Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Punishment for Servants Zephaniah 1:9


The LORD through Zephaniah gave a prophecy concerning “the day of the LORD” when He would prepare “a sacrifice” and invite “his guests”. Among those “punished” would be “the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel”. In chapter one and verse nine of Zephaniah's prophecy, the LORD added servants to his list of those to be “punished” where we read:

In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold,
which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit.

The verse begins, “In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold,...” Zephaniah began with the phrase, “In the same day” which is one Hebrew word “yowm” and means “day, time, year or period” “also will I punish” which is also one Hebrew word, paqad” and means “pay attention to, observe, attend to, seek, look about for, seek in vain, miss, lack, muster, number, assign, lay upon as a charge and call up” “all those that leap” or “spring” “on the threshold” which refers to “servants who rather than leaping over the threshold in respect, spring from it with their prey or gain to bring them to their masters”. The idea is the LORD will “punish” servants who have thought themselves dishonestly gaining for their masters without anyone knowing, yet the LORD was watching all the time.

The verse goes on to say, “...which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit.” Zephaniah went on to add, “which fill” or “make to be full, abundant, accomplished, ended, complete and satisfy” “their masters'” which refers to their “lords, superintendents, proprietors and captains” “houses” or “dwelling places, shelters and habitations” “with violence” which means “wrong, cruelty and injustice” “and deceit” or “treachery”. Not only do these servants which are to be punished “leap” or spring “on the threshold” but they “fill their masters' houses” with cruelty and dishonesty.

As we meditate upon these words from Zephaniah, let us imagine what it must have been like to live in the day when neither royalty, political powers nor servants could not be trusted. It seemed as though violence and injustice were everywhere, and though they may have thought themselves unseen in their “deceit”, the LORD was attentive to their behavior and was to “punish” them for it. The book of Hebrews in chapter four and verse thirteen shares an interesting thought concerning the LORD where it reads:

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight:
but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Though we may think ourselves getting away with “deceitful and violent” behavior, “the eyes” of the LORD are upon us. In light of this, let us examine ourselves and see if there be any “wicked way” within us, and should we discover it, let us bring it before the LORD Jesus Christ who is able to cleanse us from every sin and wrong.

Next time Zephaniah shares how there will be “a noise of a cry”, 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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