a neglected corner of my Bible

The LORD will be awesome against them;

for he will famish all the gods of the earth,

and to him shall bow down,

each in its place,

all the lands of the nations.

Zephaniah 2:11

Here is truth from a page in my Bible that I admit is neglected: I haven’t opened this part of my Bible very much, if ever. In fact, when I saw my Bible reading plan pointed me to the prophet Zephaniah, I realized that I could not recall either the theme of the book or even one memorable phrase from it. This is biblical “terra incógnita” for me. And that is definitely to my shame.

This is a short, three chapter, quick message delivered to Judah. You can read the whole book in just a few minutes. It sort of has three movements to it, easily followed in the three chapters. Chapter one warns of impending judgment coming to Judah, focusing on God’s anger at the idolatry of the people and the wickedness of Judah’s leaders. This then broadens to include a future warning of “The Day of the Lord” in which all the people of the earth are subject to God’s judgment. It is a stylistic feature of this little book to go from a narrow view of Judah to zoom out to the world, and then zoom back in to Judah.

Chapter two then moves to announcing God’s judgment on all the historic enemies of Israel and Judah. It is an inclusive list. It makes clear that God will, in keeping with the Abrahamic Covenant, curse those who curse the Jews. It hints at a restored people once again under God’s protection and receiving all of the land they were promised by God as He eliminates their foes.

Chapter 3 continues the pattern, focusing first on God’s judgment coming to the city of Jerusalem, then broadening to include the judgment that will happen in all the earth. Then it moves to restoration. Powerfully and unexpectedly this theme starts with a change that God will bring to all the peoples of the earth in which Gentiles will at the future restoration worship God. We expect them to be wiped out. Instead they are brought in. That’s what Jesus has done, by the way!

Then we see God’s tender heart for Israel, where He promises a full restoration of relationship with them. He will make of a lame and broken nation a people who are “renowned” and “praised” in all the earth because of Him. It all centers on God as Judge, Savior, and Restorer. And in that sense there is a lot of gospel beauty in this forgotten corner of my Bible!