Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts

How to act in the Time of Judgment

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2012-02-09

Synopsis: In this sermon, Pastor John Weaver expounds Zephaniah 2:1-3, focusing on verse 3 as the key instruction for the righteous remnant living under God's judgment. He argues that in times of national decay and divine displeasure, believers must not be distracted by the unrepentant majority but must actively seek the Lord with a whole heart, pursue righteousness and biblical meekness, and obey God's Word consistently. The promise is that God may hide or gently handle those who humbly submit to His yoke.

[John Weaver] So we're looking in the book of Zephaniah chapter 2 and I would encourage you to go ahead and mark this chapter since we will be turning some and you will have to find this chapter again, okay? So, Zephaniah chapter 2 and let's begin reading with verse 1. Zephaniah 2 verse 1, gather yourselves together. Ye gather together, O nation not desired. 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, seek ye the Lord, all you meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. It may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. The message today is entitled how to act in the time of judgment. how to act in the time of judgment. I thought it would be fitting after having preached the brief series from first Peter chapter four judgment at the house of God to bring this message from So we're looking in the book of Zephaniah chapter two, and I would encourage you to go ahead and mark this chapter since we will be turning

[John Weaver] some and you will have to find this chapter again. Okay. So Zephaniah chapter two, and let's begin reading with verse one. Zephaniah two, verse one, gather yourselves together. Ye gather together, O nation not desired. 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. Seek ye the Lord all you meek of the earth which have wrought his judgment. Seek righteousness. Seek meekness. It may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. The message today is entitled how to act in the time of judgment. How to act in the time of judgment. I thought it would be fitting after having preached the brief series from first Peter chapter four judgment at the house of God to bring this message from the book of Zephaniah. So look, if you would please at verse three, that is our text today. Seek you the Lord, all unique of the earth, which have wrought his judgment, seek righteousness, seek meekness, watch carefully.

[John Weaver] It may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. What strange and dangerous times we live in. It seems as if our whole society as well as our nation is disintegrating before our very eyes. Our morals have collapsed. Our money is worthless. Our politicians are corrupt. Our government is tyrannical and despotic. And it does not seem that there is any help from anyone or from any institution.

[John Weaver] When you look around you will notice that churches are practically on every corner in our land today. And usually they are pretty well filled each Lord's Day. But the problem is our preachers are silent. At least they are silent as to the issues at hand. Very few preachers today are asking questions or addressing the problems. In fact, there can be no answers to the multitudinous problems that we face as long as we ignore scripture and ignore the God of scripture. Therefore, most preachers today are absolutely worthless. In fact, Isaiah said it like this in Isaiah 56 and verse 10. Listen, God, through the prophet Isaiah, says this, his watchmen are blind, They are all ignorant.

[John Weaver] They are all dumb dogs that cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Notice what God says. His watchmen are blind. They're all ignorant. They're all dumb dogs that cannot bark. And why in the world do you have a dog? You usually have him as a watchdog. And you want him to bark when danger is around. But God's watchman in Isaiah 56 were not guard dogs. They were just simply slumbering dogs. Let me just point out that God's preachers should have the answers in dangerous times.

[John Weaver] Don't try to turn there, but let me quote two verses for you. First of all, in Jeremiah chapter 9 in verse 12, listen carefully to this verse. Who is the wise man that may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken, that he may declare it? For the land perisheth, and is burned up like a wilderness, and none pass it through." Now notice if you would, here is someone to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken, and yet he is responsible to declare it, and yet he does not. And the Bible says in the book of Malachi chapter 2 and verse 7, For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth. For he that is the priest is the messenger of the Lord of hosts."

[John Weaver] So God's preachers should indeed be addressing the problems. They should be bringing forth biblical answers and biblical solutions. But since that is not happening, with all that is going on in America, the question that is almost universally asked, and by the way, I get asked this question innumerable times, what shall we do? What are we going to do? In light of the obvious judgment that is upon our land, we should also be asking, which way do we turn and how do we act?

[John Weaver] If the general population could care less And if a general population evidences no desire to repent and to change the situation, what in the world should the righteous do? In fact, it was David who asked that exact same question in Psalm 11 in verse three, and he asked it like this. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? Well, I want you to understand that in Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 3, we are given an admonition, we're given a directive by Zephaniah, which actually answers that question when he says, Seek ye the Lord, all you meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment. Seek righteousness, seek meekness.

[John Weaver] It may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. Now, before we look at this verse in detail, I want us to examine the context. I want you to see that this verse is given to us in the context of God's judgment. So if you'll look in chapter 1 of Zephaniah, and just begin there with verse 2, notice what God says. Zephaniah chapter 1 verse 2, God says, I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord. I will consume man and beast. I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks of the wicked. I will cut off man from off the land, saith the Lord.

[John Weaver] I will also stretch out my hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemerims with the priests, and them that worship the host of heaven with the housetops, and them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcolm or Molech. and them that are turned back from the Lord and those that have not sought the Lord nor inquired of him, hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God, for the day of the Lord is at hand, for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he bid his guest, and it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord's sacrifice that I will punish the princes and the king's children and all such as are clothed with strange apparel. In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that there shall be in the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and a howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.

[John Weaver] Now if you read all the way down, skip down to verse 14. The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteneth greatly. Even the voice of the Lord, the mighty man, shall cry bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. You can read all the way down to verse 18, and you will see that judgment is in the context.

[John Weaver] Now, if you will turn to chapter 2, if you would, very quickly, and begin reading with verse 4, since we've already read the first three verses. In verse 4, For Agazza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation, They shall drive out Ashdod at the noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up. Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Chiriathites. The word of the Lord is against you, O Canaan, the land of the Philistines.

[John Weaver] I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds and foals for flocks, and the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah. and they shall feed their own in the houses of Ashkelon. They shall lie down in the evening, for the Lord their God shall visit them and turn away their captivity.

[John Weaver] I've heard the reproach of Moab and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people and magnified themselves against their border. Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, surely Moab shall be a Sodom and the children of Ammon and Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles and salt pits and a perpetual desolation. The residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them."

[John Weaver] If you read on down through verse 15, you'll see it is judgment as well. So if you look at chapter 1, if you look at chapter 2, You will find verse 3 right smack dab in the middle of God's judgment. His judgment on Judah and Jerusalem in chapter 1 and His judgment on some of the other nations in chapter 2. So Zephaniah then is speaking to a remnant.

[John Weaver] Now let me just tell you very quickly two problems that exist in relationship to God's judgment. The first problem that exists is this at times. Some individuals do not perceive that which is happening is the hand of God in judgment. Now, why is it people do not perceive the hand of God in judgment? Well, there could be numerous answers. One of them is because of our humanistic thinking.

[John Weaver] That's why our weathermen always refer to. tornadoes and hurricanes and storms and floods and droughts of mother nature, you know, uh, they don't perceive those things as the hand of God. But if you would hold Zephaniah and turn in your Bibles to the book of Amos chapter four, Amos chapter four, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. And notice if you would, the scripture teaches that there are degrees in judgment and degrees of severity. So it is possible that God can be judging and yet people not recognize it because it is not as severe as they think it should be to be the hand of God. So notice Hosea, I'm sorry, Amos chapter 4 beginning there of verse 6.

[John Weaver] God says, I have also given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities and worn of bread in all your places, yet you have not returned to me, saith the Lord. So God said, I've sent a little famine among you, and it never even affected you. Watch verse 7. I've also withholding and rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest. I caused it to rain upon one city, caused it not to rain upon another city. One piece was rained upon, and the piece were upon it rained not withered. So two or three cities wandered into one city to drink water, but they were not satisfied. Yet have you not returned to me, saith the Lord. Well, famine didn't do it. Drought didn't do it. Now watch verse 9.

[John Weaver] I've smitten you with blasting and milled you, when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, and the palmer worm devoured them. Yet you've not returned unto me, saith the Lord. So here are all these insects plaguing and destroying the crops. It's a judgment of God, and yet people still did not pay attention. Verse 10. I've sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt, Your young men have I slain with a sword and have taken away your horses.

[John Weaver] Now I've made the stink of your camps to come up into your nostrils. Yet you've not returned to me, said the Lord. War didn't wake them up either. Watch verse 11. I've overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. That is a supernatural judgment, very obvious. And you were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning. Yet have you not returned to me, said the Lord. Therefore, thus will I do unto thee, O Israel, because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to note, if you would please, in this passage, some will not admit or recognize God's judgment even under the severest judgment. And consequently, the only thing left for those individuals is destruction. That's why God said, because I will do this, prepare to meet by God. In other words, I'll just kill you. I'll take you off the face of the earth.

[John Weaver] Now, if you will notice in these judgments, one became a little more severe and a little more severe until you finally had the most severe at the very end. So there are indeed degrees of judgment. And some people, fail to recognize God's judgment only because it is not as severe as it should be or could be according to their way of thinking. And then some of course will not recognize it at all and shall die and be destroyed. Now there's another problem that you face in discussing God's judgment and that is this.

[John Weaver] There is always a remnant. There's always a few that really desire repentance and restoration and a return to God and His law while the vast majority is indeed indifferent and unrepentant. So the question has to be asked, what shall the righteous do? What in the world are we going to do? We're sitting here wanting to do what's right, wanting to obey God, wanting our country restored, we want God's law, we want God's sovereignty to be over us, we want to recognize God in every area of our life, and yet the vast majority could care less. So what in the world should we do?

[John Weaver] Well, verse 3 of Zephaniah chapter 2, gives us the answer. When Zephaniah writes, Seek ye the Lord, all you meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. It may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. I want you to understand something that Zephaniah in verse three is not addressing the nation as a whole. He is addressing only the remnant. In fact, he says in verse 1, gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired. And then he tells the remnant in that nation in verse 3 exactly what they were to do.

[John Weaver] Do you realize the vast majority will never ever listen to, nor receive, nor hear or heed the Word of God. In the book of Isaiah chapter 1 and verse 5, God is speaking to those folks and he says this, why should you be stricken anymore? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick and the whole heart faint. So God is saying, what good is my judgment upon you? You're not going to listen.

[John Weaver] I'll just take you out. Prepare to meet thy God. So Zephaniah in this verse is addressing the remnant. He's giving instruction here to those who will listen. It is as if Zephaniah is saying in verse 3, don't worry about the multitudes. Don't concern yourself with those who will not listen. Don't bother with them. You just do what you need to do. You take care of yourself and your family. You fulfill your responsibility. Now, I want us to look at verse 3. I want us to see several things. First of all, I want you to see the action commanded. The action commanded. In verse 3 it says, Seek ye the Lord all you meek of the earth. So first and foremost, we're commanded to seek the Lord. But I want you to note, that this action that is commanded is addressed to the meek of the earth. Now I'm going to cover this thought a little more completely later, but the meek of the earth are those who have humbled themselves and have submitted themselves unto the Lord.

[John Weaver] The word meek here would refer to those who have profited under the scourgings of God. They have been chastised, they have repented, they have been afflicted, and they were humbled under their affliction. Thus the action that is here commanded is addressed to true believers.

[John Weaver] Now the phrase to seek the Lord occurs in a number of scriptures. For instance, hold Zephaniah and look in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 29. I will use this verse just momentarily. So I want you to see it. Deuteronomy chapter 4 and look at verse 29. The Word of God says this, But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him if thou seek him with all thy heart and all thy soul. If you would turn over to 1 Chronicles chapter 16. 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles. You'll have 1 Chronicles chapter 16. And notice if you would please, 1 Chronicles 16 at verses 10 and 11. 1 Chronicles 16, beginning there with verse 10.

[John Weaver] Glory ye in His holy name. Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord and His strength. Seek His face continually. Note that command. Seek the Lord and His face. Continually look, if you would, the first Chronicles 22 and verse 19, first Chronicles 22 and verse 19. And I could stay all day here giving you passages like this, but first Chronicles 22, verse 19, now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord, your God arise therefore, and build you the sanctuary of the Lord, God, et cetera, et cetera. But no, now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord, your God. And then of course, everyone in here can quote Isaiah 55 and verse six, when the Bible said, seek you the Lord while he may be found, call you upon him while he's near. So there are a multitude of passages that command us to seek the Lord. It is one thing to understand that we have been commanded to seek the Lord. And it's quite another thing to understand how we're to seek the Lord.

[John Weaver] So how in the world do we seek the Lord? The action commanded is to seek the Lord all you make of the earth. So how in the world do we seek the Lord? Well, let me try to answer that by giving you an irreducible minimum. I'm going to give you four truths. First and foremost, it should be obvious that to seek the Lord properly, we must seek Him with a genuine and undivided heart. There must be a genuine desire and an undivided heart.

[John Weaver] We read earlier, Deuteronomy 4 and verse 29. Now listen again as I read it. But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord, thou shalt find him if thou will seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. What does that mean? It means that there cannot be a divided heart. There can be no half-hearted seeking Him. There must be a genuine desire to seek the Lord. In Jeremiah 29 and verse 13, God said this, And you shall seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. What? You shall seek Me and you shall find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. In 2 Chronicles 15 and verse 12, we read about God's people who entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their souls. Very obviously, God does not want any half-hearted seeking or half-hearted worshipping. God is not going to be found by an indolent and slothful attempt to find Him.

[John Weaver] No. The Bible teaches us and tells us about Rehoboam. The Bible tells us that King Rehoboam in second Chronicles 12 and verse 14 said this, and he did evil. Why? And he did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. Isn't that interesting? He did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. And yet we're told in 2 Chronicles 27 verse 6, so Jotham became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord. Obviously, he prepared his heart and he prepared his ways as well. So if you and I are going to seek the Lord, there must be first a genuine desire and there must be a wholehearted seeking of the Lord. Secondly, if we're going to seek the Lord, we must have a humble accurate estimation of ourselves. We must have a humble and accurate estimation of ourselves.

[John Weaver] I want you to look in your Bibles very quickly. Hold Zephaniah. We're coming back there. But look in Romans chapter 12 and verse 3. Romans chapter 12 and verse 3. Here is the counsel the Apostle Paul gave in ascertaining our gifts. He said in Romans chapter 12 and verse 3, For I say through the grace of God given unto me, to every man that is among you, now watch carefully, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. So what is God's counsel to us when it comes to our gifts? that we're going to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, but we're to think soberly and righteously according as God has dealt us our measure of faith.

[John Weaver] Now, if I were to announce to you that everyone needs to be here next Saturday, beginning at seven o'clock in the evening until 10 o'clock, because I was going to give you a musical presentation and sing solo for three hours. How many of you would attend? I see no takers, no hands. Because everyone knows, number one, I can't sing. And I don't play music. I know nothing about singing. And so it would be foolish of me to assume that I could sing and entertain or even edify anyone with my singing abilities, for I don't have any."

[John Weaver] So if God then requires us, listen carefully, to think soberly concerning our gifts, how much more does He require us to think soberly concerning ourselves when we seek Him? For instance, here's what I'm talking about. Look in your Bibles to Isaiah 51 and verse 1. Look what God says. Isaiah 51 and verse 1. We're talking about thinking soberly. We're talking about seeking the Lord. Isaiah 51 and verse 1. Watch carefully. Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, you that seek the Lord. Now he's talking to us specifically. Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness, you that seek the Lord. Look what he admonishes us. Look unto the rock which you were hewn and to the hole of the pit which you were digged. Look to the rock whence you're hewn, to the hole of the pit whence you're digged. And then he said, look unto Abraham your father, and to Sarah that bear you. Hmm, I wonder where Abram was when God called him. He's in Ur of the Chaldees. He's a pagan.

