Today’s passage: Zephaniah 1
Helpful thoughts:
- Zephaniah’s prophecy concerning the “Day of the Lord” took place during the reign of Josiah in Jerusalem.
- It looks like Zephaniah was also part of the royal family, having descended from Hezekiah.
- Baal was the Canaanite storm god. Milcom was the god of the Ammonites. The “hosts of the heavens” refers to the worship of the stars. The people of Judah had rejected God and were worshiping the gods of their surrounding pagan neighbors.
- God will judge the entire world when it is the right time. The right time is determined by Him and not by His creation (Verse 12).
Questions to consider:
- Why do you think people can become complacent? How do we often view time and the latest news or personal crises? How does God view these things? Why might we question His ability to act in the right time?
- What is the stark warning of verse 18? What are the true riches of life?
- What is the right response to God’s warning of coming judgment? What must we do to be saved (Acts 16:25-34)?