1Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, you nation that has no shame, 2before the appointed time when the day passes as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Yahweh comes on you, before the day of Yahweh’s anger comes on you. 3Seek Yahweh, all you humble of the land, who have kept his ordinances. Seek righteousness. Seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of Yahweh’s anger. 4For Gaza will be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation. They will drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron will be rooted up. 5Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! Yahweh’s word is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines. I will destroy you until there is no inhabitant. 6The sea coast will be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks. 7The coast will be for the remnant of the house of Judah. They will find pasture. In the houses of Ashkelon, they will lie down in the evening, for Yahweh, their God, will visit them and restore them. 8I have heard the reproach of Moab and the insults of the children of Ammon, with which they have reproached my people and magnified themselves against their border. 9Therefore, as I live, says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, surely Moab will be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The remnant of my people will plunder them, and the survivors of my nation will inherit them. 10This they will have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Yahweh of Armies. 11Yahweh will be awesome to them, for he will famish all the gods of the land. Men will worship him, everyone from his place, even all the shores of the nations.
12You Cushites also, you will be killed by my sword.
13He will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as the wilderness. 14Herds will lie down in the middle of her, all kinds of animals. Both the pelican and the porcupine will lodge in its capitals. Their calls will echo through the windows. Desolation will be in the thresholds, for he has laid bare the cedar beams. 15This is the joyous city that lived carelessly, that said in her heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me.” How she has become a desolation, a place for animals to lie down in! Everyone who passes by her will hiss and shake their fists.
Zephaniah 2 paints a bleak picture of desolation and destruction. The land is broken and deserted and the people are scattered and defeated. The great cities of the Philistine coast are empty and overgrown, the once occupied houses of Ashkelon are abandoned. Then God tells of the remnant people of the tribe of Judah, who are finding their way back to Jerusalem and to God.
In the empty places he provides pasture for their sheep and in the broken places he provides rest for them at night. When I read these words, I am struck by something that I have found true in the bible but also in life. It is in the places and times that we are most broken and empty that God provides our comfort and rest.
This passage reminds us of the words of David in Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd I have all I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside still waters. He renews my strength…even when I walk through the darkest valley I will not be afraid.
Even in our darkest days God provides, in our loneliest moments he is our comfort. On those days when turmoil seems to be winning he is our rest. When it all seems hopeless and empty he is our provider.
In Zephaniah chapter 2 it would be easy to focus on the desolation and not the provision. Let’s be careful were we put our focus, and may we know in every situation his hand of rest, comfort, protection and provision.