“I will utterly sweep away everything
from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.
–Zephaniah 1:2 (ESV)
I was about 10-years-old. My dad gave me a chore to sweep our patio. Our patio wasn’t that big, but I took a while. I then told my dad I was done. Well, it wasn’t good enough. He wanted a really clean sweep, so I did it again!
Keeping our home clean now is a big job. We live in the country. We have dogs. Dust and dirt happens. I try to do my part, but my lovely wife contributes much more than I do to keep things clean.
As I look out my office window this Wednesday morning there is newly fallen snow. It is pretty. Snow covers, but it does not clean. The above verse talks about a cleaning.
Zephaniah was another Old Testament prophet who let those who claimed to follow God know that a judgement was coming. In his words, the Lord was going to “utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth.” Now that is a clean sweep.
The Bible consistently declares that a Final Judgement is coming and that there will be a New Earth. There will be a cleaning up of the earth.
Why doesn’t God do that right now? Didn’t He do it before with the flood?
Between now and when He does the big clean up, I am experiencing God’s grace. There is time for me to share with others. There is time for others to decide to submit to Him.
The earth needs cleaning, but God is graciously waiting.
Prayer: Father in Heaven, Your judgement is coming for the whole earth. Thank you that You judge me based on the forgiveness that I have received through Jesus. You now see in me the righteousness of Jesus because I trust Him. May I now live in Your grace as I tell others about You.