[John Weaver] He's a heathen. And what does God say? Look unto the rock which you are hewn and to the hole of the pit which you are digged. Simply stating, here's what God says. You must remember when you seek Me that you deserve nothing but punishment and justice. You must remember that we were nothing when God found us. We were nothing when God saved us. And without Him, we would still be nothing. You cannot come to God with the attitude, I deserve this. I earned this. I merited this. The only way that you can come to God with that attitude is if you're talking about punishment and justice. Because that's the only thing you've earned and that's the only thing you merited. Everything else that you have is basically only by God's grace. You know what the Bible says in the book of Colossians 1 in verse 13?

[John Weaver] Paul is talking about the work of God the Father in our salvation and he said this, Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son. Our salvation is totally, absolutely and completely the work of God alone. Period. So I said when you seek me, you need to remember who you are. You need to remember what you are. You need not only come with a genuine desire and an undivided heart. You need to come with a correct estimation of yourself. And you need to come to me with humility.

[John Weaver] Thirdly, and I'll cover this more in the message a little later, in seeking the Lord, we must be careful to obey him in every area of our lives. We must be careful. to obey Him in every area of our lives. By that I mean this, we must be consistently and constantly and continually seeking to bring our lives into conformity to the Word of God. We cannot cease to obey God just simply because we are a nation under judgment. Some people have the attitude, some people have the attitude, well, what good is it going to do me to seek the Lord? Look, what's happening? The whole thing's going to hell anyhow.

[John Weaver] Why should I be concerned? Why should I do what's right? Well, let me ask you a question. Why in the world is God's judgment upon our nation anyhow? Because of our sin and our wickedness and our disobedience and our rebellion. Now, do you think that your rebellion and your disobedience and your sin is going to help correct the problem? No, it's going to just bring more judgment.

[John Weaver] What did David pray in Psalm 66 in verse 18? He said, if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. How in the world do you think that God will hear you if you're still consistently disobeying him? He's not going to hear you and he's not going to help you. All that will do is bring judgment upon you. So thirdly, if we're seeking the Lord, we have to be careful. We have to be constant and continually seeking to do what is right and to be obedient in every area of our lives. The Bible tells us in second Chronicles chapter 14 and verse four, listen, and he commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers and to do the law and the commandment.

[John Weaver] Now notice what he said. to seek the Lord God of their fathers and to do the law and commandment. So what is part and parcel of seeking the Lord? Obeying Him. In fact, look in your Bibles, if you would, to Mark chapter 4. Turn there. To Mark chapter 4. As you're turning there, let me just quote a verse. In James 4 and verse 17, the Bible says this, Therefore to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not to him it is sin. So God says you're required to obey that which you know. If you know what is right, you're required to do what is right. Now, watch carefully Mark chapter 4, because here is a principle in verse 24. Look what God said. Our Lord Himself said, Take heed what you hear.

[John Weaver] With what measure you meet, it shall be measured unto you. And to you that hear, shall more be given. Now notice what he said, and take heed what you hear. With what measure you meet, it shall be measured to you. In other words, to the degree that you give, to the measure that you give in hearing and obeying the word of God, to that same measure, it's going to be measured back to you. And then he said, unto you that hear shall more be given. In other words, Seeking Him means that we not only obey the truth that we now have, but we also obey any and all truth that He shows us and illuminates us to understand and to receive. So seeking the Lord then means, thirdly, that we must obey Him in every area of our lives. Plain and simple. Fourthly, in seeking the Lord, it means that we cry unto Him for help. It means that we cry unto Him for help.

[John Weaver] And let me finish this. We are not instructing Him what to do. We are crying to Him for help. We are not instructing Him as to what to do. There are many who wish to tell God what to do, when to do it, where to do it, and how to do it. I never have forgotten what Arthur W. Pink wrote years ago. He said, and I quote, one reason we do not like the Pope is because we like to be the Pope ourselves.

[John Weaver] We want to be in charge. But in seeking God, we have to understand that he is in charge. He is in control. He is the sovereign. We have absolutely no say in the matter. Our responsibility is to cry to Him for help. The Bible tells us in 2 Chronicles chapter 20 verse 4, and Judah gathered themselves together to ask help of the Lord. Even out of all the cities of Judah, they came to seek the Lord. So in seeking the Lord, they were crying to Him for help.

[John Weaver] They were not instructing him what to do. They were just saying, help Lord, please, please help us. John Gill said this on the phrase seeking the Lord. And he's talking about the passage in Zephaniah chapter two and verse three. He says, they were here exhorted to seek the Lord. That is by prayer and supplication to know more of his mind and will. and especially their duty in their present circumstances.

[John Weaver] Implore His grace and mercy, protection and safety in a day of common danger, and attend the public ordinances of His house in order to enjoy His presence and communion with Him. For to seek the Lord is to seek His face and favor, to have the light of His countenance and the discoveries of His love, and to seek His honor and glory in all things, particularly the Lord Christ may be met who was to come in the flesh and good men sought for him before he came and now he has come and to him should be should men seek for righteousness and life for peace and pardon for grace and all supplies of it for everlasting salvation and all this before as well as since his coming and such seek him a right who seek him early in the first place above all things who seek him with their whole hearts sincerely diligently and constantly and where he is to be found in the ministry of the word of God and his ordinances. So Gil just summarized everything that I just said in seeking the Lord.

[John Weaver] We must seek him in the minimum of those four ways. So the action commanded is very simple. Seek ye the Lord according to Zephaniah chapter two in verse three. Seek ye the Lord, all you meek of the earth. Secondly, I want you to look in verse three at the action commended. Not only the action commanded, but the action commended. He says, which have wrought judgment. Oh, here is a commendation. These individuals are individuals who had wrought judgment.

[John Weaver] Now, what in the world does that mean? To do the judgment of God in this place it means that you form your life according to the righteousness of the law. The Hebrew word here frequently refers to the equity or the rule of right living. Hence to do judgment in this context is to do that which is righteous and just and to abstain from that which is wrong and injurious. So the prophet Zephaniah here calls it the judgment of God because it is what God prescribes, it is what God commands, and it is what God approves. Thus doing the judgment of God means that we act according to God's mind and will. We do that which is revealed in his word, which is the rule of judgment both as to faith and practice.

[John Weaver] That is, we obey and we observe his law and his statutes and we keep his ordinances as they are delivered. We perform works of righteousness from right principles and right views as fruits of faith and as meat for repentance.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you exactly this word judgment. Go back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 18 and look at verse 19. I'm just showing you that the word judgment has to do with right living. It has to do with obedience. Genesis chapter 18 and verse 19 and look what God says concerning Abraham Genesis 18 and verse 19 In fact God says concerning Abraham for I know him That he will command his children in his household after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him." Note what God said. God said, I know Abraham. I know he's going to command his children in his household after him. And they shall keep the way of the Lord. What is the way of the Lord? To do justice and judgment. What is doing justice and judgment? It is simply obeying God. It is bringing your life in conformity to the Word of God. Doing justice or doing judgment is obedience to God and His Word.

[John Weaver] Listen to what Isaiah said in Isaiah 1 in verse 17. Listen carefully now. God said, through Isaiah, learn to do well, seek judgment.

[John Weaver] Now let me stop right there. Learn to do well, seek judgment. Learning to do well and seeking judgment are synonymous. And I didn't finish the verse. Listen carefully. Learn to do well, seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. What is doing judgment? It's doing that which is right. It's doing that which is in conformity to the Word of God. So the action commended is that here were some who were already obeying God. Cyril said this, God is sought by us when of our choice, listen carefully, laying aside our listlessness or our slothfulness and indolence, we thirst after doing what pleases Him and we shall do judgment to when we fulfill His divine law, working out what is good unshrinkingly, And we shall gain the prize of righteousness when crowned with glory for well-doing, and running the well-reported and blameless way of true piety to God, and of love to the brethren, for love is the fulfilling of the law." So the action commended is that they were doing judgment.

[John Weaver] That is, they were obeying the truth of God that they had at that particular time. Now, let's go to Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 3 again. You've seen the action commanded, the action commended. Now here's the action clarified. He said, seek ye the Lord, all you meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment. Here's it is clarified. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. Wow. Seek righteousness, seek meekness.

[John Weaver] Let me point something out. It is impossible to seek righteousness. without at the same time seeking meekness or real biblical humility. When righteousness is salt at the same time, humility is salt. When righteousness is salt at the same time, humility is salt. Do you remember that passage? In Isaiah 6, Isaiah said, in the day that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord high and lifted up.

[John Weaver] And he began to describe the glory of God. And then the next thing you know, he's saying, woe is me. For I'm a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of people unclean lips. Woe is me, for mine eyes have seen the Lord of hosts. In other words, while on the one hand, there was elevation, then there was also on the other hand, humiliation. He understood.

[John Weaver] that there was a humbling experience there. If you're seeking righteousness at the same time, you're seeking meekness. When he said, clarifying this action, seek righteousness, seek meekness, he's saying this is something that must be done constantly and continually. You must be seeking to bring your life in conformity to the Word of God.

[John Weaver] Now let me explain this. It doesn't matter what you're doing. I do it regularly when I drive down the road. I'm praying. I'm asking the Lord in my mind to help me, to make me holy, to make me godly, to make me more obedient, to make me have more understanding, to illuminate my mind, to teach me. I don't care if you're plowing the garden. You can still do it. I don't care if you're washing dishes. You can still do it. You just have to develop the mentality of seeking the Lord and seeking humility constantly and consistently, whatever you're doing, whenever you're doing it.

[John Weaver] It's something that must be done in all times. But Zephaniah is saying it is something that must be done, especially in the time of judgment. So Zephaniah then is admonishing us to advance in righteousness and holiness in our life. Why? Because he knows that God is not going to forget our obedience provided that we do not grow weary and provided that we persevere to the end. You know the Apostle Paul said the same thing in Galatians 6 and verse 9 when he said, and let us not be weary with well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. What did he say?

[John Weaver] You've got to keep on keeping on. You can't look at circumstances. You can't look at the surroundings. You can't look at situations. You have to keep doing what's right regardless. You remember what the Bible says in Hebrews chapter 6? The apostle wrote, for God is not unrighteous to forget your labor of love. God's not going to forget. So we must persevere.

[John Weaver] Now notice what he said. Seek righteousness. Seek meekness. I really want to clarify this. Do not equate meekness with mousiness. In this day and time, most consider a meek individual someone who happens to be weak, anemic, feminine, and unmanly. To the humanistic and modernistic worldviews, the meek man is the 90-pound weakling that becomes a foot mat for everyone to ridicule, to run over, to wipe their feet upon. I read years ago, some of you who have read Rush Duty's Institutes of Biblical Law, he's discussing, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth, and he tells about one bathroom that he went into and someone had written on the bathroom wall, blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. And someone had come in under that and had written, if that's alright. What was their estimation of a meek man? Someone who was weak, someone who wouldn't stand for anything, Someone who was mousy. Biblical meekness is exactly the opposite. You must remember that according to Numbers chapter 12 and verse 3, in his day Moses was the meekest man upon the earth.

[John Weaver] What did the meekest man upon the earth do? He defended a brother. He slew and killed an Egyptian. He stood up to Pharaoh. He spoke the truth and allowed the chips to fall where they may. He delivered Israel out of Egypt. He faced a rebellious group of Israelites. He prayed that God would let a new thing happen, that the earth would open up and they'd go down alive into hell. Hardly a mousy man. Hardly someone who was easily swayed from his position. Hardly someone who allowed others to wipe their feet upon him. No. The truth is, he was a real, genuine man. He was not mousy by any stretch of the imagination. Listen to these verses.

[John Weaver] You can quote them, I'm sure. Matthew 11 and verse 29. Our Lord said, Take my yoke upon you and learn of me. For I am meek and lowly of heart and you shall find rest for your souls. What did our Lord say? For I am meek and lowly of heart. In Matthew 21 in verse five, it was prophesied concerning Christ. Listen carefully. Tell you the daughter of Zion, behold, the king cometh under the meek and sitting upon an ass and a coat, the full of an ass. How did Christ come in meekness? Our Lord certainly was not a mousy man.

[John Weaver] I do not think that anyone in this room or anyone who's ever lived or ever shall live could endure everything that he endured without whining and without complaining. He not only endured ridicule and mockery and rejection and slander, he also endured an unjust trial and scourging and crucifixion. And yet we were told and are told that he was meek. Our Lord, who was meek, said in Matthew 5 and verse 5, which I've already quoted, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Meekness is an attitude or disposition that not only accepts and receives God's dealing with us without disputed argument, it is also an attitude and a disposition of submission unto Him and resting in Him and trusting in Him.

[John Weaver] I want you to listen carefully. This will give you the best explanation of meekness. What did our Lord say? He said in Matthew 11 verse 29, Take my yoke upon you and learn of me For I am meek and lowly. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me." You know what a meek person is? A meek person is someone who is broken to yoke. And the word yoke in Matthew 11 refers to a real, literal yoke.

[John Weaver] I told you once before, I believe about Beauregard when he was alive. That big bull I had that weighed about 3,000 pounds. Alice and I went out to hook up to the harrah, so I could harrah some. It was an eight-foot harrah. The harrah probably weighed a thousand pounds or better. And when we got to the harrah, it was totally flipped over and all the discs were pointing up to the sky. And the only thing that you could see were Beauregard's footprints where he went to the front of that harrah and was scratching his head and he raised his head and he flipped the whole harrah over. I had to get a chain and pull it back right with the tractor before I could hook up to it.

[John Weaver] Can you imagine the strength that is in or was in that bull's neck? And Forrest is just as big or bigger than Beauregard now. When you take a yoke and you place it upon an ox or a bull, you now have him under your control. All that strength is still there. It is just disciplined or controlled strength. A meek man is not a mousy man. A meek man, according to the Bible, is someone who has placed upon himself the yoke of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has the reins. Jesus Christ does the driving. The man is now under the sovereign control of the Son of God. He is still strong. He is still a man. It's just now discipline and control strength.

[John Weaver] He moves at Christ's command. He does what Christ tells him to do. He obeys because he's broken to yoke. Meekness is nothing less than disciplined strength under God. Period. So he said, seek righteousness, seek meekness. I've got news for you, folks. There are a lot of things that humanly speaking that I would like to do. That I will never do. Because of the yoke that's placed upon me. I can only act according to what Christ commands. John Calvin said it like this, listen carefully.

[John Weaver] We hence learn that even the best are roused by God's scourges to seek true religion with greater ardor than they've ever done before. Though then it be our object to serve God and to follow his word, when these calamities arise and God appears as a judge, we ought to be stimulated to greater care and diligence. For it never is the case that any one of us fully performs his duty."

[John Weaver] Wait a minute, did you hear what he said? It is never the case that any one of us ever performs his duty. How many of you have ever done what God has commanded you to do perfectly and completely? None. So when God sends judgment, you better pay a special attention. Because even the best of us, even the holiest, are still full of sin. And we never totally and completely obey. He goes on. Let us remember then that we are roused by God whenever adversity impends over us.

[John Weaver] And when God Himself shows a manifest signs that He is displeased, this is the reason why the prophet bids the pious doers of the righteous to seek God, however much they were before devoted to Him, to do that which is just and upright. So when Zephaniah says, seek righteousness, seek meekness, he is still telling us we must seek with a greater ardor and with a greater strength to bring our lives in conformity to the word of God. Now, go back to verse three of Zephaniah 2. We've seen the action commanded, seek ye the Lord, all you meek of the earth. We've seen the action commended, which have wrought his judgments. We've seen the action clarified, seek righteousness, seek meekness. And finally we see the action consummated. It may be.

