Readings:
Jeremiah 18
Sirach 47
Zephaniah 1-3

Jeremiah 18

Jeremiah is instructed to go watch a potter at his wheel, and God spoke to him using it as an analogy for chastisement of his people in an effort to reform, or re-form, them. This is also likely where Paul drew the analogy from in Roman’s 9.

God reveals that when he declares judgment on a nation it’s not set in stone, they can always repent and turn back to him, like Nineveh did when Jonah finally got around to delivering his message to them. He also reveals that plans of good can be reversed the same way.

The people apparently don’t want to hear any of this, because they’ve hardened their own hearts through sin. They plot to undermine Jeremiah’s words and even plot violence against him.

Zephaniah 1-3

Like Nahum yesterday, today we read another short prophetic book by another one of the minor prophets. This time we’re going back chronologically to the reign of Josiah, some 30-50 years earlier than Nahum. Zephaniah speaks about the “day of the Lord” as a time when God will come to judge the Israelites for their sins and also a time for the judgment of all nations.

Chapter 1 uses some very strong words and violent imagery to convey the message that God is very serious about the situation in Jerusalem and that the coming judgement will not be some slap on the wrist, it’s going to be unlike anything they’ve known within living memory, and the worst thing to happen to them since the exodus.

In chapter 2 he turns to the nations surrounding Israel and calls them out for their evil and wicked deeds. Moab and Assyria seem to be especially singled out for destruction, and that does come to pass just before the destruction of Jerusalem.

Chapter 3 begins with more condemnation for the people of Jerusalem and the surrounding nations, and their deeds, but there’s a glimmer of hope sowed into the end of this book. The ending of the book is very similar to the closing of Revelation. Zephaniah is speaking about the restoration of Israel when the Persians allow them to return home, but there’s a foreshadowing there of the new Jerusalem at the end of all time, when God will be in our midst and we will be with him forever.

Tomorrow’s Readings:
Jeremiah 19-20
Sirach 48-49