Are you familiar with courtroom protocol? Some of you may have had an occasion where you were in a courtroom, and most of us have seen courtroom dramas on television. We know, then, that one cannot just speak openly and freely in court, any time they want. If too many people are talking, or talking out of turn, the judge will bang his gavel down and call out “Order in the court!” He will order people to be silent or he will have them removed by the bailiff. There are other places where one doesn’t just speak out, and if they do they are ordered to be silent. Our Scripture today is a message that the Lord gave the Prophet Zephaniah to bring to the people. The Lord is not happy, and He has ordered the people to be silent. Let’s see what He has to say.
Zephaniah was prophet during the reign of King Josiah, the last godly king of Judah. However, due to the persistent sin and idolatry of the nation for countless years, God was going to judge the people. For centuries He had sent His messengers, the prophets, to warn the people to get rid of their idols and their sin. A few people listened, but the overwhelming majority did not, and continued in their wicked ways. They gave an outward show of being pious, and in continuing to bring sacrifices to the Temple, but God was not pleased. Zephaniah and other prophets warned them of impending judgment, and the people with their religious leaders protested against such words.
As our Scripture opens, God orders the people to be quiet. He does not want to hear their excuses and defenses any longer (vs. 7). All of their crying and pleading is too late. The only proper response would be complete, humble, sincere repentance, but they weren’t having any of that. The silence that was called for indicated finality. This was just like when silence is ordered in the courtroom as the Judge enters, and everyone rises. God is in His Temple, and nothing else needs to be said. Silence is the best, most reverent, most worshipful response. If words are needed, God will speak them! The time of judgment has arrived.
God warned the people that He was going to go through Jerusalem, carefully searching for those who do not follow, obey, and rightly worship Him (vs. 12). God will search and punish those who do not follow Him. Because they do not search their own hearts, and are content with their moral chaos, and are indifferent to Him, God will judge them. Things are no different today. Morality and sin today are just as wicked, if not more, and God will bring His judgment, as well. No one can escape His judgment, and there is nowhere to hide.
A number of preachers, both back in the days of the Old Testament, and also today, preach that God will never judge His people or anyone. They preach only love, peace, and goodness coming from the Lord, and never a word about sin, a need for repentance, and judgment if people don’t change. This was why the prophets from the Lord, such as Isaiah and Jeremiah, were frequently attacked by the religious leaders of their day. God is not some heavenly, indulgent grandfather, like many preachers today seem to indicate. He is a holy God, and He will actively judge and justly punish everyone who is content to live in sin and are indifferent to Him (vs. 12-14).
Zephaniah gave a description of what the Day of the Lord, the day when God comes in judgment, will be like (vs. 14-18). The Day of the Lord was near for them at the time of this message from the prophet. The Babylonian invasion, and the destruction of Jerusalem was just a few decades in the future. Though no one can give an exact date, God’s judgment on mankind today is near, as well.
Money could not save the people in Zephaniah’s day from the coming Babylonian invasion (vs 18), and it cannot save us on the coming Day of the Lord, either. Jesus has warned us of final judgment, and of world-wide destruction. Riches will be worthless then. He, alone, can save us. That day is sure, but so is the ability of Jesus to save! Turn to Him today!
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