Inspiration From the Book of Zephaniah

Recently in trying to decide what book to study in the WORD, I decided to check out Zephaniah - I knew next to nothing about it, never having made it an object of any study. I was blessed by it and thought I would share insights from it as I go along. I will invite others to do likewise.

Zephaniah 1:1: NASB

1 The word of the LORD which came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah:

Comment:
Apparently Zephaniah was the g-g-grandson of King Hezekiah...I then noticed that Hezekiah had one other son, Amariah. Ohhh...so whatever possessed Hezekiah or Judah to choose his son Manassah to be king over Judah? the most wicked one ever to sit on Judah's throne. Did they have no clue about this son's spirituality? What were the ongoing dynamics that resulted in this choice?

Or, maybe there were none, at least nothing that was worth mentioning.

I am still stumped about why Manassah was chosen when there was Amariah...a mystery...

Any thoughts?

Maybe....

"Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah (verse 10) .... Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah (verse 16)" Matthew 1:10,16 NASB

Just a thought.

Until I stumbled on this I figured the Lord should have let Hezekiah die the first time instead of letting him get better. Good thing I'm not the Lord, huh? ;)

Glad you started another of these Ginny. I really enjoyed the last one.

Hum, not sure I have been doing some research in hopes of finding the answer. My only guess would be Amariah and Manassah were half brothers, meaning Hezekiah had two different wives which wasn't uncommon even for a godly man of the time.

Also another option is Manassah was the older brother and when Manassah was 12 years old would have made Amariah at least 11 years old so they choose the older of the two.

"so whatever possessed Hezekiah or Judah to choose his son Manassah to be king over Judah?"

I am not sure if it would have been possible to see the heart of a 12 year old, its likely the young boy didn't even have power over the kingdom until a certain age. Also Manasseh was born 709 BC and reigned 55 years this overlaps Hezekiah's reign 10 years meaning a Coregency which was pretty common where Father and Son would reign together at the same time to transition and pass on the power of one and go to the other. Hezekiah likely heeded the words of Isaiah in 2 Kings 20:1 to put his house in order meaning he needed to find someone to replace him in the event of his death. My guess is young Manasseh had great promise to be a great king as Hezekiah saw it but instead He gave his heart over to the world.

We see this often though while a boy is young their hearts and minds are generally quite moldable but after time if not cultivated properly will become hard and rebellious.

Also thanks for asking this question its not everyday I get to explore the Chronicles of Israel for an answer to a question.

I figured the Lord should have let Hezekiah die the first time instead of letting him get better.

Amen!

I agree with this 100% because Manasseh was born AFTER God healed Hezekiah from his illness. If Hezekiah had died, Manasseh would not have been born and saved thousands a lot of grief.

Or, maybe, his life merely empowered idol worshiping people to proceed with their sin unchallenged by the king. Their hearts were bent in doing evil and his rule merely exposed the depth of depravity a person is capable of sinking into.

On the other hand, the life of Manasseh does demonstrate the power of God in changing the heart of a despotic ruler. 2Chronicles 33:10-20, 23.

Does this not teach us that one has to be very careful what he prays for lest God would grant our wishes which may not be a good thing for us?

Kind of humbling, is it not?

Or, maybe it demonstrates that I would not make a good god?

Oh, I know some of this is speculative, but God did record this for our learning...

Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah (verse 10) .... Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah (verse 16)" Matthew 1:10,16 NASB

Demonstrates there are bad apples in most or every family tree. It also proves that because there are some wicked folks therein it will not damn the rest to evil, if they choose to do otherwise.

So many powerful lessons in history...

Loved your insights, SHMILY.

Zephaniah 1:2-6: (NASB)
2 "I will completely remove all things
From the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.

3 “I will remove man and beast;
I will remove the birds of the sky
And the fish of the sea,
And the ruins along with the wicked;
And I will cut off man from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.

4 “So I will stretch out My hand against Judah
And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
And I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place,
And the names of the idolatrous priests along with the priests.

5 “And those who bow down on the housetops to the host of heaven,
And those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by Milcom,

6 And those who have turned back from following the LORD,
And those who have not sought the LORD or inquired of Him.”

Comments:

We see God pronouncing judgement against all those who (EDIT)"those who have turned back from following the LORD and those have not sought the LORD or inquired of Him.” This judgment seems to be so thorough, so complete. I sense God is exasperated with the rebellion of people so he will make a clean sweep of it all!

