THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
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South Americans like to make people happy. A visitor to South America overheard the maid tell his wife that she spoke "beautiful Spanish." Actually, the man's wife spoke terrible Spanish.
So he asked the maid, "Where do people who tell such things go when they die?"
"To heaven of course," she answered, "for making people happy!"
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Zephaniah 2
1 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;
2 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.
3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger.
KJV
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Well, I don't believe Zephaniah's prophecy was making people happy! But then, Zephaniah wasn't in the business of "winning friends." He was in the business of saying what God had told him to say.
The "decree" of the destruction of the nation had been made by God, and it would soon happen. As proof of the decree being heard, people were gathering in a more concentrated population in Jerusalem and the surrounding area.
Most people desire gathering with their friends over repenting. The alcoholic will get together with those who drink. The drug addict will seek solace in his fellow "druggies." The pride-filled will seek gossipers, boasters and liars.
Why is it that convicted sinners seek other sinners instead of repenting? It is because they want to compare themselves with other people rather than to see themselves in the light of God's truth! When we compare ourselves with others, we are seeking a "level playing field." We want to be able to say, "I'm just as good as...." But in order to be saved, we must look UP!
Once, an old Indian chief was speaking of Jesus to some young boys. They were not understanding the principle of repentance. So the old chief built a small ring of dry grass on the ground. Then he put a caterpillar in the middle of the ring. Then he struck a match and lit the dry grass. The ring began to burn all around the caterpillar. The worm first went East, then West, then North, then South. But no escape was found. Then the worm went to the center of the ring, and raised the front half of his body toward the sky. When he did, the old chief put down his finger and the caterpillar climbed to safety.
These people were now a "nation not desired." They had been the "chosen ones" of God, but now He no longer wanted them to be "ambassadors" of His grace, mercy and eternal salvation. They had refused God's offer of salvation by repentance. They had brought shame to His Name by apathetic religiosity and corruption of truth in worshipping idols. Is this the position of the church in America today?
But there were a "few" who still genuinely loved the Lord. Through the gathering of themselves together, they could see the horror of what was happening in their nation. And the "meek" (vs 3) would seek God and be saved from His wrath.
The word "meek" means lowly, humble, poor, self-disciplined. Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:3, 5)
In today's world, we must be humble and lowly enough to realize that we are never good enough to save ourselves. And we must be self-disciplined enough to surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in order to escape the destruction of our souls.
Happiness is not found in the lies of man. Happiness is found in obedience to the truths of God.
Love ya,
Bruce