There are times when we know things are not going to get better.  Right?

I remember when we found out that my mother had Alzheimer’s.  Some of you have been there.  Alzheimer’s is a slow – heart painful – fade to death.  It’s not going to get better.

For some here you’ve gotten a diagnosis for yourself or someone you love.  Or you’re dealing with the emotional pain of betrayal by a spouse or there’s ongoing crud in your marriage or your family or maybe you’ve got unresolvable issues at work.

We live in country that’s polarizing and increasingly violent and anti-God and sliding deeper into ungodliness.  Spiritually things are getting more openly darker.

Sometimes we pray about things and they get better.  Sometimes we pray and things stay about the same.  And sometimes we pray and things get worse.

The big idea – the statement we need to grab onto if we’re going to grab onto Zephaniah – is this: “If you think things are bad now… just wait.”  

Let’s say this together: “If you think things are bad now… just wait.”

How many of you hear that as pessimism?  How many of you hear that as optimism? 

Whichever way you’re hearing that we’re feeling the struggle of God’s people that God is speaking into through Zephaniah.  How do I live forward with optimism – with hope – when I know – deep down – things are not going to get better.

Zephaniah begins with the The Life and Times of Zephaniah the Prophet.  Which is the back story on what God is saying to His people through Zephaniah. 

1:1: “The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.”

Zephaniah is the only prophet who gives us this kind of in-depth – generations long – genealogy.  Which is a lot packed into 1 verse. 

Hang onto the purpose:  The purpose is to focus us on what is an ongoing pattern of sin with God’s chosen people.

Hang onto something… 

King Ahaz – Hezekiah’s father – was pure evil and he led God’s people away from God.  Then, when Hezekiah becomes king, Hezekiah leads the people in spiritual reform back towards God.  Then, when Manasseh – Hezekiah’s son – becomes king, Manasseh leads the people away from God into pure evil.

Then Amon – Manasseh’s son – leads God’s people even further into evil until he gets assassinated and then Amon’s son – Josiah – takes over as king.  And Josiah leads God’s people in spiritual reform back towards God.

Zephaniah – who’s the son of Cushi – meaning he had a cushy childhood – even though he’s farther out on the family tree is still connected and uniquely positioned as God’s prophetic voice at the time when Josiah’s reforms were beginning to get traction.

We’re kind of together?  The pattern of sin that back story exposes – that God’s people would have been painfully aware of – is this: God’s people sin – often led there by some king like Manasseh or Amon.  And God calls His people back to Him – through a major or minor prophet – like Zephaniah – and maybe using some invading army or some natural disaster to get their attention.

Then God’s people repent and turn to God – maybe through the leadership of some Godly king – like Hezekiah or Josiah.  God blesses His people.  There are spiritual highs.

And then God’s people turn away from God back to sin.  Meaning that the current spiritual reform under Josiah will not last. 

Which happened.  After Josiah gets killed the next 4 kings of Judah are – again – pure evil.  And God’s people go back to sinning and rejecting God. 

God knows what’s coming – immediate history – and God knows what’s coming – even our future history – and God is using Zephaniah to speak to His people about how to live following Him through all that. 

There are two significant parts to Zephaniah’s message.  Part One focuses on God’s Judgment. 

Let’s say that together: “God’s Judgment”

Verses 2 and 3 are God giving the big picture of His coming Judgment: I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.  “I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the rubble with the wicked.  I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.

“from the face of the earth” may sound familiar.  Yes?

It’s the same word picture God used with Noah.  Same type of global event.  Those hearing Zephaniah would have picked up on that connection.  But here God is drawing on that image from Noah and talking about a coming judgement that’s even greater.

God Himself says, “I will utterly sweep away everything.”  Meaning “utterly” and “everything”. 

Wording here tells us that God Himself – God – Holy – Sovereign – God Himself has purposed to do this.  Meaning God’s judgment will come bringing everything that is to a complete – we’re done – nothing left – full stop.

In verse 4 God gets specific with His people: “I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal

Baal was the god of fertility and crops and pretty much everything else.  Worship of Baal probably messed up God’s people more than any other god.

Going on: and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests,

Religious leadership that was promoting worship of Yahweh along with other gods like there wasn’t any difference between them.

those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens,

Meaning people who were up on their roofs worshiping stars and other things in the sky. 

those who bow down and swear to the Lord and yet swear by Milcom, those who have turned back from following the Lord, who do not seek the Lord or inquire of him.”

Milcom is another spelling of Molech – a god that worshiping meant perversity and human and especially horrendous child sacrifice. 

God’s point is that all this horrendous ungodly worshiping – that He’s going to judge everyone for – was that same worship taking place in Judah at the same time of Josiah’s spiritual reforms.

Meaning that – in Judah there were some people who – heart level – were seeking God and desiring to serve and worship Him.  They were all in with Josiah’s spiritual reforms.

But – at the same time – probably the better part of the nation – was going through the motions of what Josiah was doing – bowing down and swearing to the Lord.  But at the heart level they were still turning their back on the Lord.

God gets it.  He knows the hearts of His people – their pattern of sin.  It’s why He’s telling them all this.  God knows that once again the spiritual reform will fail – and the reform after that will fail.    

With God’s people – even though for a time things may have surface level looked better – because we all struggle with sin – they will get worse.  And those – heart level – seeking after God need to know how to respond.  How do we live knowing what is and what’s coming?

Because, if we think things are bad now… just wait.

In verse 7 God pulls back the curtain even farther on what ‘s coming: Be silent before the Lord GOD!  For the – what? – Day of the LORD is near…

When Pastor Jared was leading us through Joel he taught about The Day of the Lord. 

To quote Pastor Jared: “The Day of the Lord isn’t just the future final finality of all things, although it is in part, it’s also there’s these other kind of lower case “d” days of the Lord that Joel is calling his people to remember.”

Joel and other prophets spoke about these lower case “d” days of the Lord that God’s people were familiar with because they knew their history.  They knew the ways God had spoken through His prophets – the natural disasters – God even using the Assyrians to haul off the northern kingdom of Israel into exile.  What God had done to call His people back to Him.  Lots of lower case “d” days of the Lord. 

So, God’s people understood day of the Lord – little “d”. 

God here is drawing on all that past history to help His people understand what He’s saying through Zephaniah about THE Day of the Lord that’s coming – capital “D” – full stop – end of history. 

Drop down to verse 14 – which is God opening up even more about the intensity and global magnitude of what’s coming.  Grab the emotion and imagery in this.

The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter; the mighty man – some manly man – cries aloud there.  A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements.

Verse 17: I will bring distress on mankind, – not just Judah – but all mankind.

Verse 18: In the fire of his jealousy, all the earth shall be consumed; – all the earth, not just part – consumed, not just flooded – for a full and sudden end – full stop – he – God – will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.

If you think things are bad now… 

Chapter 2, verse 1 brings us to God pausing in the midst of His reveal about our sin and His coming judgment.  God stops and speaks directly to His people about how to live and follow Him in the midst of what is and what’s coming.    

Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land – those of you who are trying to live heart level right with God – who do his just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden – sheltered – delivered by God – on the day of the anger of the Lord.

Let’s unpack that.  God’s instructions to His people: “gathering”. 

How many of you have ever gathered wood for a campfire?  Going around picking up sticks.  Bringing them and arranging them in a way we hope will actually burn as a campfire.  Eventually, maybe we get smores.

“To gather” translates a Hebrew verb that has the idea of gathering what’s scattered – like scattered sticks.  And assembling them with purpose.  Thinking while gathering.

Gather and focus on God and what God says is true.

There’s a lot in that that’s helpful for us.

Not every drought or earthquake or pandemic or war or downturn in our society is about God’s specific judgment and wrath.  Might be.  Might not.  We live in a fallen and broken by sin world.  There’s a pattern.

But every drought and earthquake and pandemic and war and downturn in our society – seeing what’s around us – what these days look like that’s only going to get worse – and knowing what God says is coming – should drive us back to heart level – all in – seeking God. 

God’s people need to seek God.  To heart level – not surface level – not just going through the motions of looking like we’re all in with Josiah – doing the Sabbath going to Temple thing – but heart level pursuing God with all we are. 

To seek righteousness – to heart level to obey God – to live in sync with God’s divine will and purposes for His people.  To seek Him in humility.  Meaning to heart level repent – to get off of trying to live life by our own whit, wisdom, and working and to surrender our lives to God.

Individually we need to gather – to get our own thoughts and lives focused on God.

But God is also talking to His people – plural.  That’s probably not happening for us as a nation – the USA.  But certainly, as the church – as Green Hills – as God’s people – in the midst of stuff coming at us – COVID being perhaps a little “d” practice run for what’s coming – we can’t scatter over secondary issues.

