While God NEVER seems to overlook any sin on the part of His people, meaning Judah specifically in the Book of Zephaniah … God abruptly (now already having chastened His people) turns and severely (much more severely) judges the enemies of Judah (or Israel). Anyone (individual, family or nation) who “harms” the Jewish people … will face the opposing Hand of God! It’s Genesis 12:1-3 all over again and again and again! “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I WILL BLESS THEM THAT BLESS THEE, AND CURSE HIM THAT CURSETH THEE: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

Wow!

Well, today’s Text, a 4 verse unit (also now often called a “pericope”) of Scripture, well illustrates the above stated truth. After so much (most of Zephaniah so far) “judgment, wrath, scathing (but still holy) anger” … God now turns and destroys many of little Judah’s foes. (Actually, the rest of Zephaniah chapter 2 is involved in these battle details.)  “For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up. Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.” Zephaniah 2:4-7, a little geography lesson too!

This specific paragraph focuses on the formidable enemy to the west of Israel (Judah) … that being the Philistines. Almost Judah’s perpetual enemies. (Think of the time of David, Goliath the giant for example!)

Three of the nation’s five best known cities are specified! Gaza (meaning “strong”), Ashkelon (meaning “to be weighed in the balances”), Ashdod (meaning “powerful”) and Ekron (meaning “torn up by the roots”). Each is to face God’s hot Wrath!

Note the litany of verbs used as well. “Forsaken,” then  “made desolate,” followed by “driven out,” and finally  “rooted up!” That last unit is a “play on words.” Literally it says something like this” Ekron shall be ekroned!” Both the proper noun and the verb are built on the same stem in Hebrew, “EQRON.”

Incidentally, “Gath” (the other City in the Philistine pentapolis) in here NOT mentioned! Perhaps because she had been so dominated (conquered even) by the Israelites years earlier. Maybe she never regained here prominence. Amos 1:6-8 also omits her, in the context of judgment too.

The “Cherethites” are also Philistines, the name starkly meaning “executioners!” The Cherethites specifically were thought to have come to the mainland from Crete, thus the nomenclature.

When God finishes with them, the Philistines … “no inhabitant” remains!

Total deportation, or annihilation!

Then … God gives that land to Judah! Again our text, its last half: “And the sea coast (where Philistia is, the Mediterranean) shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the Lord their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.” Zephaniah 2:6-7

Blessing (after repentance) … instead of God’s continued buffeting!

Yes, God often “whips” His Own children.

But Woe be unto the man who tries to do so (harmfully “touch” Judah) by himself!

Jeremiah 30:11 illustrates: “For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.”

What a great God we serve. Always true to His Word!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell