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John 1:1

The “Word” is God!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 28, 2022

Whereas Matthew connected Jesus with Abraham and David and Luke connected Jesus with Adam and all his descendants, John takes his readers all the way back to the beginning of the Bible, the opening words of the book of Genesis. He begins by saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Genesis begins with the same phrase, “In the beginning.” Actually, the book of Genesis is named in the Hebrew Bible with this phrase but in Hebrew: Bereshit! Carson explains this well and attaches the beginning of the Gospel of John not only with Genesis but also with Mark’s Gospel. He writes, “In the beginning immediately reminds any reader of the Old Testament of the opening verse of the Bible: ‘In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.’ Genesis begins with creation; John refers to creation, but soon turns to what Paul calls ‘new creation.’ Both in Genesis and here, the context shows that the beginning is absolute: the beginning of all things, the beginning of the universe. The Greek word behind ‘beginning’, archē, often bears the meaning ‘origin,’ and there may be echoes of that here, for the Word who already was ‘in the beginning’ is soon shown to be God’s agent of creation, what we might call the ‘originator’ of all things. Granted that the Word enjoyed this role, it was inevitable that at the origin of everything he already was. Since Mark begins his Gospel with the same word, ‘The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ’, it is also possible that John is making an allusion to his colleague’s work, saying in effect, ‘Mark has told you about the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry; I want to show you that the starting point of the gospel can be traced farther back than that, before the beginning of the entire universe.’”[1]

The New World Translations says that “The Word was a god.” They base this on the fact that the word “god” has no definite article in Greek. Utley explains this, “There is no ARTICLE with Theos, but Theos is placed first in the Greek phrase for emphasis. This verse and v. 18 are strong statements of the full deity of the pre-existent Logos. Jesus is fully divine as well as fully human. He is not the same as God the Father, but He is the very same divine essence as the Father.”[2] Much more has been said on this issue but suffice it to note that of 217 translations of the Bible over the last few hundred years, 174 translate it to say Jesus “was God.” 43 translations say that Jesus was “a god.” The collector of this information adds his commentary by saying, “The majority is NOT always right! Many innocent people are sent to jail by juries of 12 where every single one of the 12 were wrong.”[3] I must add that the majority is most often right and they are here.

But to even those that reject the obvious here, it is clear that they all believe that the “word” referred to here is Jesus. John will emphasize that later when he says, “The word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Plummer says, “But the Logos is the Son of God, existing from all eternity, and manifested in space and time in the Person of Jesus Christ, in whom had been hidden from eternity all that God had to say to man, and who was the living expression of the Nature and Will of God.”[4] John also tells us that Jesus is the one that explains or “reveals” the Father to us. That’s part of what he meant when His disciples asked to see the Father. He said, “If you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father.”

[1] Carson, D. A. 1991. The Gospel according to John. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans.

[2] Utley, Robert James. 1999. The Beloved Disciple’s Memoirs and Letters: The Gospel of John, I, II, and III John. Vol. Volume 4. Study Guide Commentary Series. Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International.

[3] https://net-comber.com/john-1-1.html

[4] Plummer, A. 1896. The Gospel according to S. John. Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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Luke 1:1-4

It’s “His Story”

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 27, 2022

Luke is quite the historian. He searched things out by interviewing the primary sources rather than relying on the research or records of others. He collected them and put them together in an orderly fashion like he says in the first four verses of his book. He writes, “Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.”

He is writing to Theophilus. Many think that it is a particular man with that name. Other commentators suggest that since “Theophilus” is a Greek term that means “Lover of God” he was addressing all the believers. Martin thinks it must be an individual with that name. He says, “Though it has been suggested that Luke used the name for all who are ‘lovers of God’ (i.e., the readers of his Gospel narrative), it is better to suppose that this was a real individual who was the first recipient of Luke’s Gospel and who then gave it wide circulation in the early church. Apparently, he was an official of some kind, for he was called most excellent.”[1] However, Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan, said, “If you love God, it is written to you.”

