July 3, 2021 – Zephaniah 1-3

Zechariah prophesied during the reign of Josiah who was a good king who sought to reform Judah’s religion. The great theme of Zechariah is “the day of the Lord,” a coming day in which the wicked will be punished (“a day of wrath is that day,” 1:15) and the faithful will be delivered (“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness,” 3:17). Having seen the fall and destruction of Israel, her sister nation, and with a faithful king seeking a restoration of godly religion, what an opportunity the nation had! If only she would turn to the Lord!

Zechariah finds himself among the last kings and last years of the kingdom of Judah. How many times, as with Zechariah, had the Lord called to his people and sought their return to him that he might bless them! Hear another prophet: “Yet even now," declares the Lord, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.’ Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster” (Joel 2:12,13).

Come, Let Us Return To The Lord

And He Will Heal Us

Confess Our Sin To The Lord,

And He Will Restore Us

For The Lord, Our God Is On Our Side,

And His Mercy Is Upon Us;

When We Seek The Lord He Will Not Hide,

But Like A Father He’ll Draw Near Us,

Arms Open Wide --Contemporary hymn