“Seek Righteousness, Seek Meekness” (Zeph 2)

“Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, O undesirable nation, before the decree is issued, or the day passes like chaff, before the Lord’s fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger comes upon you!  Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice [His righteousness to rule and the righteousness of His commands and ways].  Seek righteousness, seek meekness.  It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger” (vs1-3).

Seek the Lord life long, but seek after tangible fruits of righteousness, seeking a change in your life TOWARDS God.  It shall be rewarded, and this is BETTER than being punished.

First, Seek acceptance with God your whole life long (vs1-3). He says, “Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek meekness.  It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger”.  Christianity isn’t a onetime seeking, and then I’m safe; it is a continual seeking, life long, until we find Him at last.  Paul said, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold on me” (Phil 3:12). A common mistake is that justifying righteousness, the righteousness imputed to faith, is the only righteousness that I need.  Therefore, many don’t seek to grow in grace and obedience. They have crossed the finish line, so they think, at the beginning.  Instead, let us trust Christ for all righteousness and pursue righteousness of character and improvement zealously. 

Seek righteousness and humility.  Live God’s way under the instruction of the Scriptures and by the power of the Spirit. Christ said, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matt 11:29).  Seek obedience to God, bringing forth the fruit that shows that you are saved, “being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Phil 1:11).  Seek Him until He is found, and then seek Him continually, finding the strength that you need.  Your reward is later; your seeking is now. 

Secondly, there is a reward for the righteous, and those who follow Christ shall be saved and inherit the world (Zeph 2:4-9). He says, “The coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed their flocks there; in the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening.  For the Lord their God will intervene for them, and return their captives”, and, “The residue of My people shall plunder them, and the remnant of My people shall possess them”. We shall be given the fullness of God’s glory that sinners have squandered.  We shall see God, experience ETERNAL peace in pardon, and we shall have perfect holiness and indescribable joy.  Don’t think your labor is in vain, but seek after holiness by God’s grace, and you’ll be exalted in the end.  He says, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor 15:58).  He shall not leave you unsaved, but He will assuredly rescue you to the Paradise that He has earned.

Finally, there is no hiding place for the wicked, and no one shall escape, no matter who you are (vs10-15). He says, “This they shall have for their pride, because they have reproached and made arrogant threats against the people of the Lord of hosts”, and, “You Ethiopians also, you shall be slain by My sword”, and again, “This is the rejoicing city that dwelt securely, that said in her heart, ‘I am it, and there is none besides me.’  How has she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down! Everyone who passes by her shall hiss and shake his fist”. Judgment shall come and swallow the unrighteous, and then everything that they’ve had shall be taken away.  Their riches will be vomited up, and they shall see that they’ve lived in vain.  Rev 18:8 says, “Therefore her plagues will come in one day – death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her”. 

Don’t let this happen to you.  Don’t reject Christ and expect good to come at the end.  You may rejoice now, but it WILL be turned to sorrow.  Seek the Lord’s salvation. Seek strength to obey, and be rewarded at the Judgment, rather than punished.