Zephaniah 2:2, 3.

seek Jehovah, all you meek ones of the earth, who have practiced His own judicial decision. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. Probably you may be concealed in the day of Jehovah’s anger.”

⁴ For preservation, then, a person had to (1) seek Jehovah, (2) seek righteousness, and (3) seek meekness. These requirements should be of great interest to us today. Why? Because just as Judah and Jerusalem faced a day of reckoning in the seventh century B.C.E., the nations of Christendom​—in fact, all wicked ones—​are heading for a showdown with Jehovah God at the coming “great tribulation.” (Matthew 24:21) Any who desire to be concealed at that time must take decisive action now. How? By seeking Jehovah, seeking righteousness, and seeking meekness before it is too late!

5. What is involved in ‘seeking Jehovah’ today?

⁵ You might say: ‘I am a dedicated, baptized servant of God, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Have I not already met those requirements?’ Actually, more is involved than dedicating ourselves to Jehovah. Israel was a dedicated nation, but in Zephaniah’s day the people of Judah were not living up to that dedication. As a result, the nation was eventually cast off. ‘Seeking Jehovah’ today involves developing and maintaining a warm personal relationship with him in association with his earthly organization. It means getting to know how God views matters and being attentive to his feelings. We seek Jehovah when we carefully study his Word, meditate upon it, and apply its counsel in life. As we also seek Jehovah’s guidance in fervent prayer and follow the leading of his holy spirit, our relationship with him deepens and we are impelled to serve him ‘with all our heart, soul, and vital force.’​—Deuteronomy 6:5; Galatians 5:22-25; Philippians 4:6, 7; Revelation 4:11.

6. How do we “seek righteousness,” and why is this possible even in this world?

⁶ The second requirement mentioned at Zephaniah 2:3 is to “seek righteousness.” Most of us made important changes so that we could qualify for Christian baptism, but we must continue to uphold God’s righteous standards throughout our life. Some who started out well in this respect have allowed themselves to be sullied by the world. It is not easy to seek righteousness, for we are surrounded by people who view sexual immorality, lying, and other sins as normal. Yet, a strong desire to please Jehovah can overpower any tendency to seek the world’s approval by trying to blend in with it. Judah lost God’s favor because of mimicking her ungodly neighboring nations. Instead of imitating the world, then, let us be “imitators of God,” cultivating “the new personality which was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.”​—Ephesians 4:24; 5:1.

7. How do we “seek meekness”?

⁷ The third point made at Zephaniah 2:3 is that if we want to be hidden in the day of Jehovah’s anger, we must “seek meekness.” Each day, we rub shoulders with men, women, and young people who are anything but meek. To them, being mild-tempered is a flaw. Submissiveness is considered a serious weakness. They are demanding, selfish, and opinionated, believing that their personal “rights” and preferences must be accommodated at all costs. How sad it would be if some of those attitudes were to rub off on us! This is the time to “seek meekness.” How? By being submissive to God, humbly accepting his discipline and conforming to his will.

Why “Probably” Concealed?

8. What is indicated by the use of the word “probably” at Zephaniah 2:3?

⁸ Notice that Zephaniah 2:3 says: “Probably you may be concealed in the day of Jehovah’s anger.” Why is the word “probably” used when addressing the “meek ones of the earth”? Well, those meek ones had taken positive steps, but there was no room for self-confidence. They had not come to the end of their life course in faithfulness. It was conceivable that some of them might fall into sin. The same is true of us. Jesus said: “He that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved.” (Matthew 24:13) Yes, salvation in the day of Jehovah’s anger depends upon our continuing to do what is right in his eyes. Is that your firm resolve?

9. What upright steps were taken by young King Josiah?

⁹ Apparently in response to Zephaniah’s words, King Josiah was moved to “seek Jehovah.” The Scriptures say: “In the eighth year of his reigning, while [Josiah] was still a boy [about 16 years old], he started to search for [or, “to seek,” New International Version] the God of David his forefather.” (2 Chronicles 34:3) Josiah also kept on ‘seeking righteousness,’ for we read: “In the twelfth year [when Josiah was about 20 years old] he started to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem from the high places and the sacred poles and the graven images and the molten statues. Further, they pulled down before him the altars of the Baals.” (2 Chronicles 34:3, 4) Josiah ‘sought meekness’ too, humbly acting to please Jehovah by cleansing the land of idolatry and other false religious practices. How other meek ones must have rejoiced over those developments!

10. What happened in Judah in 607 B.C.E., but who were spared?

¹⁰ Many Jews turned back to Jehovah during Josiah’s reign. After the king’s death, however, most returned to their old ways​—to practices totally unacceptable to God. As Jehovah had decreed, the Babylonians overran Judah and destroyed her capital city, Jerusalem, in 607 B.C.E. Yet, all was not lost. The prophet Jeremiah, the Ethiopian Ebed-melech, the descendants of Jonadab, and others faithful to God were concealed in that day of Jehovah’s anger.​—Jeremiah 35:18, 19; 39:11, 12, 15-18.