[John Weaver] You shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. Lord have mercy upon us. Zephaniah encourages obedience and submission by stating It may be that you shall be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger. In other words, the Lord may spare you. You must remember that his wrath is directed at the disobedient and the rebellious. And if you're under judgment, you certainly do not want to be disobedient and rebellious.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you a couple of verses. I want you to go back, hold Zephaniah, but go back to Psalm 27 and verse 5. Psalm 27, verse 5. These are wonderful verses. And this is probably what Zephaniah had in mind when he said, it may be, it may be that the Lord will hide you. Notice, if you would please, Psalm 27. And verse five, David said, for in the time of trouble, he shall hide me in his pavilion in the secret of his tabernacle. Shall he hide me? He shall set me upon a rock in the time of trouble. He shall hide me. David said, he's my protector and he indeed shall hide me. Look in Psalm 31 and verse 20. Psalm 31 in verse 20. Again, thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man. Thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. David said, God will hide me during the time of judgment. I want you to turn to Psalm 91.

[John Weaver] And as you turn there, I want to quote a verse from the new Testament, second Peter two in verse nine, where God says this, the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of punishment, judgment to be punished. Notice the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations. He knows exactly how. And he also knows how to reserve the unjust into the day of judgment to be punished. But David is talking about how the Lord hides him. I want you to look in Psalm 91, and I want to take the time to read all 16 verses. You talk about a blessed Psalm. Here it is. Psalm 91, verse 1, he that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will save the Lord. He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, and him will I trust. Now watch. Surely he shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the noise and pestilence.

[John Weaver] He shall cover thee with his feathers and under his wings shalt thou trust. His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Are you watching? Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flyeth by day. nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge even the most high by habitation, there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and the adder, and the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under thy feet. Why?

[John Weaver] Because he hath set his love upon me. Therefore, while I deliver him, I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him. And with long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation. What a wonderful psalm. Of course, this psalm is indeed applied of our Lord Jesus in the New Testament, but it is also applied to all of those who are in the Lord Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back to the book of Zephaniah. And as you're turning back, I want to give you one quick quote. I want you to look at verse three again. Zephaniah 2 verse 3, Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. It may be. You shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. One last quote before I make the application.

[John Weaver] John Trapp said, and I love this. Possibly you may. Probably you shall be. Pardon of sin you shall be sure of. mitigation also of sorrow, if not prevention, saved you shall be, or more gently handled, or so inwardly calmed that you shall be able to call your souls to rest when others are at their wit's ends. You shall be safe under the cover of God's wings and the hollow of his hand, when others that are without God in the world shall be as a naked man in a storm, an unarmed man in the field, or as a ship without an anchor, subject to dash and split against rocks and quicksands." What did Trapp say? If you're not going to be delivered, totally, certainly, you're going to be more gently handled. Listen to this application.

[John Weaver] This one application should be sufficient because Zephaniah is teaching us how to act in the time of judgment. We should be at all times constantly, consistently, and continually bringing our lives into greater conformity and obedience to the Word of God. But what Zephaniah is saying, especially in the times of judgment, we should pay special attention to this one fact. God in His mercy may spare us. Or at least He may handle us more gently.

[John Weaver] And you have to remember this, dear friend. No parent chastens his child with severity when that child displays a repentant, compliant, and submissive attitude. When you see submission, when you see humility, when you see compliance, when you see meekness, you always whiten the rod. The same is true with our heavenly father. As F and I says, don't be concerned with those who won't listen. You have a responsibility. Your responsibility is to seek righteousness, to seek meekness, to bring your life into greater conformity to the Word of God. And you have to remember Lamentations 3 in verse 33, when the Word of God says concerning our Heavenly Father, for He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. May I ask, why would we not expect our loving, gracious, Heavenly Father to deal more gently with His submissive and obedient children than He does with the wicked and the ungodly. Certainly, we should.

[John Weaver] And Zephaniah says, if you want to know how to act in the time of judgment, here it is. You seek the Lord. You seek righteousness. You seek meekness. You be consistent. You be constant. You be faithful in it. And it may be the Lord will hide you in the day of His anger. And in all probability, as Sean Trapp said, He will. For He's a loving, gracious, heavenly Father. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee.

[John Weaver] We thank You for Your Word. We thank You, Lord, that You teach us not only how to act every day, but how to act in the time of judgment. We are in it up to our eyeballs and most people do not see it, grasp it, or understand it. But Lord, thy remnant that do indeed see it, we pray that you'd teach us how to act in the time of judgment by seeking righteousness and seeking disciplined, controlled strength under your yoke.

[John Weaver] Give us grace that we may serve thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In thy name we pray. Amen.

How to Act in the Time of Judgment

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	RatKSgQfW6g
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-02-09
Dictation Name
Book	Book 136: Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations - Volume 1 — Chapter 21
Source Timed Segments	82

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Context of Judgment

Weaver sets the stage by reading Zephaniah 2:1-3 and noting the message's connection to his previous series on judgment. He describes the moral, political, and economic collapse of society and the failure of preachers to address it.

So we're looking in the book of Zephaniah chapter 2, and I would encourage you to go ahead and mark this chapter since we will be turning some and you will have to find this chapter again, okay? So, Zephaniah chapter 2, and let's begin reading with verse 1. Zephaniah 2 verse 1,

Scripture Reading — Zephaniah 2:1-3

"Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; 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. 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."

The message today is entitled "How to Act in the Time of Judgment." How to act in the time of judgment. I thought it would be fitting after having preached the brief series from 1 Peter chapter 4, "Judgment at the House of God," to bring this message from some and you will have to find this chapter again. Okay. So Zephaniah chapter 2, and let's begin reading with verse 1. Zephaniah 2, verse 1,

Scripture Reading — Zephaniah 2:1-3

"Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; 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. 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."

The message today is entitled "How to Act in the Time of Judgment." How to act in the time of judgment. I thought it would be fitting after having preached the brief series from 1 Peter chapter 4, "Judgment at the House of God," to bring this message from the book of Zephaniah. So look, if you would please, at verse 3, that is our text today.

Scripture Reading — Zephaniah 2:1-3

"Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness."

Watch carefully.

Scripture Reading — Zephaniah 2:1-3

"It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger."

What strange and dangerous times we live in. It seems as if our whole society as well as our nation is disintegrating before our very eyes. Our morals have collapsed. Our money is worthless. Our politicians are corrupt. Our government is tyrannical and despotic. And it does not seem that there is any help from anyone or from any institution.

When you look around you will notice that churches are practically on every corner in our land today. And usually they are pretty well filled each Lord's Day. But the problem is our preachers are silent. At least they are silent as to the issues at hand. Very few preachers today are asking questions or addressing the problems. In fact, there can be no answers to the multitudinous problems that we face as long as we ignore Scripture and ignore the God of Scripture. Therefore, most preachers today are absolutely worthless. In fact, Isaiah said it like this in Isaiah 56 and verse 10. Listen, God, through the prophet Isaiah, says this, "His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant.

They are all dumb dogs that cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber." Notice what God says. His watchmen are blind. They're all ignorant. They're all dumb dogs that cannot bark. And why in the world do you have a dog? You usually have him as a watchdog. And you want him to bark when danger is around. But God's watchmen in Isaiah 56 were not guard dogs. They were just simply slumbering dogs. Let me just point out that God's preachers should have the answers in dangerous times.

Don't try to turn there, but let me quote two verses for you. First of all, in Jeremiah chapter 9 and verse 12, listen carefully to this verse.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 9:12

"Who is the wise man that may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken, that he may declare it? For the land perisheth, and is burned up like a wilderness, and none passeth through."

Now notice if you would, here is someone to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken, and yet he is responsible to declare it, and yet he does not. And the Bible says in the book of Malachi chapter 2 and verse 7, "For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts."

So God's preachers should indeed be addressing the problems. They should be bringing forth biblical answers and biblical solutions. But since that is not happening, with all that is going on in America, the question that is almost universally asked, and by the way, I get asked this question innumerable times, "What shall we do? What are we going to do?" In light of the obvious judgment that is upon our land, we should also be asking, "Which way do we turn and how do we act?"

The Question: What Should the Righteous Do?

With the nation under judgment and the majority indifferent, the question arises from Psalm 11:3: 'If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?' Zephaniah 2:3 provides the answer.

If the general population could care less, and if a general population evidences no desire to repent and to change the situation, what in the world should the righteous do? In fact, it was David who asked that exact same question in Psalm 11 and verse 3, and he asked it like this:

Scripture Reading — Psalm 11:3

"If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?"

Well, I want you to understand that in Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 3, we are given an admonition, we're given a directive by Zephaniah, which actually answers that question when he says, "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." Now, before we look at this verse in detail, I want us to examine the context. I want you to see that this verse is given to us in the context of God's judgment. So if you'll look in chapter 1 of Zephaniah, and just begin there with verse 2, notice what God says. Zephaniah chapter 1 verse 2, God says, "I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord. I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks of the wicked; I will cut off man from off the land, saith the Lord.

The Context of Zephaniah 2:3: Judgment on Judah and the Nations

Weaver surveys Zephaniah 1 and 2 to show that verse 3 is embedded in declarations of severe judgment against Judah, Jerusalem, and surrounding nations, highlighting that the instruction is for a remnant.

I will also stretch out my hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; and them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham; and them that are turned back from the Lord; and those that have not sought the Lord, nor inquired of him. Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand; for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel. In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and a howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.

Now if you read all the way down, skip down to verse 14. "The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteneth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness." You can read all the way down to verse 18, and you will see that judgment is in the context. Now, if you will turn to chapter 2, if you would, very quickly, and begin reading with verse 4, since we've already read the first three verses. In verse 4, "For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up. Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of the Lord is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines.

I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; and they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the Lord their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity. I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border. Therefore as I live, saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them."

If you read on down through verse 15, you'll see it is judgment as well. So if you look at chapter 1, if you look at chapter 2, you will find verse 3 right smack dab in the middle of God's judgment. His judgment on Judah and Jerusalem in chapter 1 and His judgment on some of the other nations in chapter 2. So Zephaniah then is speaking to a remnant.

Now let me just tell you very quickly two problems that exist in relationship to God's judgment. The first problem that exists is this at times. Some individuals do not perceive that which is happening is the hand of God in judgment. Now, why is it people do not perceive the hand of God in judgment? Well, there could be numerous answers. One of them is because of our humanistic thinking. That's why our weathermen always refer to tornadoes and hurricanes and storms and floods and droughts as "mother nature," you know. They don't perceive those things as the hand of God. But if you would hold Zephaniah and turn in your Bibles to the book of Amos chapter 4, Amos chapter 4, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. And notice if you would, the Scripture teaches that there are degrees in judgment and degrees of severity. So it is possible that God can be judging and yet people not recognize it because it is not as severe as they think it should be to be the hand of God. So notice Hosea, I'm sorry, Amos chapter 4 beginning there of verse 6.

Two Problems in Recognizing God's Judgment

People often fail to perceive God's hand in calamity due to humanistic thinking or because judgment comes in degrees (Amos 4:6-12). Some will never recognize it and face destruction.

God says, "And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." So God said, I've sent a little famine among you, and it never even affected you. Watch verse 7. "And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." Well, famine didn't do it. Drought didn't do it. Now watch verse 9.

"I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." So here are all these insects plaguing and destroying the crops. It's a judgment of God, and yet people still did not pay attention. Verse 10. "I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses. And I have made the stink of your camps to come up into your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." War didn't wake them up either. Watch verse 11. "I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God.

Now, I want you to note, if you would please, in this passage, some will not admit or recognize God's judgment even under the severest judgment. And consequently, the only thing left for those individuals is destruction. That's why God said, "Because I will do this, prepare to meet thy God." In other words, I'll just kill you. I'll take you off the face of the earth.

Now, if you will notice in these judgments, one became a little more severe and a little more severe until you finally had the most severe at the very end. So there are indeed degrees of judgment. And some people fail to recognize God's judgment only because it is not as severe as it should be or could be according to their way of thinking. And then some of course will not recognize it at all and shall die and be destroyed. Now there's another problem that you face in discussing God's judgment and that is this.

The Action Commanded: Seek the Lord

Zephaniah addresses the meek remnant, commanding them to seek the Lord. Weaver explains this requires a genuine, undivided heart (Deut. 4:29), a humble self-estimation (Isa. 51:1), consistent obedience (2 Chron. 14:4), and crying to God for help (2 Chron. 20:4).

Well, verse 3 of Zephaniah chapter 2 gives us the answer. When Zephaniah writes, "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." I want you to understand something that Zephaniah in verse 3 is not addressing the nation as a whole. He is addressing only the remnant. In fact, he says in verse 1, "Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired." And then he tells the remnant in that nation in verse 3 exactly what they were to do. Do you realize the vast majority will never ever listen to, nor receive, nor hear or heed the Word of God. In the book of Isaiah chapter 1 and verse 5, God is speaking to those folks and he says this,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 1:5

"Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint."

So God is saying, what good is my judgment upon you? You're not going to listen.

I'll just take you out. Prepare to meet thy God. So Zephaniah in this verse is addressing the remnant. He's giving instruction here to those who will listen. It is as if Zephaniah is saying in verse 3, "Don't worry about the multitudes. Don't concern yourself with those who will not listen. Don't bother with them. You just do what you need to do. You take care of yourself and your family. You fulfill your responsibility." Now, I want us to look at verse 3. I want us to see several things. First of all, I want you to see the action commanded. The action commanded. In verse 3 it says, "Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth." So first and foremost, we're commanded to seek the Lord. But I want you to note that this action that is commanded is addressed to the meek of the earth. Now I'm going to cover this thought a little more completely later, but the meek of the earth are those who have humbled themselves and have submitted themselves unto the Lord.

The word "meek" here would refer to those who have profited under the scourgings of God. They have been chastised, they have repented, they have been afflicted, and they were humbled under their affliction. Thus the action that is here commanded is addressed to true believers. Now the phrase "to seek the Lord" occurs in a number of scriptures. For instance, hold Zephaniah and look in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 29. I will use this verse just momentarily. So I want you to see it. Deuteronomy chapter 4 and look at verse 29. The Word of God says this,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 4:29

"But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul."

If you would turn over to 1 Chronicles chapter 16. 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles. You'll have 1 Chronicles chapter 16. And notice if you would please, 1 Chronicles 16 at verses 10 and 11. 1 Chronicles 16, beginning there with verse 10.

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 16:10-11

"Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually."

Note that command. Seek the Lord and His face continually. Look, if you would, at 1 Chronicles 22 and verse 19, 1 Chronicles 22 and verse 19. And I could stay all day here giving you passages like this, but 1 Chronicles 22, verse 19, "Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the Lord God," etc., etc. But note, "Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God." And then of course, everyone in here can quote Isaiah 55 and verse 6, when the Bible said, "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near." So there are a multitude of passages that command us to seek the Lord. It is one thing to understand that we have been commanded to seek the Lord. And it's quite another thing to understand how we're to seek the Lord.

So how in the world do we seek the Lord? The action commanded is to seek the Lord, all ye meek of the earth. So how in the world do we seek the Lord? Well, let me try to answer that by giving you an irreducible minimum. I'm going to give you four truths. First and foremost, it should be obvious that to seek the Lord properly, we must seek Him with a genuine and undivided heart. There must be a genuine desire and an undivided heart.