“Luke’s elegant prologue is dedicated to historical investigation that can be corroborated by human testimony apart from appeals to divine inspiration, Christian terminology, or religious claims. In the sequel to his Gospel, (Acts) Luke speaks of the resurrected Jesus presenting himself to the disciples in ‘many convincing proofs.’ Without using the same word in the prologue, Luke imputes equal veracity to the eyewitness sources of his Gospel. The essential underpinning of Christian mission and proclamation is not a myth, philosophy, or religious or moral system, but human witness to the saving significance of Jesus Christ. Loveday Alexander argues that Luke has consciously rooted his prologue in the language of academic discourse typical of scientific treatises. In the prologue, Luke testifies that his role as an Evangelist is to bear responsible testimony to what God has done in human history in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.”[2] It has often been said that history itself is “His Story.” The entire Bible is about Jesus. Jesus was and is the subject of all human history. Matthew presented a genealogy of Jesus back to Abraham, through David, and up to Christ’s birth. Luke goes back to Adam to show the focus of all history is Jesus. It really is “His Story.” At Christmas time we are not celebrating a well-collaborated myth, but the dependable and accurate historical account of the incarnation. God sent his Son, “born of a woman” in a manger in Bethlehem to save mankind from their sin. Those who believe and celebrate this truth become “lovers of God.”

[1] Martin, John A. 1985. “Luke.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, 2:202. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

[2] Edwards, James R. 2015. The Gospel according to Luke. Edited by D. A. Carson. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.

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Mark 1:1, Isaiah 52:7, 61:1

The Best News of All Time!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 26, 2022

Many believe that the Gospel of Mark was the earliest of the four Gospels. If so, it brought a new definition to a word that had been familiar to the entire Greek-speaking world. The Gospel of Mark begins, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” The word “Gospel” literally means “good news.” The word was well known at the time and represented a headline, of sorts, that proclaimed something that changed the lives of people for the better. “In 9 b.c., within a decade of Jesus’ birth, the birthday of Caesar Augustus (63 b.c.–a.d. 14) was hailed as euangelion.  Since he was hailed as a god, Augustus’s ‘birthday signaled the beginning of Good News for the world.’ In the Greco-Roman world, the word always appears in the plural, meaning one good tiding among others; but in the New, Testament euangelion appears only in the singular: the good news of God in Jesus Christ, beside which there is no other.”[1] Mark is aware of the difference between ordinary good news and the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Mark is not speaking of “any” good news, but of “The” Good News” about Jesus.”

Mark has in mind the Good News that Isaiah spoke about in Isaiah 52:7, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’” Mark also has in mind Isaiah’s words in Isaiah 61:1, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.” From Mark writing back in the first century up to today, the word “Gospel” refers only to the good news recorded in the first four books of the New Testament.

From that day to our day, there have been literally millions of people who have heard this “Gospel” of Jesus Christ and they all agree with The Reverend Dr. James Cleveland (December 5, 1931 – February 9, 1991). He was a gospel singer, arranger, composer and, most significantly, the driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound, bringing the stylistic daring of hard gospel and jazz and pop music influences to arrangements for mass choirs. He is known as the King of Gospel music. He wrote,

“If anyone should ever write, my life story
For whatever reason there might be
One day, I was lost but Jesus found me

Jesus is the best thing that ever happened
Jesus is the best thing that ever happened
Jesus is the best thing that ever happened to me

If anyone should ever write, my life story
For whatever reason there might be
I was on my way to hell, but Jesus lifted me

Jesus is the best thing that ever happened
Jesus is the best thing that ever happened
Jesus is the best thing that ever happened to me

[1] Edwards, James R. 2002. The Gospel according to Mark. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos.

