Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to the book of Zephaniah. If you're going backwards, it's
about four back from Malachi. Let's ask our Lord for blessing. Our Father, how we thank you
this evening for this blessed time to be able to come together. And Lord, to look into your word.
Would you bless the word to our hearts? Teach us by your Holy
Spirit. For Christ's sake. Amen. The book of Zephaniah. like every
book penned by these prophets that God raised up, is a book
of God's absolute justice. Judgment upon the wicked and
His declaration of mercy to a people that He's everlastingly loved
having chosen to show mercy according to his perfect will in the glorious
person of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Zephaniah chapter 1, the prophet
is instructed by God to declare the Lord's absolute destruction
upon this earth Because of man's rebellion. Zephaniah 1, verses
2-6, I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith
the Lord. I will consume man and beast. I will consume the fowls of the
heaven and the fishes of the sea. and the stumbling blocks
with the wicked, that is, the idols of men's hearts, I will
cut off man from off the land, saith the Lord. I will also stretch
out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem
I will cut off the remnant of Balaam from this place, and the
name of the chimerims with the priest, and them that worship
the host of heaven upon the housetops, and them that worship and that
swear by the Lord and that swear by Malchim, and them that are
turned back from the Lord and those that have not sought the
Lord nor inquired of Him." Our Lord said, I'm going to destroy
Everything that is not absolutely holy. Perfect. The remnant of Baal, chapter
4. All images, everything that sets
forth everything. Anything that is not God honoring. Chimerims. I found out it was
the idolatrous priest that mingled with the true, the tares. Tares. Every place that you find believers,
you find tares. And even in the priest, these
chimerims, idolatrous priest. The Lord has promised that He
is going to destroy those that worship The creature rather than
the Creator. Verse 5, them that worship the
host of heaven upon the housetops. Them that worship and swear by
the Lord and swear by Malchim. What is that? Those that are
double-minded, two-minded, two-faced. Those that don't have a heart
truly for God. They swear by the Lord. But they
swear by the Assyrian gods too. And the Lord's destruction is
going to be upon the stony ground, thorny ground here, that appear
for a while to hold a good profession, but time exposes. their profession
to actually be false. Verse 6, we just read, "...and
them that are turned back from the Lord, those who have not
sought after the Lord, nor inquired of Him." Those wayside hearers. Those that live as though there
is no God in this world. Those that concern their time
with that which easily forsakes Almighty God. Judgment. Judgment. Judgment. Men that halt between
two opinions. How long halt ye between two
opinions? I looked up that word, halt.
I've read that scripture so many times. They that halt between. Hesitate. That's what it means.
They hesitate. I don't know. I don't know. Paul says, I know whom I have
believed. God's people don't hesitate concerning
their love for the Lord Jesus Christ. They know and see in
themselves. I know they see that there's
no good thing. But they know who they believe. They know in
whom they believe. That divided heart that God Almighty
is going to destroy is nothing more than a deceived heart. That
heart that is not fixed, that one that claims to believe grace,
but only as it interprets grace to be something that God is offering
it, that's what man by nature thinks of grace. They think God
graciously offers, but man has got to accept it. These double-minded,
false professors. Unsure. uncertain, not fixed
upon Christ. They'll say outwardly, I want
eternal security from destruction, but will not let go of this world
and its false religion. It's here today and gone tomorrow,
divided in his interest. Uncommitted. Uncommitted. That's
what it says. Well, then in chapter 2 and 3,
the Lord manifests His judgment first against those that were
Gentiles and opposed Israel. Now remember, when we talk about
Israel, natural Israel truly set forth in this Bible, but
always a picture of God's elect. A picture of God's people. Not
all of Israel is Israel. You know, Paul said that. But
in 2 and 3, the Lord manifests His judgment against the Gentiles
that opposed His people, natural Israel. Look at chapter 2, verse
5. Woe unto the inhabitants of the
seacoast, the nation of the Charithites. I hear again. I had to look this
up to find out. able-bodied, fierce warriors
that were probably royal guards, but they were strong. They were
strong people, humanly speaking. Strong in self, strong in their
pride. I'm going to woe unto the inhabitants
of the seacoast, the nations of the Cherithites. The Word
of the Lord is against you, O Canaan. Land of the Philistines, I'll
even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitants." So
God's people that are opposed by this world, but then not only
the world itself, but there's another thing, the judgment against
the false religious. And I think that this probably
is dealing technically with the time of our Lord's appearance. upon this earth. When He was
made flesh and walked upon this earth. Here's the judgment of
God against those that openly opposed Christ and His people. Chapter 3, verses 1 and 2. Woe to her that is filthy and
polluted to the oppressing city. She obeyed not the voice. She
received not correction. She trusted not in the Lord.
