Zephaniah Meditation
Background
Zephaniah is a prophet from the royal bloodline, perhaps one and only in the Old Testament. He is the grandson of King Hezekiah, who purged the temple and walked before the Lord in integrity and devotion for a season, yet he failed backwards later on. His call to be that spiritual leader over Judah was passed on to his grandson a prophet to Jerusalem.
God's judgments
Interesting here Zephaniah prophesy judgment for those who have drawn back from following the Lord and those who have not sought the Lord nor inquired for, inquired of, and required the Lord as their first necessity (Zeph 1:6). The previous verse talk about the evil of idolatry in which God most definitely will judge. But here God is judging people who stopped running after God, stop pursuing God like they used to, and no longer inquire of God. How many of us live in such a state merely a religious Sunday Friday service. We prep ourselves for that 2 hour service then turn our back to God to do our own thing. Only in sickness and difficulty we turn back to God. God is placing this category of people parallel with those who are given into idol worship.In verse 12 God goes on to dealing with those who think God will not do good, nor will he do evil. How many times we think God do not see what I'm going through, or it's ok for me to sin a little here, He doesn't really see or care. Or why should I pray for those suffer in human trafficking God doesn't act on my behalf let alone them who are trapped in such darkness. We let our own pathetic prayer lives and inexperienced walk with God determine what a Holy God is like. God is also placing these type of people as idolatrous, judging them altogether the same. You see we've made up a god in our own minds that he doesn't see smell touch and doesn't get involved in our lives, he's way up there. We crafted our own idol and called it god. These are things God is wanting to deal with in the church. The answer here God gave us is get in a season of repentance -
SEEK THE LORD ALL YOU MEEK OF THE EARTH [...] SEEK RIGHTEOUSNESS, SEEK HUMILITY. IT MAY BE TAHT YOU WILL BE HIDDEN IN THE DAY OF THE LORD'S ANGER! (Zeph 2:3)
God is burning jealous over us His bride. Even though he can judge do something about it, yet He gave us time to repent and realign our hearts back to Him. He is beckoning us to come back to come back to our true positions as sons and daughters to be called "MEEK" among the earth! You see the very root of all sins and error is pride of heart, is self-dependance! When God begin to judged Moah, Assyria, Ethiopians, etc, what was the very thing God is angry about? "This is the nous and exultant city that dwelt carelessly feeling so secure, that said in her heart, I am and there is none beside me!" (Zeph 2:15) This is the heart cry of the spirit of the world, the people of the world. I am so secure in my wealth and pleasures. I am great in my looks and my girlfriends and my work. I am the image of success. I am the image of what a cool young man or young girl. Where is my parents when they're in my age, see how much I more I've done? These heart attitudes are the very root of evil the King of All Kings is coming for. He will destroy and burn up all pride all self-righteousness and exaltation.
The Pride Continues (3:2)
She has not obeyed His voice
She has not received correction;
She has not trusted in the Lord,
She has not drawn near to her
[...]
See how important it is to walk in meekness and humility before God. God distinguish people from evil and good, those who belong to him or not by their hearts attitude. If they are meek or not! If my people can hear my voice and obey. Humble enough to receive correction! Humble enough to know she can do nothing apart from me, and draw near to me in a lifestyle of prayer. This is the heart cry of God through out century. He's looking for a people who are completely broken and humble before Him. They don't need to be talented or skilled or smart or good looking. He needs a people who are humble.
Beware Spiritual Leaders (3:4)
Now the weight shift to spiritual leaders. Those who are in leading position in any capacity of the church today.
her prophets are insolent, treacherous people;
Her priests have polluted the sanctuary,
They have done violence to the Law
You see it's interesting the leaders in Zeph's grandfather's days are good. They're the one who did a massive spiritual cleanup of the temple, but by the time it gets to him. People have backslid and turned away back to idolatry. Here Zeph is taking up the hammer of God's prophetic declaration speaking to the nation once again: We must return to the Lord again like my grandfather's days. Only then we'll find shelter from the Lord's wrath!! Each phrase here is like a hammer striking the hearts of the people bringing up their true condition before the holy light of God. Those eyes filed with fire zooming in on the leaders of the day, and beckoning them to stop and humble themselves.