We read earlier, Deuteronomy 4 and verse 29. Now listen again as I read it. "But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul." What does that mean? It means that there cannot be a divided heart. There can be no half-hearted seeking Him. There must be a genuine desire to seek the Lord. In Jeremiah 29 and verse 13, God said this,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 29:13

"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart."

What? You shall seek Me and you shall find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. In 2 Chronicles 15 and verse 12, we read about God's people who entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their souls. Very obviously, God does not want any half-hearted seeking or half-hearted worshipping. God is not going to be found by an indolent and slothful attempt to find Him.

No. The Bible teaches us and tells us about Rehoboam. The Bible tells us that King Rehoboam in 2 Chronicles 12 and verse 14 said this, "And he did evil." Why?

Scripture Reading — 2 Chronicles 12:14

"And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord."

Isn't that interesting? He did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. And yet we're told in 2 Chronicles 27 verse 6, "So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord." Obviously, he prepared his heart and he prepared his ways as well. So if you and I are going to seek the Lord, there must be first a genuine desire and there must be a wholehearted seeking of the Lord. Secondly, if we're going to seek the Lord, we must have a humble, accurate estimation of ourselves. We must have a humble and accurate estimation of ourselves.

I want you to look in your Bibles very quickly. Hold Zephaniah. We're coming back there. But look in Romans chapter 12 and verse 3. Romans chapter 12 and verse 3. Here is the counsel the Apostle Paul gave in ascertaining our gifts. He said in Romans chapter 12 and verse 3,

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:3

"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."

So what is God's counsel to us when it comes to our gifts? That we're not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, but we're to think soberly and righteously according as God has dealt us our measure of faith.

Now, if I were to announce to you that everyone needs to be here next Saturday, beginning at seven o'clock in the evening until 10 o'clock, because I was going to give you a musical presentation and sing solo for three hours. How many of you would attend? I see no takers, no hands. Because everyone knows, number one, I can't sing. And I don't play music. I know nothing about singing. And so it would be foolish of me to assume that I could sing and entertain or even edify anyone with my singing abilities, for I don't have any."

So if God then requires us, listen carefully, to think soberly concerning our gifts, how much more does He require us to think soberly concerning ourselves when we seek Him? For instance, here's what I'm talking about. Look in your Bibles to Isaiah 51 and verse 1. Look what God says. Isaiah 51 and verse 1. We're talking about thinking soberly. We're talking about seeking the Lord. Isaiah 51 and verse 1. Watch carefully.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 51:1

"Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord."

Now he's talking to us specifically.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 51:1

"Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord."

Look what he admonishes us.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 51:1

"Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look to the rock whence ye're hewn, to the hole of the pit whence ye're digged."

And then he said, "Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you." Hmm, I wonder where Abram was when God called him. He's in Ur of the Chaldees. He's a pagan.

He's a heathen. And what does God say? "Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged." Simply stating, here's what God says. You must remember when you seek Me that you deserve nothing but punishment and justice. You must remember that we were nothing when God found us. We were nothing when God saved us. And without Him, we would still be nothing. You cannot come to God with the attitude, "I deserve this. I earned this. I merited this." The only way that you can come to God with that attitude is if you're talking about punishment and justice. Because that's the only thing you've earned and that's the only thing you merited. Everything else that you have is basically only by God's grace. You know what the Bible says in the book of Colossians 1 in verse 13?

Paul is talking about the work of God the Father in our salvation and he said this, "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." Our salvation is totally, absolutely and completely the work of God alone. Period. So I said when you seek me, you need to remember who you are. You need to remember what you are. You need not only come with a genuine desire and an undivided heart. You need to come with a correct estimation of yourself. And you need to come to me with humility.

Thirdly, and I'll cover this more in the message a little later, in seeking the Lord, we must be careful to obey Him in every area of our lives. We must be careful to obey Him in every area of our lives. By that I mean this, we must be consistently and constantly and continually seeking to bring our lives into conformity to the Word of God. We cannot cease to obey God just simply because we are a nation under judgment. Some people have the attitude, some people have the attitude, "Well, what good is it going to do me to seek the Lord? Look, what's happening? The whole thing's going to hell anyhow.

Why should I be concerned? Why should I do what's right?" Well, let me ask you a question. Why in the world is God's judgment upon our nation anyhow? Because of our sin and our wickedness and our disobedience and our rebellion. Now, do you think that your rebellion and your disobedience and your sin is going to help correct the problem? No, it's going to just bring more judgment. What did David pray in Psalm 66 in verse 18? He said,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 66:18

"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."

How in the world do you think that God will hear you if you're still consistently disobeying him? He's not going to hear you and he's not going to help you. All that will do is bring judgment upon you. So thirdly, if we're seeking the Lord, we have to be careful. We have to be constant and continually seeking to do what is right and to be obedient in every area of our lives. The Bible tells us in 2 Chronicles chapter 14 and verse 4, listen, "And he commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.

Now notice what he said. "To seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and commandment." So what is part and parcel of seeking the Lord? Obeying Him. In fact, look in your Bibles, if you would, to Mark chapter 4. Turn there. To Mark chapter 4. As you're turning there, let me just quote a verse. In James 4 and verse 17, the Bible says this, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." So God says you're required to obey that which you know. If you know what is right, you're required to do what is right. Now, watch carefully Mark chapter 4, because here is a principle in verse 24. Look what God said. Our Lord Himself said, "Take heed what ye hear.

With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given." Now notice what he said, "And take heed what ye hear. With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you." In other words, to the degree that you give, to the measure that you give in hearing and obeying the word of God, to that same measure, it's going to be measured back to you. And then he said, "Unto you that hear shall more be given." In other words, seeking Him means that we not only obey the truth that we now have, but we also obey any and all truth that He shows us and illuminates us to understand and to receive. So seeking the Lord then means, thirdly, that we must obey Him in every area of our lives. Plain and simple. Fourthly, in seeking the Lord, it means that we cry unto Him for help. It means that we cry unto Him for help.

And let me finish this. We are not instructing Him what to do. We are crying to Him for help. We are not instructing Him as to what to do. There are many who wish to tell God what to do, when to do it, where to do it, and how to do it. I never have forgotten what Arthur W. Pink wrote years ago. He said, and I quote, "One reason we do not like the Pope is because we like to be the Pope ourselves."

We want to be in charge. But in seeking God, we have to understand that he is in charge. He is in control. He is the sovereign. We have absolutely no say in the matter. Our responsibility is to cry to Him for help. The Bible tells us in 2 Chronicles chapter 20 verse 4, "And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord." So in seeking the Lord, they were crying to Him for help.

They were not instructing him what to do. They were just saying, "Help, Lord, please, please help us." John Gill said this on the phrase "seeking the Lord." And he's talking about the passage in Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 3. He says, "They were here exhorted to seek the Lord. That is, by prayer and supplication to know more of his mind and will, and especially their duty in their present circumstances. Implore His grace and mercy, protection and safety in a day of common danger, and attend the public ordinances of His house in order to enjoy His presence and communion with Him. For to seek the Lord is to seek His face and favor, to have the light of His countenance and the discoveries of His love, and to seek His honor and glory in all things, particularly the Lord Christ may be met who was to come in the flesh and good men sought for him before he came and now he has come and to him should men seek for righteousness and life, for peace and pardon, for grace and all supplies of it, for everlasting salvation, and all this before as well as since his coming. And such seek him aright who seek him early, in the first place, above all things, who seek him with their whole hearts, sincerely, diligently, and constantly, and where he is to be found, in the ministry of the word of God and his ordinances." So Gill just summarized everything that I just said in seeking the Lord.

We must seek him in the minimum of those four ways. So the action commanded is very simple. Seek ye the Lord according to Zephaniah chapter 2 in verse 3. "Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth." Secondly, I want you to look in verse 3 at the action commended. Not only the action commanded, but the action commended. He says, "which have wrought judgment." Oh, here is a commendation. These individuals are individuals who had wrought judgment.

The Action Commended: Those Who Have Wrought Judgment

The phrase 'which have wrought his judgment' refers to those already living in obedience to God's law and righteousness. Weaver cites Genesis 18:19 and Isaiah 1:17 to define 'doing judgment' as obeying God's revealed will.

Now, what in the world does that mean? To do the judgment of God in this place it means that you form your life according to the righteousness of the law. The Hebrew word here frequently refers to the equity or the rule of right living. Hence to do judgment in this context is to do that which is righteous and just and to abstain from that which is wrong and injurious. So the prophet Zephaniah here calls it the judgment of God because it is what God prescribes, it is what God commands, and it is what God approves. Thus doing the judgment of God means that we act according to God's mind and will. We do that which is revealed in his word, which is the rule of judgment both as to faith and practice.

That is, we obey and we observe his law and his statutes and we keep his ordinances as they are delivered. We perform works of righteousness from right principles and right views as fruits of faith and as meat for repentance. Now, let me show you exactly this word "judgment." Go back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 18 and look at verse 19. I'm just showing you that the word "judgment" has to do with right living. It has to do with obedience. Genesis chapter 18 and verse 19 and look what God says concerning Abraham. Genesis 18 and verse 19. In fact God says concerning Abraham, "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him." Note what God said. God said, "I know Abraham. I know he's going to command his children and his household after him. And they shall keep the way of the Lord." What is the way of the Lord? To do justice and judgment. What is doing justice and judgment? It is simply obeying God. It is bringing your life in conformity to the Word of God. Doing justice or doing judgment is obedience to God and His Word.

Listen to what Isaiah said in Isaiah 1 in verse 17. Listen carefully now. God said, through Isaiah, "Learn to do well; seek judgment. Now let me stop right there. "Learn to do well; seek judgment." Learning to do well and seeking judgment are synonymous. And I didn't finish the verse. Listen carefully. "Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." What is doing judgment? It's doing that which is right. It's doing that which is in conformity to the Word of God. So the action commended is that here were some who were already obeying God. Cyril said this, "God is sought by us when of our choice, listen carefully, laying aside our listlessness or our slothfulness and indolence, we thirst after doing what pleases Him and we shall do judgment too when we fulfill His divine law, working out what is good unshrinkingly. And we shall gain the prize of righteousness when crowned with glory for well-doing, and running the well-reported and blameless way of true piety to God, and of love to the brethren, for love is the fulfilling of the law." So the action commended is that they were doing judgment.

That is, they were obeying the truth of God that they had at that particular time. Now, let's go to Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 3 again. You've seen the action commanded, the action commended. Now here's the action clarified. He said, "Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment." Here it is clarified. "Seek righteousness, seek meekness." Wow. Seek righteousness, seek meekness.

The Action Clarified: Seek Righteousness, Seek Meekness

Seeking righteousness and meekness must be constant. Biblical meekness is not weakness but disciplined strength under God's yoke, exemplified by Moses and Christ. It involves submission, trust, and obedience even under affliction.

Let me point something out. It is impossible to seek righteousness without at the same time seeking meekness or real biblical humility. When righteousness is sought at the same time, humility is sought. When righteousness is sought at the same time, humility is sought. Do you remember that passage? In Isaiah 6, Isaiah said, "In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up. And he began to describe the glory of God. And then the next thing you know, he's saying, "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." In other words, while on the one hand, there was elevation, then there was also on the other hand, humiliation. He understood.

that there was a humbling experience there. If you're seeking righteousness at the same time, you're seeking meekness. When he said, clarifying this action, "Seek righteousness, seek meekness," he's saying this is something that must be done constantly and continually. You must be seeking to bring your life in conformity to the Word of God.

Now let me explain this. It doesn't matter what you're doing. I do it regularly when I drive down the road. I'm praying. I'm asking the Lord in my mind to help me, to make me holy, to make me godly, to make me more obedient, to make me have more understanding, to illuminate my mind, to teach me. I don't care if you're plowing the garden. You can still do it. I don't care if you're washing dishes. You can still do it. You just have to develop the mentality of seeking the Lord and seeking humility constantly and consistently, whatever you're doing, whenever you're doing it.

It's something that must be done at all times. But Zephaniah is saying it is something that must be done, especially in the time of judgment. So Zephaniah then is admonishing us to advance in righteousness and holiness in our life. Why? Because he knows that God is not going to forget our obedience provided that we do not grow weary and provided that we persevere to the end. You know the Apostle Paul said the same thing in Galatians 6 and verse 9 when he said, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." What did he say? You've got to keep on keeping on. You can't look at circumstances. You can't look at the surroundings. You can't look at situations. You have to keep doing what's right regardless. You remember what the Bible says in Hebrews chapter 6? The apostle wrote, "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love." God's not going to forget. So we must persevere.

Now notice what he said. "Seek righteousness, seek meekness." I really want to clarify this. Do not equate meekness with mousiness. In this day and time, most consider a meek individual someone who happens to be weak, anemic, feminine, and unmanly. To the humanistic and modernistic worldviews, the meek man is the 90-pound weakling that becomes a foot mat for everyone to ridicule, to run over, to wipe their feet upon. I read years ago, some of you who have read Rushdoony's "Institutes of Biblical Law," he's discussing, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth," and he tells about one bathroom that he went into and someone had written on the bathroom wall, "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." And someone had come in under that and had written, "If that's all right." What was their estimation of a meek man? Someone who was weak, someone who wouldn't stand for anything, someone who was mousy. Biblical meekness is exactly the opposite. You must remember that according to Numbers chapter 12 and verse 3, in his day Moses was the meekest man upon the earth.

What did the meekest man upon the earth do? He defended a brother. He slew and killed an Egyptian. He stood up to Pharaoh. He spoke the truth and allowed the chips to fall where they may. He delivered Israel out of Egypt. He faced a rebellious group of Israelites. He prayed that God would let a new thing happen, that the earth would open up and they'd go down alive into hell. Hardly a mousy man. Hardly someone who was easily swayed from his position. Hardly someone who allowed others to wipe their feet upon him. No. The truth is, he was a real, genuine man. He was not mousy by any stretch of the imagination. Listen to these verses.

You can quote them, I'm sure. Matthew 11 and verse 29. Our Lord said, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." What did our Lord say? "For I am meek and lowly in heart." In Matthew 21 in verse 5, it was prophesied concerning Christ. Listen carefully. "Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass." How did Christ come in meekness? Our Lord certainly was not a mousy man.

I do not think that anyone in this room or anyone who's ever lived or ever shall live could endure everything that he endured without whining and without complaining. He not only endured ridicule and mockery and rejection and slander, he also endured an unjust trial and scourging and crucifixion. And yet we were told and are told that he was meek. Our Lord, who was meek, said in Matthew 5 and verse 5, which I've already quoted, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Meekness is an attitude or disposition that not only accepts and receives God's dealing with us without disputed argument, it is also an attitude and a disposition of submission unto Him and resting in Him and trusting in Him. I want you to listen carefully. This will give you the best explanation of meekness. What did our Lord say? He said in Matthew 11 verse 29, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart." Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me. You know what a meek person is? A meek person is someone who is broken to yoke. And the word "yoke" in Matthew 11 refers to a real, literal yoke.

I told you once before, I believe about Beauregard when he was alive. That big bull I had that weighed about 3,000 pounds. Alice and I went out to hook up to the harrow, so I could harrow some. It was an eight-foot harrow. The harrow probably weighed a thousand pounds or better. And when we got to the harrow, it was totally flipped over and all the discs were pointing up to the sky. And the only thing that you could see were Beauregard's footprints where he went to the front of that harrow and was scratching his head and he raised his head and he flipped the whole harrow over. I had to get a chain and pull it back right with the tractor before I could hook up to it.

