Zephaniah, Matthew 1:18-25

After a little respite whilst we were with Haggai from harsh messages of judgement delivered by the other prophets, we’re back to it with Zephaniah. The repeated phrase “on that day” warns of a time to come when the Lord will act decisively. Yet, chapter 3:9-20 seems to talk of a new Advent when the righteous will be saved. When we read these verses in light of all that we know about Jesus, we gain a hope-filled perspective. The actions spoken of in 3:18-20 seem to mirror all that Jesus said about the purpose of His coming in Luke 4:18-20. We can hold the message of Zephaniah alongside our Advent focus on “Immanuel, God with us” (Mt. 1:23).