Rebuilding Temple of Glory
We must get back to the word the bible. Mike Bickle says, if he always get back to loving meditation study of the word of God, his whole spiritual life and condition will always fall into place. You see this is the key to the health of the church. We must NOT do harm/violence to the Law. We accept the whole of it, we accept the full counsel and seek to model our lives to it. The word must become our daily routine, our daily value, our daily sustaining power, and our governing principle again. God is restoring the ruined temple of David in this end time. The sanctuary (His People) need to be purified through repentance. Then the Sanctuary must be built again on the foundation of the word of God. We must bring that place of bible back as the focal point of everything we do. David is a man obsessed with the word. Through it He understood the heartbeat of the Father that He is good in core no matter what He bring you through. So He held on to the Law. We must do the same as spiritual pioneers of end time to rebuild the temple of glory again.
Day of The Lord Like Consuming Fire
Zeph saw the judgment of his time which he lived in pre exile period of time. Then the tragedy in Jewish history happened just as he predicted. People without repentance met with the God of Justice sparing not the people of His beloved because of their great sins. God came like consuming fire that swept through the land, all men were held accountable. Not their deeds were being dealt with, but their very heart attitude were dealt with severely like with fire. And not only Israel and Judge, the whole nations that were involved with Israel were all dealt with by God. If they had pride in their hearts they were punished according to what He said. He's leaving no one to go without a humble response. You see this is the picture of God's fiery zeal and jealousy that will soon consumed the shoe earth. Zeph not only see what's coming in His time, but He saw what was coming soon to the whole world like Peter Prophesied. When we receive the baptism of fire God cleanses us from all impurities by faith. By simply accepting His gift of HS, so by faith we can be cleansed by God. But when the Day of the Lord comes, the nations have professed unbelief even though they've seen the glory, the've seen the miracles, they still professed faith or agreement with Satan and his evil associates. In that the fire God released will turn to judgements. Think of this, the Son of man or Revelation calls Him the Word of God riding on white horses with many crowns coming with legions of angels and saints in great glory and power. The bible says in the brightness of His countenance and the breath of His mouth He will slain His enemies. I believe the glory and the presence on His face was so fiery and strong that will consume his enemies. All tanks weaponry and missiles will be burned up like fire. And this is what Peter saw that glory will be so intense so when Jesus released it, it will consumed the whole earth. But the battle of Armageddon these are the first fruits being dealt with by Yeshua.
The Lord in the midst of her is uncompromisingly righteous; He will not do iniquity. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He fails not, but the unjust knows no shame. (Zephaniah 3:4)
Our Greatest Vindication
Wow, this must be one of most amazing promises that God has given to us. Although this passage specifically is pointing to millennium the future glory, yet because of have the Kingdom within, today we are promised to taste the goodness of the Lord. And through Christ we can experience the inner transformation and reality of the coming Kingdom. The Kingdom now is all about an inner transformation and spiritual invasion of Heaven, on earth as it is in Heaven, and occasionally the glory will burst out like Solomon's temple. But in the coming days when Jesus returns, the Kingdom reality is completely 100% physical. All these promises will take up to another whole dimension. Just think of biblical prophecy is like the Word of God Himself - Who was, who is, and who is to come. Always is three fold past, present, and future, and always has three realm to demonstrate, body, soul, and spirit. Anyways, meditate upon these promises, we can truly get a glimpse of Father's kindness and goodness, Wow!
17 The Lord your God is in the mist of you, a Mighty One, a Savior who saves! He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest in silent satisfaction and in His love He will be silent and make no mention of past; He will exult over you with singing.
19 Behold, at that time I will deal with all who afflict you; I will save the lame, and gather the outcasts and will make them a praise and a name in every land of their shame.
20 I will give you fame and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I return your captives before your eyes (Zephaniah 3 with emphasis)
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