Zephaniah 2:1

Zephaniah 2:1 says, Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;  God begins by calling on the people of Israel to repent and return to Him. It was not God's desire to punish the people of Israel then, nor is it His desire to punish people today.  We, as followers of Christ, like the people of Israel then, should never be in the position where God has to call on us to gather ourselves together in our relationship to Him, but if He does, it will not be because He desires to punish us.  God always calls people to repentance and restoration with Him.  God's punishment only comes if people refuse His grace and mercy.  Verse two adds, 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. The people of Israel, God's chosen people, were called on to return to Him before He sent His punishment on them.  They were a nation not desired now, because they had strayed away from God.  We today in America call ourselves a Christian nation, but like Israel then, we need to return to God, otherwise we like them may face God's judgment.  We cannot just claim to be a Christian nation to secure God's protection, but we must truly follow God's laws and spread His word in order to be so.  We cannot just keep the laws of God that suit us and ignore the rest.  Verse three concludes, 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.  The people of Israel were called on to seek righteousness and meekness.  God does not expect His people to be arrogant in their relationship to other people, but He does expect them to be righteous because of their relationship to Him.  This is not self-righteousness, but righteousness because of obedience to God.  Verse four states, For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.  God then speaks of the destruction of those who were enemies of Israel, beginning with the Philistines, first with those along the coast Matthew Henry says.  The enemies of the people of Israel were enemies of God as well, and even though they were powerful, God was going to defeat them.  Verse five adds, Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.  As just stated, God's warning was to the Philistines along the coast.  It was a clear warning, that God was against them and He would destroy them.  It may seem that as followers of Christ the whole world is against us and being victorious, but God is still in charge, and as long as we live by faith in Him, He will one day destroy all our enemies.  Verse six continues, And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.  God said that the coast would once again be the dwelling place for shepherds.  These would be the people of Israel who were faithful to God.  Verse seven concludes, And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.  This states very clearly that God was going to restore this area to the remnant of Israel, those who had remained faithful to Him.  God has prepared a place for His people, and if we as Christians remain true to Him, then no matter what happens in the world today, He will bring us safely to that promised heavenly home.  Those who are the enemies of God and His people will be destroyed.