Voice of Doomsday

Israel is finally back on top. Josiah has just taken over as king; he tore down the idols. It appeared to be all right. Yet Zephaniah, instead of delivering an easy, soft-soap message, God moved him to reveal what was ahead for Israel, and what’s ahead for all of us. It’s the clear voice of doomsday. It’s not something we like to think about, but it’s not a bygone word. This is a picture of what it’s like to stand in the middle of God’s wrath. It’s what it looks like. It’s what it sounds like. It’s what it feels like.

Zephaniah 1:14-2:3 “(14) The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. (15) That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, (16) A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. (17) And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. (18) Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land. (2:1) Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; (2) Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you. (3) Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.”

Doomsday—let it soak in. It’s been in the Bible for thousand’s of years. No one can say God didn’t tell us. We can’t ask God why it’s happening. He’s been telling us since the time we were born.

Just the word strikes fear. Many years ago the nuclear threats scared us. There were practice drills. Now it’s not heard a lot except as a sci-fi movie about the end of time with a hero played by a Hollywood actor, who saves the world at the last moment. It’s looked at lightly or from a detached point of view.  Matthew and Mark speak of it. Paul talks about it. John writes about  it in Revelation. Peter relates the horror as well. He said the Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. Mankind has had its day since the garden, but this is God’s day. No matter what other religions say or how many people flock to them away from the Lord, God is still in control.  The reason God has let things go as far as he has is due to his grace and mercy. The end will be final and swift. There won’t be a second chance. There will be no EBS announcement. Perilous times are upon us, but we’ve been taught by every worldly source, not to worry. Someone will take care of us. We say we can take care of ourselves. We can’t. Things are about to change. The hour of grace is about to close. Adequate time has been given. It’s time for the Lord to be revealed; he will take vengeance on the world; the pay day will come. Man will come face to face with the reality that the day belongs to God, not man and not nations. And the each one must account for what he does and how he lives.

To the saved it is the day of OUR Lord. We’ll meet him in the air. At the trumpet we’ll get a glorified body. It will be the glorious appearing of the Lord. For those not ready to meet the Lord, it will be doomsday. There will be no hope. People may not believe it; they may distance themselves from it, but the wrath is coming. According to the Word of God nature teaches us something is happening.  For instance, consider the “Global Warming” buzz-talk. Creation is groaning due to the nearness of The Day. The way men speak now days lets us know something is happening. The trends in civilization as a whole tell us something is happening. We are living in the day that will witness the return of the Lord. Don’t be deceived. Whatever we call it or imagine it won’t begin to tell how awful and final it will be.

Zephaniah, Daniel and even Jesus teach us many details. Peter speaks of it. Revelation has it too, but here in Zephaniah there are terrors not seen in the other books. Not only do we read it; we feel it; we touch it; we hear it. It’s like a train coming down the track that we hear getting closer and closer. It’s God’s judgment freight train.  The last days prior to the rapture are here. We don’t know the day or hour, but God said we do know the times and seasons. We see it all around us. We hear it. We feel it. Zephaniah has it written down.

In 2:2 says “Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you.” The first time he uses the word “you” it’s a collective use of the word. The second time its personal—“before the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you.” Be alarmed. With what we feel and hear and see, the Christian should be looking up. The day of the Lord is upon Bob. It’s upon you. We can’t stop it. We can’t wish it away. Jesus is coming and with him is doomsday.

Jesus said he is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He’s about to end it. Studying the Bible gives us a pretty fair picture, but it’s more horrible than we think. We must get it in our eyes, our ears, our hearts—Jesus is coming soon. The security of the decades with its made-easy lifestyles will abruptly, horribly end. Man knows now more than ever. Integration of the world systems is here. Socialism is shown to be good and democracy bad. We’re in the last days. Can’t you feel it? Can’t you see it? There are fears and uncertainties everywhere. Things are unfolding daily. Yet we hold on to our earthly life and our possessions. God doesn’t follow around after us. He’ll not wait until I want him to. He’ll do it when he’s ready. My opinion, and yours, doesn’t matter. God is all knowing and he knows what he’s doing. When he calls it quits, that’s it. The day of wrath, the day of no mercy, will be upon the world.  Those left will be the pouring out of God’s unspeakable displeasure.

Man will be engulfed in all the distress, yet he won’t know what to do then. Zephaniah says “they shall walk like blind men.” The know-it-all’s won’t know. There will be no place to hide. The modern day civilization will be gone. The plug will be pulled. Nothing will be left. Can it happen? Can it? It’s beginnings are already happening. Can’t you see it? Can you feel it? The days of alarm are here. The missiles are ready. If we only knew what is being kept secret, it would scare us to death. It’s coming to my home. It’s coming to my land. It’s coming to yours too. It will end with a speedy riddance. It won’t take God thousands of years; it won’t evolve. It’s quicker than we realize.

Chapter 2 tells us to pull it together.  “Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you.” In Romans chapter 13 Paul tells us that it’s high time to wake from our sleep. It’s time to help our own people—the time before the anger of God comes. Get yourself together. Get your head, your heart, your soul, your living together, before it comes upon you.

Verse 3 of chapter 3 says “Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness.” And if we do, Zephaniah says “it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.”

The doomsday for the terror of the world is the day of liberation for the saved.  The voice of the Day of the Lord is speaking louder and louder. Will you listen? Will you heed it? What will you do?