Zephaniah 3 "A
Sharp Reproof of Jerusalem for Sins." This Bible Study is written by Roger
Christopherson, and made available with written
permission by http://www.theseason.org Zephahiah 3:1 "Woe to her that is filthy [rebellious] and polluted, to the oppressing city!" This oppressing "city of rebellion and polluted" that is controlling the world is Jerusalem. It is prophesied for the time you and I will see very shortly, for at that time, the Kenites [the physical children of Satan], and the fallen angels that return with Satan to earth [Revelation 9:1-10] will be assisting the Antichrist and using their authority for control of the world. That control will be through their religious beast system, and the entire world will bow to it; except God's elect. "Polluted" here in the Hebrew text is "ga'-al". "to make common and unclean". "Filthy", is defined as the state of Rebellious. To be more specific, it is what Daniel [Daniel 9:27], and Jesus in Matthew 24:15 call the "Abomination of Desolation" [by the desolator]. Zephaniah 3:2 "She obeyed not the voice: she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God." "She", being the Christians of the day, and the entire religious order, have completely renounced God, and have been taken in totally by the Antichrist. Truth is gone [void], and in it's place is this new religious order of Satan [the Antichrist]. The time is the five month period before the sounding of the seventh trumpet, and Jesus Christ's return. Zephaniah 3:3 "Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones [leaving nothing] till the morrow." "Her princes" are the "Kenites", and their actions today under their one world political system is exactly as Zephaniah is recording God's Words. The system has no pride nor conscience for what it does. It destroys and kills wastefully out of pure greed, and this Satanic system has started to tighten it's grip on all nations, as most Christians continue to ignore the signs of the end times. These leaders within the system [princes], and the courts [judges] steal outright from the innocent and common person. Their actions are like raving wolves, and then they pride themselves over their greedy gains. Zephaniah 3:4 "Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law." "Her prophets [ministers] are light" is in reference to their recklessness. These false prophets hold high positions in modern day Churches of God, and they are the ones who continually say; "I heard from God today", and then sputter nonsense that is God's Word. God gave each of us some common sense, However, they don't have the ability to separate a true word from God, and pure common sense. It is from such so-called ministers that entire flocks will march right after the Antichrist upon his arrival, at the fifth trumpet [Revelation 9:1], for they have been taught in ignorance, and they will go in ignorance to Satan. The Churches themselves are polluted with false teaching and tradition, and this is the "violence to the law" that they have done. This is not only to the laws of God, but the laws of the land. Zephaniah 3:5 "The just Lord is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame." Our Heavenly Father is watching all the "Bull" passed off in His name by these false shepherds. He is keeping record daily of all you say and do in His name. God is giving those false prophets [ministers, priests and teachers] notice here that they are going to be accountable for all their words and deeds. In fact, most of them are so far gone, they believe their own lies; and in them there is no shame. They know Christianity only as a religious form, to be used as a tool for their own gain, and not as the reality to our lives that God had intended His Word to be. This verse is directed specifically to those who handle God's Word recklessly. Zephaniah 3:6 "I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant." The time of this cutting off of the nations is the "day of the Lord". On that day, Jesus Christ will come to earth and set down in Jerusalem. At that time the Antichrist's lies and deception will end, and his entire system will be destroyed, and gone. There will not be one adamic, or flesh body left on this earth from that day forward, for all will be changed into their soul [spiritual] bodies. No flesh will remain when Jesus Christ has returned to rule this earth. Jesus Christ will be here with His rod of iron, to correct all that has been destroyed, and made imperfect through ignorance. Zephaniah 3:7 "I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings." These false prophets [ministers and priests] just do not get the message, or believe that God will do what He says He will do. They will continue down the road in corrupted doctrine. This word "corrupted" that has to do with the end times doctrines, is the same written by our Lord in Matthew 24:37-39. They are going to be teaching and doing the exact same things that was going on in Noah's day; just before the flood came. They will be giving and taking in marriage with the fallen angels, and Satan [the Antichrist]. This form of the word "corrupted" is the same Hebrew word used in Genesis 6:12, in the Massoretic text. Wake up friend, this corruption is well underway. Zephaniah 3:8 "Therefore wait ye upon me, saith 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 mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy." God is showing His disgust here, at those who allow the false Christ and false prophets to deceive them. This eighth verse is very unique, because in the original