Seek the LORD, Before He Comes in Judgment

In chapter 1 Zephaniah spoke of the coming Day of the LORD – the day of wrath and destruction that is coming on the whole earth.

Remember how chapter 1 began? “I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth, declares the LORD. I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth, declares the LORD.” (v2-3)

All of creation is under God’s wrath and curse.

And remember how chapter 1 ended (v17-18): “I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the LORD. In the fire of his jealousy all the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.”

The wages of sin is death.

How can you escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin? Our catechism says it this way (question 85): “To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin God requires of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption.”

This is the basic point of Zephaniah 2:1-3....