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Matthew 1:1, Genesis 3:15, Genesis 12:3

Joy to the World!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 25, 2022

In Genesis 3:15, God promises Adam and Eve that he would send a man, a seed of the woman, who would deliver them from their sin. The curse of labor in delivery for the woman, hard work in the fields for the man, and animosity and strife with Satan and each other would be their state until the deliverer comes. Thousands of years go by and the history of mankind is filled with these struggles; murder, strife, and war mark the entire history of mankind. The New Testament opens with the identification of Jesus as the promised deliverer. Matthew goes to great lengths to connect Jesus with the history of the human race by making the connection of Jesus with the promised seed. The first verse of the New Testament might be the title of the entire book and even the entire New Testament. It says, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” The Handbook for Translators tells us, “The word Jesus is a Greek equivalent of a well-known Hebrew name. It is constructed from two Hebrew words which mean ‘Lord’ and ‘save,’ and it is probably best taken in its root meaning: ‘O Lord, save.’ In 1:21 the angel indicates to Mary the true and full significance of the name Jesus—he will save his people from their sins.”[1] This connects Jesus, not only with Abraham and David but also with the promise in Genesis 3:15.

Luther’s German translation says, “This is the book of the story of Jesus Christ.” He preferred this translation because the Gospel includes not only Jesus’ connection with the past but also includes all of the words and deeds of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel. I don’t like the word “story.” It might imply that this is something other than fact. I’d rather translate it as “This is the book of the history of Jesus Christ.” The history of Jesus makes him an heir to the throne of Israel. Boice says, “Matthew’s genealogy proves that Jesus had descended from King David and was, therefore, qualified to be the Jews’ Messiah (‘Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me,’ 2 Sam. 7:16). And his reference to Abraham is a first and early suggestion that Jesus is also the one through whom the blessings of God would be given, not only to Jews but to the Gentile nations as well (‘All peoples on earth will be blessed through you,’ Gen. 12:3).”[2]

Exell gives four reasons why he believes this genealogy is significant, “The first record is the book of the generation of Jesus Christ. What does this signify? 1. A man’s beginnings, a man’s ancestors, have something to do with both his character and his life. 2. Christ was the sacred heir of all the ancient world. 3. The genealogy reminds us how all the past was preparing for Jesus. 4. But more than all, the generations of Jesus Christ show us the birth of the new world, and the new time, and the new institutions, which are to end in the perfect glory of the Father and the perfect blessedness of the race.”[3] Christmas is a celebration of the coming of the Messiah, the birth of the one who would save the world. This brings such a spirit of hope to Christians that celebrating this event is always joyous.

[1] Newman, Barclay Moon, and Philip C. Stine. 1992. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. UBS Handbook Series. New York: United Bible Societies.

[2] Boice, James Montgomery. 2001. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

[3] Exell, Joseph S. 1952. The Biblical Illustrator: Matthew. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

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Malachi 1:1-2a, John 3:16, Romans 5:*

The Most Powerful Motivation

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 24, 2022

Zechariah opens with the expression of God’s anger at the children of Israel who broke the covenant with Him. God’s anger resulted in the destruction of Israel first, then Jerusalem, and even God’s own house, the temple. The temple represents God’s presence with His people. God dwelt in the temple but in Ezekiel’s vision, the Gory of God departs from the temple. When the period of exile is over, the remnant of Israel returns to the land and rebuilds the temple but it’s not what it used to be.  Returning to their land, the Israelites face opposition from within and without. There is financial hardship. There is civil unrest. The surrounding nations have attacked them and the task of rebuilding a nation seemed overwhelming for the returning exiles under Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. Now, Malachi comes telling the people that God loves them! Amid life’s trials, disappointments, hardships, pain, and severe losses, it’s hard to see God’s love. As God’s messenger, Malachi wants the people to know that regardless of life’s struggles and difficulties, God loves them. The book of Malachi opens, with “The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. ‘I have loved you,’ says the Lord. But you say, ‘How have you loved us?’”