His frustration reminds me how it is sometimes when I sew. I love to sew but in the course of creating something, sometimes I have problems and more problems. The harder I work to fix it, the worst it gets. Once my frustration reaches a certain level, I will throw the thing out and start anew - lots less frustrating and time consuming. However, in doing so I will check to see where I had made the original mistake to ensure it will not be repeated, then all things work well and smoothly. Now I know God is not subject to the same limitations as I am, but he is restricted by people's will, the decision to disobey and this angers Him - it messes things up bad all over the place.

Somehow, I sense God's wrath against sin is justified and allowing the cleansing of the land will provide Him with a clean slate to work on ..

Yes, God is just.

In the rest of the book one will learn what are the issues God is warning his people to repent from...and therein lies a lot of lessons for us moderns.

Any more thoughts?

In reading this again this morning I was arrested by the word "stagnant" in verse 12 ~ NASB

"It will come about in that time that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish men who are stagnant in spirit, who say in their hearts, 'The Lord will not do good or evil!' "

KJV renders it "settled on their lees" and NIV "complacent".

Matthew Henry's commentary said, "Their dispositions are sensual: They are settled on their lees, intoxicated with their pleasures, strengthening themselves in their wealth and wickedness; they are secure and easy, and, because they have had no changes, they fear none, as Moab, Jer. 48:11."

Oh my!

Zephaniah 1:7:

7 Be silent before the Lord GOD!
For the day of the LORD is near,
For the LORD has prepared a sacrifice,
He has consecrated His guests.

Zephaniah 2: 1-3: (NASB)
1 Gather yourselves together, yes, gather,
O nation without shame,
2 Before the decree takes effect—
The day passes like the chaff—
Before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you,
Before the day of the LORD’S anger comes upon you.

3 Seek the LORD,
All you humble of the earth
Who have carried out His ordinances;
Seek righteousness, seek humility.
Perhaps you will be hidden
In the day of the LORD’S anger.

COMMENTS:

Zephaniah is a book that details God's judgments against sin. Yet, in the midst of all this there are messages of comfort, of hope. God is telling people you do not have to be victims of my wrath: "Perhaps you will be hidden in the day of the LORD’S anger." v. 3

Verse 7 in very interesting: God is saying he is going to provide a sacrifice and then will consecrate his guests. Then in cha 2:3 he tells us they may be hidden in the day of his anger.

Interesting. The time frame: Is this sacrifice talking about Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross? is God referring to the church as his guests? is God talking about the end-times as we perceive it? I do not know. In any case, I would like to concentrate on what were the behaviors that triggered God's anger and what one can do to escape.

I was arrested by the word "stagnant

SHMILY, it is this phrase that grabbed my attention when I looked at this book. It acts like a popcorn kernel stuck in my teeth.

Jesus used the word lukewarm - neither hot nor cold. Today we would call it being ambivalent: so what? who cares? each to his own....

Glad you saw noticed this...

I camped out in verse 12 a bit longer. "... and I will punish the men who are stagnant in spirit, who say in their hearts,' The Lord will not do good or evil!' " (NASB)

I was reminded of 2 Peter 3:3-4 "Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking following after their own lusts and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." (NASB)

In chapter 2 verse 3 I thought of the passage in Isaiah 26 that says, "Come, my people, enter into your rooms and close your doors behind you; hide for a little while until indignation runs its course. For behold, the Lord is about to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity..." v. 20-21a (NASB)

I think of the Isaiah passage as spending time in prayer seeking the Lord's favor. Like Matt. 6:7 "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." (NASB)

In the immediate time of the passage I think the "guests" were the Babylonians and the "sacrifice" Judah but I also think there is more to it. A sign of something else to come.

Zephaniah 1:7a (NASB)

7 Be silent before the LORD God For the day of the Lord is near...

COMMENT:

This phrase arrested me this morning: Be quiet! Listen I have something to tell you - the day of the LORD is close!

How many times do we think we have to do all the speaking when we come into the LORD's presence? Can we be quiet and not say anything? Just listen?

