Daily Readings and Thought for December 16th. “SEEK RIGHTEOUSNESS, SEEK HUMILITY”


 

Zephaniah’s prophecy begins, “The word of the LORD came to Zephaniah …” and starts by telling us about how the LORD “…will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth,”[1 v.2].  But what is “everything” and what is “earth”??  Verse 17 tells us, “I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD…”

Then ch. 2, which we read today, tells us to, “Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the LORD” [v.3]. The word, here translated “land” is eretz and it can equally mean – and is translated as – ‘earth’ as in Genesis 1 v.1 – “God created … the earth” and after the flood God promised there “never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth”   [9 v.11]   

So we conclude that, as in the AV, ASV, trans. etc., this appeal from the divine word through Zephaniah is to the “humble of the earth” who are seeking and living their lives in a godly way and, as a result, “perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the LORD” because they “do his just commands” and “seek righteousness; seek humility.”

Our minds go to the words of Jesus about the last days, his warning that “false prophets will arise … to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be on guard” says Jesus,  “I have told you all things beforehand.” [Mark 13 v.22,23]  The best way to “be on guard” is to “Seek the LORD all you … who do his just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the LORD.”

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