Zechariah speaks of God’s anger. Malachi speaks of God’s love. How do we reconcile the two? God’s anger is his disposition toward evil. God’s love is his disposition toward the good. “The church father Lactantius (last half of the third century) put the question in a more biblical perspective: ‘He who loves the good also hates the evil, and he who does not hate the evil does not love the good because, on the one hand, to love the good comes from hatred of evil and to hate the evil rises from the love of the good.’ Our difficulty in accepting that anger is part of the character of God is related to our improper association of anger with ‘the desire for retaliation,’ or the desire to ‘get even.’ Anger, properly defined, however, is the legitimate emotion of a person rising up to resist evil. Anger need not be unchecked or uncontrolled. God’s anger is certainly never explosive, unchecked or uncontrolled. In fact, in comparison to His love, His anger passes quickly while His love endures.”[1]

On the one hand, I might agree with Blaising who says, “The words I have loved you are not a general statement about God’s love for all people.”[2] He is speaking specifically to Israel in the post-exilic world to motivate them to live well and worship God even amidst trying situations. But I agree with Ross’s statement on this verse. He writes, “If people are in any way open to the word of God, the constantly repeated message of God’s faithful love for his people should inspire greater devotion and service. But the appeal of Malachi will be even wider than that, for the object of God’s love in this passage is the whole nation—some unbelievers and some believers. Even the unbelievers would have to acknowledge that they were part of a special people whom God loved and desired to use if they would only believe and follow his word. So Malachi began with the most powerful motivation that he could use to appeal to the people: the love of God.”[3] The apostle John appeals on the same basis. He writes, “For God so loved the world, that whosoever would believe in Him, will not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16) Paul appeals on the basis of God’s love as well, “But God demonstrates His love for us in this, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

[1] Kaiser, Walter C., and Lloyd J. Ogilvie. 1992. Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. Vol. 23. The Preacher’s Commentary Series. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.

[2] Blaising, Craig A. 1985. “Malachi.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, 1:1575. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

[3] Ross, Allen P. 2016. Malachi Then and Now: An Expository Commentary Based on Detailed Exegetical Analysis. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

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Zechariah 1:1-2

The Wrath of God

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 23, 2022

The book of Zechariah begins, “In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, ‘The Lord was very angry with your fathers.’” Of Zechariah himself, we know little. Clark writes, “He is described in 1:1 as ‘the son of Berechiah and grandson of Iddo’.  In Ezra 5:1 and 6:14 he is called the son of Iddo, but it was not unusual for a generation to be omitted in Hebrew genealogies. A priest named Iddo is mentioned in Nehemiah 12:4 as among those who returned from exile with Zerubbabel and Joshua in 537 b.c. If this man was the grandfather of Zechariah, then Zechariah himself would have been a priest, and this fits well with his interests as shown in his writings. He would also have been a relatively young man in 520 when he began to prophesy. He is probably the same Zechariah who is mentioned in Nehemiah 12:16 as a head of a family in later years.”[1]

The blessings that God promised the Israelites if they obeyed his commands in the book of Deuteronomy were followed by cursings. Although Solomon turned bad by the end of his career, he had a heart for God like his father, David, and reaped the rewards. Israel under Solomon was the greatest kingdom on earth. It was at peace with all the nations for the most part and had gathered great wealth and accomplished great feats and built the temple for God. Those living under Solomon’s reign thrived in the land that God had given them. But then at the end of his life, Solomon turned away from God to worship idols and gather to himself many wives and concubines that drew his heart away from God. Although there were revivals under several kings, the result for both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms was destruction and slavery. This is why Zechariah begins by reminding the people that God was “angry” with their fathers. That’s why they ended up in slavery. But now, according to his promise, God was bringing the Israelites back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and resettle the land. Zechariah is reminding them of what befell their fathers because of their rebellion. Hopefully, the reminder of God’s anger will help motivate them to live well in the land after the exile.

