Zephaniah & Haggai
Punishments
and Priorities

This second of the Hallel Praise Psalms (previous post) recalls God's deliverance of the nation of Israel from Egypt (sea) into the Promised Land (Jordan), so He could dwell in the midst of them (sanctuary) and rule over them (dominion).

The quaking mountains recall the presence of God in giving of the Law at Sinai, when He made the Mosaic Covenant with His people, as the basis of blessing in the land. His presence in the Tabernacle and Temple was always in conjunction with the Covenant. (His cloud hung out above the Ark of the Covenant.)

The psalm continues the water motif, ending with God's supernatural care of His people, in bring water out of rocks for them. 

This section has a consequence, a “better” and a “not so good,” and three similes (“like” or “as” make you smile). Like the north wind brings rain, so secret slander brings an unhappy camper. Backbiting words come back to bite the gossip (cf Luke 12:3), so make sure whatever you say would be appropriate to say to a person's face, when they can respond and defend themselves. Speaking of words, a contentious woman (is usually unloved and bitter) and drives away the one who could love her with vinegar words (try honey, Honey). They also cut themselves off from the only One who can totally meet their needs. Escaping to the attic is not exhibiting manly leadership (try golf), but an understanding and implementing the marriage communications on Truthbase.net is exhibiting Biblical leadership.

Hearing good news about things that are outside your control is refreshing. But when a righteous man gives way before the wicked (or escapes to the attic) he becomes like a polluted well or muddied spring (he loses his righteousness).

Seeking one's honor in this life isn't honorable nor good, it's better to seek the honor that comes from God. Remember the sluggard from Proverbs 24:30-34? Well, here's a follow-up: unless one develops self-restraint (where else are you going to get it, you have to build it) they are like a city without wall, that any invader or robber could pillage. The sluggard doesn't takes steps to shore up their spiritual defenses by focusing on the right things and fleeing temptation (this is when it is a good idea to escape to beyond the attic). Thus they will suffer loss and lack fruitfulness.

In the day when God executes judgment, it's a good idea to be somewhere else. This apparently has both a near and far fulfillment; the near against Judah, and the more distant described in Revelation (Tribulation). It's worth noting those who are particularly singled out for destruction, so we aren't like them:
1:4 Those who engage in sensual pagan worship;
1:5 Those who worship Yahweh and their job, or pleasure or money or status or security or success;
1:6a Those who have turned back from doing what they know is right (James 4:17);
1:6b Those who don't seek God's will and wisdom but do what they want so they'll prosper;
1:8 Those who wear foreign designer labels (just kidding). This probably refers to embracing values and customs not in accordance with the law (Numbers 15:37-41);
1:9 Those who deal violently, unjustly, and deceitfully to gain temporal benefits;

God will specifically search out and punish those who complacently deny God's justice, saying He won't bless or curse. This is a hallmark of ancient and modern false teachers who deny that God judges His people.

The resulting judgments will deny them the fruit of their self-centered pursuits, and nothing will save them from their terrible doom.

The humble are those who dependently walk with God (Micah 6:8) and seek His ways rather than their own. Seeking righteousness and humility are doable commands. Those who do so, will be hidden from God's anger, rather than sought out and destroyed as will be the “worshipers” of Yahweh in the previous section.

God will destroy Judah's enemies, and cause the righteous remnant to dwell in safe pastures.

Assyria, the dominant world power which took the northern kingdom into captivity in 722BC is singled out among the proud nations which God will destroy. Nineveh, its capital will be desolate for proudly thinking of themselves as above all others. The Day of the Lord is a great leveler.

• don't obey God's revelation;
• nor received correction;
• nor trust in God for their peace and prosperity;
• nor draw near to Him in intimate dependence.

The day of reckoning, which God has determined, draws near. He will pour out His just wrath on all wickedness, not just in Israel, and purify the lips and lives of people to call upon His name in holiness. After judging His people (in the near term in Babylon) He will regather His people (an act of mercy and grace). The judgment will purify them of pride, iniquity, lies and deceit. Then they will dwell in peace, and God will dwell in the midst of them to ensure their peace and prosperity. He will give His holy ones glory and honor.

The people had returned from exile with the mandate to rebuild God's house, but self-centeredly devoted their attention to their interests rather than God. Therefore, He didn't bless their efforts, but even undermined them to get their attention. We're suppose to seek Him first. But the people has sagaciously said, “Not yet time.” How did they know that? God said otherwise. The sin giving God second place is still sin, even when dressed up in “pious wisdom.”

In contrast to the pre-exilic population, the people repented and obeyed and feared God. (Stop the presses! God's people get it right!) Then, after the volitional commitment to obey, God stirred up their spirits, giving them a supernatural boost to do His work. Zurabbabel and Joshua, in contrast to the civil and religious leaders before the exile, are portrayed as good guys, in need of extra encouragement in light of the difficulties of the situation, and the indifference of the people.

When the foundation of the temple was laid, the older people who had seen the glory of Solomon's temple were discouraged at the smaller second temple.

Ezra 3:12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers' houses, old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off.

Lesson #1 is that sin has enduring consequences. God destroyed the first temple (after repeated warnings) because of their sin.
Lesson #2 is that God is able to make something beautiful out of the ruins if we submit to Him. Glory is not just a matter of silver and gold, but God would make the glory of the second temple greater than Solomon's. The Desire of Nations (the Messiah) would come to this smaller temple, and it was here that the curtain would be ripped apart and peace would be made between God and the people who accepted His provision for their sin (See John 3).

Now that they are giving God first place in their lives, God will give them blessings. He first establishes the principle that unholiness contaminates everything, and doing something good doesn't make everything else holy, but just the opposite. Not obeying God (and the first commandment) makes everything else we do unacceptable to Him, and as a result, we find little where we expected much. That's the opposite of being blessed, called being cursed. But by committing to obedience first, they put themselves in a place where God could bless them. Haggai predicts the fruitfulness and blessings God would bring in response to their obedience.

In a final oracle, God informs Haggai of the day when He will shake the nations and destroy their power structure (demonic throne?) and their military might. In that day Zerubbabel will be as a signet (a ring used to express the authority of a king), because Yahweh has chosen him. God had chosen Zerubbabel not only in the sense of being appointed by Cyrus (Ezra 1:8) but in being an ancestor, in the Davidic line, of the Messiah (Matthew 1:12). The overthrow of the throne of the kingdoms and the strength of the kingdoms of the nations didn't happen in Zerubbabel's lifetime, nor in the Messiah's first coming, but will occur in the Day of the Lord described in the first chapter.