She drew not near to her God. The scribes, the Pharisees, the
Jews, those that claim to know God, those that claim to be God's
people, heirs of God, they obeyed not the voice of God, the voice
Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord said, My sheep hear
My voice. I know them. They follow Me. These didn't obey the voice.
They believed not God's prophets that spoke of Christ. They trusted
in their own righteousness. She trusted not in the Lord.
She trusted in herself that she was righteous and drew not unto
her God, drew not near unto the Messiah. But even in the midst
of the oppression, during this time of this prophet, from pagan
nations, or even from the unbelieving Jews, God has a people. This message to natural Israel
is just as relevant right now as it was then. The message never
changes. The environment never changes.
God's people are always oppressed. The Lord has a people. Look at
Zephaniah 1, verse 7. Here's the word of the Lord to
His people. Zephaniah 1, 7. Hold thy peace. Now, we just read verses 2 to
6. And God Almighty has said, I'm going to consume. I'm going
to destroy. I'm going to cut off. I'm going
to judge. Verse 7, though, says, Hold thy
peace at the presence of the Lord God. For the day of the
Lord is at hand. For the Lord hath prepared sacrifice. He hath bid His guest. Hold thy
peace at the presence of the Lord. Wait upon the Lord. Wait on the Lord. Boy, I tell
you, When we are in the midst of trials, tribulations, chastisements,
how waiting wears upon our flesh. Wait, hold thy peace. The Lord has prepared a sacrifice. That's still in verse 7. He's
prepared, eternally prepared, everlastingly prepared. His precious
Son, the Lamb, make atonement. for the sins of His people. Hold
your peace. The Lord has prepared. The Lord
has set forth His sacrifice. He has bid, that is sanctified. He set apart His guest in electing
grace. All that He's prepared, set forth
to save. He's going to save in the midst
of what's going on. This world is a mess. This world
is a mess. Everything you look at, you think,
it's just falling apart. Wars, and rumors of wars, and
tribulations, and fighting. Hold your peace. Stand fast at
the presence of the Lord. The day of the Lord is at hand.
The Lord has prepared a sacrifice He's set apart His guest, set
apart for His honor and the good of His people. The strength of
God's salvation is His sacrifice. He, the Lord Jesus Christ, has
finished the work of redemption. And in the day of God's mercy
toward His elect, In the day of God's judgment, in the day
of judgment, the great white throne judgment, in that day,
God Almighty is also going to execute judgment upon all that
refused His sacrifice. He that believeth not that Jesus
is the Christ. People say, oh, I believe that
He's the Christ. All that believe not that the
Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished the atoning grace and mercy and
salvation of the people that God gave Him from before the
foundation of the world. They that believe not that the
Lord Jesus Christ came into this world to save His people, die
for His people, will have them. They that believe not. Know Him
not. In that day, in the day of God's
mercy, Almighty God is going to separate sheep from the goats.
Sheep on one hand, goats on the other. He'll say to the sheep,
well done, enter in. To the goats, He'll say, depart
from Me. I never knew you. Look at verse
8. Zephaniah 1. The Lord had just told him in
verse 7, Hold your peace at the presence of the Lord God, for
the day of the Lord is at hand, for the Lord has prepared a sacrifice.
He had bid his gates. Verse 8 says, It shall come to
pass in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, I will punish the
princes and the king's children and all such as are clothed with
strange apparel. In the day of the Lord's sacrifice,
in the day of the Lord's judgment, in the day of the Lord's justice,
I will punish all that are clothed with adulterous, is what that
word means. Strange clothing. Hold your place
right there at Zephaniah. Turn with me over to Matthew
22. Matthew 22. Here is a parable about a wedding
that a king gave to his son. Matthew 22, verse 2. Now, we just read in Zephaniah,
the Lord says in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, all that are
clothed in that adulterous clothing, Matthew 22, 2, the kingdom of
heaven is likened to a certain king which made a marriage for
his son. Let's skip down to verse 11 for
the sake of time. And when the king came in to
see the guest, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment. And he saith unto him, Friend,
how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And
he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants,
bind him hand and foot, take him away, cast him into outer
darkness, there should be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many
are called, but few are chosen." In the day of the Lord's sacrifice,
in the day of the Lord's judgment concerning what he accomplished,
with His sacrifice. When all things are laid to the
plummet, when the line of God's absolute justice and judgment
is laid as a plummet that hangs perfectly vertical, Almighty
God is going to judge all men in light of Christ. and all that
wear the adulterous garment." Now, this man back in Matthew
22, it wasn't that he didn't have on a garment at all. He
had no wedding garment on. He had no imputed righteousness
from Christ. What he had on was nothing more
than filthy garments. Garments of his self-righteous
works that he thought would answer for him. That he thought that
Almighty God would accept the best that he could do. Strange
garments. Almighty God shall surely judge. But oh, again, in the midst of
God's sovereign right to judge the ungodly, And God Almighty
is just and He shall deal with sin. Always deal with sin. Hear the Word of the Lord toward
Israel. A picture of His elect in the
midst of calamity back in Zephaniah chapter 2 verses 1 to 3. Gather yourselves together. Yea,
gather together, O nation not desired, Before the decree, bring
forth. Before the day passes the chaff.
