Zephaniah Warned God’s People to Repent

Dear families,

The Book of Zephaniah serves as a stern rebuke of God’s people and a warning regarding a failure to return to Him faithfully. It also serves as a reminder of God’s expectation of holiness and a description of what that looks like when faithfully lived out among God’s people.

Zephaniah 2:3 offers a call to repentance and a promise of hope for this restoration of the faithful. “Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth, who carry out what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be concealed on the day of the LORD’s anger.” Through Zephaniah, the Lord provided a glimmer of hope amidst His stern rebuke and graphic warning. But He didn’t stop there. Zephaniah ended his prophecy with more than a glimmer of hope, a promise that likely warmed the weary souls of God’s people.

Beginning with Zephaniah 3:9, we find a beautiful picture of God’s fully-restored people. It’s a remarkable image of faithfulness, satisfaction, joy, and mutual benefit that ignites a desire for this reality. It may even ignite in the reader a desire for what could be called “a return to Eden.”

Zephaniah 3 describes an environment of pure speech where all are calling on the name of the Lord. There is also painted a picture of generosity, humility, meekness, joy, singing, celebration, healing, praise, and fortune. Zephaniah also describes an end to failures, arrogance, rebellion, dispersion, lies, wrongdoing, and fear. Following a terrifying warning for God’s people to repent, this wonderful image of restoration leaves the reader with great hope.

The Bible is full of stern reminders of God’s expectation of holiness among His people, but it is always chased by a beautiful and redemptive reminder of His promise to restore all things and the hope that this promise offers to those who repent of their wicked ways and hope in Christ.

Spend some time today asking God to work out the message of Zephaniah’s prophecy in your own heart, to confront you with His holiness and a rebuke of the sin in your life, and to follow that with a reminder of the hope that belongs to all who trust in Christ for the restoration of their soul—and ultimately, all things in the heavens and the earth.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

• Babies & Toddlers: Jesus will make everything right.

• Younger Preschool: Zephaniah told the people about a special day when God will punish sin and Jesus will return. Jesus will make everything right.

• Older Preschool: Zephaniah told the people about a special day when God will punish sin and Jesus will return. Jesus will make everything right.

• Kids: Zephaniah prophesied about the Day of the Lord—a day when God will judge the world for its sin and Jesus Christ will return. Jesus will make everything like new, and everyone who trusts in Him will be safe.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit. 

• Younger Preschool: What is repentance? Repentance is choosing to stop making wrong choices and choosing Jesus.

• Older Preschool: What is repentance? Repentance is turning away from sin and turning to Jesus.

• Kids: What is repentance? Repentance is turning away from sin and turning to Jesus.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit. 

• Babies & Toddlers: Turn away from your wrong choices. Acts 3:19

• Younger Preschool: Turn away from your wrong choices. Acts 3:19

• Older Preschool: “Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out.” Acts 3:19

• Kids: “Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out.” Acts 3:19

** Next week: We Are to Repent of Sin (Matthew 3)

Isaiah Warned of God’s Judgment (Isaiah 22; 48)

Dear families,

The judgment of God can be found all through the Bible among people who turned from God to their own ways and sought to make a name for themselves or, at the very least, to satisfy themselves at the cost of their disobedience.

In Isaiah 22, we find a warning from God regarding the selfish ambitions and pursuits of God’s people. Though many strong, knee-shaking statements are made by God in this rebuke, one statement captures the heart of the rebellion of God’s people: “You made a reservoir between the walls for the water of the ancient pool, but you did not look to the one who made it or consider the one who created it long ago” (v. 11).

God’s people had set their hope in themselves and forgotten the Maker and Sustainer of all the good that had come to them. God was reminding them that every ounce of provision, every victory won, and every bit of directional clarity had come from Him. God was rebuking them for neglecting to remember that He was the one behind it all.

We are easily blinded by pride. After all, when we experience great accomplishments, unlikely victories, and significant provisions, it is difficult to not assume our own great work. But, as God reminds in Isaiah 22:23-25, He is the one who raises up and tears down leaders. And in Isaiah 48:11, He will not share His glory with another. Finally, as Isaiah 48:17-18 reminds us, He teaches us the way we should go, if only we would listen.

God is the author of all that is good in our lives, God is the giver of all that is good in our lives, and God is the sustainer of all that we need. When we believe the lie that it is any other way, we deceive ourselves. But when we embrace the reality of God’s goodness and provision, we will find great rest and hope. We will walk more humbly and confidently through the mountains and the valleys of life, knowing from whom every good and every perfect gift comes.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

• Babies & Toddlers: Everyone who trusts in Jesus will be safe from judgment.

