Nations, Towers, Streets and Cities Judged Zephaniah 3:6

As Zephaniah the prophet continued to share concerning Jerusalem and the judgment that would come upon them, he declared how the LORD was “in the midst” of them, not doing “iniquity”, and every morning bringing “judgment to light”. He wrote that He did not “fail”, and still the “unjust” did not know “shame”. In chapter three and verse six of his prophesy, Zephaniah share specifically concerning “the nations”, “their towers”, “their streets” and “their cities” where we read:

I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passes by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.

The verse begins, “I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate;” Zephaniah began, “I have cut off” or “cut down, eliminated, killed, beheaded or destroyed” “the nations” which refers to “people usually heathen and non-Hebrew” “their towers” which literally means “angles, corners or corners of walls” “are desolate” or “appalled, stunned, deserted, awestruck and stupefied”. In other words, the effect of the judgment of God was the elimination of nations and their fortified walls which were to keep out enemies.

The verse goes on to say, “I made their streets waste, that none passes by:” Zephaniah went on to add, “I made their streets” or “outside their houses” “waste” which means “made desolate, in ruins and dried up” “that none passes by” or “crosses, passes, marches or traverses them”. The streets and outside of the houses of the cities were so devastated that no one would travel upon them.

Finally the verse says, “their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.” Zephaniah continued, “their cities” or “towns, places of excitement, waking and guarded” “are destroyed” which means “laid in wait, wasted and desolate” “so that there is no man” which is one Hebrew word “'iysh” and means “man, male, human being or person” “that there is none inhabitant” or “dweller or one who remains, sits and abides”. These once thriving cities were so desecrated they were uninhabited and without activity anymore.

While we think about the condition of these places, can we imagine what it would be like to see our “nations, towers, streets and cities” in such conditions? We might think the people of Jerusalem would take heed to the destruction around them, however, they continued on their path in direct opposition to the LORD. It is interesting to see how people today, though they are warned through the destructive lives of others who have gone before them, continue upon a path of destruction. There seems to be nothing that will stop them from proceeding in their ruinous ways. Let us allow the LORD Jesus to reveal areas within our own lives that need correction, and may we learn from others who have been destroyed because their behavior was as these “nations, towers, streets and cities”.

Next time Zephaniah shares how even though the LORD gave them warnings the city still went astray from Him, 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 www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.