Sin is serious. It infects everything it touches. The Lord’s holiness demands that he confront all failure to acknowledge his solitary dominion and lordship. So he will bring everything into judgment (Zephaniah 1:2) and punish all the wicked (Zephaniah 1:3–4).

Zephaniah prophesied to God’s people. But he was sent not to condemn his hearers for their sins. Instead, he was sent to urge the people to flee from the coming wrath of God, and find save refuge while there was still time. The Spirit recorded this message in the Scriptures so that it would have the same impact on us today as was intended on the original hearers. If Zephaniah’s tornado warning about the oncoming and imminent destructive storm of God’s fierce wrath against human evil and sin is still in effect, then all of us had better heated and seek shelter for ourselves while the opportunity exists.¹ We are to heed Zephaniah’s warning of God’s coming wrath while there remains opportunity, for God’s forbearance and patience will not last forever (Romans 2:4). When Christ returns, opportunity for repentance will be no more. In that day the Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:41–42; see also Isaiah 30:33; Isaiah 34:10; Isaiah 66:24; Daniel 12:2).