Can you imagine the strength that is in or was in that bull's neck? And Forrest is just as big or bigger than Beauregard now. When you take a yoke and you place it upon an ox or a bull, you now have him under your control. All that strength is still there. It is just disciplined or controlled strength. A meek man is not a mousy man. A meek man, according to the Bible, is someone who has placed upon himself the yoke of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has the reins. Jesus Christ does the driving. The man is now under the sovereign control of the Son of God. He is still strong. He is still a man. It's just now disciplined and controlled strength.

He moves at Christ's command. He does what Christ tells him to do. He obeys because he's broken to yoke. Meekness is nothing less than disciplined strength under God. Period. So he said, "Seek righteousness, seek meekness." I've got news for you, folks. There are a lot of things that humanly speaking that I would like to do. That I will never do. Because of the yoke that's placed upon me. I can only act according to what Christ commands. John Calvin said it like this, listen carefully.

"We hence learn that even the best are roused by God's scourges to seek true religion with greater ardor than they've ever done before. Though then it be our object to serve God and to follow his word, when these calamities arise and God appears as a judge, we ought to be stimulated to greater care and diligence. For it never is the case that any one of us fully performs his duty." Wait a minute, did you hear what he said? It is never the case that any one of us ever performs his duty. How many of you have ever done what God has commanded you to do perfectly and completely? None. So when God sends judgment, you better pay a special attention. Because even the best of us, even the holiest, are still full of sin. And we never totally and completely obey. He goes on. "Let us remember then that we are roused by God whenever adversity impends over us.

And when God Himself shows manifest signs that He is displeased, this is the reason why the prophet bids the pious doers of righteousness to seek God, however much they were before devoted to Him, to do that which is just and upright." So when Zephaniah says, "Seek righteousness, seek meekness," he is still telling us we must seek with a greater ardor and with a greater strength to bring our lives in conformity to the word of God. Now, go back to verse 3 of Zephaniah 2. We've seen the action commanded, "Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth." We've seen the action commended, "which have wrought his judgments." We've seen the action clarified, "Seek righteousness, seek meekness." And finally we see the action consummated. "It may be.

The Action Consummated: It May Be You Shall Be Hid

The promise attached to obedience is that God may hide or spare the righteous in the day of His anger. Weaver cites Psalms 27, 31, and 91, and 2 Peter 2:9 to show God's protection and deliverance for the godly.

Ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." Lord have mercy upon us. Zephaniah encourages obedience and submission by stating, "It may be that you shall be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger." In other words, the Lord may spare you. You must remember that his wrath is directed at the disobedient and the rebellious. And if you're under judgment, you certainly do not want to be disobedient and rebellious.

Now, let me show you a couple of verses. I want you to go back, hold Zephaniah, but go back to Psalm 27 and verse 5. Psalm 27, verse 5. These are wonderful verses. And this is probably what Zephaniah had in mind when he said, "It may be, it may be that the Lord will hide you." Notice, if you would please, Psalm 27. And verse 5, David said, "For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock." In the time of trouble, He shall hide me. David said, He's my protector and He indeed shall hide me. Look in Psalm 31 and verse 20. Psalm 31 in verse 20. Again, "Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues." David said, God will hide me during the time of judgment. I want you to turn to Psalm 91.

And as you turn there, I want to quote a verse from the New Testament, 2 Peter 2 and verse 9, where God says this, "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." Notice, "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations." He knows exactly how. And he also knows how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished. But David is talking about how the Lord hides him. I want you to look in Psalm 91, and I want to take the time to read all 16 verses. You talk about a blessed Psalm. Here it is. Psalm 91, verse 1, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust." Now watch. "Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Why?

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation." What a wonderful psalm. Of course, this psalm is indeed applied of our Lord Jesus in the New Testament, but it is also applied to all of those who are in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, I want you to go back to the book of Zephaniah. And as you're turning back, I want to give you one quick quote. I want you to look at verse 3 again. Zephaniah 2 verse 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." One last quote before I make the application.

Application: How to Act in the Time of Judgment

Believers must constantly bring their lives into greater conformity to God's Word, especially during judgment. A submissive, repentant attitude may lead God to lighten the rod, as a loving Father deals gently with obedient children (Lam. 3:33).

John Trapp said, and I love this. "Possibly you may. Probably you shall be. Pardon of sin you shall be sure of, mitigation also of sorrow, if not prevention. Saved you shall be, or more gently handled, or so inwardly calmed that you shall be able to call your souls to rest when others are at their wit's ends. You shall be safe under the cover of God's wings and the hollow of his hand, when others that are without God in the world shall be as a naked man in a storm, an unarmed man in the field, or as a ship without an anchor, subject to dash and split against rocks and quicksands." What did Trapp say? If you're not going to be delivered totally, certainly, you're going to be more gently handled. Listen to this application.

This one application should be sufficient because Zephaniah is teaching us how to act in the time of judgment. We should be at all times constantly, consistently, and continually bringing our lives into greater conformity and obedience to the Word of God. But what Zephaniah is saying, especially in the times of judgment, we should pay special attention to this one fact. God in His mercy may spare us. Or at least He may handle us more gently. And you have to remember this, dear friend. No parent chastens his child with severity when that child displays a repentant, compliant, and submissive attitude. When you see submission, when you see humility, when you see compliance, when you see meekness, you always lighten the rod. The same is true with our heavenly Father. As Zephaniah says, don't be concerned with those who won't listen. You have a responsibility. Your responsibility is to seek righteousness, to seek meekness, to bring your life into greater conformity to the Word of God. And you have to remember Lamentations 3 and verse 33, when the Word of God says concerning our Heavenly Father, "For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men." May I ask, why would we not expect our loving, gracious, Heavenly Father to deal more gently with His submissive and obedient children than He does with the wicked and the ungodly? Certainly, we should.

Study Guide

Major Themes

God's Judgment on Nations

Summary: God actively judges nations for sin, and His judgment can be seen in societal collapse, moral decay, and natural disasters, though many fail to recognize it.

Evidence: Weaver describes the disintegration of society and cites Zephaniah 1 and Amos 4 to show degrees of judgment.

The Remnant and Individual Responsibility

Summary: In times of widespread judgment, God addresses a faithful remnant, instructing them to focus on their own obedience rather than the unrepentant majority.

Evidence: Zephaniah 2:3 is addressed to 'all ye meek of the earth,' not the nation as a whole; Weaver emphasizes 'Don't worry about the multitudes... You just do what you need to do.'

Seeking the Lord with a Whole Heart

Summary: True seeking of God requires an undivided heart, genuine desire, and wholehearted devotion, not half-hearted or slothful attempts.

Evidence: Weaver cites Deuteronomy 4:29, Jeremiah 29:13, and 2 Chronicles 15:12 to stress seeking with all the heart and soul.

Biblical Meekness as Disciplined Strength

Summary: Meekness is not weakness but strength under control, like an ox yoked to Christ. It involves submission, trust, and obedience without complaint.

Evidence: Weaver contrasts worldly views of meekness with Moses and Christ, and explains the yoke metaphor from Matthew 11:29.

Obedience as the Path to Protection

Summary: Consistent obedience and seeking righteousness may lead to God's protection or gentler handling during judgment, as a Father responds to a submissive child.

Evidence: Weaver cites Zephaniah 2:3's 'it may be ye shall be hid' and Lamentations 3:33, and quotes John Trapp on mitigation of sorrow.

Key Arguments

Preachers have failed to warn of judgment

Summary: Most preachers today are silent on the issues and do not provide biblical answers, making them like the blind, dumb watchdogs of Isaiah 56:10.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Very few preachers today are asking questions or addressing the problems... most preachers today are absolutely worthless.'

Judgment comes in degrees, and many do not perceive it

Summary: God sends progressive judgments (famine, drought, pestilence, war) to lead people to repentance, but many fail to recognize His hand until destruction comes.

Evidence: Weaver expounds Amos 4:6-12, showing each judgment followed by 'yet have ye not returned unto me.'

Seeking the Lord requires a correct, humble self-estimation

Summary: To seek God properly, one must remember their lowly origin and that they deserve nothing but punishment; salvation is entirely by grace.

Evidence: Weaver cites Isaiah 51:1 ('look unto the rock whence ye are hewn') and Colossians 1:13.

Obedience is integral to seeking the Lord

Summary: Seeking God cannot be separated from obeying His commandments; disobedience brings more judgment, while obedience is part of seeking Him.

Evidence: Weaver references 2 Chronicles 14:4, James 4:17, and Mark 4:24 to show that hearing and obeying are linked.

Meekness is strength under God's control, not mousiness

Summary: Biblical meekness is exemplified by Moses and Christ—strong individuals who submitted to God's will and acted boldly, not weaklings who are trampled.

Evidence: Weaver describes Moses' actions and Christ's endurance, and explains the yoke metaphor as disciplined strength.

God may spare or gently handle the obedient during judgment

Summary: The promise 'it may be ye shall be hid' encourages obedience by suggesting that God, as a loving Father, will deal more gently with His submissive children.

Evidence: Weaver quotes John Trapp: 'Pardon of sin you shall be sure of, mitigation also of sorrow, if not prevention.'

Scripture References

Zephaniah 2:1-3

Context: The primary text: a call to gather and seek the Lord, righteousness, and meekness to be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.

Isaiah 56:10

Context: God's watchmen are blind, ignorant, dumb dogs that cannot bark—used to describe worthless preachers.

Jeremiah 9:12

Context: A wise man to whom the Lord has spoken should declare why the land perishes, but fails to do so.

Malachi 2:7

Context: The priest's lips should keep knowledge; he is the messenger of the Lord—preachers should have answers.

Psalm 11:3

Context: If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?—the question Zephaniah 2:3 answers.

Zephaniah 1:2-18

Context: God's declaration of utter consumption and judgment on Judah and Jerusalem for idolatry and violence.

Zephaniah 2:4-15

Context: Judgment pronounced on Philistia, Moab, Ammon, and other nations surrounding Judah.

Amos 4:6-12

Context: God sent famine, drought, blight, pestilence, and war, yet Israel did not return; therefore, prepare to meet thy God.

Isaiah 1:5

Context: Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more—the majority will not listen to judgment.

Deuteronomy 4:29

Context: If thou seek the Lord thy God with all thy heart and soul, thou shalt find him.

1 Chronicles 16:10-11

Context: Glory in his holy name; let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord; seek his face continually.

1 Chronicles 22:19

Context: Set your heart and soul to seek the Lord your God.

Isaiah 55:6

Context: Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.

Jeremiah 29:13

Context: Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

2 Chronicles 12:14

Context: Rehoboam did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord.

Romans 12:3

Context: Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly.

Isaiah 51:1

Context: Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged—remember your lowly origin.

Colossians 1:13

Context: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son—salvation is God's work.

Psalm 66:18

Context: If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

2 Chronicles 14:4

Context: He commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.

Historical References

Arthur W. Pink

Context: Weaver quotes Pink: 'One reason we do not like the Pope is because we like to be the Pope ourselves,' illustrating human desire for control.

John Gill

Context: Gill's commentary on Zephaniah 2:3 is quoted extensively to summarize what it means to seek the Lord.

Cyril of Alexandria

Context: Cyril is quoted on seeking God and doing judgment as fulfilling the divine law and working out what is good.

R. J. Rushdoony, Institutes of Biblical Law

Context: Weaver references Rushdoony's discussion of 'Blessed are the meek' and a bathroom wall graffiti to illustrate worldly misunderstanding of meekness.

John Calvin

Context: Calvin is quoted on how even the best are roused by God's scourges to seek true religion with greater ardor.

John Trapp

Context: Trapp's commentary on Zephaniah 2:3 is quoted: 'Possibly you may. Probably you shall be... mitigation also of sorrow, if not prevention.'

Important Quotes

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.

Significance: The central text of the sermon, providing the command, clarification, and promise for the remnant in judgment.

If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

Significance: The question that Zephaniah 2:3 answers, framing the sermon's purpose.

I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord.

Significance: Illustrates the severity of God's judgment in the context of Zephaniah's prophecy.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Significance: Key to defining biblical meekness as disciplined strength under Christ's yoke.

Possibly you may. Probably you shall be. Pardon of sin you shall be sure of, mitigation also of sorrow, if not prevention.

Significance: John Trapp's encouraging paraphrase of 'it may be,' emphasizing God's likely gentleness toward the obedient.

For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

Significance: Reinforces the application that God, as a loving Father, deals gently with submissive children.

Discussion Questions

In what ways do you see evidence of God's judgment in our society today, and how should that affect your daily priorities?

Context: Weaver describes societal collapse and asks what the righteous should do when foundations are destroyed.

Why do you think many people, including Christians, fail to recognize God's hand in calamities? How can we cultivate a biblical perspective on current events?

Context: Weaver discusses humanistic thinking and degrees of judgment from Amos 4.

What does it mean to seek the Lord with a whole heart? What practical steps can you take to avoid a divided or half-hearted pursuit of God?

Context: Weaver expounds Deuteronomy 4:29 and related verses on wholehearted seeking.

How does a proper, humble estimation of ourselves affect our prayer life and our approach to God?

Context: Weaver uses Isaiah 51:1 to remind believers of their lowly origin and total dependence on grace.

In what areas of your life is obedience most challenging, and how does the promise of God's protection encourage you to persevere?

Context: Weaver links obedience to seeking the Lord and the promise of being hid in the day of anger.

How does the biblical concept of meekness as 'disciplined strength under God's yoke' differ from the world's view of meekness? Can you think of examples in your own life?

Context: Weaver contrasts mousiness with the examples of Moses and Christ and explains the yoke metaphor.

What does it look like to 'seek righteousness and seek meekness' in practical, everyday situations, especially when facing opposition or hardship?

Context: Weaver emphasizes constant, consistent seeking regardless of circumstances.

How does the truth that God may deal more gently with His obedient children affect your view of suffering and discipline?

Context: Weaver applies Lamentations 3:33 and the father-child analogy to encourage submission.

Applications

Focus on personal obedience rather than the unrepentant majority

Summary: In times of national judgment, believers should not be distracted by those who refuse to listen but should concentrate on bringing their own lives into conformity with God's Word.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Don't worry about the multitudes. Don't concern yourself with those who will not listen... You just do what you need to do.'

Seek the Lord with a genuine, undivided heart

Summary: Believers must pursue God wholeheartedly, not with half-hearted or slothful attempts, preparing their hearts to seek Him.

Evidence: Weaver cites Deuteronomy 4:29 and 2 Chronicles 12:14 to show that a prepared, undivided heart is essential.

Maintain a humble self-estimation before God

Summary: Remembering our lowly origin and that we deserve nothing but judgment fosters humility and proper dependence on God's grace.

Evidence: Weaver points to Isaiah 51:1 and Colossians 1:13 to remind believers they were nothing when God saved them.

Obey God consistently in every area of life

Summary: Seeking the Lord is inseparable from obeying His commandments; disobedience only brings more judgment, while obedience is part of seeking Him.

Evidence: Weaver references 2 Chronicles 14:4 and Mark 4:24 to show that hearing and obeying are linked.

Cry to God for help without instructing Him

Summary: In seeking the Lord, believers should humbly ask for help rather than dictating to God what He should do, acknowledging His sovereignty.

Evidence: Weaver cites 2 Chronicles 20:4 and quotes Pink on human desire to be 'Pope.'

Pursue righteousness and biblical meekness constantly

Summary: Believers should continually seek to advance in holiness and disciplined submission to Christ's yoke, especially during times of judgment.

Evidence: Weaver explains that seeking righteousness and meekness must be done 'constantly and continually' and defines meekness as strength under control.

Trust that God may spare or gently handle the obedient

Summary: The promise 'it may be ye shall be hid' encourages believers to persevere in obedience, trusting that God, as a loving Father, will deal gently with His submissive children.

Evidence: Weaver quotes John Trapp and Lamentations 3:33 to show that God does not afflict willingly and may mitigate sorrow for the obedient.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T02:25:32Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T15:52:53Z

Clean Transcript

How to Act in the Time of Judgment

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

So we're looking in the book of Zephaniah chapter 2, and I would encourage you to go ahead and mark this chapter since we will be turning some and you will have to find this chapter again, okay? So, Zephaniah chapter 2, and let's begin reading with verse 1. Zephaniah 2 verse 1, "Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; 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. 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." The message today is entitled "How to Act in the Time of Judgment." How to act in the time of judgment. I thought it would be fitting after having preached the brief series from 1 Peter chapter 4, "Judgment at the House of God," to bring this message from
#1 | 0:15 to 1:52 | cleaned
some and you will have to find this chapter again. Okay. So Zephaniah chapter 2, and let's begin reading with verse 1. Zephaniah 2, verse 1, "Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; 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. 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." The message today is entitled "How to Act in the Time of Judgment." How to act in the time of judgment. I thought it would be fitting after having preached the brief series from 1 Peter chapter 4, "Judgment at the House of God," to bring this message from the book of Zephaniah. So look, if you would please, at verse 3, that is our text today. "Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness." Watch carefully.
#2 | 1:52 to 3:09 | cleaned
"It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." What strange and dangerous times we live in. It seems as if our whole society as well as our nation is disintegrating before our very eyes. Our morals have collapsed. Our money is worthless. Our politicians are corrupt. Our government is tyrannical and despotic. And it does not seem that there is any help from anyone or from any institution.
#3 | 3:10 to 3:43 | cleaned
When you look around you will notice that churches are practically on every corner in our land today. And usually they are pretty well filled each Lord's Day. But the problem is our preachers are silent. At least they are silent as to the issues at hand. Very few preachers today are asking questions or addressing the problems. In fact, there can be no answers to the multitudinous problems that we face as long as we ignore Scripture and ignore the God of Scripture. Therefore, most preachers today are absolutely worthless. In fact, Isaiah said it like this in Isaiah 56 and verse 10. Listen, God, through the prophet Isaiah, says this, "His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant.
#4 | 3:43 to 4:37 | cleaned
They are all dumb dogs that cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber." Notice what God says. His watchmen are blind. They're all ignorant. They're all dumb dogs that cannot bark. And why in the world do you have a dog? You usually have him as a watchdog. And you want him to bark when danger is around. But God's watchmen in Isaiah 56 were not guard dogs. They were just simply slumbering dogs. Let me just point out that God's preachers should have the answers in dangerous times.
#5 | 4:38 to 5:18 | cleaned
Don't try to turn there, but let me quote two verses for you. First of all, in Jeremiah chapter 9 and verse 12, listen carefully to this verse. "Who is the wise man that may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken, that he may declare it? For the land perisheth, and is burned up like a wilderness, and none passeth through." Now notice if you would, here is someone to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken, and yet he is responsible to declare it, and yet he does not. And the Bible says in the book of Malachi chapter 2 and verse 7, "For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts."
#6 | 5:20 to 6:10 | cleaned
So God's preachers should indeed be addressing the problems. They should be bringing forth biblical answers and biblical solutions. But since that is not happening, with all that is going on in America, the question that is almost universally asked, and by the way, I get asked this question innumerable times, "What shall we do? What are we going to do?" In light of the obvious judgment that is upon our land, we should also be asking, "Which way do we turn and how do we act?"
#7 | 6:12 to 6:51 | cleaned
If the general population could care less, and if a general population evidences no desire to repent and to change the situation, what in the world should the righteous do? In fact, it was David who asked that exact same question in Psalm 11 and verse 3, and he asked it like this: "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" Well, I want you to understand that in Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 3, we are given an admonition, we're given a directive by Zephaniah, which actually answers that question when he says, "Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness.
#8 | 6:52 to 7:37 | cleaned
It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." Now, before we look at this verse in detail, I want us to examine the context. I want you to see that this verse is given to us in the context of God's judgment. So if you'll look in chapter 1 of Zephaniah, and just begin there with verse 2, notice what God says. Zephaniah chapter 1 verse 2, God says, "I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord. I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks of the wicked; I will cut off man from off the land, saith the Lord.
#9 | 7:38 to 8:23 | cleaned
I will also stretch out my hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; and them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham; and them that are turned back from the Lord; and those that have not sought the Lord, nor inquired of him. Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand; for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel. In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and a howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.
#10 | 8:23 to 9:23 | cleaned
Now if you read all the way down, skip down to verse 14. "The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteneth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness." You can read all the way down to verse 18, and you will see that judgment is in the context.
#11 | 9:23 to 9:50 | cleaned
Now, if you will turn to chapter 2, if you would, very quickly, and begin reading with verse 4, since we've already read the first three verses. In verse 4, "For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up. Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of the Lord is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines.
#12 | 9:51 to 10:15 | cleaned
I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; and they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the Lord their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.
#13 | 10:15 to 10:34 | cleaned
I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border. Therefore as I live, saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them."
#14 | 10:35 to 11:01 | cleaned
If you read on down through verse 15, you'll see it is judgment as well. So if you look at chapter 1, if you look at chapter 2, you will find verse 3 right smack dab in the middle of God's judgment. His judgment on Judah and Jerusalem in chapter 1 and His judgment on some of the other nations in chapter 2. So Zephaniah then is speaking to a remnant.
#15 | 11:01 to 11:34 | cleaned
Now let me just tell you very quickly two problems that exist in relationship to God's judgment. The first problem that exists is this at times. Some individuals do not perceive that which is happening is the hand of God in judgment. Now, why is it people do not perceive the hand of God in judgment? Well, there could be numerous answers. One of them is because of our humanistic thinking.
#16 | 11:35 to 12:08 | cleaned
That's why our weathermen always refer to tornadoes and hurricanes and storms and floods and droughts as "mother nature," you know. They don't perceive those things as the hand of God. But if you would hold Zephaniah and turn in your Bibles to the book of Amos chapter 4, Amos chapter 4, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. And notice if you would, the Scripture teaches that there are degrees in judgment and degrees of severity. So it is possible that God can be judging and yet people not recognize it because it is not as severe as they think it should be to be the hand of God. So notice Hosea, I'm sorry, Amos chapter 4 beginning there of verse 6.
#17 | 12:08 to 12:59 | cleaned
God says, "And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." So God said, I've sent a little famine among you, and it never even affected you. Watch verse 7. "And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." Well, famine didn't do it. Drought didn't do it. Now watch verse 9.
#18 | 12:59 to 13:43 | cleaned
"I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." So here are all these insects plaguing and destroying the crops. It's a judgment of God, and yet people still did not pay attention. Verse 10. "I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses.
#19 | 13:43 to 14:12 | cleaned
And I have made the stink of your camps to come up into your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." War didn't wake them up either. Watch verse 11. "I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God.
#20 | 14:13 to 14:47 | cleaned
Now, I want you to note, if you would please, in this passage, some will not admit or recognize God's judgment even under the severest judgment. And consequently, the only thing left for those individuals is destruction. That's why God said, "Because I will do this, prepare to meet thy God." In other words, I'll just kill you. I'll take you off the face of the earth.
#21 | 14:47 to 15:20 | cleaned
Now, if you will notice in these judgments, one became a little more severe and a little more severe until you finally had the most severe at the very end. So there are indeed degrees of judgment. And some people fail to recognize God's judgment only because it is not as severe as it should be or could be according to their way of thinking. And then some of course will not recognize it at all and shall die and be destroyed. Now there's another problem that you face in discussing God's judgment and that is this.
#22 | 15:20 to 15:57 | cleaned
There is always a remnant. There's always a few that really desire repentance and restoration and a return to God and His law while the vast majority is indeed indifferent and unrepentant. So the question has to be asked, "What shall the righteous do? What in the world are we going to do?" We're sitting here wanting to do what's right, wanting to obey God, wanting our country restored, we want God's law, we want God's sovereignty to be over us, we want to recognize God in every area of our life, and yet the vast majority could care less. So what in the world should we do?
#23 | 15:59 to 16:48 | cleaned
Well, verse 3 of Zephaniah chapter 2 gives us the answer. When Zephaniah writes, "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." I want you to understand something that Zephaniah in verse 3 is not addressing the nation as a whole. He is addressing only the remnant. In fact, he says in verse 1, "Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired." And then he tells the remnant in that nation in verse 3 exactly what they were to do.
#24 | 16:49 to 17:36 | cleaned
Do you realize the vast majority will never ever listen to, nor receive, nor hear or heed the Word of God. In the book of Isaiah chapter 1 and verse 5, God is speaking to those folks and he says this, "Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint." So God is saying, what good is my judgment upon you? You're not going to listen.
#25 | 17:38 to 18:16 | cleaned
I'll just take you out. Prepare to meet thy God. So Zephaniah in this verse is addressing the remnant. He's giving instruction here to those who will listen. It is as if Zephaniah is saying in verse 3, "Don't worry about the multitudes. Don't concern yourself with those who will not listen. Don't bother with them. You just do what you need to do. You take care of yourself and your family. You fulfill your responsibility." Now, I want us to look at verse 3. I want us to see several things. First of all, I want you to see the action commanded. The action commanded. In verse 3 it says, "Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth." So first and foremost, we're commanded to seek the Lord. But I want you to note that this action that is commanded is addressed to the meek of the earth. Now I'm going to cover this thought a little more completely later, but the meek of the earth are those who have humbled themselves and have submitted themselves unto the Lord.
#26 | 18:17 to 19:32 | cleaned
The word "meek" here would refer to those who have profited under the scourgings of God. They have been chastised, they have repented, they have been afflicted, and they were humbled under their affliction. Thus the action that is here commanded is addressed to true believers.
#27 | 19:33 to 19:50 | cleaned
Now the phrase "to seek the Lord" occurs in a number of scriptures. For instance, hold Zephaniah and look in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 29. I will use this verse just momentarily. So I want you to see it. Deuteronomy chapter 4 and look at verse 29. The Word of God says this, "But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul." If you would turn over to 1 Chronicles chapter 16. 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles. You'll have 1 Chronicles chapter 16. And notice if you would please, 1 Chronicles 16 at verses 10 and 11. 1 Chronicles 16, beginning there with verse 10.
#28 | 19:52 to 21:04 | cleaned
"Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually." Note that command. Seek the Lord and His face continually. Look, if you would, at 1 Chronicles 22 and verse 19, 1 Chronicles 22 and verse 19. And I could stay all day here giving you passages like this, but 1 Chronicles 22, verse 19, "Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the Lord God," etc., etc. But note, "Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God." And then of course, everyone in here can quote Isaiah 55 and verse 6, when the Bible said, "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near." So there are a multitude of passages that command us to seek the Lord. It is one thing to understand that we have been commanded to seek the Lord. And it's quite another thing to understand how we're to seek the Lord.
#29 | 21:04 to 22:14 | cleaned
So how in the world do we seek the Lord? The action commanded is to seek the Lord, all ye meek of the earth. So how in the world do we seek the Lord? Well, let me try to answer that by giving you an irreducible minimum. I'm going to give you four truths. First and foremost, it should be obvious that to seek the Lord properly, we must seek Him with a genuine and undivided heart. There must be a genuine desire and an undivided heart.
#30 | 22:17 to 22:53 | cleaned
We read earlier, Deuteronomy 4 and verse 29. Now listen again as I read it. "But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul." What does that mean? It means that there cannot be a divided heart. There can be no half-hearted seeking Him. There must be a genuine desire to seek the Lord. In Jeremiah 29 and verse 13, God said this, "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." What? You shall seek Me and you shall find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. In 2 Chronicles 15 and verse 12, we read about God's people who entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their souls. Very obviously, God does not want any half-hearted seeking or half-hearted worshipping. God is not going to be found by an indolent and slothful attempt to find Him.
#31 | 22:56 to 24:10 | cleaned
No. The Bible teaches us and tells us about Rehoboam. The Bible tells us that King Rehoboam in 2 Chronicles 12 and verse 14 said this, "And he did evil." Why? "And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord." Isn't that interesting? He did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. And yet we're told in 2 Chronicles 27 verse 6, "So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord." Obviously, he prepared his heart and he prepared his ways as well. So if you and I are going to seek the Lord, there must be first a genuine desire and there must be a wholehearted seeking of the Lord. Secondly, if we're going to seek the Lord, we must have a humble, accurate estimation of ourselves. We must have a humble and accurate estimation of ourselves.
#32 | 24:12 to 25:15 | cleaned
I want you to look in your Bibles very quickly. Hold Zephaniah. We're coming back there. But look in Romans chapter 12 and verse 3. Romans chapter 12 and verse 3. Here is the counsel the Apostle Paul gave in ascertaining our gifts. He said in Romans chapter 12 and verse 3, "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." So what is God's counsel to us when it comes to our gifts? That we're not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, but we're to think soberly and righteously according as God has dealt us our measure of faith.
#33 | 25:15 to 26:12 | cleaned
Now, if I were to announce to you that everyone needs to be here next Saturday, beginning at seven o'clock in the evening until 10 o'clock, because I was going to give you a musical presentation and sing solo for three hours. How many of you would attend? I see no takers, no hands. Because everyone knows, number one, I can't sing. And I don't play music. I know nothing about singing. And so it would be foolish of me to assume that I could sing and entertain or even edify anyone with my singing abilities, for I don't have any."
#34 | 26:12 to 27:02 | cleaned
So if God then requires us, listen carefully, to think soberly concerning our gifts, how much more does He require us to think soberly concerning ourselves when we seek Him? For instance, here's what I'm talking about. Look in your Bibles to Isaiah 51 and verse 1. Look what God says. Isaiah 51 and verse 1. We're talking about thinking soberly. We're talking about seeking the Lord. Isaiah 51 and verse 1. Watch carefully. "Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord." Now he's talking to us specifically. "Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord." Look what he admonishes us. "Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look to the rock whence ye're hewn, to the hole of the pit whence ye're digged." And then he said, "Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you." Hmm, I wonder where Abram was when God called him. He's in Ur of the Chaldees. He's a pagan.
#35 | 27:03 to 28:25 | cleaned
He's a heathen. And what does God say? "Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged." Simply stating, here's what God says. You must remember when you seek Me that you deserve nothing but punishment and justice. You must remember that we were nothing when God found us. We were nothing when God saved us. And without Him, we would still be nothing. You cannot come to God with the attitude, "I deserve this. I earned this. I merited this." The only way that you can come to God with that attitude is if you're talking about punishment and justice. Because that's the only thing you've earned and that's the only thing you merited. Everything else that you have is basically only by God's grace. You know what the Bible says in the book of Colossians 1 in verse 13?
#36 | 28:26 to 29:27 | cleaned
Paul is talking about the work of God the Father in our salvation and he said this, "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." Our salvation is totally, absolutely and completely the work of God alone. Period. So I said when you seek me, you need to remember who you are. You need to remember what you are. You need not only come with a genuine desire and an undivided heart. You need to come with a correct estimation of yourself. And you need to come to me with humility.
#37 | 29:28 to 30:13 | cleaned
Thirdly, and I'll cover this more in the message a little later, in seeking the Lord, we must be careful to obey Him in every area of our lives. We must be careful to obey Him in every area of our lives. By that I mean this, we must be consistently and constantly and continually seeking to bring our lives into conformity to the Word of God. We cannot cease to obey God just simply because we are a nation under judgment. Some people have the attitude, some people have the attitude, "Well, what good is it going to do me to seek the Lord? Look, what's happening? The whole thing's going to hell anyhow.
#38 | 30:13 to 31:07 | cleaned
Why should I be concerned? Why should I do what's right?" Well, let me ask you a question. Why in the world is God's judgment upon our nation anyhow? Because of our sin and our wickedness and our disobedience and our rebellion. Now, do you think that your rebellion and your disobedience and your sin is going to help correct the problem? No, it's going to just bring more judgment.
#39 | 31:08 to 31:30 | cleaned
What did David pray in Psalm 66 in verse 18? He said, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." How in the world do you think that God will hear you if you're still consistently disobeying him? He's not going to hear you and he's not going to help you. All that will do is bring judgment upon you. So thirdly, if we're seeking the Lord, we have to be careful. We have to be constant and continually seeking to do what is right and to be obedient in every area of our lives. The Bible tells us in 2 Chronicles chapter 14 and verse 4, listen, "And he commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.
#40 | 31:30 to 32:19 | cleaned
Now notice what he said. "To seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and commandment." So what is part and parcel of seeking the Lord? Obeying Him. In fact, look in your Bibles, if you would, to Mark chapter 4. Turn there. To Mark chapter 4. As you're turning there, let me just quote a verse. In James 4 and verse 17, the Bible says this, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." So God says you're required to obey that which you know. If you know what is right, you're required to do what is right. Now, watch carefully Mark chapter 4, because here is a principle in verse 24. Look what God said. Our Lord Himself said, "Take heed what ye hear.
#41 | 32:19 to 33:07 | cleaned
With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given." Now notice what he said, "And take heed what ye hear. With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you." In other words, to the degree that you give, to the measure that you give in hearing and obeying the word of God, to that same measure, it's going to be measured back to you. And then he said, "Unto you that hear shall more be given." In other words, seeking Him means that we not only obey the truth that we now have, but we also obey any and all truth that He shows us and illuminates us to understand and to receive. So seeking the Lord then means, thirdly, that we must obey Him in every area of our lives. Plain and simple. Fourthly, in seeking the Lord, it means that we cry unto Him for help. It means that we cry unto Him for help.
#42 | 33:10 to 34:18 | cleaned
And let me finish this. We are not instructing Him what to do. We are crying to Him for help. We are not instructing Him as to what to do. There are many who wish to tell God what to do, when to do it, where to do it, and how to do it. I never have forgotten what Arthur W. Pink wrote years ago. He said, and I quote, "One reason we do not like the Pope is because we like to be the Pope ourselves."
#43 | 34:19 to 34:59 | cleaned
We want to be in charge. But in seeking God, we have to understand that he is in charge. He is in control. He is the sovereign. We have absolutely no say in the matter. Our responsibility is to cry to Him for help. The Bible tells us in 2 Chronicles chapter 20 verse 4, "And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord." So in seeking the Lord, they were crying to Him for help.
#44 | 35:04 to 35:44 | cleaned
They were not instructing him what to do. They were just saying, "Help, Lord, please, please help us." John Gill said this on the phrase "seeking the Lord." And he's talking about the passage in Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 3. He says, "They were here exhorted to seek the Lord. That is, by prayer and supplication to know more of his mind and will, and especially their duty in their present circumstances.
#45 | 35:45 to 36:17 | cleaned
Implore His grace and mercy, protection and safety in a day of common danger, and attend the public ordinances of His house in order to enjoy His presence and communion with Him. For to seek the Lord is to seek His face and favor, to have the light of His countenance and the discoveries of His love, and to seek His honor and glory in all things, particularly the Lord Christ may be met who was to come in the flesh and good men sought for him before he came and now he has come and to him should men seek for righteousness and life, for peace and pardon, for grace and all supplies of it, for everlasting salvation, and all this before as well as since his coming. And such seek him aright who seek him early, in the first place, above all things, who seek him with their whole hearts, sincerely, diligently, and constantly, and where he is to be found, in the ministry of the word of God and his ordinances." So Gill just summarized everything that I just said in seeking the Lord.
#46 | 36:18 to 37:28 | cleaned
We must seek him in the minimum of those four ways. So the action commanded is very simple. Seek ye the Lord according to Zephaniah chapter 2 in verse 3. "Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth." Secondly, I want you to look in verse 3 at the action commended. Not only the action commanded, but the action commended. He says, "which have wrought judgment." Oh, here is a commendation. These individuals are individuals who had wrought judgment.
#47 | 37:28 to 38:05 | cleaned
Now, what in the world does that mean? To do the judgment of God in this place it means that you form your life according to the righteousness of the law. The Hebrew word here frequently refers to the equity or the rule of right living. Hence to do judgment in this context is to do that which is righteous and just and to abstain from that which is wrong and injurious. So the prophet Zephaniah here calls it the judgment of God because it is what God prescribes, it is what God commands, and it is what God approves. Thus doing the judgment of God means that we act according to God's mind and will. We do that which is revealed in his word, which is the rule of judgment both as to faith and practice.
#48 | 38:07 to 39:01 | cleaned
That is, we obey and we observe his law and his statutes and we keep his ordinances as they are delivered. We perform works of righteousness from right principles and right views as fruits of faith and as meat for repentance.
#49 | 39:01 to 39:19 | cleaned
Now, let me show you exactly this word "judgment." Go back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 18 and look at verse 19. I'm just showing you that the word "judgment" has to do with right living. It has to do with obedience. Genesis chapter 18 and verse 19 and look what God says concerning Abraham. Genesis 18 and verse 19. In fact God says concerning Abraham, "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him." Note what God said. God said, "I know Abraham. I know he's going to command his children and his household after him. And they shall keep the way of the Lord." What is the way of the Lord? To do justice and judgment. What is doing justice and judgment? It is simply obeying God. It is bringing your life in conformity to the Word of God. Doing justice or doing judgment is obedience to God and His Word.
#50 | 39:19 to 40:39 | cleaned
Listen to what Isaiah said in Isaiah 1 in verse 17. Listen carefully now. God said, through Isaiah, "Learn to do well; seek judgment.
#51 | 40:39 to 40:48 | cleaned
Now let me stop right there. "Learn to do well; seek judgment." Learning to do well and seeking judgment are synonymous. And I didn't finish the verse. Listen carefully. "Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." What is doing judgment? It's doing that which is right. It's doing that which is in conformity to the Word of God. So the action commended is that here were some who were already obeying God. Cyril said this, "God is sought by us when of our choice, listen carefully, laying aside our listlessness or our slothfulness and indolence, we thirst after doing what pleases Him and we shall do judgment too when we fulfill His divine law, working out what is good unshrinkingly. And we shall gain the prize of righteousness when crowned with glory for well-doing, and running the well-reported and blameless way of true piety to God, and of love to the brethren, for love is the fulfilling of the law." So the action commended is that they were doing judgment.
#52 | 40:48 to 42:09 | cleaned
That is, they were obeying the truth of God that they had at that particular time. Now, let's go to Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 3 again. You've seen the action commanded, the action commended. Now here's the action clarified. He said, "Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment." Here it is clarified. "Seek righteousness, seek meekness." Wow. Seek righteousness, seek meekness.
#53 | 42:09 to 42:43 | cleaned
Let me point something out. It is impossible to seek righteousness without at the same time seeking meekness or real biblical humility. When righteousness is sought at the same time, humility is sought. When righteousness is sought at the same time, humility is sought. Do you remember that passage? In Isaiah 6, Isaiah said, "In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up.
#54 | 42:44 to 43:24 | cleaned
And he began to describe the glory of God. And then the next thing you know, he's saying, "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." In other words, while on the one hand, there was elevation, then there was also on the other hand, humiliation. He understood.
#55 | 43:25 to 43:47 | cleaned
that there was a humbling experience there. If you're seeking righteousness at the same time, you're seeking meekness. When he said, clarifying this action, "Seek righteousness, seek meekness," he's saying this is something that must be done constantly and continually. You must be seeking to bring your life in conformity to the Word of God.
#56 | 43:48 to 44:12 | cleaned
Now let me explain this. It doesn't matter what you're doing. I do it regularly when I drive down the road. I'm praying. I'm asking the Lord in my mind to help me, to make me holy, to make me godly, to make me more obedient, to make me have more understanding, to illuminate my mind, to teach me. I don't care if you're plowing the garden. You can still do it. I don't care if you're washing dishes. You can still do it. You just have to develop the mentality of seeking the Lord and seeking humility constantly and consistently, whatever you're doing, whenever you're doing it.
#57 | 44:12 to 44:58 | cleaned
It's something that must be done at all times. But Zephaniah is saying it is something that must be done, especially in the time of judgment. So Zephaniah then is admonishing us to advance in righteousness and holiness in our life. Why? Because he knows that God is not going to forget our obedience provided that we do not grow weary and provided that we persevere to the end. You know the Apostle Paul said the same thing in Galatians 6 and verse 9 when he said, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." What did he say?
#58 | 44:59 to 45:44 | cleaned
You've got to keep on keeping on. You can't look at circumstances. You can't look at the surroundings. You can't look at situations. You have to keep doing what's right regardless. You remember what the Bible says in Hebrews chapter 6? The apostle wrote, "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love." God's not going to forget. So we must persevere.
#59 | 45:45 to 46:15 | cleaned
Now notice what he said. "Seek righteousness, seek meekness." I really want to clarify this. Do not equate meekness with mousiness. In this day and time, most consider a meek individual someone who happens to be weak, anemic, feminine, and unmanly. To the humanistic and modernistic worldviews, the meek man is the 90-pound weakling that becomes a foot mat for everyone to ridicule, to run over, to wipe their feet upon. I read years ago, some of you who have read Rushdoony's "Institutes of Biblical Law," he's discussing, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth," and he tells about one bathroom that he went into and someone had written on the bathroom wall, "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." And someone had come in under that and had written, "If that's all right." What was their estimation of a meek man? Someone who was weak, someone who wouldn't stand for anything, someone who was mousy. Biblical meekness is exactly the opposite. You must remember that according to Numbers chapter 12 and verse 3, in his day Moses was the meekest man upon the earth.
#60 | 46:15 to 48:00 | cleaned
What did the meekest man upon the earth do? He defended a brother. He slew and killed an Egyptian. He stood up to Pharaoh. He spoke the truth and allowed the chips to fall where they may. He delivered Israel out of Egypt. He faced a rebellious group of Israelites. He prayed that God would let a new thing happen, that the earth would open up and they'd go down alive into hell. Hardly a mousy man. Hardly someone who was easily swayed from his position. Hardly someone who allowed others to wipe their feet upon him. No. The truth is, he was a real, genuine man. He was not mousy by any stretch of the imagination. Listen to these verses.
#61 | 48:02 to 48:50 | cleaned
You can quote them, I'm sure. Matthew 11 and verse 29. Our Lord said, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." What did our Lord say? "For I am meek and lowly in heart." In Matthew 21 in verse 5, it was prophesied concerning Christ. Listen carefully. "Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass." How did Christ come in meekness? Our Lord certainly was not a mousy man.
#62 | 48:51 to 49:37 | cleaned
I do not think that anyone in this room or anyone who's ever lived or ever shall live could endure everything that he endured without whining and without complaining. He not only endured ridicule and mockery and rejection and slander, he also endured an unjust trial and scourging and crucifixion. And yet we were told and are told that he was meek. Our Lord, who was meek, said in Matthew 5 and verse 5, which I've already quoted, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Meekness is an attitude or disposition that not only accepts and receives God's dealing with us without disputed argument, it is also an attitude and a disposition of submission unto Him and resting in Him and trusting in Him.
#63 | 49:38 to 50:35 | cleaned
I want you to listen carefully. This will give you the best explanation of meekness. What did our Lord say? He said in Matthew 11 verse 29, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart." Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me. You know what a meek person is? A meek person is someone who is broken to yoke. And the word "yoke" in Matthew 11 refers to a real, literal yoke.
#64 | 50:37 to 51:15 | cleaned
I told you once before, I believe about Beauregard when he was alive. That big bull I had that weighed about 3,000 pounds. Alice and I went out to hook up to the harrow, so I could harrow some. It was an eight-foot harrow. The harrow probably weighed a thousand pounds or better. And when we got to the harrow, it was totally flipped over and all the discs were pointing up to the sky. And the only thing that you could see were Beauregard's footprints where he went to the front of that harrow and was scratching his head and he raised his head and he flipped the whole harrow over. I had to get a chain and pull it back right with the tractor before I could hook up to it.
#65 | 51:19 to 52:12 | cleaned
Can you imagine the strength that is in or was in that bull's neck? And Forrest is just as big or bigger than Beauregard now. When you take a yoke and you place it upon an ox or a bull, you now have him under your control. All that strength is still there. It is just disciplined or controlled strength. A meek man is not a mousy man. A meek man, according to the Bible, is someone who has placed upon himself the yoke of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has the reins. Jesus Christ does the driving. The man is now under the sovereign control of the Son of God. He is still strong. He is still a man. It's just now disciplined and controlled strength.
#66 | 52:16 to 53:20 | cleaned
He moves at Christ's command. He does what Christ tells him to do. He obeys because he's broken to yoke. Meekness is nothing less than disciplined strength under God. Period. So he said, "Seek righteousness, seek meekness." I've got news for you, folks. There are a lot of things that humanly speaking that I would like to do. That I will never do. Because of the yoke that's placed upon me. I can only act according to what Christ commands. John Calvin said it like this, listen carefully.
#67 | 53:21 to 54:16 | cleaned
"We hence learn that even the best are roused by God's scourges to seek true religion with greater ardor than they've ever done before. Though then it be our object to serve God and to follow his word, when these calamities arise and God appears as a judge, we ought to be stimulated to greater care and diligence. For it never is the case that any one of us fully performs his duty."
#68 | 54:17 to 54:45 | cleaned
Wait a minute, did you hear what he said? It is never the case that any one of us ever performs his duty. How many of you have ever done what God has commanded you to do perfectly and completely? None. So when God sends judgment, you better pay a special attention. Because even the best of us, even the holiest, are still full of sin. And we never totally and completely obey. He goes on. "Let us remember then that we are roused by God whenever adversity impends over us.
#69 | 54:45 to 55:26 | cleaned
And when God Himself shows manifest signs that He is displeased, this is the reason why the prophet bids the pious doers of righteousness to seek God, however much they were before devoted to Him, to do that which is just and upright." So when Zephaniah says, "Seek righteousness, seek meekness," he is still telling us we must seek with a greater ardor and with a greater strength to bring our lives in conformity to the word of God. Now, go back to verse 3 of Zephaniah 2. We've seen the action commanded, "Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth." We've seen the action commended, "which have wrought his judgments." We've seen the action clarified, "Seek righteousness, seek meekness." And finally we see the action consummated. "It may be.
#70 | 55:26 to 56:22 | cleaned
Ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." Lord have mercy upon us. Zephaniah encourages obedience and submission by stating, "It may be that you shall be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger." In other words, the Lord may spare you. You must remember that his wrath is directed at the disobedient and the rebellious. And if you're under judgment, you certainly do not want to be disobedient and rebellious.
#71 | 56:24 to 57:06 | cleaned
Now, let me show you a couple of verses. I want you to go back, hold Zephaniah, but go back to Psalm 27 and verse 5. Psalm 27, verse 5. These are wonderful verses. And this is probably what Zephaniah had in mind when he said, "It may be, it may be that the Lord will hide you." Notice, if you would please, Psalm 27. And verse 5, David said, "For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock." In the time of trouble, He shall hide me. David said, He's my protector and He indeed shall hide me. Look in Psalm 31 and verse 20. Psalm 31 in verse 20. Again, "Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues." David said, God will hide me during the time of judgment. I want you to turn to Psalm 91.
#72 | 57:07 to 58:29 | cleaned
And as you turn there, I want to quote a verse from the New Testament, 2 Peter 2 and verse 9, where God says this, "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." Notice, "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations." He knows exactly how. And he also knows how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished. But David is talking about how the Lord hides him. I want you to look in Psalm 91, and I want to take the time to read all 16 verses. You talk about a blessed Psalm. Here it is. Psalm 91, verse 1, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust." Now watch. "Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
#73 | 58:31 to 59:39 | cleaned
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Why?
#74 | 59:40 to 1:00:37 | cleaned
Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation." What a wonderful psalm. Of course, this psalm is indeed applied of our Lord Jesus in the New Testament, but it is also applied to all of those who are in the Lord Jesus Christ.
#75 | 1:00:37 to 1:01:10 | cleaned
Now, I want you to go back to the book of Zephaniah. And as you're turning back, I want to give you one quick quote. I want you to look at verse 3 again. Zephaniah 2 verse 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." One last quote before I make the application.
#76 | 1:01:11 to 1:01:41 | cleaned
John Trapp said, and I love this. "Possibly you may. Probably you shall be. Pardon of sin you shall be sure of, mitigation also of sorrow, if not prevention. Saved you shall be, or more gently handled, or so inwardly calmed that you shall be able to call your souls to rest when others are at their wit's ends. You shall be safe under the cover of God's wings and the hollow of his hand, when others that are without God in the world shall be as a naked man in a storm, an unarmed man in the field, or as a ship without an anchor, subject to dash and split against rocks and quicksands." What did Trapp say? If you're not going to be delivered totally, certainly, you're going to be more gently handled. Listen to this application.
#77 | 1:01:41 to 1:02:43 | cleaned
This one application should be sufficient because Zephaniah is teaching us how to act in the time of judgment. We should be at all times constantly, consistently, and continually bringing our lives into greater conformity and obedience to the Word of God. But what Zephaniah is saying, especially in the times of judgment, we should pay special attention to this one fact. God in His mercy may spare us. Or at least He may handle us more gently.
#78 | 1:02:43 to 1:03:21 | cleaned
And you have to remember this, dear friend. No parent chastens his child with severity when that child displays a repentant, compliant, and submissive attitude. When you see submission, when you see humility, when you see compliance, when you see meekness, you always lighten the rod. The same is true with our heavenly Father. As Zephaniah says, don't be concerned with those who won't listen. You have a responsibility. Your responsibility is to seek righteousness, to seek meekness, to bring your life into greater conformity to the Word of God. And you have to remember Lamentations 3 and verse 33, when the Word of God says concerning our Heavenly Father, "For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men." May I ask, why would we not expect our loving, gracious, Heavenly Father to deal more gently with His submissive and obedient children than He does with the wicked and the ungodly? Certainly, we should.
#79 | 1:03:23 to 1:04:55 | cleaned
And Zephaniah says, if you want to know how to act in the time of judgment, here it is. You seek the Lord. You seek righteousness. You seek meekness. You be consistent. You be constant. You be faithful in it. And it may be the Lord will hide you in the day of His anger. And in all probability, as John Trapp said, He will. For He's a loving, gracious, heavenly Father. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee.
#80 | 1:04:56 to 1:05:32 | cleaned
We thank You for Your Word. We thank You, Lord, that You teach us not only how to act every day, but how to act in the time of judgment. We are in it up to our eyeballs and most people do not see it, grasp it, or understand it. But Lord, Thy remnant that do indeed see it, we pray that You'd teach us how to act in the time of judgment by seeking righteousness and seeking disciplined, controlled strength under Your yoke.
#81 | 1:05:32 to 1:06:05 | cleaned
Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray. Amen.
#82 | 1:06:06 to 1:06:13 | cleaned

