Zephaniah the
prophet declared judgment that was to come upon the “nations,
towers, streets and cities” of people who surrounded Jerusalem,
and though the people in Jerusalem saw it, they did not “fear”
nor “receive instruction” from the LORD. The LORD desired
to save their “dwelling” places, however He “punished
them” because rather than repent and turn to Him, they “rose
early, and corrupted all their doings”. In chapter three and
verse eight of his prophesy, Zephaniah shared the LORD's appeal for
the people of Jerusalem to “wait” upon Him where we read:
Therefore
wait upon me, says the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the
prey: for my determination is
to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon
them my indignation, even
all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the
fire of my jealousy.
The
verse begins, “Therefore wait upon me, says
the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my
determination is
to gather the nations,...” Zephaniah wrote,
“Therefore wait”
which means “long for or tarry” “upon me
says” which refers to “utterance or
declaration” “the LORD”
which means “Yehovah or Jehovah who is the existing One and the
proper name for the one true God” “until
the day” or “time, year or period”
“that I rise up” which
means “arise, stand up to be powerful and on the scene” “to
the prey” which refers to “the spoils or
stuff retained” “for my determination”
or “judgment, justice and ordinance” “is
to gather” which means “receive, remove,
collect and assemble” “the nations”
which refers to “people groups who are not usually Hebrews”.
Because the LORD desired for Jerusalem and Judah to repent and draw
near to Him, He exhorted them to “long for
and tarry” for Him as He gathered the other
nations together around them.
The verse continues, “...that I
may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them my indignation, even
all my fierce anger:” Zephaniah gave the
reason the LORD was to gather the nations, “that
I may assemble” which is one Hebrew word,
“qabats” and means “receive, remove, collect and gather” “the
kingdoms” or “dominions, reigns,
sovereignties and realms” “to pour”
which means “spill or cast” “upon them
my indignation” or “anger and rage”
“even all my fierce”
which refers to “heat, burning or fierce and wrath-filled
displeasure” “anger”
which literally means “the breathing place or the wrinkling of the
nose, nostrils or face” and refers to “fierce wrath”. Because
people from the nations surrounding Judah and Jerusalem were so far
away from the LORD, He was not only going to “assemble”
them, but pour out His “fierce wrath”
upon them as He did.
Finally
the verse says, “... for all the earth shall be devoured with
the fire of my jealousy.” Zephaniah concluded, “for all
the earth” or “land” “shall be devoured” which
means “eaten, burned up, consumed and destroyed” “with the
fire” or “flames, roasting and parching” “of my
jealousy” which means “ardor and zeal men for the house of
God and God for His people”. The judgment from the LORD was to be
thorough, and the nations who were in the path of it would not only
suffer, but know the “zealous ardor” He has for His people.
When
we think about the LORD's words through Zephaniah, we can almost feel
His passionate love for the people in Jerusalem. Even though they
were apostate from Him, He continued to appeal to them to “wait
for” Him, and He promised that the obstinate nations who
surrounded them would experience the “fierce wrath” of His
judgment. Let us keep in mind that the LORD declared, “all the
earth” or every nation “shall be devoured with the fire”
of His “jealousy”. We must make no mistake about it, the
LORD loves the nation of Israel, and those who are opposed to them
should take heed. May the LORD Jesus help us know His position
concerning Israel, and may we align with Him lest we too experience
the “wrath of God” upon those who don't.
Next
time Zephaniah shares concerning “a pure language”,
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.
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