they seek the Lord through humility, but they must also seek Him through active obedience.

It is not enough simply to acknowledge (or confess) sin; they must also change their behavior.

C. Seek the Lord in righteousness.

God is righteous and holy, and he wants people to be holy and righteous in their living.

God promises to be found by those who seek him

Proverbs 8:17 NASB95

17 “I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me.

Matthew 7:7–8 NASB95

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Seeking God and his kingdom is the priority of life

Psalm 27:4 NASB95

4 One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord And to meditate in His temple.

Matthew 6:33 NASB95

33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Hindrances to seeking God

Pride - In Scriptures it refer to an unhealthy elevated view of one’s self, abilities, or possessions.

This is the the very problem of the nations of Israel and its surrounding nations..that is why here in chapter 2:1-15 we find that...

The Nations Will Be Judged because of Their Pride (2:4-15)

Having described the judgment of Judah (Zeph 1:4–15), the prophet turns his attention to the nations surrounding Judah (vv. 4–15).

A. Philistia (2:4–7)

Zephaniah 2:4–5 NASB95

4 For Gaza will be abandoned And Ashkelon a desolation; Ashdod will be driven out at noon And Ekron will be uprooted. 5 Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, The nation of the Cherethites! The word of the Lord is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; And I will destroy you So that there will be no inhabitant.

Located west of Judah

The four cities mentioned in this verse (Gaza, Ekron, Ashkelon, and Ashdod) were part of the “Philistine pentapolis” (see note on Jer 25:20).

These cities will be abandoned, destroyed, emptied, uprooted…(2:4-5)

Zephaniah 2:6–7 NASB95

6 So the seacoast will be pastures, With caves for shepherds and folds for flocks. 7 And the coast will be For the remnant of the house of Judah, They will pasture on it. In the houses of Ashkelon they will lie down at evening; For the Lord their God will care for them And restore their fortune.

The land of the Gentiles will become the feed for the animals of God’s people (2:6).

The land of the Gentiles will be given to God’s people (2:7).

B. Moab and Ammon (2:8–11)

Zephaniah 2:8–9 NASB95

8 “I have heard the taunting of Moab And the revilings of the sons of Ammon, With which they have taunted My people And become arrogant against their territory. 9 “Therefore, as I live,” declares the Lord of hosts, The God of Israel, “Surely Moab will be like Sodom And the sons of Ammon like Gomorrah— A place possessed by nettles and salt pits, And a perpetual desolation. The remnant of My people will plunder them And the remainder of My nation will inherit them.”

Located East of Judah

The Gentiles’ taunting of God’s people has caused His wrath (2:8).

God will use His own people to destroy the Gentiles (2:9).

Zephaniah 2:10–11 NASB95

10 This they will have in return for their pride, because they have taunted and become arrogant against the people of the Lord of hosts. 11 The Lord will be terrifying to them, for He will starve all the gods of the earth; and all the coastlands of the nations will bow down to Him, everyone from his own place.

The pride of the Gentiles will be their downfall (2:10).

The Gentile taunting of God’s people is an offense to God Himself (2:10).

The Gentile gods will be proven powerless in the face of Yahweh (2:11).

All the people who have opposed God and His people will bow before Him (2:11).

C. Cushites (2:12)

Zephaniah 2:12 NASB95

12 “You also, O Ethiopians, will be slain by My sword.”

Located South of Judah

Destruction

D. Assyria (2:13–15)

Zephaniah 2:13–15 NASB95

13 And He will stretch out His hand against the north And destroy Assyria, And He will make Nineveh a desolation, Parched like the wilderness. 14 Flocks will lie down in her midst, All beasts which range in herds; Both the pelican and the hedgehog Will lodge in the tops of her pillars; Birds will sing in the window, Desolation will be on the threshold; For He has laid bare the cedar work. 15 This is the exultant city Which dwells securely, Who says in her heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me.” How she has become a desolation, A resting place for beasts! Everyone who passes by her will hiss And wave his hand in contempt.

Located North of Judah

Self-confidence betrays a false security that will lead to shame and destruction (2:15).

Conclusion:

The real nature of pride can be seen in the fact that it leads to many other evils and ends in destruction.

G.K Chesterton once said, “If I had only one sermon to preach, it would be a sermon against pride.”

Pride has kept many people from receiving Jesus.

Christians are not exempt from pride: what should we do?

“Pride is like a beard. It just keeps growing. The solution? Shave it everyday.”

God’s desire is that all people should seek after him and find him. Those who seek God with all their heart are rewarded, but those who fail to seek him do so to their eternal loss.

John 3:16 NASB95

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:18 NASB95

18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Proper Response:

Be thankful to God for His enduring patience.

Continually seek the Lord so that His holiness, patience, and love might be reflected in your life (transformed life).

- God did not saved us and then left us on our own...God has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us and comfort us. (Be filled with the Holy Spirit)

- He has given us His Holy Word to rebuke and correct us and teach us to maturity…(Read and meditate on His Word)