The Day of the Lord, the day when the Lord would come to His land, to His people, was expected in Israel as a day of triumph over the nations, the day when Israel would reign over all peoples. But the prophets bring a completely different vision of this day...
The Day of the Lord, the day when the Lord would come to His land, to His people, was expected in Israel as a day of triumph over the nations, the day when Israel would reign over all peoples. But the prophets bring a completely different vision of this day: the people of God have sunk into sins; God's holiness and human sin are incompatible; therefore the Day of the Lord is darkness, not light, not a triumph but the Day of wrath, Dies irae. It is worth remembering the famous Requiems of Mozart and Verdi. And no human attempts to fulfill the law will save anyone on that day.
Is there any possibility of salvation? There is, the prophet Zephaniah answers. Seek the Lord, not His law, but Him Himself. Seek righteousness: not the righteousness of human deeds, but the righteousness of God, proceeding from Him Himself. Seek humble wisdom, and this is a remarkable word, paradoxically joining humility and wisdom in itself. It can be understood as "humble wisdom," that is, wisdom that is not proud, not puffed up, but aware of its limits and open to the voice of God's Wisdom. And it can be understood as "wise humility," that is, not humility at any cost, not "abasement worse than pride," but an openness to His world guided by God, growth in relationships of love for God and people.
Where is this day, in the past or in the future? Neither there nor there; it is in the present. For the Lord has come into this world and remains in it until His final victory, and we live in this day, and Zephaniah's words are addressed directly to us.
2 An exhortation to repentance, Zep 2:1-3.
A denunciation of the judgments of God against the Philistines, Zep 2:4-7.
The Moabites and Ammonites, Zep 2:8-11.
The Arabians and Assyrians, Zep 2:12-15.
2:1 Gather yourselves - Call a solemn assembly, proclaim a fast.Not desired - Or, not desirous. Unwilling to return, and unworthy to be received on your return.
2:2 The decree - Before God's decree is put in execution.The day - Before the day of your calamities.As the chaff - Carry you away as the wind carries chaff away.
2:3 Seek - Fear, worship, depend on him alone.Ye meek - Ye humble ones. Wrought his judgment - Obeyed his precepts.Seek righteousness - Continue therein. Seek meekness - Patiently wait on the just and merciful God. Hid - Under the wing of Divine Providence.
2:4 For - It is time to seek God; for your neighbours, as well as you, shall be destroyed. Gaza - A chief city of the Philistines.They - The Babylonians. Shall drive - Into captivity.At the noon day - It shall be taken by force at noon.
2:5 The inhabitants - All the Philistines. Cherethites - Or destroyers, men that were stout, fierce, and terrible to their neighbours. O Canaan - That part that the Philistines kept by force from the Jews.
2:6 For shepherds - Instead of cities full of rich citizens, there shall be only cottages for shepherds.
2:7 The coast - The sea - coast, the land of the Philistines.The remnant - That survive the captivity. Shall feed - Their flocks.In the houses - In places where these formerly stood.They - Both shepherds and flocks. Shall visit - In mercy.
2:8 I - God. Magnified themselves - Invading their frontiers.
2:9 Of nettles - Not cultivated, but over - run with nettles.Salt - pits - A dry, barren earth, fit only to dig salt out of.The residue - That return out of Babylon. Possess them - Settle upon those parts of their lands, that are fit for habitation.
2:11 Famish - Take away all their sacrifices and drink - offerings.The gods - Idols of those lands.From his place - Not only at Jerusalem, but every where.
2:12 By my sword - The Chaldeans are called God's sword; because God employed them.
2:13 He - God. The north - Assyria, which lay northward of Judea, and due north from Babylon.
2:14 All the beasts - All sorts of beasts which are found in those countries. The bittern - A bird that delights in desolate places.
2:15 This - So the prophet triumphs over her.There is none - None like me, or that can contend with me.