Before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you. Before the
day of the Lord's anger come upon you. Seek ye the Lord, all
ye meek of the earth which have wrought His judgment. Seek righteousness. Seek meekness. It may be you
should be hid in the day of God's anger. Gather yourselves. Assemble
yourselves. O nation not desired, or in your
margin you may have it, not desirous. Not desirous in so many ways. Not desirous in ourself. O wretched man that I am! How
is it that God Almighty would look upon me, one such as I am,
not desirous to this world? Hated by the world. You who are
only desirous to Almighty God in the Lord Jesus Christ, gather
yourselves together. Assemble yourselves together,
O you that are not desired. Before the decree, bring forth. Before the day pass, as the chaff,
before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the
day of the Lord's anger come upon you, knowing Almighty God
has just said in verses 2-6 in Zephaniah chapter 1, that Almighty
God is going to send judgment into this world. I know He is. He said He would. I'm going to
destroy everything that is not found in my Son. And I know, as a human being,
I know that as a man born of a woman, born in Adam, I'm a
man standing in this world. I know I am. And I know that
God is going to send judgment upon this world, but by the grace
of God, I know He's not going to judge His own. We're in this
world. Assemble yourselves before God's
sin's judgment in this world. Verse 3, seek ye the Lord. Seek
the Lord. All ye meek of this earth, you
that are made so made, brought down, meek, humbled, obedient,
submissive unto the Lord. You that are adorned with the
garments of salvation, with the wedding garments, not a strange
garment, seek the Lord, which have wrought His judgment. That is to say, which have obeyed
His commandment. I looked that phrase up. All
ye meek of the earth which have wrought His judgment, obeyed
His commandment. What is that? To believe on His
Son. This is My beloved Son, whom
I am well pleased. You hear Him. Seek righteousness. Seek meekness. Let me just sum
up that statement right here. Seek Christ. Seek the Lord. Seek He who is the righteousness
of Almighty God, the Meek One. The meek and lowly. The obedient
servant. Seek Him. It may be you shall
be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. Not that it's a possibility
that you won't be. But here's what it is. You may
depend upon God's Word that you shall be hid in the cleft of
the rock in the day of God's anger. Look at Romans 5.9. Romans 5-9, there's never a doubt
of God's mercy. He said, I give unto them eternal
life. They'll never perish. Romans 5-9, much more than being now justified
by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Here's the peace and comfort
that we have. Almighty God's salvation is sure
for His people. Sure in Christ. Never fail. He shall not fail. Here, you that believe the Lord
Jesus Christ, the Word of the Lord to His people. You that are just as deserving
of condemnation as any other reprobate. is to receive the
judgment of God. Hear the word of God's sovereign
grace. Zephaniah 3 verse 5. Here's our hope. Here's our peace. The just Lord. Oh, I think about when I see
that. The just Lord. If I find myself out of hell,
I know this. It's by the grace of God that
has put away my guilt in the blessed Son. I know that He who
was made sin paid my debt. He who cried, My God, my God,
why hast Thou forsaken me? Sin was found on Him, in Him,
made sin. The just God is in the midst
thereof." Here's our hope. The Lord is in the midst of His
people. The Lord is in His church to
comfort, to support, to supply her every need, to strengthen,
and to protect, defend us, never leaving, never forsaking. He
will not do iniquity. Proverbs 12.21, there shall no
evil happen to the just. None. I tell you, anything that comes
our way, we call evil. Romans 8.28 is still Romans 8.28. All things work together for
good. I was talking to Brother Todd
Niber today, and we were talking about things that had happened
there at the church where he is. And he told me, he said,
you know Marvin, no matter what it appears like
to me, he said, I know this, I needed it, obviously. I told
him, I said, Todd, I needed to hear that. No matter what comes
our way, whether it appears as though that it's our first desire,
or whether it was not our first desire. I know this, all things
work together for good. To them that love God, He will
do no iniquity. Every morning does He bring His
judgment to the light. He faileth not, but the unjust
knoweth no shame. Look at verses 8 and 9. Therefore,
wait ye upon me, saith the Lord. What a word of comfort. To know
that Almighty God, in the midst of His people, two or three are
gathered together in His name. I think about the Scripture.
