Zephaniah

Have you ever given thought to the expression: "Pardon me?"

Sometimes it's used with a little mix of sarcasm: "Oh well pardon me!" or "Well ...pardon me .....your holiness."

Seriously though, behind such a comment, apart from the personal issues or the 'dig' at each other type-of-stuff , lies the idea of seeking a person's forgiveness - doesn't it?

But not just anyone's forgiveness. For a pardon suggests royalty is involved. I guess that accounts for the sarcasm. Expecting a pardon - while at the same time, ...having the last say!

It is a bit like that for two Australian's jailed in Thailand for drug trafficking, who recently - and I quote: "..boasted to reporters they expected to be home for the Olympics."

They fully expected to be PARDONED by the King during his birthday celebrations - but Thai officials have said no.

So that's that.

In any case, can you imagine being a King? Being able to pardon those judged guilty.

People who will no longer have to serve their time.

Guilty one day - free the next. In bondage one day - free the next.

Saved - all because of a king's pardon.

That's what Zephaniah is saying in his prophecy to the people.

Mind you, if his prophecy had stopped at verse 8, you could be excused for thinking "This is a bit depressing!"

But Zephaniah doesn't leave us to stew in depression.

Because Judgment is not Zephaniah's final word.

No matter how depressing the message of judgment strikes us, especially when delivered by God's prophets, ...it is never the final word of God to God's people.

Even the judgments themselves offer some hope. As we read last week, they threaten destruction and hardship to a non-repentant people, ...and yet from the ruin of even the worst judgments, ...there is some word of a future hope, ...of reconciliation, ....of ultimate blessing.

Beyond the terrible and dreadful Day of the Lord when God would judge the whole of creation, Zephaniah saw a time coming when the Lord, the King of creation, will pardon His people - and restore them to His Kingdom.

Zephaniah continues with the concept of the day of the Lord.

We see it in verse 11 "On that day ...". Again in verse 16 "On that day ...". And a variation of the same idea in Verses 19 & 20 "At that time ....".

But it takes on another meaning.

He now speaks of it as a time, a day, when everything will be made right with God.

There will be a Day, ..a Time, ...when once again God's people will be pardoned, will be reconciled, ...will be restored to being under God's rule - brought home to his coming Kingdom. As it says in verse 20 "At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home."

If anyone truly seeks God's forgiveness, ...he pardons them.

God saves them.

Zephaniah says:

Ignore God, remain in rebellion, you'll stay in bondage, shut out of the His Kingdom.

Seek God, accept Him as King of your life, you'll go free, and will be welcomed into His Kingdom.

I know a guy down south who's got a Harley Davidson motorbike. He's crazy about Harleys. He's got Harley badges - photographs of Harleys - little models of Harleys. He's even named his white cockatoo Harley. He's a member of the Harley Club. He once told me about going on a Club Ride. Hundreds of Harley owners riding two-abreast, shoulder to shoulder down the highway. He said it was an absolutely exhilarating feeling. People from every walk of life ...with one thing in common - their Harley.

Zephaniah says that God's Kingdom will be made up of people form all walks of life - drawn together from the nations of the world. Standing shoulder to shoulder.

God's people - in God's place - under God's rule.

Check out verse 9. In reference to the other nations:

"Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that ALL of them may call on the name of the LORD, and serve him shoulder to shoulder"

And verse 10 says that they'll come from everywhere - even "beyond the rivers of Cush."

Even Jerusalem's wrongs will be put aside, especially as the proud and the haughty are removed, ... leaving only those who trust in the Lord to experience His blessing.

We read this in verses 11 to 13.

"On that day you [Jerusalem] will not be put to shame for all the wrongs you have done to me, because I will remove from this city those who rejoice in their pride." ..and verse12, "But I will leave within you the meek and the humble, who TRUST in the name of the LORD. The remnant of Israel ...[a reference to God's people].

These verses, 9 to 13, are a reminder to God's people everywhere, that He will FULFILL His promise to save them.

They never have to rely on the false promises of protection from the surrounding powerful nations and their false gods.

God is their true protector. He will fulfill that promise to them!

This coming New Year's Eve is being billed as the party of all parties. The party of our lifetime! Nations are vieing for recognition as being the first nation to welcome in the new millennium. I think it's a dead-heat between a couple of the Pacific Island nations.

New Zealand and its dependencies straddle the date-line, so maybe it can claim to be both first and last in the celebration. In reality, whether in New Zealand or elsewhere, it is being billed as just one big long celebration.

