Injustice Knows No Shame
Major Posts from Minor Prophets: Be an Influencer • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 57:24
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5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 The Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. 28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; 7 and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men 8 (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,
These verses highlight the repetitive nature of human sin, God's response to sin throughout history, and the consequences of continued rebellion against God.
They should remind any person or nation of the importance there is to seeking forgiveness from God, humbling themselves before Him, turning away from sin against Him, and walking in righteousness before Him.
There are individuals and nations throughout the course of history who have done just that, but there have also been many who, instead of standing up for God, in the midst of the tyrannical influence of sin, subjected themselves to sin, joined forces with it, or surrendered in hopelessness to those who did.
Every individual and nation has a choice. That choice is to serve one of two masters, each of which fully and completely detests and opposes the other. One is righteous, just, and worthy, the other represents all that is wrong, unjust, and shameful. The former uses circumstances and experiences to reveal Himself and guide people towards that which frees the soul to live; the latter uses circumstances and experiences to hide himself and guide people towards that which ensnares the soul to death. The former brings people into His family; the latter locks people away in isolation as slaves.
Every individual or nation faces this choice; accept that God is their God, or rebel against Him and accept Satan’s world and covert ways of deception. In rebellion against God, Satan’s plan is to convince humanity that it is the center of its existence, the definer of what is right, and the determiner of its own destiny.
So, that battles wage on. Each generation of individuals and nations face this choice, each finds itself in the midst of circumstances and experiences that are used by either opposing force, for their end purpose and destiny.
God now sends this message from Zephaniah to a nation of people who have had only brief moments of following God, but a general course of repeated rebellion against Him.
Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah: An Introduction and Commentary (v. Jerusalem (3:1–7))
As a rhetorical device, the prophet would gradually get to the heart of his message of judgment by first dealing with the neighbouring peoples. The audience would agree that they deserved what God was giving them [because of their wickedness and rebellion], so they would not be prepared for the recitation of their own faults as well (cf. Amos 1:3–2:16). Now the time is rhetorically ripe to confront God’s own people, Judah, and their capital, Jerusalem, with their sin (vv. 1–4), shamelessness (v. 5) and lack of repentance (vv. 6–7).
No matter your circumstances and experiences, you can know that the LORD is always right, just, does not fail, and always is waiting for people and nations to turn to Him.
Three ways to rebel against God:
Three ways to rebel against God:
Three ways to rebel against God:
++Ignore what God says (Zeph. 3:1-2)
++Deny who God is (Zeph. 3:3)
++Live how God detests (Zeph. 3:4)
Three things about God, rebellion cannot change (Zeph 3:5):
Three things about God, rebellion cannot change (Zeph 3:5):
Three things about God, rebellion cannot change (Zeph. 3:5):
++The LORD is Righteous
++The LORD is Just
++The LORD will not Fail
Two choices available for every person or nation (Zeph. 3:6-7):
Two choices available for every person or nation (Zeph. 3:6-7):
Two choices available for every person or nation (Zeph. 3:6-7):
++Revere God and accept His Word for life
++Reject God and accept corruption’s way to destruction
Which will you choose?
Which will you stand up for?
The choice is plain and clear, either accept God and all that comes with Him, or put your trust in yourself and the ways of this sin, sick world and all that comes with it.
No matter your circumstances and experiences, you can know that the LORD is always right, just, does not fail, and always is waiting for people and nations to turn to Him.
In the depths of despair, when all hope seems lost,
When trials and troubles have taken their cost,
Remember this truth, let it shine like a star,
No matter your circumstances, wherever you are:
The LORD is always right, just, and true,
His love and compassion, forever renew,
In every moment, through joy or despair,
He stands by your side, His love, He'll declare.
Through storms that rage and trials that press,
He remains constant, bringing comfort and rest,
For the LORD does not fail, He never forsakes,
His promises stand firm, forever in place.
In times of confusion, when answers elude,
He sheds light on the path, His wisdom pursued,
With infinite patience, He's waiting to find,
Those hearts seeking truth, from doubts unconfined.
No matter the journey, the path that you roam,
He calls out to you, inviting you home,
To nations and people, He extends His embrace,
For redemption and grace, in His loving space.
So, take heart, dear soul, in the midst of life's strife,
For the LORD is your refuge, your source of life,
Through every encounter, experience, and plight,
He's beside you always, both day and night.
Trust in His goodness, His mercy so grand,
Let faith be your anchor, unshakable stand,
In the LORD, find solace, and let your heart sing,
For His love knows no bounds, it’s an eternal spring.
by Lex DeLong