Northeast Presbyterian Church

What city is this? It sure sounds like hated Nineveh! But, no! Zephaniah is now describing the holy city, Jerusalem, the city of peace! But, there is no peace in Jerusalem; Jerusalem is no asylum; it is no sanctuary; it is not a place of righteousness and hope! The reason is clear. There is an utter failure of its leaders.

We remember how Jesus rode into Jerusalem and “He wept!” Jesus wept when He saw God’s people because they looked like “sheep without a shepherd!” There was a real failure in the leadership in Jerusalem. As a result, Jerusalem certainly looks like Nineveh. The place that is to be revered and loved and so desired looks like the very opposite. She is a city of “oppressors, rebellious and defiled. She obeys no one; she accepts no correction; she does not trust in the Lord; she does not draw near to her God!” One wonders if the United States of America is reflected here.

On our money it says: “In God we trust!” But, are we “drawing near to God!” The Bible teaches that God says: “Draw near to Me, and I will draw near to you!” Note, the failure of leadership: “Her officials are roaring lions!” Instead of being leaders who serve; they are leaders who prowl like lions or wolves. Her prophets are arrogant!” They should be humble, but where is their humility?

The priests do not bless the people and point them to God; instead the priests “profane the sanctuary!” Instead of being examples of those who keep the law, they “do violence to the law!” So, there is violence done the people by her government leaders, by her judges, by her prophets and her priests! Jesus is the type of leader we need. “He came not to be served, but to serve! May our society; may our church set the example of “servant leadership!”

It has to begin in the church; it has to begin with our pastors and our priests and our prophets and our elders and our deacons and our Sunday School teachers. We have to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. If the church fails, look at what our cities and our country will look like. We will be a place of oppression! We will not be better off than those places that we hate!

Father, may the church be different; may we be holy. Our society needs us!