As Things Get Worse
Jan 30 2024 - Eric Buresh
In a recent post titled What God Sings About, we looked at the final third of Zephaniah 3, basking in the fact that God so delights in His restored relationship with us that He breaks out in singing. What an amazing truth!
Today, I want to take a closer look at the first third of the same chapter. Zephaniah 3 captures the whole arch of the gospel message. The first third (vs 1-7) covers sin and judgment. The second third (vs 8-13) addresses God’s redemptive work. And the final third (vs 14-20) revels in the delight of restored relationship. While I personally favor thinking about the last two thirds, it is important to give sin and judgment its due as well. If we don’t remember where we were, how can we be thankful for where we are!
Following Zephaniah’s lead, let’s apply the first third of chapter 3 in the broader perspective of our society. At the time of Zephaniah, God described society this way (vs 2):
She has not obeyed His voice,
She has not received correction;
She has not trusted in the Lord,
She has not drawn near to her God.
In verse 6, God made the people desolate. Cut them off from their security and happiness. Sound familiar? If not, consider present day statistics on depression, clinical anxiety, alcohol/drug abuse, and suicide. Our cities do not lie in ruin, but our society’s rejection of God has devastated our society emotionally, and He is pleading with us just like He did in Zephaniah’s time, “Surely you will receive My instruction so that you will not be cut off!” (vs 7).
The stunning thing is that as things get worse, our society gets more aggressive in its rejection of God. Society doesn’t relent, it fights back against God even harder. In verse 7, God describes this stunning outcome, noting that the people became “all the more eager to make all their deeds corrupt.” (ESV) Can you feel this happening in our society? As things get worse, society becomes even more eager to make all their deeds corrupt. It’s immensely saddening to watch, but it’s far from a new response. It has happened generation by generation, nation by nation.
What is the answer? First, as the darkness increases around you, make your light bright. How? Obey His voice. Receive His correction. Trust in the Lord. Draw near to your God. As the Spirit produces His fruit in us, we stand out ever more from the growing darkness. We are the remnant of our time. We are the example of the Way that leads to Life. We must shine! Second, love those around you by sharing the Truth, and praying for our society. Pray for revival. Pray for society to repent and relent. Don’t get angry at society. Society isn’t fighting against you or me. Our society is fighting against God. It is not primarily a political fight, it is primarily a spiritual one. As things get worse, society has and will continue to get more and more desperate and aggressive in its pursuit of its own path just like in Zephaniah’s time. Yet, God can reverse the fight whenever He wants, and fervent prayer is effective.
Finally, if you have been walking your own path in some way, i.e., pursuing your own happiness apart from God, you should expect that He will render your path desolate. When He does, you will have a choice: turn back to God or try even harder (become even more eager) to find your own way. If you choose the latter, I tell you in love that you are choosing a spiral downward. When your path ends in desolation, if you reject God, your only option is to try a more extreme path. This spiral will eventually end in destruction. Please draw near to God. On His path, you will find yourself in the redemption and restoration of the latter thirds of Zephaniah 3, and that is where you will find what you are seeking.