May 22

Journey-through-the-Bible-with-us

READING FOR MAY 22, 2026: ZEPHANIAH 3, MARK 7, PSALM 45:10-17 

ZEPHANIAH 3 The prophet opens the chapter by pronouncing a woe against a rebellious city. Woe is not good news when spoken against anyone by a prophet. What is this woeful city? It must be Jerusalem. That’s because it says in verse 2, she didn’t trust her God; in verse 4 her prophets and priests profaned the sanctuary (i.e., temple) and the law; and in verses 6-7 the Lord eliminated her enemies and told her to revere and obey Him. Yet she chose to be corrupt. Remember, this is a characterization of Judah over many centuries of God’s faithfulness. 

An amazing turn happens in verse 8. Just as the reader is expecting to learn what Judah’s punishment will be for this sorry behavior, Judah is told to wait for God. Even more amazing is what God plans to do. At this point, God says He will assemble all the nations to experience His extreme judgment. Those holding a premillennial position (such as this writer) suggest this refers to the final tribulation found in Revelation. Then in verse 9 God says He will restore peoples (not just one people, such as Israel) who verse 10 says are God worshippers. Those who are arrogant will be removed and not be part of God’s holy mountain, which could mean Jerusalem.  Aside from this fitting in with Rev. 20:1-7, suggesting that these verses describe the end times make sense because nothing in our past or current experience is similar. 

Verses 14-20 express all the joy Israel will experience when the Lord takes away His judgments and clears away their enemies. Verse 20 ends the chapter with this ecstatic statement: “’At that time I will bring you in, even at the time when I gather you together; Indeed, I will make you famous and praiseworthy among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,’ Says the Lord.”  Thus, Old Testament scholar and past president of Gordon-Conwell Seminary Walter Kaiser states: “This fulfillment of this return could not have been accomplished until the Millennium. Furthermore, Judah could never have gained any kind of recognition or honor from any of the nations at that time (i.e., Zephaniah’s), nor could she gain any since. Indeed, she has received more shame and contempt than anything else. It is clear, then, that this text talks about something we have never before been seen. As someone said, ‘The Messiah will need to appear before the nations-at-large begin to give the credit to Israel.’”  

This writer doesn’t know about others, but he finds it hard to know what he will be doing to- morrow. Yet, we can trust our individual lives with the One who has planned all the future. 

MARK 7 The story of the disciples eating without ceremonially washing their hands and utensils was discussed when we read Matthew 15. As we saw, Jesus observed how these human traditions were often followed rigorously even as, as Isaiah wrote, the people’s hearts were far away from God.  There is nothing wrong with washing our hands before eating. In fact, we should do so; it’s good hygiene. The problem is thinking this tradition, good as it is, is a measure of our spiritual condition before God.  

READING FOR MAY 22, 2026 CONTINUED: MARK 7, PSALM 45:10-17                                           This kind of legalism was and is often a danger with the Fundamentalist approach that began in the twentieth century. It leads to judging others on false measures of spirituality and, as Jesus states, neglecting the true condition of the heart, which could still harbor coveting, envy, and pride. According to Jesus, the worst form of this is when a human tradition replaces a command of God.  In Mark 7, it was the setting aside money that could have been used to help parents, thus violating the fifth commandment.What practices exist today that displace God’s will? Of course, traditional and progressive Christians no doubt also practice human traditions that might be replacing important biblical principles or commands. It can be hard to discern such errors because we emotionally connect these traditions with years of sincere worship over many generations. There would be value in looking at our practices against the rubric of the Bible to see if we are following human tradition or commands of God in the following areas: Church Governance—Titus 1-2, 1 Tim. 3; Church Meetings—1 Cor. 14, 1 Tim. 2; Church Discipline—Matt. 18, 1 Cor.5, 2 Cor.2; False Teaching—Jude, Col.2, 1 John 4-5, Gal. 1; Family Structure—Eph. 5-6, 1 Pet. 3, 1 Cor.7.  

The encounter between Jesus and the Syrophoenician woman was also considered with our study of Matthew 15. It is noteworthy that this Gentile girl had an unclean spirit, showing that demons were active beyond Israel in the New Testament. How about today? Consider this statement from the 2007 book Vodou in Haitian Life and Culture: “The Vodou religion is omnipresent, pervasive, strong, and performs key functions in all aspects of Haiti’s social and political life.” Might this corelate with the challenges that Haiti currently faces and have long experienced? As we see in the Bible, Satan deceives and destroys, but God is stronger.  

PSALM 45:10-17 This part of the marriage celebration focuses on the bride. So, if the king represents Jesus, who is the bride? Fortunately, the New Testament gives us the answer:  

  • Eph.5:25-27 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”
  • 2 Cor. 11:2 “for I betrothed you [church]to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.”
  • Rev. 19:8 “The marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride [the church] has prepared herself.”  

This Psalm expresses the uniqueness of this marriage with the groom as both husband and king, an aspect of Jesus and His church. In verse 10 the bride is told to forget her people, anticipating Jesus’s command in Luke 14:26 to commit to Jesus over one’s family. The reference in verse 13 to the bride as all glorious within relates to Eph. 5:17 that the church will be holy and blameless through Christ’s cleansing. The statement about making sons princes in all the nations (vs. 16) equates to the command to make disciples in all nations (Matt 28:19).  And certainly, the one who is praised forever and ever (vs.19) could only refer to Jesus. As part of this bride of Christ, we join in this celebration by praising God and making disciples.