Zephaniah 1:14, commentary and pictures

The great day of the Lord is near and hastens greatly, coming swiftly and rapidly approaching, very near and right upon us. At the voice of that day even the mighty man shall cry there bitterly with distress. It is a day of judgment, wrath, distress, trouble, darkness and destruction for those who have sinned against the Lord, in which wealth cannot deliver and silver and gold cannot save. It first warned Judah that continued apostasy would bring judgment and was fulfilled in the terrible judgments upon the Jewish nation, and it also applies to the judgment of the impenitent world at Christ's second advent. It therefore calls people to prepare to meet God and be ready without delay, and its nearness must be proclaimed throughout the earth as present truth before God's judgments fall.

Wording and Nearness

The great day of the Lord is near and hastens greatly, coming swiftly and rapidly approaching as a day of judgment. Its nearness leaves no time for self-gratification, but makes every hour precious for pointing those perishing in sin to Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. It declares terrible judgments upon the unconsecrated in the church who resist those working to rid the church of hindrances, correct grievous wrongs, and lead God's people to abhor sin, prosper in purity, and glorify His name. It belongs to a warning of wrath and desolation against those who reject God, applied to the destructive consequences of widespread wickedness even among those who have received great light and opportunities to know Him. It first warned Judah that continued apostasy would bring judgment, and it also applies to the judgment of the impenitent world at Christ's second advent.

The day is very near, right upon us and at hand. Its warning gives urgency to workers to go forward in humble faith and prayer, to serve earnestly, and to proclaim the last message of mercy so people may be ready for Christ's coming. It is connected with the state of the people and the call to prepare for the Lord's coming, a message to be proclaimed to God's people in camp meetings and other gatherings and relevant to the present time. Its nearness calls for constant readiness with sins confessed and faith maintained, with no time for faultfinding or contention but each day used to point people to Christ. The expected coming is nearer now than it was in 1844, when believers also expected to meet the Lord. Its warning applies to the time when earthly powers are shaken and Christ comes from heaven to put down every authority and establish His everlasting kingdom.

At the voice of the day of the Lord, even the mighty man shall cry there bitterly with distress. Even mighty men and mighty people will cry out bitterly when that day of judgment arrives. The surrounding verses describe that day as one of wrath and distress, when wealth cannot deliver people from the Lord's judgment.

The day can no longer be delayed, for God has specified the judgments He will bring upon evildoers. His judgments have already begun to fall in some places, and His signal displeasure will soon be felt in other places. The changing, agitated events of the world are bringing that day of God closer as it hastens greatly.

History and Prophetic Application

The great day announced in the verse first warned Judah that continued apostasy would bring judgment upon the nation. That warning was fulfilled in the terrible judgments that fell upon the Jewish nation. The same day also applies to the judgment of the impenitent world at Christ's second advent.

At that advent earthly powers are shaken and Christ comes from heaven to put down every authority and establish His everlasting kingdom. It points to the approaching day of God amid wars and upheaval, while the final worldwide conflict is still held back until God's servants are sealed. After that sealing the powers of earth will gather for the last great battle.

It warns of wrath and judgment upon persecuting powers when a corrupt union exalts the idol Sunday sabbath. That union tears down God's memorial of creation, the seventh-day Sabbath of the fourth commandment. It decrees unrighteous punishment by imprisonment and death on all who will not reverence the Sunday institution, and the nearness of the day stands as God's warning of wrath and judgment upon those persecuting powers that trample the Sabbath underfoot.

It belongs to a warning of wrath and desolation against those who reject God, applied to the destructive consequences of widespread wickedness. That includes wickedness among people who have received great light and opportunities to know God. Its warning of the great day of the Lord's wrath is to be sounded as God's judgments fall upon the cities. That sounding includes patrons of the restaurants.

Nature of the Judgment

The great day of the Lord is near and rapidly approaching, a day of judgment so terrible that even mighty people will cry out bitterly when it arrives. It belongs to a warning of wrath and desolation against those who reject God, applied to the destructive consequences of widespread wickedness, including among people who have received great light and opportunities to know Him. In the surrounding prophecy that day is a time of wrath, trouble, distress, darkness and destruction for those who have sinned against the Lord. That terrible divine judgment was fulfilled in the judgments that fell upon the Jewish nation.

In that day wealth cannot deliver people from the Lord's judgment, for silver and gold cannot save them. The land will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy. No one can stand in sin when He appears. When Christ appears in heaven's clouds, those who have not sought Him wholeheartedly and have allowed themselves to be deceived will perish.

The verse describes the true state of the unconsecrated in the church who meet with resisting influences those working in the fear of God to rid the church of hindrances and to correct grievous wrongs, that the people of God may see the necessity of abhorring sin and may prosper in purity and that the name of God may be glorified. It declares the terrible judgments that will come upon that class.

Call to Be Ready

The great day of the Lord is near and hastens greatly, and it calls everyone to prepare to meet God and to be ready and waiting without delay. It is very near and coming quickly upon the world, a day that will soon open upon it, for which people must be warned and made prepared to stand. The warning is to be proclaimed with the urgency of John the Baptist as forerunner of Christ's first advent, applied to proclaiming Christ's second coming clearly and powerfully to those who have not heard the truth, including to God's people in camp meetings and other gatherings.

