Zephaniah Chapter 2
9/29/24 10:50 AM
Solitary Man
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Zep 2:1 Gather yourselves together (kaw-shash – to become sapless through drought, to forage for straw), yea, gather together (kaw-shash), O nation (goy) not desired (kaw-saf – to pine after, to long for);
In chapter one, after a general opening remark of how God intends to make a complete end of the earth, due to its universal corruption, in verse 4 God focuses on his people in Judah and Jerusalem. Judgment always begins in the house of God. First his people, then the nations. So it is today. Judgment begins in the church, then the nations. Thus chapter one dealt with the Jews, now God will turn his attention to all those surrounding nations, especially those whom Judah has some level of interaction with.
In our own generation, can we identify the judgments that have fallen upon the church? I think some are obvious, some are not. During covid, we saw the church branded as a non-essential service, and was shut by our evil governments. But there was truth even in this wicked act. Most of our churches have become non-essential. They contribute nothing to the well being of mankind. Indeed, because of compromise and cowardice, what they teach actually leads to strong delusion and apostasy.
The modern doctrines of the last 50 years have been judgments. So many movements that sprung up can now clearly be identified as the judgment of God on a nation that has lusted for messages that would tickle the ear rather than transform our lives. The prosperity gospel, the hyper grace movement, the kingdom now heresy, the Hebrew roots movement, the Toronto blessing and all its’ offshoots, the Bethel church errors, and Hillsong music apostasies, all these things were allowed to flourish because there was such a receptive audience for these aberrations of the truth. Now, before some hit the unsubscribe button, I acknowledge that in spite of bad doctrine, some people were saved and blessed. God’s mercy toward a specific individual is not the criteria one uses to judge the truth or error of a group. No, you compare their emphasis to the word of God, and see if it lines up. Secondly, you assess the fruit produced in general. While there were exceptions, generally speaking each of those groups produced rotten fruit. All of them departed from a God centered message and in some form or fashion exalted self as the central emphasis. As a result, the Holy Spirit was grieved, and the true anointing and convicting power of the Holy Spirit left our lands. That allowed a flood of demonic entities to enter and overrun our nations. This is what judgment looks like.
What to make of the Hebrew of this verse? Kaw-shash, kaw-shash – to become sapless through drought, to forage for straw, oh you goyim who are not longed for by anyone. Some commentators say the meaning is to sift, sift oneself, you heathen not desired. The idea is one of sifting your heart, and sift it again, as one would carefully forage for every bit of straw to make bricks, such as the Hebrews had to do under Pharaoh when they were in bondage. Remember God has just finished pronouncing the end for his chosen people. If he has been so severe with his own, what shall become of the heathen?
Hear the word of the Lord, all you heathen lands who do not know me. As you would carefully search for straw to make bricks, or as you would search for sustenance after you have exhausted your resources in times of severe drought, so carefully examine yourselves before I strike, says your creator.
Zep 2:2 Before the decree (appointment, or set time) bring forth (gives birth), before the day pass as the chaff (disappears in the wind), before the fierce (burning wrath) anger (as from the nostril) of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger (as from the nostril) come upon you.
God is telling the goyim, or the Gentiles, to sift one’s heart and discover their own transgressions, before the set time of judgment falls upon you. There is an appointed time when all sin shall face its just recompense. God does not destroy without giving ample warning. This day, when it is birthed, will be swift, sudden, and final, and will come and go as quick as the chaff disappearing with the first wind. God’s anger is fierce, and not to be taken lightly or trifled with. Even with the Gentiles, who know not the Lord, God is warning them to take stock and repent.
Zep 2:3 Seek (baw-kash – to search out by any method, to strive after, to beg and beseech) ye the LORD, all ye meek (aw-nawv – depressed or gentle in mind, needy, humble, lowly, poor) of the earth eh-rets – world, nations), which have wrought (done, practised) his judgment (mish-pat – verdict, sentence, decree); seek righteousness(tseh-dek – justice, moral rightness), seek meekness (an-aw-vaw – gentleness, humility, clemency, modesty): it may be (perhaps) ye shall be hid (concealed, kept secret) in the day of the LORD’S anger (af – as smoke from the nostrils).
