I am writing today’s Lesson as we ride up the road, Interstate 22 from Myrtle, Mississippi over toward Birmingham, Alabama! Wirelessly, on-line and sharing God’s Word with each of you.

On a bright and sunny morning. Debbie just said how lovely the sky appears out the front windshield. And yet I must discuss with you a Bible Passage about judgment, dark days of God’s Wrath!

“Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.” Zephaniah 1:13-14

God is here speaking, via His Prophet.

His people (the Nation of Judah) have sinned and sinned. And will not heed, will not repent, though warned again and again.

Therefore, the things the people had gained through hard work … will be taken from them as spoils of war!

Their homes, which were supposed to be havens of safety, relaxation … have become desolate (the Hebrew = wasted, stunningly so)!

And their houses under construction … will never be inhabited, not by the people themselves anyway!

And their crops (particularly their grape vines, likely a symbol of joy and fellowship) … will never be reaped!

These tragedies are called “the wages of sin!”

The results of disobeying God.

That’s the underlying philosophy, theology of the Old Testament Prophets of God.

Paul echoes the same truth in Galatians 6:7. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

Oh, what an encouragement these 2 verses should be to each of us … to live more godly lives, thereby avoiding God’s mighty (yet loving) Hand of Discipline.

The Lord willing, more sobering thoughts tomorrow.

The Book of Zephaniah … dark at first, but much brighter by the end of chapter 3, its grand finale!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Today’s verse reflects the very epitome of current thought. In one way, anyhow. Let me show you what I mean. In Zephaniah 1:12 the Lord makes this observation: “And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.”

Wow!

God is “punishing” once again, “paqad” being the Hebrew verb employed here. It means “to attend to, to visit, to count, to judge.” In other words, nothing escapes God’s attention! He evaluates everything!

God, calling men to give an “account” of their deeds!

Then … God on a “search,” what a thought! “Chaphas” at least 7 times in the Bible means “to disguise oneself.” Once it’s translated “hidden.” God, The Investigator!

But why are these men in such trouble?

Number one … they have become so complacent. Satisfied, in “perfect” shape. Not caring about the deplorable (spiritual) conditions in which they live. “Settled on their lees,” like wine left too long in one position. Not being “shaken” very often. I’ve read that a hard crust forms over wine when it is left undisturbed for protracted periods of time, rendering it nearly useless. (Jeremiah 48:11 gives a fuller example of this anomaly. “Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed.” Graphic!)

I fear America has become way too “settled,” not much “disturbed.”

And number two … the people had developed a lackadaisical view of God. He was then seen as a “No-Hands” God, withdrawn from everyday life! “They say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.” In other words, God does not care about human activity. He is totally “neutral!”

Right and Wrong … the words no longer held any meaning!

Folks, that philosophy alone invites God’s punishment, eventually anyway.

What an ancient verse of Scripture, Zephaniah 1:12 (now 2,600 years old at least) … yet how very modern (the year 2016 as I write) and contemporary!

And mankind still commits these sins … prodigiously.

God, help us.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Certainly, Zephaniah is a Book of Judgment. In its initial emphasis, anyway.

And I believe this judgment has a twofold view, as well. Both a more local fulfillment (a literal catastrophe which occurred a few years after Zephaniah lived and ministered), known now as the Babylonian invasion and captivity. Plus a longer range fulfillment (yet future as I write this lesson), known as the Tribulation (seven years of horror on planet earth).

Then … no doubt today’s verses have both already been experienced by Judah … and will yet again be lived by the Jews some future day.

Now the text: “And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills. Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off.” Zephaniah 1:10-11

This is an attack on the financial arm of the little Nation. Her “merchants,” a noun linked to the Bible word “Canaanite!” Simply spelled “kenaan.” Folks who buy and sell, folks who “treasure” silver and gold! (The Bible is not against commerce per se, but constantly warns against an out-of-proportion “love” of money!)

Notice the appositive (a re-stating of some term, a further explanation) in verse 11. Her “merchants,” matched immediately by her “silver bearers!”

The “fish gate” is an actual (archaeologically confirmed) location on the north side of Jerusalem. Near the “fish market” it is thought. The “hills” and the “second” are places harder to identify, but no doubt accurate geographical depictions. This is an invasion from the north! A noisy one! War always is.

And “Maktesh” just indicates “a deep hollow,” some lower part of the city. The actual word is a noun meaning “mortar,” a sort of shallow bowl shape.

This this history?

For sure.

As in 586 BC.

Is this (still) yet future?

Yes!

As I said, during the Tribulation.

Israel will again be attacked … specifically from the north!

And the goal of all this militarism?

TO BRING GOD’S PEOPLE BACK TO HIM!

TO DISCOURAGE THEIR WORSHIPPING THE IDOLS OF THE WORLD!

TO CREATE A CLEAN NATION, FREELY ADORING OUR LORD GOD ALMIGHTY!

ULTIMATELY, TO ABUNDANTLY BLESS ISRAEL!