The biblical writers did not balk at attributing “anger” to God. We need to be careful in associating this biblical “anger” of God with our anger. It’s not the same thing. God’s wrath is against the persistent and irreconcilable rebellion. Our anger is an immediate response to some offensive affront. God is long-suffering. Baldwin explains it well. Regarding God’s anger, she writes, “It was the revulsion of his whole being to the rebellion of those whom he had created and resulted in acts of judgment. In the case of the flood all mankind was involved (Gen. 6:5–7), but after that, whenever nations thwarted God’s purpose for man’s salvation, their perversity provoked his anger (Ps. 110:5; Zech. 1:15). Yet it was the privileged nation of Israel that most often became the object of God’s displeasure. The whole career of the chosen nation veered away from God’s purpose, for social injustice, apostasy, and self-seeking became endemic, so that there was no remedy (2 Chr. 36:15, 16). Destruction and exile were the outworking of God’s anger (Isa. 60:10; Jer. 21:5), or rather of the Lord’s anger, for it is in the covenant name that these statements of divine wrath against Israel are made. There is an association between the wrath of God and the historical election covenant, which still stands in spite of all. God’s intention is still salvation, hence Zechariah’s call to repentance. ‘For God has not destined us for wrath’ (1 Thess. 5:9).”[2]

[1] Clark, David J., and Howard A. Hatton. 2002. A Handbook on Zechariah. UBS Handbook Series. New York: United Bible Societies.

[2] Baldwin, Joyce G. 1972. Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 28. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

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Haggai 1:1

Don’t Forget God

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 22, 2022

Because of how the book of Haggai opens, we see it is a post-exilic prophet. Most commentators think he is the first to write to Israel after the fall of Jerusalem. Israel, in the north, had been scattered by Assyria in 722 BC. Judah, in the south, had been destroyed along with the temple in Jerusalem in 586 BC. The first verse says, “In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.” Scholars agree that the date of Haggai’s first sermon in the book puts it at about 520 BC. There are only two chapters in this book, but it’s full of messages from God. “No less than 25 times in his two short chapters Haggai affirmed the divine authority of his messages. Not only did he introduce his sermons with, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says,’ but also he concluded them with a similar formula (‘declares the Lord Almighty’), and sprinkled those expressions throughout his messages. He was fully aware he was God’s messenger.”[1]

The message from the Lord that Haggai brought was addressed specifically to two people: Zerubbabel and Joshua. They had been commissioned by Cyrus the Great, King of Persia, who preceded Darius, to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. They had taken up to 50 thousand exiles back to Jerusalem with them. But, because of opposition from the Samaritans that lived in the land, they became discouraged and ceased rebuilding the temple and focused on building their own houses. God then sent Haggai to tell them to get back to work on the temple. Zerubbabel was the son of Shealtiel, a grandson of Jehoiachin, one of the last kings of Judah. He was therefore a descendant of David and a legitimate heir to the throne of Judah. Jeshua was the High Priest mentioned in Nehemiah chapter 7. Some translations call him Joshua, but that might confuse him with the more famous Joshua of the book with that name.

Darius had just succeeded Cyrus the great who had magnanimously sent the Israelites back to their land to restore their nation. Boda says, “Haggai speaks into a community still feeling the aftershocks of a recent Persian political earthquake. The prophetic work of Haggai, the political work of Zerubbabel, and the priestly work of Joshua must be seen against the backdrop of these recent events as the new emperor moved to restore peace to the edges of his empire.” Egypt revolted the next year (521 BC) and Darius had to invest in a major war effort to maintain peace in the Persian Empire.  “There are signs of economic hardship during Darius’s early years as emperor because of economic “reforms” (i.e., taxation resulting in inflation). Any financial resources of those who returned from exile in the waves of people accompanying Zerubbabel and Jeshua would have been rendered worthless in the early years of Darius.”[2] There is evidence of a lack of food, the harvest was not good, and the economy was bad. In today’s economy, gas prices would double, store shelves would be sparse and sometimes empty, prices would soar and people would worry about their own livelihood. Opposition from without, the Samaritans, and opposition from within, the economy, led the returning exiles to focus on their own needs and neglected the worship of God. I suppose we call all relate to such a situation in some way. But Haggai tells them not to forget God amid their hardships. Haggai’s message is relevant for us too.