Hebrew text of the Massorah, it contains all the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, including the five final letters. This verse also covers God's overall plan for the ages. God is telling us to wait until the day Jesus Christ comes, and don't be taken early. He is telling you, it is His will [determination] that all the nations of the earth will come together, and with a single sweep, He will devour, or eliminate them. God is telling us that He will do this because of His anger towards those who have allowed Satan to deceive them. Though His anger is aimed at the world, it is not directed to His children, who have studied and prepared themselves to stand against the Antichrist and His system. Those who have sealed [have the knowledge and understanding] God's Word in their minds. This again is the purpose of Zephaniah, "to be hidden from Jehovah's" anger. Why? He loves you, when you love Him. You have kept yourself pure, spiritually, and saved yourself to be part of the "bride of Christ". You know the difference between the two Christs, and have the patience to wait for the True Christ. You will not be with Satan's child, as Jesus talks about in Matthew 24:19. Zephaniah 3:9 "For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent." The language all the people [souls] will return to is that same language that existed before the confusion of the pure tongue [language]. That confusion was brought about by the tower of Babel, as recorded in Genesis 11:5-9. This pure language will be pure and clean, and without lieing lips, and a deceitful tongue. This is the time of the Millennium age, and Satan is in the pit, and his fallen angels are also gone. There will be only one language, and with all persons ability of total recall, there will be no confusion. With this ability of understanding, those who have acted in ignorance in this flesh age, will desire to be of service to the Lord then, and all will bow a knee to Jesus Christ the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Zephaniah 3:10 "From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering." Throughout the entire earth, the ten tribes of the "House of Israel", which were scattered by the Assyrians, and divorced by God [as recorded in Hosea]; will return to Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. They are the "daughter of my dispersed". Zephaniah 3:11 "In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain." There will be no excuse, or false prophets then. Every soul will know Jesus Christ. Zephaniah 3:12 "I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord." This is a very poor translation. The "afflicted" in the Hebrew Massoretic text, should read "humble and meek". These are part of the "remnant", also called "God's elect". The only way they are afflicted is by Satan, who is trying to win them over in the last days of this earth age. There is no way for this to happen, because God has hidden them away. Zephaniah 3:13 "The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid." We can look forward to this time, for we will be totally and completely safe; no matter where you are. God is telling the world, "touch not my anointed", and you can be assured of God's protection, in His Kingdom. This is the Millennium, and Jesus Christ has removed all that is negative from the kingdom at this time. Zephaniah 3:14 "Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, o Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem." Zephaniah 3:15 "The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more." God is there! Zephaniah 3:16 "In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack." Be Joyful. Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing." This is the first day of the Millennium, and Jesus Christ our Lord is there. All our Heavenly Father wants from you, His child, is your love. That is all you have to give. It is through your love that you will serve Him, as it pleases Him. Zephaniah 3:18 "I will gather them that sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden." The words "sorrowful for", in the Hebrew text should read, "cessation of". "Solemn assembly" should read the "appointed season". God will gather His elect; all those who have withdrawn from, or "cessation of", the Antichrist's one world religious system. That reign of the Antichrist is the "appointed season". When you see our Heavenly Fathers name taken in vain, and so little thought given to Him, is it a burden to you? This burden is a reproach against you, for you are not a part of that majority. Zephaniah 3:19 "Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame." God is promising His children that He is going to heal all those that are spiritually lame, and those that follow after their false teachers in ignorance. God is also promising that in every place His elect has been ridiculed and put to shame, He will give you fame and recognition from those who shamed you. Zephaniah 3:20 "At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord." To "turn back your captivity" is an Hebrew idiom for, "restoring blessing as before". Ezekiel 24 makes it very clear that those few that are of the elect of God, will not receive the allotment with the rest of the tribes; but will reign within God's temple, and reign with Him. What a reward for being one of God's elect, and resisting the Antichrist, and his one world religious system. Our part is to try, and God will do the rest, we will be the "hidden ones of Jehovah" [Zephaniah].
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