Zephaniah’s prophecy is having its grand fulfillment in our day, as we behold Christendom not paling in shame at her hypocritical, unrighteous ways, her unchristian course that resulted in two world wars. Christendom is like the ancient nation of Judah, with its capital in Jerusalem. The Bible tells us that the inhabitants of Judah were proud and haughty; they went after false gods, not even “paling in shame” at their unrighteous ways. Jehovah sent his prophets such as Zephaniah and Jeremiah to warn the people, but most of them refused to heed the warning: “I kept sending to you all my servants the prophets, daily getting up early and sending them. But they did not listen to me, and they did not incline their ear, but they kept hardening their neck.” (Jer. 7:25, 26) God told the Israelites through Zephaniah that if they would repent, turn around and seek Jehovah, seek righteousness and seek meekness, instead of being arrogant and self-opinionated, there was an opportunity to survive the coming destruction; not for the city of Jerusalem, but there was hope for some individuals to survive. Because the Israelites as a nation did not pale in shame but continued in their way of false religion and faithlessness, God determined to bring destruction on Jerusalem and eventually upon the surrounding heathen nations.

Today Christendom does not pale in shame, but there are individuals in Christendom, just as there were in Jerusalem, who try to live by God’s righteous laws. Though these cannot avert God’s declared purpose to destroy Christendom at Armageddon, along with all the nations of the earth, yet these individuals can take a course of action that will result in their survival. Such individual seekers of Jehovah in ancient Judah were concealed through the destructive judgment God brought upon Jerusalem. Zephaniah’s words about how to find concealment are today addressed to those professed Christians in the modern counterpart of ancient Judah, namely Christendom.

Each informed person is thus faced with the need to make a decision; the right one means survival, the wrong one destruction. He cannot look to Christendom for help; not even all its gold and silver will save her, for “neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah’s fury.” (Zeph. 1:18) Do not, then, try to hide in Christendom; she is no safe place of concealment. Rather, take to heart the words of Zephaniah, whose name means “concealed by Jehovah” and whose inspired words point out the way to be concealed by Jehovah during the day of his fury.

SEEKING JEHOVAH

Listed first among the things to do to find the way of escape is to search for the God with power to save: “Seek Jehovah, all you meek ones of the earth.” Why? Because there is no help from Christendom, which refuses to pale in shame. But individuals can pale in shame. So God addresses the meek ones of the earth and tells them that if they do not want to suffer destruction at Armageddon, then they must seek Jehovah and be humble, and they will gain by it, since “the result of humility and the fear of Jehovah is riches and glory and life.” (Prov. 22:4) It is the meek ones who will seek Jehovah.

What does it mean to “seek Jehovah”? It means to take in knowledge of Jehovah God, who himself says through his prophet: “I have taken delight . . . in the knowledge of God rather than in whole burnt offerings.” One must learn about Jehovah, then, studying his marvelous qualities and his laws. To seek Jehovah one must also put faith in him, since “without faith it is impossible to please him well, for he that approaches God must believe that he is and that he becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him.” Those earnestly seeking Jehovah put faith in him and come to love him, in harmony with what the Lord Jesus said in answer to the question as to what was the greatest commandment: “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment.”—Hos. 6:6; Heb. 11:6; Matt. 22:36-38.

The one earnestly seeking Jehovah must keep on loving Jehovah, putting that love foremost in his life so that neither his enemies nor “friends” can turn him aside from his love for God. It is this kind of love that brings the reward, as the inspired writer James says: “Happy is the man that keeps on enduring trial, because on becoming approved he will receive the crown of life, which Jehovah promised to those who continue loving him.”—Jas. 1:12.

Not that a righteous way of life is not required; it is, but it must accompany this matter of first of all seeking Jehovah. Said Zephaniah: “Seek righteousness.” The true worshiper of Jehovah must do that, living in harmony with God’s standard of righteousness. No longer can he go on practicing his own version of what is right, since “there exists a way that is upright before a man, but the ways of death are the end of it afterward.” (Prov. 16:25) Thus trying to live righteously by our own ideas could lead us to disaster and away from Jehovah, just as in the case of those Jews of whom the apostle Paul wrote: “Because of not knowing the righteousness of God but seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.”—Rom. 10:3.

So it is God’s righteousness that we have to seek, just as Jesus Christ expressed it: “Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness.” (Matt. 6:33) This indicates we cannot merely seek Jehovah and his kingdom, all the while ignoring his righteousness. No, but we must familiarize ourselves with the Standard Jehovah has given us by which to judge all our actions and conduct—that is, the Holy Bible. We must do this because “all Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness.” Let God through his Word discipline you in the way of divine righteousness.—2 Tim. 3:16.

SEEKING MEEKNESS

The need to seek meekness is listed third by Zephaniah, but not because it is unimportant. Indeed, so necessary is this quality that Zephaniah coupled it with the need to seek Jehovah: “Seek Jehovah, all you meek ones of the earth.” The fact that the prophet brings it up again and says, “Seek meekness,” stresses the need for it, showing that we must give continued attention to meekness. If we are seeking meekness, we will have the right mental disposition; we will be mild-tempered and willing to be disciplined by God, we will be willing to tell others the requirements for surviving Armageddon.

One shows meekness today, then, by becoming a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, who himself set the example in meekness: “Take my yoke upon you and become my disciples, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and you will find refreshment for your souls.” (Matt. 11:29) Let Jesus be your Example. Imitate him in all things, for he set the perfect example in how to seek Jehovah, to seek righteousness and to seek meekness. Jesus himself humbly did the work given him by God, making known Jehovah’s judgments to men. So the meek ones of the earth, following his example, will warn others of the coming execution of God’s judgments by the King Jesus Christ, at Armageddon.

If we do these things, really seeking Jehovah through knowledge, faith and love and calling on his name through Jesus Christ; and if we truly seek righteousness, along with God’s kingdom, doing so with meekness, then, Zephaniah says, “probably you may be concealed in the day of Jehovah’s anger.”—Zeph. 2:3.

Though Armageddon is to come upon this generation, some, because of age or illness, may die before that time; yet they may be hid by dying in God’s favor: “Precious in the eyes of Jehovah is the death of his loyal ones.” (Ps. 116:15) Such loyal ones will be assured of a resurrection to life. And for all those of this generation who are alive when the great fear-inspiring day of Jehovah breaks out, there is every probability of being concealed by God if they have earnestly followed the requirements for survival that Zephaniah made so clear. The “probability” does not lie with God but with us. Jehovah will prove faithful, but will we? Jehovah, who searches men’s hearts, knows whether we are truly seeking him and his righteousness and showing meekness. Prove loyal to God and he will prove his faithfulness by concealing you through the world-shaking calamity just ahead.