Zephaniah

Zephaniah – the dark side of love

(a balance)

Zephaniah is the last of the prophets before the Captivity. He lived during the time of Jeremiah and probably Micah.

However, this book gives way to “the dark side of love.” Read JVM p. 860, 861 “the dark side of love.”

Were you afraid at the beginning of the story?

When did you realize what was happening was a good thing?

Have you ever felt this frightened about things happening beyond your control?

When it was all over and you knew you were safe and would be alright, did you see any good from the scary experience?

KEY VERSE:

2.3 “Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought His judgment; seek righteousness, see meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.”

C1 is all about judgment of Judah and Jerusalem, “I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord.” (1.2)

C2 is about judgment of the earth and of all nations.

C3 balances all the judgment of the earth and nations by noting the establishment of “the Kingdom.”
“For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one (unified) consent.” (3.9)

• God is love it's true but He is also holy and just with the likes of you.

Zephaniah – a balance...

Z is for the Zeal of what the prophet tells

E is for the Eternal weight of heaven or hell

P is for the Preacher who tells the truth

H is for the many sheep that stand aloof

A is for the Almighty who judges sin

N is for the New life of salvation within

I is for the Ignorant child who continously rebels

A is for forgiveness when Asked without telling tales

H is for the sweetness of Heaven which cannot be described

Zephaniah points us to the Lord Jesus and how He had to die.

• So much judgment in this little book; how can love be it's theme?
• “Whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth...” (Heb 12.6)
• (Jn 15.1-2) Jesus said, “...every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth (prunes) it, that I may bring forth more fruit.”
• Like the surgeon's knife, it is a healing act that cuts away the bad to make way for the good.

On Whiteboard

You balance the word with it's opposite or counterpart: 3 students, 3 columns....ready, set, go!!!!

up/down, in/out, left/right, black/white, good/bad, salt/pepper, open/closed, happy/sad, big/small, fast/slow, hot/cold, near/far, old/young, loud/quiet, straight/crooked, fat/thin, tall/short, light/dark, heaven/hell, righteousness/unrighteousness, good/bad

You get the idea. God gave us opposites/contrasts to teach us.

If not for the counterpart or opposite of something, how would you understand the meaning?

So it is with the “dark side of God's love.” But the only part of His character that people prefer to quote or think about is “God is love,” and He is. The problem is that is all that is quoted about Him. Either He is love or He is full of wrath. He is both but He is so much more...

Scripture tells us that to “spare the rod is to hate the child.” (Prov 13.24) In other words to let a child get away with mischief or unknowingly doing the wrong thing is indication of actually “hating” him/her. We are also instructed as adults/parents, that “the rod of correction will drive folly far from the heart of a child.” (Prov 22.15).

So, when your grown up says, as they punish you, “this is going to hurt me more than it does you,” believe them!!!

Think about the following to demonstrate the balanced love of God toward HIS children.

If He let's us walk on in error, even when you don't realize you are doing something wrong, He would not be just. For example; the mother who tells a child that if he/she does not turn off the TV/video game...at the appointed hour, even if it is Friday night and there is no school the next day, a child discovers, by faith, mom knew what she was talking about.