For many people around the world there isn't a lot to celebrate.

And as for us Christians in general, we are often a subdued lot. And I'm certain this doesn't apply to all of us - but most of us haven't got a clue how to celebrate. It's been said of me - that I'm too deadly serious a person.' I'm a case in point. I find it hard to let my hair down - especially since it got cut off. And yet Christians have the best reason to celebrate.

And it's the same reason that God's people in Zephaniah's day had for celebrating. The reason being:

The saving act of God - the witnessing of the restoration of the Kingdom of God.

If we are all being lead to believe that the coming of the New Millennium is the biggest reason to party - well, have we Christians got news for them!

And what sort of a response are the people to give to Zephaniah's good news?

They are to sing - they are to shout out their joy at being restored into a right relationship with God.

Look at what it says from verse 14.

"Sing, O Daughter of Zion; Shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem! 15. The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm."

And in verse 16, they are told that there isn't anything further to fear, because that day, which had previously been painted as a day of doom, was now pictured as a day of salvation .

Verse 16 - "On that day they will say to Jerusalem, "Do not fear O Zion, do not let your hands hang limp." Which is a reference to being resigned to judgment - like a prisoner in the dock waiting for the expected verdict of guilty. But there's a sudden twist.

They aren't declared guilty. They're saved from doing time.

Verse 17, "The lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save ...." ...and like a parent comforting a frightened child, we are told that God will quieten any fear with His love and song.

And like those Australians in the Thai jails, the people of Zephaniah's day knew, and are reminded again, ...that it would take a King's intervention to save them.

Picking it up again at verse 15 - "The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you ..." and verse 17 - The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save."

And note too, that not only is it the people who will be celebrating the fulfillment of God's promised kingdom, because God - the one who saves us, also celebrates with us.

Again in verse 17 - "....He will take great delight in you, ......he will rejoice over you with singing."

But it doesn't end there. There's more to Zephaniah's prophecy. It

doesn't end with the people's joyful response. God promises even more blessings for His people.

The restoration of the Kingdom will mean that the relationship between God and His people will no longer involve them bringing sacrifices before Him. In fact, they are told that the feasts that involved them having to carry out sacrifices, are a terrible burden that they no longer have to bother with.

And as for the persecution and suffering that God's people, have experienced for generations, it will stop!

No longer will they be repressed.

No longer will they have to suffer the shame heaped on them for being God's people.

No longer will they be thought of, and treated as ...second-class citizens; ...as scum of the earth; ...as a people without an identity.

Just check-out the list of God's promises from verses 18 to 20.

I will remove the burden of the appointed feasts.

I will deal with those who oppressed you.

I will rescue the lame and gather the scattered.

I will praise and honour them in front of those who shamed them.

I will gather you and bring you home.

I will give you honour and praise before all the earth.

I will restore your fortunes, before your very eyes.

Isn't this a picture of Eden? This Kingdom of God!

God, restoring His people back to that which He originally designed. Back to what was His intended purpose.

Back to an Eden-like environment.

Without sin.

No longer a rebellious people, a nation of pseudo kings scrambling over each other.

A time before the fall when the relationships between:

'God and man'

'man and man'

and

'man and environment'

were not broken!

So how will the people know when these promises of God are taking place, or are about to happen? How will they recognise the coming of the Kingdom of God?

God's people had been expecting the coming of His Kingdom for generations.

The prophet Isaiah spoke of its coming [9:7]

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever.

But the Jews weren't the only ones who knew of the coming Kingdom of God.

While in exile, Daniel told the king of Babylon about it [7:13-14].

"In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like the son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed."

And some not only heard of its coming, but were expecting and believing that the Kingdom would come.

One hot, dry day, around noon, a Samaritan woman was in conversation with a stranger. And in the course of their conversation she said this:

"I know that the Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." [John 4:25]

As they say, the rest is history.

And what of God's promises through Zephaniah:

I will remove the burden of the appointed feasts.

I will deal with those who oppressed you.

I will rescue the lame and gather the scattered.

I will praise and honour them in front of those who shamed them.

I will gather you and bring you home.

I will give you honour and praise before all the earth.

I will restore your fortunes, before your very eyes.

They were all fulfilled in that person at the well.

The coming of Jesus ushered in the Kingdom of God.

Zephaniah never lived to see the birth of the King who's reign will have no end. But he believed and trusted in his coming kingdom.