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Zephaniah
Zephaniah 1
Zephaniah 1:12-18 "And it must occur at that
time that I shall carefully search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will
give attention to the men who are congealing upon their dregs [and]
who are saying in their heart, 'Jehovah will not do good, and he
will not do bad.' And their wealth must come to be for pillage and
their houses for a desolate waste. And they will build houses, but
they will not have occupancy; and they will plant vineyards, but
they will not drink the wine of them. (vs.14) "The great day of
Jehovah is near. It is near, and there is a hurrying [of it] very
much. The sound of the day of Jehovah is bitter. There a mighty man
is letting out a cry. That day is a day of fury, a day of distress
and of anguish, a day of storm and of desolation, a day of darkness
and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick gloom, a day of horn
and of alarm signal, against the fortified cities and against the
high corner towers. And I will cause distress to mankind, and they
will certainly walk like blind men; because it is against Jehovah
that they have sinned. And their blood will actually be poured out
like dust, and their bowels like the dung. Neither their silver nor
their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah's
fury; but by the fire of his zeal the whole earth will be devoured,
because he will make an extermination, indeed a terrible one, of all
the inhabitants of the earth."
- This will happen unless God's people straighten their
worship to him. Compare Malachi 4:5,6
- It is because Jehovah's people repent that he turns back his
anger. Compare Isaiah 1:4,9; 2:10,20,21;
3:24; 9:13-17; 12:1,2; 14:1-7
Zephaniah 2
Zephaniah 2:1-3 "Gather yourselves together,
yes, do the gathering, O nation not paling in shame. Before [the]
statute gives birth to [anything], [before the] day has passed by
just like chaff, before there comes upon YOU people the burning
anger of Jehovah, before there comes upon YOU the day of Jehovah's
anger, seek Jehovah, all YOU meek ones of the earth, who have
practiced His own judicial decision. Seek righteousness, seek
meekness. Probably YOU may be concealed in the day of Jehovah's
anger." - Compare Revelation 6:15,16
Zephaniah 2:9-11 Those who do not repent and/or
submit to Jehovah or who continued to deal badly with his people
will answer for their actions.
Zephaniah 3
Zephaniah 3:8,9 Jehovah's denunciation to the nations - and a
"pure language" (literally "a clean lip") - see vs.13
Zephaniah 3:14-20 ".... For I shall make YOU people to be a name
and a praise among all the peoples of the earth .."
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