TO ALLOW HER TO FULFILL THE VERY REASON SHE WAS CREATED!

To which we must all say, “Amen!”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

To our students, readers of this Zephaniah Series of Lessons … as opportunity presents itself … read the little Book of Zephaniah a few times. Doing so will help you tremendously in seeing the general trajectory of the Prophet’s thoughts. And make these morning articles much more interesting, too.

 

The Lord is “upset” at the children of Israel (Judah) because they have again imported a strange and foreign custom into their worship practices. Our Text verse for today is Zephaniah 1:9. “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 Lord said these words.

The heathen nations surrounding Judah believed that “bad luck” or “the curse of the gods and goddesses” would fall upon anyone stepping on the “threshold” (the doorway, doorstep, entrance into a room or building, especially here a holy building, a temple). They picked this up from the Philistines, as well as others. In 1st Samuel 5:5 an example is given. “Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon’s house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.”

It sounds silly to us, indeed.

But was deadly serious to them, the ancients.

BUT TO TAKE SUCH WICKED BELIEFS AND PRACTICE THEM … AT THE VERY HOUSE OF GOD … WAS AN ABOMINATION TO OUR LORD!

The verb “leap” means “to leap over” apparently.

Also one study source said that the wicked back in those days believed that “demons” lived on the doorsteps of their temples. So you stay away (do not step on, thus leap over) such places as you go to worship your god!

And the people of Judah (some of them anyway) “fell” for this stupidity!

So … God will “punish” them. “In the same day also will I (the Lord) punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit.”

The noun “violence” is spelled “hamas” in Hebrew! HAMAS! Violence against God, apparently! The only True Master!

And “deceit” is twice translated in the King James Version “falsehood.”

Treating God’s Temple as if it were a mere idolatrous house of worship!

Let me say this in closing. Today in many Churches such “strange” practices have overtaken old-fashioned worship of Almighty God. Or at least have been “mixed” with the remnants of what used to be genuine worship.

Syncretism, it’s called. It’s precise definition: “the amalgamation or attempted amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought.”

Paul, in 2nd Corinthians 6:17-18, wrote: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

Wow!

In our last lesson the Jews were (sinfully) wearing strange apparel.

This lesson they’re worshipping according to strange customs, superstitions!

Again, Paul: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” 2nd Corinthians 6:14

Let us take not.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

So far the Book of Zephaniah has been a “mirror” on the sins of Judah around the year 600 BC, a veritable cultural expose! Today we learn of another act that has “upset” Almighty God.

“Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD’S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.” Zephaniah 1:7-8

The command “hold thy peace” merely means “be quiet!” God is about to judge the land! In Hebrew “hasah” means “SILENCE!” No more “back-talk,” no more “sassing!”

Zephaniah even seems to employ a “word picture” here, a “metaphor.” God has prepared a meal, a sacrificial meal where the slain (animals, normally) are being eaten. In a ritual type observance. But, surprisingly, almost shockingly, the rebellious people of Judah here seem to be the “main dish!” The “guests” seem to be a soon approaching army, the Babylonians likely!

This is dramatic!

The verb “punish” is spelled “paqad,” meaning “to number, to visit (chastening), to commit,” and 3 times in Scripture, “to empty!” Payday has come!

And those especially labeled for “punishment” here are the “top echelon” of society! Those (wealthy and spoiled grown-up “kids”) who normally “buy” their way out of any trouble!

The “princes” (in Hebrew “sar,” the “rulers”) and the “king’s children,” future members of the royal administration … these will face God’s wrath.

The wealthy especially.

I say that because of the specific sin mentioned, their transgression again the Lord.

They “are clothed with strange apparel.”

But what does that mean?

They have begun to dress like the “heathen” around them! The adjective “strange” means “foreign.” And “apparel” means that which “clothes” a man or woman, is “wrapped around” them. Its the root verb is “labash,” first used in Genesis 3:21 where God “clothed” a naked Adam and Eve with “coats of skins.” It is used once in the Book of Judges too, where the good Holy Spirit  “wears” Gideon! “But the Spirit of the Lord CAME UPON Gideon ….” Judges 6:34, translating “labash.”

Wow!

These people, the elite of Judah, instead of wearing GOD … chose to wear THE WORLD! Expensive, gaudy, but “chic,” politically correct! Popular, fashionable, very contemporary!

But obviously displeasing to the Lord!

Yes, in instances God did tell the Jews how to dress. And how not to dress. Including a little “blue border” around their robes. “Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders A RIBBON OF BLUE: and it shall be unto you for A FRINGE, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring. That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.” Numbers 15:38-40, one’s very clothing being a reminder of one’s God, of obeying His Word!

Sound like a “little thing” to you?

But it was important to God, a point upon which He would judge His people.

Amazing!

His (the Lord’s) thoughts are higher than our thoughts, for sure. (Isaiah 55:9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.)

More Zephaniah Monday morning, the Lord willing.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell