THE LORD SPOKE (December 25)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Zephaniah 1-3

It’s a good thing it ends like it does. After two and a half chapters of fierce wrath, Zephaniah says:

The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with his love,
He will rejoice over you with singing. (Zeph. 3:17)

Being himself a fourth-generation descendant of King Hezekiah (Zeph. 1:1), Zephaniah was familiar with the Judean court and all the hot political issues of his day. He sounds a lot like Isaiah and Amos in that regard. He was a contemporary of Jeremiah, Nahum, and Habakkuk, and prophesied in the days of good king Josiah (640-609 BC).

His message of severe punishment of the surrounding nations (Zeph. 2:1-15) included Jerusalem (Zeph. 3:1-8). The inescapable Day of the Lord (Zeph. 1:14-18) would be bitter and bring wrath, distress, anguish, trouble, ruin, darkness, gloom, and blackness (were there any words left in his thesaurus?).

But God would not leave Himself without a remnant (Zeph. 3:12). He never does. And, He never abandons His chosen people. The day would come when He would take away the punishment and turn back the enemy (Zeph. 3:15). The Day of the Lord begins with the darkest night but turns to dawning and noon-day bright.

“At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home.
I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth
when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the Lord.
(Zeph. 3:20)

Though judgment of sin is certain and there is a point at which all hope is lost, that point only comes after the opportunity to repent has been spent. God offers forgiveness to the repentant sinner always. Like the father of the prodigal son, he comes out on the road to meet us. Quoting the psalmist, the writer of Hebrews warns us:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion....”
See to it, brothers, than none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart
that turns away from the living God...
so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
(Heb. 3:7,12,13)

Proverbs 25

Another chapter on the tongue?! We must really need this instruction. Indeed, we do. Though Proverbs 25 has several other proverbs included, the predominant theme has to do with how we use our mouth - for good or ill.

• Prov. 25:2 - Some things are better off left unsaid. There’s a time when it’s best not to tell all.
• Prov. 25:6-7 - Don’t toot your own horn. Even if it’s a good horn. Better that someone else should discover that melody independently.
• Prov. 25:9-10 - You may never regain a good reputation if you reveal a confidence. Who would trust you?
• Prov. 25:11 - Saying the right thing in the right way at the right time is a work of art.
• Prov. 25:12 - Listen to wise words, even when they hurt. Especially when they hurt. A rebuke will improve you more than anything else, if you listen.
• Prov. 25:13 - How refreshing is a message conveyed accurately, faithfully, and dependably. Like a cool breeze on a hot day.
• Prov. 25:14 - Talk is cheap. Be sure you put your money where your mouth is.
• Prov. 25:15 - A soft word is more effective than a hard one. Both can break but one is more repairable.
• Prov. 25:18 - Might as well just shoot me! If I can’t trust your words, it makes it hard to live with you at all.
• Prov. 25:20 - There’s a time for jollity but make sure it matches the occasion. Silly words can sting more than you ever intended.
• Prov. 25:23 - A man with a clever tongue will be remembered next time. People will shy away from such a one.
• Prov. 25:24 - Like an angel (always up in the air, harping on something), a contentious wife will drive you up the wall.
• Prov. 25:25 - Remember your friends far away and write them an encouraging note today.

No wonder James says “the tongue is a fire” - it can produce wonderful warmth or withering heat. “With the tongue we can praise our Lord and Father [its highest use], and with it we curse men who have been made in God’s likeness [totally incongruous]” (Jas. 3:9).

Solomon give us lots to work on!