1:7 — Be silent before the Lord GOD!
Here, God is instructing the people of Judah to be quiet because the judgment is coming—none of their pleas or complaints would be heeded any longer. Though they perhaps believed they could talk or excuse themselves out of sin, the only proper response to one’s transgression is complete, humble, sincere repentance—and they would have none of it. Yet God calls us to silence before Him for many other reasons as well. We are also to be quiet because of His authority over us—His awesome power and glory surpass all words (Hab. 2:20; Zech. 2:13). To hear His voice, we need to remain quiet and carefully listen, and anticipating His mighty work should still our mouths (Eccl. 5:1, 2; Matt. 6:6–8).
1:12 — “I will punish the men who are stagnant in spirit, who say in their hearts, ‘The LORD will not do good or evil!’”
Complacency is always dangerous, especially when considering our accountability to God (Rev. 3:16). From our point of view, it may seem as if He is inactive—that He neither detects the good nor the evil that we do. However, He observes, plans, waits, and acts. Are we putting off being obedient to Him because we think we have plenty of time (Ezek. 12:25–28)? Do not grow stagnant or rebellious in your spirit. Rather, submit to Him immediately because obedience always brings blessing.
2:3 — Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth who have carried out His ordinances; seek righteousness, seek humility.
Zephaniah admonished the people of Judah to humble themselves before the judgment fell. Yet for those who were already seeking the Lord in humility and obedience, he exhorted them to continue honoring the Lord, no matter what happened. In the midst of suffering, we may become discouraged and wonder if our obedience to God does any good (Ps. 73:13, 14). Yet be assured that it does (vv. 16–28). And your adversity can be a bridge to an even deeper relationship with God if you submit yourself wholeheartedly to Him, regardless of the circumstances.
2:11 — 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 Lord wants the whole world to know Him, serve Him, worship Him, and love Him. And one day it will be obvious to everyone everywhere that there is only one true God—there is no other (Is. 45:22–24; Rom. 14:7–11; Phil. 2:5–11). The gospel is for every kingdom, tribe, nation, and tongue on earth, and God commissions us to be His ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:20). Are we telling others about Christ so they can look forward to His return—so they can bow to Him out of reverence and love, rather than fear and dread?
3:9 — “I will give to the peoples purified lips, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD, to serve Him shoulder to shoulder.”
This passage brings to mind Isaiah’s vision, where God purified the prophet’s lips and called him into ministry (Is. 6:1–10). Likewise, it foreshadowed the coming of the Messiah, who would not only purify our lips, but also our hearts. “The things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man” (Matt. 15:18). Jesus also commissions us to serve Him shoulder to shoulder in preaching the gospel (Matt. 28:18–20).
Answers to Life’s Questions
How can I endure in my faith during hard times?
You are God’s masterpiece, and He has given you His Word as a testimony to the love and joy He has for you. Zephaniah 3:17 says, “The LORD your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”
God rejoices over you and is transforming your life to reflect His goodness to others. He has an awesome plan for your life. You are not yet what you will be when you step into the eternal presence of God (1 Cor. 13:12; 1 John 3:2). Until that time, God is patiently molding and shaping you into the image of His Son. Therefore, you never have a reason to give up (Gal. 6:9). You are not alone! Jesus is with you, cheering you on to victory. He is at your side to strengthen and encourage you. When you fix your eyes on Him and not on your circumstances, you will begin to see life differently. Instead of thinking negatively, the Holy Spirit will teach you to think about the things of God—pure thoughts that honor Jesus Christ.
God also makes it clear that He loves you with an everlasting love and has pledged to never leave or forsake you (Deut. 31:6, 8; John 14:18; Heb. 13:5). He walks with you through disappointment, and when you confess your sins, “He is faithful and righteous to forgive [your] sins and to cleanse [you] from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). He has seen the finished portrait! While on your own you can do nothing, He knows that through Christ you can and will succeed (Phil. 1:6; 4:13). This does not mean that you won’t suffer or feel pain. Jesus endured both, and yet He did not give up. He knew that in order to complete His mission He would have to endure until the end, and He wanted more than anything else to accomplish the Father’s will.
How could He possibly bear the weight of all our sins and still remain victorious? Because He had an eternal perspective (Heb. 12:2). Long before it happened, Jesus saw the Resurrection as a completed fact (Matt. 20:18, 19)—that after three days, He would rise from the grave to walk in victory over sin and death (1 Cor. 15:55–57). You can walk in confidence and triumph because Jesus is your example and His Spirit lives in you. Like colors on an artist’s palette, God can work through every situation in your life—even the one you are facing right now—to bring you closer to Himself (Jer. 29:11–13; Rom. 8:28).
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
12. Peace of God is the fruit of oneness with God.
18. As children of a sovereign God, we are never victims of our circumstances.