This week we are celebrating Independence Day. We have all kinds of special days that we celebrate like Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Birth Days, Labor Day, even Earth Day. But there is one day that we rarely give much thought to and it’s probably the most important day of all, the “Day of the Lord.”
Zephaniah talks about the “Day of the Lord” more than almost any other writer in the Bible. In fact, he references the “Day of the Lord” a total of 13 times in 3 short chapters.
The first thing we learn about the day of the Lord from Zephaniah is that it’s a Day of Cleaning House. “I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord. “I will sweep away both man and beast; I will sweep away the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea— and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble… Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the day of the Lord is near” (Zephaniah 1:2-3 & 7).
It’s important to note that Zephaniah ties this “sweeping away” all the way back to creation. You’ll remember that in Genesis 1 that God created fish on day 4, birds on day 5, and animals & man on day 6. This cleansing happens in the reverse order of creation. This is significant because it speaks to the finality of the “Day of the Lord.” The Day of the Lord is a final day of judgment.
Peter picks up on this idea in his second letter. He says, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?” (2 Peter 3:10-11).
That’s a great question for us to ponder – If the Day of the Lord were to come today, would you be ready? Is there any hidden or unconfessed sin in your life that needs to be cleansed before Jesus comes back to do His final cleaning?
As you anticipate the Day of the Lord is there anything you need to change today?
Zephaniah talks about the “Day of the Lord” more than almost any other writer in the Bible. In fact, he references the “Day of the Lord” a total of 13 times in 3 short chapters.
The first thing we learn about the day of the Lord from Zephaniah is that it’s a Day of Cleaning House. “I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord. “I will sweep away both man and beast; I will sweep away the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea— and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble… Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the day of the Lord is near” (Zephaniah 1:2-3 & 7).
It’s important to note that Zephaniah ties this “sweeping away” all the way back to creation. You’ll remember that in Genesis 1 that God created fish on day 4, birds on day 5, and animals & man on day 6. This cleansing happens in the reverse order of creation. This is significant because it speaks to the finality of the “Day of the Lord.” The Day of the Lord is a final day of judgment.
Peter picks up on this idea in his second letter. He says, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?” (2 Peter 3:10-11).
That’s a great question for us to ponder – If the Day of the Lord were to come today, would you be ready? Is there any hidden or unconfessed sin in your life that needs to be cleansed before Jesus comes back to do His final cleaning?
As you anticipate the Day of the Lord is there anything you need to change today?
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