Judgment is coming!

1. Zephaniah 1:2-6 Judgmentiscoming!

2. Archimedes

4. Many will be just like Archimedes & that boy at Disney World!

5. Many will be just like Archimedes & that boy at Disney World! • “As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Mt 24:37-39, ESV).

6. Many will be just like Archimedes & that boy at Disney World! • Mt 24:37-39. • “While people are saying, ‘There is peace and security,’ then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape” (1 Thess 5:3, ESV).

7. Judgment is Coming!—whether or not people realize it!

8. The rich farmer had no idea that judgment was coming.

9. The rich farmer had no idea that judgment was coming. • He was planning on building big barns & having a nice life.

10. The rich farmer had no idea that judgment was coming. • He was planning on building big barns & having a nice life. • “Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” (Lk 12:20, ESV).

11. The rich farmer had no idea that judgment was coming. • He was planning on building big barns & having a nice life. • “Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” (Lk 12:20, ESV). • This man is the definition of “fool”!

12. The rich farmer had no idea that judgment was coming. • He was planning on building big barns & having a nice life. • “Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” (Lk 12:20, ESV). • This man is the definition of “fool”! • He was making plans for this life, but he forgot to make plans for judgment!

13. “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb 9:27, ESV).

14. “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb 9:27, ESV). • The author doesn’t say, “There might be judgment after death.”

15. “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb 9:27, ESV). • The author doesn’t say, “There might be judgment after death.” • Rather, there is judgment after death!

16. How many people are oblivious to impending doom?

17. Zephaniah 1:2-6

18. The people of Judah had no idea that “Judgment is Coming!”

19. The people of Judah had no idea that “Judgment is Coming!” • “At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, ‘The LORD will not do good, nor will he do ill.’ Their goods shall be plundered, and their houses laid waste. Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them” (1:12-13).

20. The people of Judah had no idea that “Judgment is Coming!” • “At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, ‘The LORD will not do good, nor will he do ill.’ Their goods shall be plundered, and their houses laid waste. Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them” (1:12-13). • These people believed God would do nothing—either good or evil.

21. The people of Judah had no idea that “Judgment is Coming!” • God says, “You just wait! I’ll show you what I can do!”

22. Granted, the context of this passage is the coming Babylonian Captivity.

23. Granted, the context of this passage is the coming Babylonian Captivity. • But, from this passage, we can learn important things about our future judgment.

24. vv 2-3 JUDGMENT IS COMING UPON THE WHOLE WORLD

25. “ ‘I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth, ‘declares the LORD.’ I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the rubble with the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,’ declares the LORD” (vv 2-3, ESV).

26. Zephaniah pairs man & beast (created on the 6th day) and birds & fish (created on the 5th day).

27. Zephaniah pairs man & beast (created on the 6th day) and birds & fish (created on the 5th day). • This pairing demonstrates that every living thing is going to be destroyed.

28. Zephaniah pairs man & beast (created on the 6th day) and birds & fish (created on the 5th day). • This pairing demonstrates that every living thing is going to be destroyed. • The prophet, thus, demonstrates the totality & the severity of God’s judgment.

29. This texts uses some of the same imagery as Moses does in describing the Flood.

30. This texts uses some of the same imagery as Moses does in describing the Flood. • “Face of the earth” occurs throughout the Flood narrative.

31. This texts uses some of the same imagery as Moses does in describing the Flood. • “Face of the earth” occurs throughout the Flood narrative. • This illustrates the totality of judgment.

32. This texts uses some of the same imagery as Moses does in describing the Flood. • “Face of the earth” occurs throughout the Flood narrative. • This illustrates the totality of judgment—just as everything was destroyed in the Flood, everything would be destroyed in this judgment.

33. The judgment at the end of the world is so total that no one shall escape.

34. The judgment at the end of the world is so total that no one shall escape. • “Before [Christ] will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” (Mt 25:32, ESV).

35. The judgment at the end of the world is so total that no one shall escape. • Mt 25:32. • “He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury” (Rom 2:6-8, ESV).

36. The judgment at the end of the world is so total that no one shall escape. • Mt 25:32. • Rom 2:6-8. • “I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened” (Rev 20:12, ESV).

37. What if you case is called before the Lord today?

38. Are you ready for the day when God will sweep away everything? What if you case is called before the Lord today?

39. vv 4-6 JUDGMENT IS COMING UPON THE HOUSE OF GOD

40. “I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests, those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by Milcom, those who have turned back from following the LORD, who do not seek the LORD or inquire of him” (vv 4-6, ESV).

41. Zephaniah begins with general judgment & then narrows his focus to include God’s people.

42. Zephaniah begins with general judgment & then narrows his focus to include God’s people. • Judah had been privileged to know God’s word & they would, thus, receive a stricter judgment.

43. Zephaniah begins with general judgment & then narrows his focus to include God’s people. • Judah had been privileged to know God’s word & they would, thus, receive a stricter judgment. • That is also a New Testament principle.

44. Zephaniah begins with general judgment & then narrows his focus to include God’s people. • Judah had been privileged to know God’s word & they would, thus, receive a stricter judgment. • That is also a New Testament principle. • “It is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Pt 4:17, ESV).

45. Zephaniah begins with general judgment & then narrows his focus to include God’s people. • Judah had been privileged to know God’s word & they would, thus, receive a stricter judgment. • That is also a New Testament principle. • 1 Pt 4:17. • “That servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating” (Lk. 12:47, ESV).

46. It is only right that the house of God receives a stricter judgment!

47. God would cut off from Jerusalem the remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests.

48. God would cut off from Jerusalem the remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests. • The fact that there is a “remnant of Baal” may indicate that Josiah had begun his reforms.

49. God would cut off from Jerusalem the remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests. • The fact that there is a “remnant of Baal” may indicate that Josiah had begun his reforms. • Manasseh “rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them” (2 Ki. 21:3, ESV).

50. God would cut off from Jerusalem the remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests. • The fact that there is a “remnant of Baal” may indicate that Josiah had begun his reforms. • 2 Ki. 21:3. • Josiah destroyed much of that idolatry.