Concerning Times and Seasons: Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18 - 24th Sunday after Pentecost

Be silent before the Lord GOD! For the day of the LORD is at hand; the LORD has prepared a sacrifice, he has consecrated his guests.

At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the people who rest complacently on their dregs, those who say in their hearts, "The LORD will not do good, nor will he do harm." Their wealth 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. The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter, the warrior cries aloud there. That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements. I will bring such distress upon people that they shall walk like the blind; because they have sinned against the LORD, their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the LORD's wrath; in the fire of his passion the whole earth shall be consumed; for a full, a terrible end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth. (NRSV)

The Delta Aquariids meteor shower by Diana Robinson on Flickr. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Of all the political signs that have been littering the landscape, there is one in my neighborhood that stands out to me: it says, “Giant Meteor 2020.”

 

https://teechip.com/giant-meteor-2020

There was a meteor—about the size of a refrigerator—that was projected to make close contact with the earth on or around Election Day. NASA calculated the probability of a direct impact at 0.41%. Sure enough, the meteor passed us by into infinity, without incident. But if ever there was a year for a meteor strike, 2020 would be it! A giant meteor is just one of a multitude of “doomsday scenarios” that would end life on this planet as we know it.

 

During the month of November, our Scripture readings point us toward the end times. And this isn’t a comfortable subject to think about—because the end will be preceded by chaos and calamities the likes of which the world has never before seen.

 

Today’s first reading from Zephaniah is especially jarring—because God’s wrath is more severe than wars, natural disasters, and pandemics.

 

I believe God speaks these warnings to disturb our complacency of faith; and to awaken us to our complicity with the powers of sin at work in the world.

 

We go from task-to-task, pursuing our own ambitions, giving little to no thought to the things of God. We consume God’s blessings without giving thanks for them. We take—not just what we need but as much as we can grab—leaving the neighbor to fend for themselves. Eternity is something we’ll deal with when we need to, or when we have the time.

 

Yet this isn’t the only false security you can have. There is a pride and arrogance that angers God even more than complacency. That’s at the heart of Zephaniah’s warnings. God’s people were so convinced of their own righteousness and so certain of God’s approval that they were excited about the Day of the Lord. They couldn’t wait to watch God strike down their enemies—while giving them the rewards they believed they deserved. 

 

This same temptation exists for us today. 

 

For all our talk about chaos, calamity, and confusion in the end times—there are many for whom this is not talk. This is daily life, right now. Perhaps this describes your life. While others go through their days with ease, you struggle. While others keep upgrading their homes, their vehicles, and their devices to the biggest, fastest, and best, you’re worried about keeping a roof over your head this winter. While others speak confidently about how good God has been, you’re questioning if God’s even real—or that God is indeed for you and not against you. Peace and security would be like paradise for you, if only you weren’t stuck in your body; your life.

 

For you, it is good news that the Day of the Lord is at hand—because your pain is not permanent. Your trials and tribulations have a definite end. Today, we worship a God who pours out saving grace upon us right now. We don’t know when the Day of the Lord will be. We do know that this is the day that the Lord has made. You can rejoice and be glad in it because God is in it with you. If you believe that God is accompanying you today, you can start each day off assured that you will taste and see God’s goodness and grace. If you believe God is accompanying you today, you will have blessings to be thankful for.

 

And how do we as the church prepare for the Day of the Lord? We don't pick apart the Scriptures for clues about when that day will be. Instead, we take the goodness we have been given and share it with each other. We work together to ease burdens and improve people’s lives, simply by doing the good that is in us to do. You don’t need to move mountains to make God’s love visible! We will always remember Clarence Bell as the man who shared the grace of God by sending the cards he created on his computer. When trials and tribulations inevitably come, there is no surer sign of God’s presence than the presence of God’s people.

 

Our outlook on the Day of the Lord should not be one of doom and gloom, because there is more than enough doom and gloom happening right now. We do not deny God’s wrath—because anything or anyone that sets itself up against God will not endure. But God wants to be gracious to you today—to save you, to redeem you, to use you. Therefore, we stay awake to greet the saving grace that comes our way; ready to be God’s hands and voice to banish the darkness away. If we can get through these times doing good to each other, these dark days can become days of light and hope.