TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
Zephaniah 1:1-3:20
Revelation 10:1-11
Psalm 138:1-8
Proverbs 30:11-14
Zephaniah 1:1 — There’s a debate as to whether Hezekiah, the ancestor of Zephaniah, was the King of Judah; if so, that would make him a cousin of Josiah.
Zephaniah 1:5 — Note what … or who … the LORD will judge: those who swear by the LORD AND by Molech/Malcham. They were lukewarm followers (Revelation 3:16) who tried to hedge their bets; they “halted” between two opinions (1 Kings 18:21).
Zephaniah 1:17 — God judges those who “have sinned against the LORD.” Sin has consequences!
Zephaniah 1:18 — Peter echoes this thought (1 Peter 1:18).
Zephaniah 2:3 — ”Before the decree … Seek ye the LORD …” (Zephaniah 2:2-3). As Isaiah said, “Seek ye the LORD while He may be found!” (Isaiah 55:6).
Zephaniah 2:11 — The LORD is jealous.
Zephaniah 2:13 — Interesting to think of: Zephaniah had the message that Jonah wanted to have! Ninevah will be destroyed! But God gave the message to Zephaniah and not to Jonah. It came 100 years later than Jonah wanted! Jonah was bitter because he wanted God to act on his timetable not on the LORD’s. This verse helps us understand the “imprecatory psalms.” It’s okay to hurt and to seek justice, but it must be on God’s time not ours (Psalm 90:4, 2 Peter 3:8).
Zephaniah 3:2 — That’s a scary epithet on a tombstone: “She trusted not in the LORD.”
Zephaniah 3:9 — This verse hasn’t been fulfilled yet! Some day all will call upon the name of the LORD! The LORD will save (Zephaniah 3:17)!
Revelation 10:6 — Yes, there is coming a day when time will be no more! This verse was included in the song, “The Great Judgment Morning.”
Psalm 138:2 — If you have the time, notice the similarities between this and Jonah 2:4 and Jonah 2:7.
Psalm 138:6 — We saw pride in Zephaniah 2:10 today, and we see it again here. God loves the lowly, not the proud.
Proverbs 30:13 — And if you didn’t notice the theme of the problem of pride, we have our Proverbs reading!
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