Zephaniah 2 - Righteousness is not a Guarantee
 1 Gather together, gather together,
      O shameful nation, 2 before the appointed time arrives
      and that day sweeps on like chaff,
      before the fierce anger of the LORD comes upon you,
      before the day of the LORD’s wrath comes upon you. 3 Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land,
      you who do what he commands.
      Seek righteousness, seek humility;
      perhaps you will be sheltered
      on the day of the LORD’s anger.
How does one seek righteousness? This is such an interesting question to me when asked in this context. Why? Because nearly of the minor prophets were consumed with Israel’s redemption. We’ve been seeing scriptures where this meant seeking out God’s justice, or righteousness. It meant understanding that whatever choices they made, God would be just, or righteousness, with them. On other occasions, it was a reference to Israel’s own righteousness, meaning their believe, their obedience, and their zealousness for God, and that as righteous as they were (or alternatively, whatever righteousness God credited to them) would determine their outcome, both in Heaven and on Earth. And from I can see, every verse I’ve seen so far from the minor prophets has either been consumed with one aspect or the other, with God’s righteous justice, or the human being’s righteous earnings from God. But in this passage, I see them both blurred a bit.
Seeking righteousness generally starts with believing God. Scripture says that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Therefore, the people of Israel are being exhorted to believe God. What are they being exhorted to believe? Well, based on the gloom-and-doom the Israelites’ actions were causing themselves  to suffer from God, they are being asked to believe that God is just… that God rewards the just, punishes the wicked, and gives you time to change your ways (in either direction!) before issuing final judgement. It is something people have trouble believing in modern times… that you can turn from wickedness and go to Heaven, or turn from past righteousness and go to hell. If you’re mostly good, people choose to judge you “on balance” for what you’ve done; if you’re mostly bad, they choose not to judge your sin; if you tell them they’re wrong, they choose not to judge your good deeds. In other words, people have different have different rules than God, and God wants you to believe His rules, or else you won’t be able to take the next step… obedience.
The next step in seeking righteousness is to obey God. In this case, what God wants to obey is believing and obeying! A bit circular, and it gets at the heart of what comes first, faith or belief… and frankly it doesn’t matter, because the people who believe in faith don’t have to know, and the people who get stuck trying to figure it out have made their choice as well, though they convince themselves that it was no choice. But, everyone makes it, though in our flesh we cannot truly understand it or explain it… it’s alright. We don’t have to.
Finally, we need to show reverence for God’s name. And perhaps this is the hardest one of all, because it means standing firm in adversity, with everyone telling you that you’re a fool. On the other hand, if you do this, then God will credit it to as righteousness.
Then finally, it talks of God righteousness. We are to seek His righteous justice, as it applies to us… the justice that pardons us for past wickedness because we have turned from it. And if we don’t, we will still find justice, but the kind that overlooks passed righteousness, because we have turned from it.
God’s wrath will come. God’s anger will come. It sounds scary, but it really isn’t because He has prepared a way to righteousness, and it’s His Son, Jesus. Seek Him, believe Him, obey Him, defend His name. And perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger. Perhaps? Yes. Because people sometimes find Jesus, and then choose this world… they still choose their own wickedness, their own arrogance. Choosing Jesus in obedience requires humility… and that is a choice. And you can choose…