• Younger Preschool: God sent Isaiah to warn the people of Judah. A day is coming when God will judge sin one last time. Everyone who repents of sin and trusts in Jesus will be safe from judgment.

• Older Preschool: God sent Isaiah to warn the people of Judah. A bigger day of judgment is coming when God will judge sin one last time. Jesus came to rescue sinners. Everyone who repents of sin and trusts in Jesus will be safe from judgment and have life with Him forever.

• Kids: God sent Isaiah to warn of His coming judgment. A greater day of judgment is coming when God will judge sin for a final time. Jesus came to die on the cross and rise again. Everyone who repents of sin and trusts in Jesus will be safe from God’s judgment and have eternal life.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit. 

• Younger Preschool: What is repentance? Repentance is choosing to stop making wrong choices and choosing Jesus.

• Older Preschool: What is repentance? Repentance is turning away from sin and turning to Jesus.

• Kids: What is repentance? Repentance is turning away from sin and turning to Jesus.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit. 

• Babies & Toddlers: Turn away from your wrong choices. Acts 3:19

• Younger Preschool: Turn away from your wrong choices. Acts 3:19

• Older Preschool: “Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out.” Acts 3:19

• Kids: “Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out.” Acts 3:19

** Next week: Zephaniah Warned God’s People to Repent (Zephaniah)

Joash Wanted to Obey God (2 Kings 12; 2 Chronicles 24)

Dear families,

Judah’s King Joash became king at age 7. He redirected all silver that was given at the temple to the workers rebuilding the temple rather than to the priests, and his servants conspired against him, ultimately killing him while traveling on a road trip. Over his 40-year reign, it seems that both Joash’s experiences and influence were significant.

People who do significant things are often remembered for their accomplishments, their victories over powerful enemies, and other prominent moments recorded when people likely stood in awe of their wisdom or greatness. But one incredible detail about King Joash is how he is described in 2 Kings 12:2: “Throughout the time the priest Jehoiada instructed him, Joash did what was right in the LORD’s sight.”

Of all of his great feats and brilliant decisions, Joash was faithful when he listened to the counsel that God had put in his life.

Isn’t this true of all of us? When we listen to the wisdom of the people God has strategically placed in our lives, we are equipped to make better decisions. When God gives us opportunities to lead, though there may be a temptation to lean on our own insight or abilities alone, we will be far better equipped when we use the peripheral resources that God knows we need and thus has provided.

Often, the only thing that would prevent us from listening to and receiving the counsel of those wise people that God has put around us is our own pride. It can be a real shot to our self-reliance to listen to the insight of others as we are navigating different situations in our lives. Especially those that we are seen as the leader. But God has placed those people in our lives for a particular purpose.

God doesn’t ever put us in situations without the resources to walk through them. And often the form that those resources take is the wise counsel of those around us. So, look up, see the people whom God has placed around you, and seek their wisdom, trusting that God often speaks to us through other people.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

• Babies & Toddlers: When we trust in Jesus, He helps us want to live for Him.

• Younger Preschool: Joash wanted to obey God. He did what was right at first, but then he turned away from God because of sin. When we trust in Jesus, He helps us want to live for Him.

• Older Preschool: Joash wanted to obey God. He did what was right at first, but then he turned away from God because of the sin in his heart. Jesus wants to change our hearts. When we trust in Jesus, He gives us new hearts that want to live for Him.

• Kids: Joash wanted to obey God. He honored God at first, but in time, his actions showed that there was still sin in his heart. Jesus wants to change our hearts. When we trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior, He gives us new hearts that want to live for His glory.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit. 

• Younger Preschool: What is repentance? Repentance is choosing to stop making wrong choices and choosing Jesus.

• Older Preschool: What is repentance? Repentance is turning away from sin and turning to Jesus.

• Kids: What is repentance? Repentance is turning away from sin and turning to Jesus.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit. 

• Babies & Toddlers: Turn away from your wrong choices. Acts 3:19

• Younger Preschool: Turn away from your wrong choices. Acts 3:19

• Older Preschool: “Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out.” Acts 3:19

• Kids: “Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out.” Acts 3:19

** Next week: Isaiah Warned of God’s Judgment (Isaiah 22; 48)