Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of the Lord’s anger
Zephaniah 2:3 A warning to remain righteous and humble
“Seek the Lord, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of the Lord’s anger.”
Zephaniah 2:3 NASB1995
Today’s verse comes from the minor prophet Zephaniah, a contemporary of the prophet Jeremiah about 2,600 years ago. Zephaniah was aware of the roots of his name, as the second sentence of this verse refers to being “hidden In the day of the Lord’s anger.” Zephaniah (צְפַנְיָה) is translated from ancient Hebrew as “concealed of the Lord,” and as I’ve probably mentioned before in one of my devotionals, there are no coincidences in the Bible.
Zephaniah’s prophecies in this short book of the Old Testament primarily focus on a coming judgement, not of just God’s chosen people but of the entire world. His words, like those of Jeremiah, sought to warn the people of Judah of the impending destruction of Jerusalem (which would come to pass in a few decades) and to counsel repentance from their evil ways.
In telling the “humble of the earth” to seek the Lord, Zephaniah was warning even the righteous people of Judah and all other lands that they must seek Him — not just those who were wicked. It didn’t matter if they had followed His laws faithfully; Zephaniah was passing along God’s word that they needed to continue being increasingly righteous and humble, especially in the trying times that were to come.
In many places in both the Old and New Testaments, God promises to hide the righteous in the day of His great judgement. Here, Zephaniah repeats that promise just before a vivid description in the remainder of chapter 2 of the ruin that is coming not only to Judah, but to the heathen nations nearby.
Zephaniah’s prophecy is relevant even now. We don’t know when the Great Tribulation will occur, and Jesus gave a similar warning that was captured in the Gospel of Luke:
“But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Luke 21:36 NASB1995
In these times where it seems as if the world is going increasingly insane, we should take heed of these warnings and pray that we are worthy to “escape all these things that are about to take place…”
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Father in Heaven, I thank You for Your promise that none of your children, bought with the blood of Your Son and our Savior, will face Your wrath in the Great Tribulation. May my life and work be all for Your praise and glory. I pray that those who have not yet come to faith in Christ will do so and escape the wrath to come. I ask this in the name of Jesus, AMEN.