Today, I am reading and commenting on  Zephaniah and Haggai.

Zephaniah begins by prophesying that God will wipe all life off of the face of the earth, sparing no one and nothing.  While the rest of the book suggests that is hyperbolic, I believe it also reminds us that this universe will end one day.  Zephaniah proceeds to tell us that God will wipe out everyone in Jerusalem who worships idols, even those who also worship God.  After describing the overwhelming destruction which is coming, he tells the “humble of the land” to seek the Lord.  If we do what God commands and humbly seek Him, perhaps we will be sheltered when His anger finally bursts forth against the land.  Up to a point, Zephaniah’s prophecy contains many reasons for us to fear the future.  Then, after telling us that the entire world will be consumed by the fire of the Lord’s anger, Zephaniah tells us that God will purify the lips of all peoples.  Thus allowing everyone to call upon His name.  God will bring together the meek and humble who choose to serve Him.

Haggai has a completely different feel from the prophets who preceded him.  Haggai was prophesying to those who knew what God wanted of them, and who wished to do that, but who were also convinced that they needed to “get their house in order” before they did God’s will.  The Returned Exiles wanted to get their economic situation in order before they began rebuilding the temple.  They intended to build the temple with the economic surplus they were sure would soon come their way.  Except that it never did.  Haggai tells them that they are waiting on a surplus that would never come unless they began serving God in earnest.  The Returned Exiles did as Haggai suggested and began rebuilding the temple.  We learn an important lesson here.  If we wait to do what we know God desires of us until we have our life “in order”, we will never get there.  On the other hand, if we do God’s will, even when we don’t have our act together, God will take care of that part for us.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.