After
pronouncing judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem for their apostasy from
“the LORD”, Zephaniah began a new section of prophesy
concerning “the day of the LORD”. In chapter one and verse
seven we read:
for the
LORD has prepared a sacrifice, he has bid his guests.
The verse begins, “Hold
your peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD
is at hand:”
Zephaniah began with, “Hold your
peace”
which is all one Hebrew word “hacah” and means “hush, keep
silence, hold your tongue and be still” “at
the presence”
or “face, person or in front of and before” “of
the Lord” which
is the Hebrew word “'Adonay”
and means “my lord and the title spoken in place of Yahweh in
Jewish display of reverence”
“GOD” or
“Jehovah” which is “used primarily in the combination with Lord
Jehovah”. Zephaniah added, “for the
day” or
“time or period” “of the LORD”
“Yehovah or Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name of
the one true God” “is at hand”
or “near or in place”. This “day
of the LORD”,
or time period when the LORD would bring judgment upon them, was to
produce silence and awe in everyone who considered it.
The
verse goes on to say, “for the LORD has prepared a
sacrifice, he has bid his guests.”
Zephaniah went on to add, “for the LORD” or
“Yehovah or Jehovah” “has prepared”
or “made firm, stable, established and fixed” “a
sacrifice” which means “a
slaughter for the purpose of offering”. Zephaniah added, “he
has bid” or “consecrated,
sanctified, prepared, dedicated, hallowed, sanctified, separated and
made holy” “his guests”
which refers to “the called out, read, recited and proclaimed”.
In other words, the LORD prepared the “slaughter” of the people
like unto a great sacrifice, and He invited, called and consecrated
others to participate in the casualties which were going to be among
them.
When
we meditate upon Zephaniah's words, we understand the awesomeness of
this invitation and warning. Judgment was to fall upon the
inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem, and although they were going on
with life as usual, their pending sacrifice was inevitable. Not only
was the LORD going to destroy them, but He mentioned “the
day of the LORD” to do so. Let
us imagine what it was like to receive these words from Zephaniah.
What if our country was named for judgment? What if there was an
appointed time where “guests” would
be sanctified and invited to watch our demise? No doubt there were
many reactions to these words from the people of Judah, and perhaps
there are many reactions among us as well. As we think about this,
let us humble ourselves before the LORD Jesus and ask Him if there is
any reason we should be concerned not only for ourselves, but also
for our country and people, and then let us align ourselves with Him
who has promised “I will never leave you nor forsake
you”.
Next
time Zephaniah tells how the LORD will “punish the
princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with
strange apparel”, so read
ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
http://www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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