Let’s just jump right into the verse for this one:
And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil.
Zephaniah 1:12
Context
Before I talk about what “settled on their lees” means I must give some context. Zephaniah is a book primarily about: The Day of the LORD. That is, God’s coming day of perfect judgment, restoration, vengeance, wrath, etc. To judge the heavens and earth perfectly and make all wrongs right. It will be a “day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,” Zeph 1:15. It is with this context that the verse above is mentioning “at that time”
The Search
At that time God “will search Jerusalem with candles”. We see this, personally, as God’s coming to the Church and searching out all the hidden and dark places where people are hiding. It is at this time when your Sunday Morning Mask will be ripped off to see who you truly are. What you do behind closed doors will come to light. And those who come to church as nothing more than a weekly social gathering will be judged for doing so.
Does God actually need candles to search? Of course not. The point is that these people are currently hiding. They may think they have us fooled or maybe you may think you have us fooled. But let it be known, it will be revealed for all to see.
Punishment
The people who will be punished are defined as: “the men that are settled on their lees”. So what are lees? Allow me to let Chat GPT tell you: “In winemaking, “lees” are the sediment that settles at the bottom of a vessel containing wine. This sediment includes dead yeast cells, grape skins, seeds, and other particles. If wine is left undisturbed on its lees for an extended period, it can develop a richer flavor. However, if it is left too long, it can become thick, syrupy, and develop a poor taste.”
The point of this metaphor is to describe those in the Church that have grown complacent, indifferent, and lukewarm in their spiritual walk. It is those that have done nothing for so long that now they are not hurt over sin, they are not burdened about the lost, they care not for the name of Christ being slandered by their own conduct, and are simply content to come to church, go home, live their life, and that’s about it.
They “say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil.” That is, they don’t believe God is really going to do anything about it either. They have grown so dull and numb that even the fear of future judgment does not excite them enough to get off the couch, away from the TV, and on their knees. That is a terrifying thought. Especially when considering the sure judgment that Christ Himself said He would do to a lukewarm church (Rev 3:16)
What To Do?
Maybe you have found yourself in a state of lukewarm Christianity. Maybe the passion for Christ’s name, will, and Kingdom is not so zealous in your life. Are you indifferent to sin in your life? Does spending hours in front of a screen make you sick to your stomach or even bother you a little? The good news is Zephaniah gives us the answer:
“Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you. Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.”
Zephaniah 2:1-3
Before, Before, Before. Seek, Seek, Seek. That is, every second that ticks by is another extension of God’s mercy and forbearance towards the lukewarmness in your life. Take these coming seconds and seek Christ, His righteousness, and His meekness. Find your life hid with Christ in God (Col 3:3)
Action
- Praise God for His infinite mercy and willingness to forbear His judgment out of love for His people
- Confess to God your lukewarm complacency
- Ask God to soften your hard, break up your fallow ground, and Seek Him
- Listen to this post’s song: Hiding Place