He inhabiteth the praise of His people. Enter into your closet
and pray to your Father in secret. And He that you pray to in secret
hears and shall reward you openly. Someone will say, well, that's
obvious. It's still a miracle of God's
grace that God would give a man a heart to believe that. To believe
that God hears, that He's in the midst right now, here. Therefore, verse 8, wait ye upon
me, saith the Lord. Until the day that I rise up
to the prey, for my determination is to gather the nations that
I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them my indignation,
even all my fierce anger, for all the earth shall be devoured
with the fire of my jealousy, But for then will I turn to the
people a pure language, a chosen is what that word means, a clarified
language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to
serve Him with one consent. Look at verses 11 through 16. Shalt thou not be ashamed for
all thy doings wherein thou hast transgressed against me? Blessed
be the Lord for that. But then will I take away out
of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou
shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain." Because
of Christ. I will also leave in the midst
of thee an afflicted and poor people. They shall trust in the
name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel shall do
no iniquity." Robed in the righteousness of Christ? No. Nor speak lies. They believe God. They trust
God. Neither shall be deceitful tongue found in their mouth,
for they shall feed and lie down in none. shall make them afraid. Sing, O daughter of Zion. Shout,
O Israel. Be glad and rejoice with all
the heart. O daughter of Jerusalem, the
Lord hath taken away thy judgments. He has cast out thine enemy.
The King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee. Thou shalt not see evil anymore."
In that day, It shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not,
and to Zion, Let not thy hands be slack, or faint, fall down. The Lord thy God in the midst
of thee is mighty. He will save. He will rejoice
over thee with joy. He will rest in His love. He will joy over thee with singing,
the Lord thy God in covenant mercy. In the midst of thee,
Emmanuel, God with us. He is mighty, the omnipotent,
mighty God who is sovereign in creation, providence, and salvation. He will save. Not only is He
able to save, not waiting to save, He shall save. He shall save His people. All
that He's purposed to do, He shall do. Let me just read this
for you. Micah 7.18 to 20. We looked at
this a few weeks ago. Who is a God, likened to Thee,
that pardoneth iniquity? Passeth by. The transgression
of the remnant of his heritage. Why? Because he charged it to
his son. He retaineth not his anger forever,
because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again. He will have
compassion upon us. He will subdue our iniquities
and vow, will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt perform the truth to
Jacob, the mercy to Abraham, which Thou hast sworn unto our
fathers from the days of old." Let me tell you the hope that
we have. While we struggle, struggle with
sin within. And we believe. Lord, help our
unbelief. We know this word is so. But
let me tell you the foundation of God's people's security. Not how much they're able to
believe. Because they do struggle with
unbelief. You that know Him know exactly
what I'm talking about. If you had to stand before God
and your salvation would be based upon the strength of your faith,
Lord have mercy. But here's our hope. Almighty
God will not let His people perish. They're kept by the power of
God. They're kept according to the
Word of God. They're secure in Christ. He will rest, the Scripture says
at verse 17 back in Zephaniah 3. He will rest in His love. That word there in the margin
is, be silent, but let me tell you so we can understand what
he's talking about. He will not rebuke because of
his love for his people. He will rest. God Almighty loves
to love His people. Perfect love. Pleased. to have chosen us His people
in Christ. It pleased the Lord to bruise
Him in the redemption of His people. It pleased the Lord to
regenerate and call us by grace, making us willing in the day
of His power to bow, to come, to love Him. Solomon said in
Psalm 49, Thou hast ravished my heart. You have stolen my
heart. Amazes me every time I read that. Almighty God shall show mercy. And then, latter part of that
verse, He will joy over thee with singing. Rejoices over us
with joy. And the whispers of His love
to our soul. The scripture sets forth at the
singing of the Lord. Verse 19, Behold, at that time
I will undo all that afflict thee. I will save her that halteth. You know what that's talking
about. Those that halt. As Jacob did when the Lord wrestled
with him. Touched the hollow of his thigh.
Dried up the sinew. And he halted all of his life.
as a reminder of his need of Christ. Without Him, I can do
nothing. She'll gather her that was driven
out. Driven out because of sin. Driven out because of Adam's
rebellion and all like him, born in him, that God shone mercy
to. He'll gather her that was driven out. I'll give them praise
and fame in every land where they've been put to shame. And
at that time, will I bring you again, even in the time that
I gather you, I'll make you a name and a praise among all people
of the earth when I turn back your captivity before your eyes,
saith the Lord." Salvations of God. Salvations of the Lord. And how thankful We are for that. That Almighty God does not leave
salvation to His people. He puts no trust in His angels. The stars are not pure in His
sight. How much less man that drinketh
iniquity like water. Almighty God saves His people
sovereignly, on purpose, and keeps them And they shall be
to the praise of His glory and grace and honor. For Christ's
sake. Amen.