God has given us each other to help each other to gather – to stand together in faith – to support and encourage and help each other – to heart level turn to God – to seek God – to seek His righteousness – to humble ourselves together before Him in ways that demonstrate the Gospel in a fallen and broken by sin world that needs to see and know the reality of His gospel – His truth.

How do we live and follow God in the midst of what is what’s coming?  God says: “Gather” – focus on God and God’s truth.

Because if you think things are bad now… 

Going on – in 2:4 – God goes on speaking to His people – God opens up about nearby nations – using local nations that are examples of all the nations – and what God is going to do.

Verse 4: For Gaza shall be deserted, and Ashkelon shall become a desolation; Ashdod's people shall be driven out at noon, and Ekron shall be uprooted… I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left.

If Jerusalem is at the center of our compass – going WEST towards the Mediterranean Sea – is where these towns and peoples lived.  At the time populated and prosperous.  When God is done, no one lives there.

Going on – verse 8: “I have heard the taunts of Moab and the revilings of the Ammonites, how they have taunted my people and made boasts against their territory… “Moab shall become like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomorrah, a land possessed by nettles and salt pits, and a waste forever.” 

Moab and the Ammonites were EAST of Jerusalem.  Think present day Jordan.  When God is done – think Sodom and Gomorrah – salt pits and wasteland.

Going on – verse 12: You also, O Cushites, shall be slain by my sword.

Cush was to the SOUTH.  About what today is Ethiopia.  Point being south.  Slain with God’s sword.

Next… North.  Right?  Verse 13: And he will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria, and he will make Nineveh a desolation, a dry waste like the desert.

East is NORTH because to get to Nineveh from Jerusalem no one in their right mind would travel east across the desert.  The main route went north and then followed the rivers – the Fertile Crescent – east.

At the time of Zephaniah, Nineveh is the capital of the Assyrian Empire.  It’s the center of world power and the largest – perhaps wealthiest – city on the planet.  

God says He’s going to make Nineveh a desolation – a desert – a place inhabited by wild beasts.

Are we together on God’s four points of the compass example of the nations?  There is no nation anywhere on the planet – no matter how far or how populous or powerful or wealthy – that’s going to survive the Day of the Lord.

Jump down with me to 3:6 – God talking about the nations but still appealing to Judah – His people.

“I have cut off nations; their battlements are in ruins; I have laid waste their streets so that no one walks in them; their cities have been made desolate, without a man, without an inhabitant.

Verse 7:  I said, ‘Surely you – the nations and specifically God’s people – ‘Surely you – after all that I am telling you – after all that you’ve seen me do – surely you will fear me; you will accept correction.  Then your dwelling would not be cut off according to all that I have appointed against you.’  But all the more they were eager to make all their deeds corrupt.

We need to hear the heart of God crying out to His people.

The pattern of human history – even those claiming to be God’s people – Judah – again they’re trending towards ourselves – to sin – away from God.

We can feel the heart of God breaking knowing what’s to come and – with everything He’s already done – appealing to His people to heart level turn back to Him – and still the rejection of even God’s people.  Choosing even more eagerly to pursue sin – to reject the God who loves them.

Here again God is pausing – stopping in the midst of the reveal and the emotion of His coming judgment – to instruct His people – those who desire to live and follow Him in the midst of what is and what’s coming.

“Wait for me.”

What does it mean to wait for God?  Glad you asked.

How many of you have watched a movie or some program that deals with time travel?

There’s always that question… right?  If I could go back in time and accidently sneeze near my great-great-great grandfather then I’d never be born and the Angels win more World Series than the Dodgers.

Or there are all these parallel universes with unlimited possibilities of how all this is going to play out and we’re able to make wise choices that affect all that for the good.

Which is not true.  All that plays into our ego-fest of thinking that somehow, we know what should happen and we should have some control over all that. 

What is true is that God before God created creation – God may have thought through all those possibilities of how His creation might work out – because He would have known them.  But God who is Holy, loving, gracious, merciful, and righteous and just and sovereign has ordained and is working His Plan A.  And there’s no Plan B. 

What does it mean to wait for God?  First: Waiting for God means waiting for God – emphasis God.

When God says, “My decision is” – God will do what He says He has decided to do.  Not before.  Not after.  But at the exact and perfect time – which is not about when we think is the right time – but when God has decided to do what He has decided to do.

Future history is certain.  The Day of the Lord – total stop – is coming.  Unrighteousness will be judged and dealt with.  The sovereign God’s timing.  God’s plan.  Not ours.