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T02:25:32Z

How to Act in the Time of Judgment

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this sermon, Pastor John Weaver expounds Zephaniah 2:1-3, focusing on verse 3 as the key instruction for the righteous remnant living under God's judgment. He argues that in times of national decay and divine displeasure, believers must not be distracted by the unrepentant majority but must actively seek the Lord with a whole heart, pursue righteousness and biblical meekness, and obey God's Word consistently. The promise is that God may hide or gently handle those who humbly submit to His yoke.

Introduction: The Context of Judgment

Scripture Reading — Zephaniah 2:1-3

"Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; 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. 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."

Scripture Reading — Zephaniah 2:1-3

"Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; 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. 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."

The message today is entitled "How to Act in the Time of Judgment." How to act in the time of judgment. I thought it would be fitting after having preached the brief series from 1 Peter chapter 4, "Judgment at the House of God," to bring this message from the book of Zephaniah. So look, if you would please, at verse 3, that is our text today.

Scripture Reading — Zephaniah 2:1-3

"Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness."

Watch carefully.

Scripture Reading — Zephaniah 2:1-3

"It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger."

Don't try to turn there, but let me quote two verses for you. First of all, in Jeremiah chapter 9 and verse 12, listen carefully to this verse.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 9:12

"Who is the wise man that may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken, that he may declare it? For the land perisheth, and is burned up like a wilderness, and none passeth through."

The Question: What Should the Righteous Do?

With the nation under judgment and the majority indifferent, the question arises from Psalm 11:3: 'If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?' Zephaniah 2:3 provides the answer.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 11:3

"If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?"

The Context of Zephaniah 2:3: Judgment on Judah and the Nations

Two Problems in Recognizing God's Judgment

People often fail to perceive God's hand in calamity due to humanistic thinking or because judgment comes in degrees (Amos 4:6-12). Some will never recognize it and face destruction.

The Action Commanded: Seek the Lord

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 1:5

"Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint."

So God is saying, what good is my judgment upon you? You're not going to listen.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 4:29

"But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul."

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 16:10-11

"Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually."

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 29:13

"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart."

No. The Bible teaches us and tells us about Rehoboam. The Bible tells us that King Rehoboam in 2 Chronicles 12 and verse 14 said this, "And he did evil." Why?

Scripture Reading — 2 Chronicles 12:14

"And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord."

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:3

"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 51:1

"Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord."

Now he's talking to us specifically.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 51:1

"Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord."

Look what he admonishes us.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 51:1

"Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look to the rock whence ye're hewn, to the hole of the pit whence ye're digged."

And then he said, "Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you." Hmm, I wonder where Abram was when God called him. He's in Ur of the Chaldees. He's a pagan.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 66:18

"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."

The Action Commended: Those Who Have Wrought Judgment

The Action Clarified: Seek Righteousness, Seek Meekness

The Action Consummated: It May Be You Shall Be Hid

Application: How to Act in the Time of Judgment

How to Act in the Time of Judgment

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	RatKSgQfW6g
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-02-09
Dictation Name
Book	Book 136: Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations - Volume 1 — Chapter 21
Source Timed Segments	82

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Context of Judgment: Weaver sets the stage by reading Zephaniah 2:1-3 and noting the message's connection to his previous series on judgment. He describes the moral, political, and economic collapse of society and the failure of preachers to address it.
The Question: What Should the Righteous Do?: With the nation under judgment and the majority indifferent, the question arises from Psalm 11:3: 'If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?' Zephaniah 2:3 provides the answer.
The Context of Zephaniah 2:3: Judgment on Judah and the Nations: Weaver surveys Zephaniah 1 and 2 to show that verse 3 is embedded in declarations of severe judgment against Judah, Jerusalem, and surrounding nations, highlighting that the instruction is for a remnant.
Two Problems in Recognizing God's Judgment: People often fail to perceive God's hand in calamity due to humanistic thinking or because judgment comes in degrees (Amos 4:6-12). Some will never recognize it and face destruction.
The Action Commanded: Seek the Lord: Zephaniah addresses the meek remnant, commanding them to seek the Lord. Weaver explains this requires a genuine, undivided heart (Deut. 4:29), a humble self-estimation (Isa. 51:1), consistent obedience (2 Chron. 14:4), and crying to God for help (2 Chron. 20:4).
The Action Commended: Those Who Have Wrought Judgment: The phrase 'which have wrought his judgment' refers to those already living in obedience to God's law and righteousness. Weaver cites Genesis 18:19 and Isaiah 1:17 to define 'doing judgment' as obeying God's revealed will.
The Action Clarified: Seek Righteousness, Seek Meekness: Seeking righteousness and meekness must be constant. Biblical meekness is not weakness but disciplined strength under God's yoke, exemplified by Moses and Christ. It involves submission, trust, and obedience even under affliction.
The Action Consummated: It May Be You Shall Be Hid: The promise attached to obedience is that God may hide or spare the righteous in the day of His anger. Weaver cites Psalms 27, 31, and 91, and 2 Peter 2:9 to show God's protection and deliverance for the godly.
Application: How to Act in the Time of Judgment: Believers must constantly bring their lives into greater conformity to God's Word, especially during judgment. A submissive, repentant attitude may lead God to lighten the rod, as a loving Father deals gently with obedient children (Lam. 3:33).

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Preachers have failed to warn of judgment

Most preachers today are silent on the issues and do not provide biblical answers, making them like the blind, dumb watchdogs of Isaiah 56:10.

Weaver says, 'Very few preachers today are asking questions or addressing the problems... most preachers today are absolutely worthless.'

Judgment comes in degrees, and many do not perceive it

God sends progressive judgments (famine, drought, pestilence, war) to lead people to repentance, but many fail to recognize His hand until destruction comes.

Weaver expounds Amos 4:6-12, showing each judgment followed by 'yet have ye not returned unto me.'

Seeking the Lord requires a correct, humble self-estimation

To seek God properly, one must remember their lowly origin and that they deserve nothing but punishment; salvation is entirely by grace.

Weaver cites Isaiah 51:1 ('look unto the rock whence ye are hewn') and Colossians 1:13.

Obedience is integral to seeking the Lord

Seeking God cannot be separated from obeying His commandments; disobedience brings more judgment, while obedience is part of seeking Him.

Weaver references 2 Chronicles 14:4, James 4:17, and Mark 4:24 to show that hearing and obeying are linked.

Meekness is strength under God's control, not mousiness

Biblical meekness is exemplified by Moses and Christ—strong individuals who submitted to God's will and acted boldly, not weaklings who are trampled.

Weaver describes Moses' actions and Christ's endurance, and explains the yoke metaphor as disciplined strength.

God may spare or gently handle the obedient during judgment

The promise 'it may be ye shall be hid' encourages obedience by suggesting that God, as a loving Father, will deal more gently with His submissive children.

Weaver quotes John Trapp: 'Pardon of sin you shall be sure of, mitigation also of sorrow, if not prevention.'

Scripture References

Zephaniah 2:1-3: The primary text: a call to gather and seek the Lord, righteousness, and meekness to be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.
Isaiah 56:10: God's watchmen are blind, ignorant, dumb dogs that cannot bark—used to describe worthless preachers.
Jeremiah 9:12: A wise man to whom the Lord has spoken should declare why the land perishes, but fails to do so.
Malachi 2:7: The priest's lips should keep knowledge; he is the messenger of the Lord—preachers should have answers.
Psalm 11:3: If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?—the question Zephaniah 2:3 answers.
Zephaniah 1:2-18: God's declaration of utter consumption and judgment on Judah and Jerusalem for idolatry and violence.
Zephaniah 2:4-15: Judgment pronounced on Philistia, Moab, Ammon, and other nations surrounding Judah.
Amos 4:6-12: God sent famine, drought, blight, pestilence, and war, yet Israel did not return; therefore, prepare to meet thy God.
Isaiah 1:5: Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more—the majority will not listen to judgment.
Deuteronomy 4:29: If thou seek the Lord thy God with all thy heart and soul, thou shalt find him.
1 Chronicles 16:10-11: Glory in his holy name; let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord; seek his face continually.
1 Chronicles 22:19: Set your heart and soul to seek the Lord your God.
Isaiah 55:6: Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.
Jeremiah 29:13: Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
2 Chronicles 12:14: Rehoboam did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord.
Romans 12:3: Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly.
Isaiah 51:1: Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged—remember your lowly origin.
Colossians 1:13: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son—salvation is God's work.
Psalm 66:18: If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.
2 Chronicles 14:4: He commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.

Historical References

Arthur W. Pink: Weaver quotes Pink: 'One reason we do not like the Pope is because we like to be the Pope ourselves,' illustrating human desire for control.
John Gill: Gill's commentary on Zephaniah 2:3 is quoted extensively to summarize what it means to seek the Lord.
Cyril of Alexandria: Cyril is quoted on seeking God and doing judgment as fulfilling the divine law and working out what is good.
R. J. Rushdoony, Institutes of Biblical Law: Weaver references Rushdoony's discussion of 'Blessed are the meek' and a bathroom wall graffiti to illustrate worldly misunderstanding of meekness.
John Calvin: Calvin is quoted on how even the best are roused by God's scourges to seek true religion with greater ardor.
John Trapp: Trapp's commentary on Zephaniah 2:3 is quoted: 'Possibly you may. Probably you shall be... mitigation also of sorrow, if not prevention.'

Important Quotes

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.

The central text of the sermon, providing the command, clarification, and promise for the remnant in judgment.

If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

The question that Zephaniah 2:3 answers, framing the sermon's purpose.

I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord.

Illustrates the severity of God's judgment in the context of Zephaniah's prophecy.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Key to defining biblical meekness as disciplined strength under Christ's yoke.

Possibly you may. Probably you shall be. Pardon of sin you shall be sure of, mitigation also of sorrow, if not prevention.

John Trapp's encouraging paraphrase of 'it may be,' emphasizing God's likely gentleness toward the obedient.

For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

Reinforces the application that God, as a loving Father, deals gently with submissive children.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

In what ways do you see evidence of God's judgment in our society today, and how should that affect your daily priorities?

[Context]

Weaver describes societal collapse and asks what the righteous should do when foundations are destroyed.

[Question]

Why do you think many people, including Christians, fail to recognize God's hand in calamities? How can we cultivate a biblical perspective on current events?

[Context]

Weaver discusses humanistic thinking and degrees of judgment from Amos 4.

[Question]

What does it mean to seek the Lord with a whole heart? What practical steps can you take to avoid a divided or half-hearted pursuit of God?

[Context]

Weaver expounds Deuteronomy 4:29 and related verses on wholehearted seeking.

[Question]

How does a proper, humble estimation of ourselves affect our prayer life and our approach to God?

[Context]

Weaver uses Isaiah 51:1 to remind believers of their lowly origin and total dependence on grace.

[Question]

In what areas of your life is obedience most challenging, and how does the promise of God's protection encourage you to persevere?

[Context]

Weaver links obedience to seeking the Lord and the promise of being hid in the day of anger.

[Question]

How does the biblical concept of meekness as 'disciplined strength under God's yoke' differ from the world's view of meekness? Can you think of examples in your own life?

[Context]

Weaver contrasts mousiness with the examples of Moses and Christ and explains the yoke metaphor.

[Question]

What does it look like to 'seek righteousness and seek meekness' in practical, everyday situations, especially when facing opposition or hardship?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes constant, consistent seeking regardless of circumstances.

[Question]

How does the truth that God may deal more gently with His obedient children affect your view of suffering and discipline?

[Context]

Weaver applies Lamentations 3:33 and the father-child analogy to encourage submission.

Applications

Format deepseek deepseek-v4-pro structured study JSON | Source Commentary.net transcript enrichment

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T15:52:53Z