7 "Be silent before the LORD GOD, for His day is near. The LORD has prepared a sacrifice and invited His guests." 8 "On that day I will punish the king's sons and all who wear foreign garments." 9 "I will also punish all those who are afraid to step on the temple threshold and those who fill the LORD's house with violence and deceit."

COMMENT: This must hark back to the time the ark of the covenant was taken by the Philistines and when they placed the ark in the temple of their god, it fell over and parts of it rolled onto the doorstep of their temple. Their priests would always step over the threshold after that. God does not want us to participate in superstition.

1 Samuel 5:4-5 But when they got up the following morning they found Dagon face down on the ground. Its head and hands were broken off, and lying on the threshold. Only his trunk was left to him. [5] This is the reason to this day that the priests of Dagon never step on the threshold when they enter Dagon's temple in Ashdod.

10 "On that day," declares the LORD, "A cry will go up from the Fish Gate, wailing from the Second Gate. There will be the sound of a loud crash in the hills." 11 "Wail, you who live in the market district, for all your merchants will be wiped out. All who trade with silver will be ruined." 12 "When that time comes I will search through Jerusalem with a light, punishing those men who are stagnant in spirit, believing in their hearts that the LORD will do neither good or evil."

COMMENT: We must never think the Lord has stopped being involved.

13 "Their wealth will become plunder and their houses unlived in. They will not drink the wine from the vineyards they planted."

14 "The great day of the LORD is almost here. It is coming quickly when the cry of the warrior will make it a bitter day." 15 "It will be a day of destruction, desolation, darkness and gloom. There will be thick clouds of darkness." 16 "It will be day when the trumpet and the battle cry is heard against fortified cities and high corner watch towers." 17 "The distress I will bring on men will cause them to walk like the blind. I will do this because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their insides like dung." 18 "On the day of the LORD's wrath their gold and silver will not deliver them. In jealousy the LORD will make a complete end of the earth and all its inhabitants with fire."

COMMENT: This sounds like the end of time.

Zephaniah 2 - RWB Paraphrase (15 V)
With Comments
Go to top__ OR __Exit Comments
1 Gather together, O shameful nation, 2 before the decree takes effect, before the day of the LORD's burning anger comes upon you. 3 Seek the LORD, all of you in the earth who are humble and have carried out His ordinances. Seek righteousness and humility. Perhaps you will escape the day of the LORD's anger. 4 Gaza will be abandoned and Ashkelon left in ruins. At midday Ashdod will be emptied and Ekron uprooted. 5 Woe to you who live by the sea, O Cherethites. The Word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines. I will destroy you, and none will be left. 6 The seacoast will become pastures with caves for shepherds and folds for flocks. 7 The coast will be for the remnant of the house of Judah to use for pasture. In the evening they will rest in the houses of Ashkelon. The LORD their God will care for them and restore their fortunes.

8 I have heard Moab's taunts and the revilings of the sons of Ammon in their arrogance. 9 Therefore, as surely as I live, " declares the LORD of hosts Who is the God of Israel, "Moab will become like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomorrah. They will be places for weeds and salt pits, a wasteland forever. The remnant of my people will plunder them and inherit their land. 10 Because of their pride this is what they will have. In their arrogance they taunted the people of the LORD of Hosts. 11 The LORD will be fearsome to them, for He will reduce all the gods of the earth to nothing. People from all nations shall worship Him.

12 "And you also, O Ethiopians, will be slain by My sword." 13 He will stretch out His hand to the north and destroy Assyria, making Nineveh a desolate parched wilderness. 14 Flocks and herds will lie down there with other creatures of every kind. The owls will roost on her columns, their calls will echo through the windows. Rubble will be in the doorways, and the cedar beams will be exposed. 15 This city that has exalted in her heart, thinking she is so secure, and believing that there are none greater than her, will become a desolate place where beasts rest! And those passing by will hiss and shake their fists at her.

Zephaniah 3 - RWB Paraphrase (20 V)
With Comments
Go to top__ OR __Exit Comments
Judgment Will Come To Jerusalem
1 Woe to the defiled and rebellious city with its tyranny. 2 She listen to no one and would not trust the LORD or accept His instruction to draw near to Him.

3 Her princes are roaring lions and her judges are wolves at evening. They leave nothing until morning. 4 Her prophets are reckless, treacherous men. Her priests have profaned the sanctuary and done violence to the law.

5 The LORD is righteous within her. He will do no injustice. Every morning He brings His justice to light without fail while the unjust know no shame.

6 I have cut off nations. Their battlements are in ruins. I have laid waste their streets so that no one walks in them. Their cities are left desolate.

7 I said, "Surely you will revere Me and accept instruction, so that your dwelling will not be cut off, as I have warned would happen if you did not change your evil ways." 8 "Therefore, wait and see," declares the LORD."The day is coming when I will witness against you. I have decided to pour out My indignation on the nations. The earth will be devoured with the fire of My burning anger." 9 "At that time I will give the peoples purified lips, that they may call upon the name of the LORD, and everyone will serve Him." 10 "My worshipers who have been dispersed beyond the rivers of Ethiopia will bring My offerings." 11 "In that day you will no longer bear the shame of your rebellion against Me, for I will remove from your midst the proud ones, and there will be no haughty man in all My holy mountain." 12 "I will leave among you the humble and lowly who will take refuge in the LORD."

COMMENT: In the sermon on the mount, Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."

13 "The remnant of Israel will do no wrong and speak no lies. They will eat and lie down with no one to cause them any worry."

14 "Sing, O Daughter of Zion. Shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem!" 15 "The LORD has taken away His judgments against you. He has removed all your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst. You will fear disaster no more."

16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, "Do not fear, O Zion. Do not let your hands grow weak." 17 "The LORD your God is in your midst. He is mighty and He will save. He will exult over you with joy and He will be quiet in His love. He will rejoice over you with singing."

COMMENT: I want to hear the Author of music sing.

18 "I will remove the appointed feasts which are a burden to you." 19 "At that time I will deal with all your oppressors. I will save the lame and gather in the outcast. I will turn their shame into praise and they will be honored in all the earth." 20 "At that time I will bring you in, having gathered you together, and given you renown and praise among all the peoples of the earth. I will restore your fortunes while you watch," says the LORD.

Chapters: 1 2 3