[1] Lindsey, F. Duane. 1985. “Haggai.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, 1:1536–37. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

[2] Boda, Mark J. 2004. Haggai, Zechariah. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

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Zephaniah 1:1

The God of Hope

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 21, 2022

The opening verse says, “The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.” Zephaniah came from a long line of leaders in Judah. His father was Cushi. This name is usually used as an ethnic label referring to a person from Cush, which today makes up modern Sudan and Ethiopia. Clark says this means, “Zephaniah’s father was an African, and Zephaniah himself was a black man. This possibility gains some support from the fact that in his short prophecy Zephaniah twice mentions the land or people of Cush. A Cushite dynasty had ruled Egypt 715–663 b.c., and this no doubt led to increased familiarity with Cushites in Judah, and perhaps to some intermarriage with them.”[1] Zephaniah’s grandfather, Gedaliah, is even more interesting. A seal impression was discovered near Lachish carrying Gedaliah’s name as the head of a household. Thus, in his early career, Gedaliah appears to have held a high position in the Judahite royal court. There’s also a reference in the Septuagint that Gedaliah was one of the men that protested the burning of one of Jeremiah’s scrolls. He’s found in 2 Kings and Jeremiah as a head of a household that supported Josiah’s reform and the prophet Jeremiah. He was also placed in charge of the remnant of the Jews left behind in Judah when most were transported to Babylon. According to one website, “Gedaliah established his administration in Mitzpah, north of Jerusalem, and initially, his control over Judah was strong enough to induce refugees who had fled east of the Jordan River to Ammon, Moab, and Edom, to return to Judah.”[2] His grandfather Amariah could have been the high priest who participated in the reforms Jehoshaphat initiated.

Hezekiah was his grandfather. “In the ranking of the kings of Judah, Hezekiah ranks as one of the good ones. He has a heart devoted to the Lord. Yet when he is given an extra 15 years of life, he shows off to the leaders of Babylon his ‘blessings.’ He is then told that Judah will eventually go into exile, but not in his lifetime. Such a prophecy doesn’t bother him because it won’t happen in his lifetime. That’s not the response of a strong leader. Strong leaders look to legacy, they look to the long-term health of their church, their company, or their country.”[3] Hezekiah is followed by his son Manasseh who was the worst king of Judah. According to Swindoll, “This all means that Zephaniah grew up under the reign of Josiah’s predecessors: Josiah’s grandfather, the evil king Manasseh, and Manasseh’s son, the young and evil Amon. As a young man, the prophet-to-be would have been surrounded by the trappings of idolatry, child sacrifice, and unjust killings—strong influences on a young mind. But Zephaniah grew into a man of God, able to stand before the people and proclaim God’s message of judgment and hope to a people that had gone astray.”[4]

Zephaniah warns everyone of the dangers of turning from God to idols. He confronts his own people who have made a mockery of worship. I wonder if we, too, don’t do that sometimes by making our religion a set of rituals to observe rather than cultivating a relationship with God. We sometimes think that just being part of a church or serving in some capacity will exempt us from a genuine connection with God. The good news for those in Judah during Zephaniah’s day and for us today is seen in Chapter three, where we find God is always a God of forgiveness, restoration, and hope.

[1] Clark, David J., and Howard A. Hatton. 1989. A Translator’s Handbook on the Book of Zephaniah. UBS Handbook Series. New York: United Bible Societies.

[2] https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/who-was-gedaliah/

[3] https://richardburkey.wordpress.com/2011/06/13/good-hezekiah-bad-hezekiah/

[4] https://insight.org/resources/bible/the-minor-prophets/zephaniah

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