Wednesday 1st May
Read Zephaniah 3:6-8
““I have destroyed nations;
their strongholds are demolished.
I have left their streets deserted,
with no one passing through.
Their cities are laid waste;
they are deserted and empty.
7 Of Jerusalem I thought,
‘Surely you will fear me
and accept correction!’
Then her place of refuge would not be destroyed,
nor all my punishments come upon her.
But they were still eager
to act corruptly in all they did.
8 Therefore wait for me,”
declares the Lord,
“for the day I will stand up to testify.
I have decided to assemble the nations,
to gather the kingdoms
and to pour out my wrath on them—
all my fierce anger.
The whole world will be consumed
by the fire of my jealous anger.” (NIVUK)
One of the great mysteries hidden within human nature is why we do things that we know are stupid and dangerous. You only have to watch clips on the internet to realise it is something innate – we seem to be born perverse! What is presented in these verses is the perfect logic of repentance. Knowing there are avoidable consequences if only one would listen and pay attention to the empty, desolate streets of those who failed to heed the warnings, the only logical thing to do is repent.
If repentance is logical then, continuing in sin ultimately makes no sense. There can be no purpose found in it. Except perhaps the fleeting pleasure it always grants. Those who are revelling in sin are doing so at the expense of people less fortunate, those who are oppressed. Hence there is no option but to punish those responsible, even if they refuse to change their ways. God is just and dispenses justice.
But equally He will remain faithful despite this. We must await the final wisdom of God and His revealed purposes through this judgement in the remainder of the oracle (v9-20). But His purpose and passion is made clear in the middle of this one – to fear God and accept correction – to repent and receive grace.
