Lessons from Zephaniah...Don't Mess with My Child - That's My Job

My daughter is three and a half months old. At this point we don’t have to implement much discipline (if only I could discipline her into warning me when she is going to spit up) but as her understanding and awareness grow, my husband and I will focus on disciplining our daughter. It’s what any good parent would do. For the sake of my child, I must teach her right from wrong and show her that sin leads to bad consequences. In the context of love I must punish her bad behavior so that she will learn to love righteousness. But don’t think for a second that I want you to come in and punish her. If you see her misbehaving, let me know. But don’t take it upon yourself to exact a punishment for her. I’ll take care of it. Don’t mess with my child…that’s my job.

A cursory reading through Zephaniah 1 left me feeling pretty depressed. It is all about the devastation that will come upon Judah because of the sins of the people. As I read the words I could feel God’s disappointment and righteous frustration and anger. His people were rebellious and then apathetic toward their sin. They had to be punished.

But don’t forget whose job that is.

God is holy and must punish sin. But in chapter 2, He turns His wrath toward someone else. Nations to the east, west, north, and south of Judah had “taunted and become arrogant against the people of the Lord of hosts” (2:10). Oh no. Don’t go messing with God’s children. Because of their arrogance toward His people, they would suffer the wrath of God.

Here is the encouragement that I found in this: When God is angered by His people’s rebellion, He punishes them (remember Hebrews 12 – What loving father would not discipline his children?) But He does not turn away from them completely. Through the prophet God pronounced devastating consequences on Judah; but then He turned around like a protective Father and defended them against other nations who sought their ruin.

I’m so thankful to have a heavenly Father who will not tolerate my sin, but in the same moment will defend me against my accusers. And what a glory to be on this side of the cross, and to know that Jesus has absorbed the wrath of God for me. He still disciplines me, but I know that when my enemy comes against me, I have an Advocate who will plead my case based on the blood of the Lamb. What a blessing to abide in both the discipline and the protection of God Almighty!