War with God or Worship God part 3
Zephaniah 3:1-8
The attributes that Zephaniah uses to describe the people of Jerusalem reveal the standard that the people adhere to. The characteristic of rebellion is not that one will not follow any instructions, but particularly, they would not follow the instructions of the Lord.1 The challenge for believers today is to refuse to be conformed to this world while being transformed through the renewing of our mind (Rom. 12:2). This attribute of rebellion is mitigated by listening to God. When we listen to God, we can experience the glory of living a life that is glorifying to Him.
Jesus invites “all who labor and are heavy laden” to come to Him. It’s not that people merely come to Him by hearing about Him, but we must listen and trust the teaching that comes from Him. There are instructions for us to follow with His yoke and burden, but He also said they would be easy and light (Matt. 11:29). Zephaniah’s warning to Jerusalem includes their lack of trust in the Lord keeps them from coming near to the Lord. The most practical way to come near to the Lord is for there to be perpetual practice of private prayer and worship of the Lord.2
Take a step right now to seek the Lord with your heart to listen and trust His ways.
1 Gordon Bridger. 2010. The Message of Obadiah, Nahum, and Zephaniah: The Kindness and Severity of God. Edited by Alec Motyer and Derek Tidball. The Bible Speaks Today. (Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press), 260.
2 Bridger, The Message of Obadiah, Nahum and Zephaniah, 264.
The attributes that Zephaniah uses to describe the people of Jerusalem reveal the standard that the people adhere to. The characteristic of rebellion is not that one will not follow any instructions, but particularly, they would not follow the instructions of the Lord.1 The challenge for believers today is to refuse to be conformed to this world while being transformed through the renewing of our mind (Rom. 12:2). This attribute of rebellion is mitigated by listening to God. When we listen to God, we can experience the glory of living a life that is glorifying to Him.
Jesus invites “all who labor and are heavy laden” to come to Him. It’s not that people merely come to Him by hearing about Him, but we must listen and trust the teaching that comes from Him. There are instructions for us to follow with His yoke and burden, but He also said they would be easy and light (Matt. 11:29). Zephaniah’s warning to Jerusalem includes their lack of trust in the Lord keeps them from coming near to the Lord. The most practical way to come near to the Lord is for there to be perpetual practice of private prayer and worship of the Lord.2
Take a step right now to seek the Lord with your heart to listen and trust His ways.
1 Gordon Bridger. 2010. The Message of Obadiah, Nahum, and Zephaniah: The Kindness and Severity of God. Edited by Alec Motyer and Derek Tidball. The Bible Speaks Today. (Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press), 260.
2 Bridger, The Message of Obadiah, Nahum and Zephaniah, 264.
Recent
Archive
2025
April
July
Categories
no categories
No Comments