The Word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah. Zephaniah 1:1
Although he lived and prophesied more than 600 years before Christ, the message that God gave through Zephaniah could easily, with just a few adjustments, be preached from one of our pulpits today. It was a very simple and very familiar message: judgment for the wicked, salvation for the repentant, and a glorious future for those who love the Lord. And it was a message that came from Heaven itself; the first words in the book are ‘The Word of the Lord’, and the final words in the book are ‘saith the Lord’.
Judgment on the wicked was a valid message in the Old Testament, and is just as valid today. Although very few ever repent of their wickedness before God, there would be nobody ever repenting if they never heard that there is judgment coming for wickedness. Listen to the words of Zephaniah describing what he called the great day of the Lord: ‘That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness’ -Zephaniah 1:15.
Just as valid as the judgment warning is the promise of salvation to the penitent, and Zephaniah was as clear about that as today’s faithful preachers: ‘The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing’ -Zephaniah 3:17. How nicely this verse fits in with God’s promise to save those who trust the Saviour today.
Zephaniah had a word for the future of God’s earthly people: ‘At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD’ -Zephaniah 3:20. Just as real as those things that are yet in Israel’s future as prophesied by Zephaniah are the blessings of eternity for the saints of the age of grace, our age. -Jim MacIntosh
Here is the link to the video of this message: https://youtu.be/soxg3o4qGnQ