“The word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
“I will utterly consume everything From the face of the land,” Says the Lord; 3 “I will consume man and beast; I will consume the birds of the heavens, the fish of the sea, and the stumbling blocks along with the wicked. I will cut off man from the face of the land,” Says the Lord. 4 “I will stretch out My hand against Judah, and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off every trace of Baal from this place, the names of the idolatrous priests with the pagan priests—5 those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops; those who worship and swear oaths by the Lord, but who also swear by Milcom; 6 those who have turned back from following the Lord, and have not sought the Lord, nor inquired of Him.” 7 Be silent in the presence of the Lord God; for the day of the Lord is at hand, for the Lord has prepared a sacrifice; He has invited His guests.” Zephaniah 1:1-7 NKJV
Lord God of the future,
Another clear voice reminding Judah and Jerusalem that they will not get away with idolatry and ignoring worship of their own true God. He warns them that a great day will come when nothing can be hidden or covered over.
Yes. You, Lord had prepared a sacrifice. Since before time began, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind . . . The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. (John 1:1-4,9) Jesus.
Jesus spoke in a parable about giving invitations to a feast and that many would give excuses and not come. But His servants would go out to the highways and byways inviting others to come. (Luke 14:15-24). What a beautiful picture of the church going out to the streets around them inviting people to come and feast with You. Zephaniah was speaking to his present and our present and our future. God’s message is truly timeless. There is still to come a day of the Lord. When Jesus returns coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all peoples on earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen. (Revelation 1:7).
So we humbly bow before You our God and Saviour and look to that awesome terrible day when You will come again. And we need not be afraid to see You face to face.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Friday 15th August 2025
We had this just a month ago – but it bears repeating endlessly.
Lo! he comes with clouds descending,
Once for favored sinners slain!
Thousand, thousand saints attending,
Swell the triumph of his train.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
God appears on Earth to reign.
Ev’ry eye shall now behold him,
Robed in dreadful majesty;
Those who set at naught and sold him,
Pierced and nailed him to a tree,
Deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing,
Shall the true Messiah see.
The dear tokens of his passion
Still his dazzling body bears,
Cause of endless exultation
To his ransomed worshipers;
With what rapture, with what rapture, with what rapture
Gaze we on those glorious scars.
Yea! Amen! let all adore thee
High on thine eternal throne!
Savior, take the pow’r and glory,
Claim the kingdom for thine own.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Everlasting God come down.
Lyrics: Charles Wesley