The meek are called to seek the Lord and to seek righteousness and meekness before judgment comes, so that they may be hidden and sheltered in the day of His anger. That day is a day of judgment that will come swiftly with distress so great that even mighty people will cry bitterly, a time of wrath, trouble, darkness and destruction for those who have sinned against the Lord, when wealth cannot deliver and silver and gold cannot save and the land will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy. Safety comes only through repentance, conversion and the blotting out of sins, for when Christ appears in heaven's clouds those who have not sought Him wholeheartedly and have allowed themselves to be deceived will perish, while those who earnestly seek the Lord, humble themselves before Him, forsake sin and are sanctified by the truth will be fitted to join the royal family and see the King in His beauty.

Its voice brings deep conviction that judgment and the coming of the Lord are near and that no one can stand in sin when He appears. Therefore sinners must feel their unworthiness, fear dying unforgiven and being eternally lost, cry to God for pity and pardon, spend time agonizing in prayer through the night with faith that He will spare and forgive, and seek counsel and prayer from Christian friends instead of wandering alone in darkness and despair. The words make the coming judgment and the need to be ready feel urgent and personal, so that fear of meeting the Lord in sin prompts a plea for mercy and salvation.

Readiness means constant readiness with sins confessed and faith maintained, for its nearness makes every hour precious with no time for faultfinding, contention or self-gratification, and each day is to be used to point people to Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away sin. Believers are to stand prepared for their foes, armed with God's promises and ready to act without delay, prepared to meet the Lord in peace with every sin confessed, remaining ready morning, evening and at any unexpected hour. The expected coming is nearer now than it was in 1844 when believers also expected to meet the Lord.

To claim that this day is near while living ungodly lives is a contradiction, for such lives prepare people for their own destruction. Its nearness makes thorough reformation urgent, calling for people of steadfast integrity and wise judgment who use their talents and abilities in God's service. Its warning applies especially to people entrusted with present truth who are spiritually asleep and unready for the coming time of testing, calling believers to live as though Christ's return is imminent and to remember that they are pilgrims and strangers on earth.

Mission to Warn the World

The nearness of the great day must be proclaimed throughout the length and breadth of the earth as an alarm that leaves none unwarned. It is to be understood and proclaimed before its fulfillment and before judgments fall, as present truth for this time to be given with clearness and power so that those who have ears to hear may hear. Those who have received truth above others are debtors to impart it to poor souls in error and darkness, remembering they might have been in their place and needed someone to bring it to them. There is no time to lose because the end is near and the time to work with freedom is short.

Terrible scenes lie ahead, travel will be hedged with dangers on the right hand and on the left to obstruct messengers, and everything will be placed to obstruct the way so they cannot do what is possible now. Soon giving the warning and doing the work will be more difficult than can be imagined, for the powers of darkness are working with intense energy from beneath and Satan is stealthily advancing to take those now asleep as a wolf takes its prey. What must be done must therefore be done quickly and the work advanced as fast as possible in aggressive warfare, keeping in the channel of light with eyes fastened on Jesus the Leader and patiently perseveringly pressing on to gain the victory. Its nearness makes every hour and every minute precious, with no time for self-gratification, faultfinding or contention.

With souls perishing in sin all around and facing either eternal life or perishing with the wicked, each day there is something to do for the Master by pointing souls to Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, with active effort and sacrifice. Every worker is to go forward in humble faith with the Lord going with him, watching unto prayer, working in dependence on God as a laborer together with Him, wearing Christ's yoke and daily learning His meekness and lowliness. Ministers and gospel medical missionaries are to stay alert and proclaim the last message of mercy to prepare a people to stand, giving themselves to the work with urgency like John the Baptist as forerunner of Christ's first advent. Those entrusted with the last message of mercy are accountable for doing their part.

Self-denial and giving up needless spending support the work, while unbelief and failure to practise God's instructions hinder it, but when unbelief is put away the message goes with power, prayers for conversion are heard, and good works lead others to glorify God. The world is to be warned and new fields entered rather than taking on unassigned responsibilities and concentrating resources in one place while other parts remain unworked, with faithful attention to the work God assigns each person. Every hand must be employed now to meet the needs of the cities as God sees them, sending messengers through all unworked fields and supporting them liberally. Experienced ministers who can hold large congregations are to lift up their voices to multitudes in crowded centers in the East and South and North and West, including New York City and places like Portland and Baltimore, and the work is to be built up in every place possible.

The warning belongs to brave, earnest workers located where they can meet the multitudes, including thousands who come year by year from all parts of America to southern California in search of health. They are reached by ministers and canvassers on the ground who watch for opportunity, hold meetings, and quickly seize every opening to place the truth before those who know it not, using medical missionary work to make rapid advancement for the salvation of souls in God's closing work and to gather an abundant spiritual harvest. Thousands upon thousands of the youth and those older should give themselves to warning the world with such preparation as they can gain, aided by every Christian educator who sympathizes, cooperates, encourages and assists youth to join the ranks. Those in ministry are God's helping hand, coworkers with angels through whom angels accomplish their mission, speaking through their voices and working by their hands, and with such an army the message of a crucified, risen and soon-coming Saviour could be carried to the whole world to hasten the end of suffering, sorrow and sin and bring the inheritance where the righteous dwell forever without sickness or weeping.

Its message is to be proclaimed to God's people in camp meetings and other gatherings in connection with their state and the call to prepare for the coming. Preparing people for that day is a serious work requiring camp meetings to give priority to spiritual preparation rather than mechanical training.