Second: Waiting for God means waiting for God – emphasis waiting.

Not too many years ago we used to order things out of a catalogue.  Anybody remember that?  Checks and envelopes and stamps.  Now we tap an app and a hot meal delivered to our door in less than an hour. 

We want what we want when we want what we want.  Why should I have to wait?

Hear this: Not waiting – our impatience – is about us and what we desire.  Waiting for God is about God and what He desires.

Let’s unpack that.

Psalm 27:14 - David tells us to: Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

The Hebrew word used here for “wait” means to wait in eager expectation with our whole being.  Eager expectation tempered with the understanding that God - in His time - in His way – for His purposes – Plan A – will move.

“Be strong” translates a Hebrew word that has the idea of a conscious – dogged decision to stand firm – to dig our heals in.  No circumstances – no interval of waiting time is going to move us from our faith in God and His promises and His timing.

The Hebrew word for “courage” has the idea of strengthening ourselves.  Meaning that waiting for God is never passive.  Like we’re supposed to just wait around watching TikToks until God Tweets us instructions.  God gives us abilities and talents that we’re to use and develop – living in God given opportunities today – present tense.

Point being that waiting for God is how we’re living today – persevering and preparing - using the time and developing abilities that He’s given us now – for His purposes – what He desires for us – knowing that when He moves to the next step – and He will – we’ll be where He wants us, doing what He’s called us, to do now, and ready for what comes next – even if things do get worse – even if next is the full stop end of history.

God speaks to His people – and to us – in the midst of God’s reveal about His coming judgment and how things are going to get a whole lot worse.  How are we suppose to live?

God says – number 1: Gather – Focus on Me – focus on God and God’s truth.

Number 2: Wait – Be expectantly persevering and preparing today – being ready for God in His sovereignty to act – because He will. 

Which brings us to the second part of God speaking through Zephaniah which begins in verse 9. That is God’s Promise.

Let’s say that together: “God’s Promise.”

Which is about where God’s going with His Plan A – which isn’t about judgment and wrath – but which is all about relationship.  God being intimately connected and personally present with His people – now and forever.

Verse 9 is God’s big picture description of where He’s going.

For at that time – Day of the Lord – I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord. 

God is going to bring together peoples – plural – from all nations – including places like here – the greater La Habra metroplex – to worship and serve Him in heart level purity – no sin.

God will deal with our sin that destroys our relationship with Him.

Verse 14: Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel!  Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 

Verse 15: Why? The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil.

The King of kings and Lord of lords is with His people.  Fear replaced by joy – rejoicing – hearts lifted up. 

Verse 16:  On that day – the Day of the Lord – it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak.  The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. 

Fear overcomes us when we stress over what may in the future happen – what may happen to us – what’s going on around us – in our families and work where we live – how we’re supposed to respond to all that – and yet we know – down deep – that we have no control over any of it.

Fear messes with us – especially at 3:00 in the morning when we’re wrestling with stuff.  Fear compels us to eat more… or less.  Or drink more.  Or tap on porn.  Or we internalize stress physically.  We get more irritable.  Fear is what tears at us while we’re trying to solve the unsolvable.  

Fear messes with our faith and our relationship with God.

Grab this:  Faith is always the answer to fear.

Fear not.  Why?  Because the Almighty One – your Savior – the King of kings and Lord of lords – your God – is in your midst.  Has been, is, and will be.  Believe it.  Have faith in God.  Fear not.

Verse 19:  Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors.  And I will save the lame and gather the outcast;

Anyone ever feel oppressed or lame or outcast?

Verse 20: At that time I will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says the Lord.

In processing all that for when we head out of here into what we’ve got waiting for us out there… 

Jesus is the greatest reason not to fear.  If you think things are bad now… just wait.  Because of Jesus that’s optimism.  We can live with hope.

At Jesus’ first coming He dealt with our sin on the cross – opening up to us the way into a made right relationship with God.  What we celebrate with communion.

And because we know that Jesus is coming back – the future history certain realization of the Day of the Lord – we can live fearlessly courageous by faith trusting in God.

So, when we struggle with fear – being overwhelmed by what is and what may come – and we’re losing focus – we need to gather – individually – and together – because we need each other – to help each other to stay focused on God and what God says is true and to seek God and to live out the Gospel.

And to encourage each other to wait with expectation for God – doggedly persevering and preparing today for what He has for us now and next.  Knowing that He is sovereign over all of it.

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Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®  (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.