This verse is taken from the Old Testament in the book of Zephaniah. Zephaniah 1:12 (NKJV)-12 “And it shall come to pass at that time That I will search Jerusalem with lamps, And punish the men Who are settled in complacency, Who say in their heart, ‘The LORD will not do good, Nor will He do evil.’ The prophet is warned of impending doom and judgment against the Southern Tribe of Judah by the Babylonians’ invasion of that day. It was called the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord ( Acts 2:20, 2 Peter 3:10). This also has a double and future meaning called The Great Tribulation which we read about in the book of Revelations. The Judgment of Nations ( Matt. 25:31-46).In this current dispensation, we live in the Age of Grace. We don’t talk much about wrath and judgment. We are New Covenant people. Jesus took the wrath and judgment of God upon Himself at the cross. God is not imputing or holding our sins against us (2 Cor 5:19). In this Age of Grace that is good news. Yet God is still holy, just, and righteous. He hasn’t changed His mind about sin. God hates sin because of what it does. Jesus died a horrible death because He became sin for us(2 Cor 5:21). Sin still has consequences. There is still the law of sowing and reaping in the earth. Sinning is stupid and opens the door to the enemy. God still desires holiness and righteous behavior from His people (1 Peter 1:16). It must be in the framework of Grace, and the gift of righteousness, and not by religion, law, and legalism( Rom 5:17).
During this period in Zephaniah, a godly king named Josiah brought reform. He was a reformer like his great-grandfather Hezekiah. He cleaned out the Temple and revived obedience to God’s law. Even with the reformation and prosperity, the attitude of those in that period was complacency. They were indifferent. Their hearts were hardened like wine that became thick and syrupy after sitting for a long period. They ignored any thought of impending judgment. They were hiding in their sins thinking that God would not notice. That He was distant and oblivious to their lives. They stopped trusting and listening to God’s voice. What a sad state for these Jewish people. It was as if God was just another dumb idol. They were living life without a sense or presence of God. Psalm 94:7 (PassionNTPsa)-They say to themselves, “The Lord God doesn’t see this. Their God, the God of Jacob, he doesn’t even care!” Even though Judah was seeing prosperous days it didn’t change their hearts. Religion and reform can never change a person’s heart. The only way a heart is changed is through the saving grace of Christ. Ezekiel 11:19 (KJV)-19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
- John 3:18-20 (KJV)-18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
The ministry of an Old Testament prophet was to warn and bring people back to God. God would forgive their sins if the people turned back to Him. In Chapter Two of Zephaniah, we see the nations of the earth will also be judged for rebelling and rejecting God and we will see the double fulfillment during the Tribulation. In chapter Three there will be a time of redemption and restoration for the Jewish people as well as during the millennium reign of Christ in the future. During this Age or Dispensation of Grace God isn’t judging nations right now. The Good News of the Gospel of grace is going forth (Col 1:6). God cares about our relationship with Him as believers in Christ.
He is not holding the law over our heads, waiting for us to mess up or measure up.
It is the grace of God that teaches us to live godly and righteous (Titus 2:11-12). It is the goodness of God that leads to repentance ( Rom 2:4). God demonstrated His love by sending Christ ( 1 John 4:9). The lamp of the Lord is still searching men’s hearts today. Proverbs 20:27 (NKJV)27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the inner depths of his heart. The Bible also tells us that God’s Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Through the lens of grace, this light does not condemn us but shows us the way out and the way in. During the reform of Josiah, the priest found the law again and read it before the people. Yet it never brought lasting change. They couldn’t keep the entirety of the law. It only brought more guilt, condemnation, and shame. It required constant sacrifices of animal blood to atone and forgive their sins. Thank God for Christ who was the last sacrifice and obtained eternal redemption for us ( Heb, 9:12). The law was meant to bring us to Christ. We are saved by grace through faith, not by religious works and duty (Eph 2:8-9).
The good news of the Gospel is not something we achieve but is received by grace through faith.
In Chapter Three of Zephaniah God promises redemption and restoration for the people of God. Zephaniah 3:14-17 (NKJV)-14 Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!15 The LORD has taken away your judgments, He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; You shall see disaster no more.16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak.17 The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” This is the future for a remnant of Israel, those who come to Christ. The veil is taken away. They will look upon whom they have pierced. Christ is the end of the law and sacrifices. For Christians in this dispensation of grace, from the time of Pentecost until the rapture of the Church we can rejoice that God lives in us by His Spirit (Gal 4:6). Because of Christ, God rejoices over us with gladness and singing. The Amplify Bible says this: Zephaniah 3:17 (AMP)-17 The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Mighty One, a Savior [Who saves]! He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest [in silent satisfaction] and in His love He will be silent and make no mention [of past sins, or even recall them]; He will exult over you with singing. Why because of the shed blood of Christ (Heb 9:14). As far as the east is from the west He has removed our transgressions.
The good news of the Gospel of Grace is that God is not judging us. We need to judge ourselves (1 Cor.11:31). He is not holding our sins against us. The grace of God empowers us to overcome the sins of the flesh. Grace is never a license to sin (Rom 6:1-2). Focusing on Christ and the grace He brings releases the Spirit of life and righteousness within us. We are no longer dominated by sin, the sin of Adam, the Old nature. The people in Zephania’s time needed to believe like Abraham did before the law. He was declared righteous not because of the law but because He believed in God’s goodness. They too needed to believe in the goodness of God. They felt that God was so far removed and unconcerned about how they were living. They became hardened and unconcerned about God. One of the things that led to such a state was their idolatry. The Assyrians to the North of them brought their occultic practices into their midst. They, the Israelites committed spiritual adultery. When we mix true grace with law, religious works, self-righteousness, idolatry, and human effort, we have become bewitched by doctrines of demons and seducing spirits (1Tim 4:1). We have fallen from the grace and goodness of God. (This doesn’t mean we lost our salvation-Gal 5:4). This is what Apostle Paul brings out in Galatians Chapter Three. We have opted out of the higher law of grace and settled for the basement of law, legalism, and self-righteousness.
- Luke 2:30-32 (KJV)-30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
- Isaiah 9:2 (NKJV)-2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.
- Acts 26:17-18 (KJV)-17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
The Man with the Lamp in this Age of Grace is Christ, the Word of God. It is a light to lighten and bring salvation. To lead us away from the law that brought death and condemnation. To turn us from darkness to light. From the power of Satan to God. Reform is good, restoration is good but we need regeneration of the human spirit (Titus 3:5). Let us not let the prosperity we so much enjoy today lull us to sleep spiritually. Let us grow in our trust and devotion to God. May God always be number one in our lives.
Titus 3:5-7 (KJV)-5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
There will be a time when God judges the nations and people because of their rejection of Christ. (The Great White Throne Judgment-Rev 20:11-15). For believers today may we embrace the goodness of God, and to turn toward Christ, and receive His grace. The answer to God’s wrath and judgment today is to receive forgiveness and the grace that comes through the cross of Christ ( 1 Thess 5:9). A final thought: the name Zephaniah means ” The LORD Has Hidden”. In the book of Colossians 3:3, the Bible tells us we are hidden in Christ in God through the New Birth, being Born Again. Safe from His wrath and Judgment. Hallelujah. That is amazing grace. Trust “The Man with the Lamp!”
- Proverbs 6:23 (PassionNTPsa)23For truth is a bright beam of light shining into every area of your life, instructing and correcting you to discover the ways to godly living.
- 2 Samuel 22:29 (KJV)-29 For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.
- Psalm 119:105 (KJV)-105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
In Christ’ love;
Brent and Linda Bushen
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