7 Be silent before the LORD God For the day of the Lord is near...

14 Near is the great day of the Lord, near and coming very quickly; Listen, the day of the Lord! ...

Thought:

Wisdom cries in the streets, "Listen! Listen!" But we are too busy, too hurried. "Later Lord. I have so much to do but here's my list for now. Later...."

How He loves! Offering opportunity after opportunity until it is too late.

What will He have to do to catch our attention?

**************

How I wish more would comment! This book is so full, so rich. Each time I read it there is more and more. Much reads like it was written today. What do you see? What strikes you? I'd much rather read your insights than mine.

What will He have to do to catch our attention?

Affliction. Makes a body feel utterly helpless. Therefore it is not always bad because this is why God allows it. I have learned more through it then about anything else.

What say?

Zephaniah 1:8,9,18 (NASB)

8 “Then it will come about on the day of the LORD’S sacrifice
That I will punish the princes, the king’s sons
And all who clothe themselves with foreign garments.

9 “And I will punish on that day all who leap on the temple threshold,
Who fill the house of their lord with violence and deceit.

18 Neither their silver nor their gold
Will be able to deliver them
On the day of the LORD’S wrath;
And all the earth will be devoured
In the fire of His jealousy,
For He will make a complete end,
Indeed a terrifying one,
Of all the inhabitants of the earth.

COMMENT:

Wealth. It is worked for in most cultures because of the pleasure it affords its possessors. It will gain you friends, influence in high places, protection, advantages, power, beautiful things, prestige....But God is saying here your wealth will not help you one bit! OH. Ohhhh. All the advantages wealth can give you will fail you in the day when God metes out his judgement. It will not influence God for your advantage. It will give you no security, your money cannot buy you a reprieve from God's judgement.

This book is so full, so rich. Each time I read it there is more and more. Much reads like it was written today.

Agreed. That is one reason I find the prophets so inspiring.

I'd much rather read your insights than mine.

Go ahead and post, Shmily. Your thoughts might trigger another's insight..happens all the time.:-)

"Affliction"

Refiner's fire.

Been thinking on this much of the day.

*****************

Sometimes I have what I call my "lab coat" mentality. I know certain things may happen ~ but surely not to me. I will merely observe it. Like a lab experiment or a TV program.

Those in this passage must have that same thought. That whatever happens to someone else will not happen to them.

I am reminded of something I read long ago when I was in school. (My grandchildren think that was shortly after Noah exited the ark ;) ) It was about a battle during the Civil War. It was fought outside some city and people took picnic lunches and went out to watch much like a sporting event. Men were dieing and they were eating lunch!

"On the day of the LORD’S wrath;
And all the earth will be devoured
In the fire of His jealousy,
For He will make a complete end,
Indeed a terrifying one,
Of all the inhabitants of the earth." Verse 18

May I more fully comprehend this. Not in my head but in my heart. Stamped on my eyeballs when with those who need to be snatched from the fire.

12“It will come about at that time
That I will search Jerusalem with lamps,
And I will punish the men
Who are stagnant in spirit,
Who say in their hearts,
‘The LORD will not do good or evil!’

COMMENT:
This verse keeps coming back, challenging me. Apparently I am not the only one it challenges from reading the other posts on this thread.

Anyhow.

As I consider the context in which this is shared, the context refers to the wealthy. Wealth give people an immense sense of security. They think they have everything under control because money buys security. But God is saying it will not protect you from my judgement. Decisions were based on gold, silver and its properties. This in turn makes people disregard God because they have no need of him. They are self-reliant, self-satisfied: they get what they want, when they want, how they want and woe on anybody who interferes in this process!

Proverbs 30:8.9 NASB come to mind:

8 Keep deception and lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the food that is my portion,

9That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the LORD?”
Or that I not be in want and steal,
And profane the name of my God.

Powerful...

That whatever happens to someone else will not happen to them.

Sounds familiar.

Quote: 'The Lord will not do good or evil'

Isn't that a fallacy in this day and age?

Somehow, people suppose God is dormant, doing zero.

He is seeing all we do, and we all have to give an account to God.

And yes, wealth and fulness does increase pride and brings a divide between us and God.

Why do we need God when we have so much? Or so we think.

Another good thread Ginnyrose. Have been reading but not commenting till now.

God bless.