Chapter 2 makes it clear that the Lord is the judge of all the earth. He judges sin everywhere. He judges his own people in Judah, and he judges all other nations as well.

In the first three verses, the Lord speaks to his people Judah. He urges them to gather together and return to him. A day of judgment was coming to them. But it was not too late. If they gather together and seek the Lord, they could go through the judgment. What is it to seek the Lord? Verse 3 says to do what the Lord commands, seek righteousness and seek humility. The Lord's people should seek righteousness in the Lord, not in themselves. And when the Lord's people seek the Lord, they should do so in humility. The Lord's people recognize their own weakness and failings, and seek the Lord from there. When they do, they will be sheltered on the day of the Lord's anger.

The Lord is also the judge of all the earth. He doesn't just judge his own people. He judges those who don't know the Lord-those who have nothing to do with the Lord. Here, specifically, the Lord would judge the nations surrounding Judah who had humiliated her in the past. But in the Lord's judgment of them, he holds out hope for his people.


Application: Lord, open our eyes to your judgment. Help us to seek your righteousness in all humility.
One Word: Seek the Lord