In the context of the previous two verses, Yahweh is urging the heathen to seek him early, seek him in all sincerity, seek him before it’s too late. Who are the ones that God is calling to himself? The wicked? The depraved? The incorrigible? No, the souls who attract the notice of the creator are the meek.
Here is an important precept. Sometimes the evangelical stream of the church really overemphasizes the singularity of how God deals with mankind. Only by the cross of Christ and the blood of Jesus can anyone be saved. And that is absolutely true. But implied in that is that somehow all choices by unsaved man are irrelevant. Only the choice to accept Christ matters. Again, from an eternal destination perspective, this is true. Yet there are many choices we make as human beings that draw us closer to the truth, or away from it.
Do you think the someone like Soros or Gates has an equal chance of receiving Christ, compared to some poor homeless fellow, who fell into addiction because of some accident and taking pain medication, for example? Someone who is lost and at the end of his rope, and knows it? Someone who is sincerely crying out to God, as best as they know how, asking him to help?
Our eternal souls are mysterious objects. Why some tend to wickedness and some tend to righteousness, even in similar circumstances, is a mystery not to be adequately explained this side of eternity. We all have observed some souls that are so receptive to the gospel truth, when presented to them properly. And others are equally resistant. This even seems to apply to entire people groups, tribes and even nations. So many tens of millions of Africans have eagerly and enthusiastically responded to the gospel over the last 100 years, while nations such as Israel and Japan have been proven to be quite impenetrable, in comparison.
The point I am making is that God is urging certain people to seek him. He does not even bother with the prideful and arrogant, as it’s no use even wasting your time with them. However, if one is truly meek, who have proven their openness to the goodness of God by practising a lifestyle of mishpat (walking in God’s judgments, not mans’), then God calls them to seek him. And with what attitude, or what characteristics should this person seek God? In presumption or pride? No, in meekness and in righteousness. The meek man should seek to be even more meek, or humble. The humble man should seek to walk in even more moral goodness. Then the promise of God kicks in. The promise is that God may spare you from the fierce wrath and rage of God’s anger when he unleashes it on the planet.
Now let us not stumble at what is being taught in this verse, as unlearned believers may be susceptible to do. Not every verse in the bible is a ‘how to be saved’ verse. Put aside your heresy hunting antenna for a little bit and try to understand what the Spirit of the Lord is trying to teach us.
Recall the ministry of John the Baptist. He preached a message of repentance. The purpose of his ministry was to prepare the way of the Lord. So repentance was the first step. It was to get the heart ready for the Messiah. You can repent all you want, and still miss heaven. Why? Because you can truly feel sorry for all your sins, and resolve to never do them again. But unless someone then leads you to the cross, where the solution to your sin problem is found, repenting of all your bad misdeeds will not be enough. Repentance enables the heart to accept the work done on the cross on your behalf.
So it is here. God is singling out those candidates that are capable of hearing his voice. And who are those candidates? The meek, or the truly humble. The proud man need not apply. Somewhere and at some time, you must acknowledge that you are not such a hotshot as you think you are. How do you obtain such an attitude? Usually God will orchestrate some circumstance, usually due to someone’s prayers, that bring you to a place of helplessness. You realize that you cannot make it all by yourself. Great humility is learned. If you grasp this lesson, your lifestyle gravitates towards the good, and away from the evil. You start to judge righteously between right and wrong. In essence, you begin to fear God.
As you fear him more and more, your actions begin to reflect your inner most beliefs. Humility and right living follow. Remember that this is all being spoken in the time before Christ. God couldn’t simply tell them to accept his son’s substitutionary death on the cross for their sin, because that would not come for hundreds of years. But God did not leave the goyim without hope. He had chosen Israel to be a shining light to the nations. They were given a law that would prove that the one true God was behind it all. No nation was given such a righteous set of decrees to live by. Any souls who truly desired to do good would sense that.
If these souls were true to their conscience, then God promised that they at least would have a chance to be spared total judgment. They may be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger. Even in the new testament, this concept was understood by the apostles. Remember what Peter said to Cornelius:
Act 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
Act 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
God is always searching for souls that are trying to find him. And often it is the practising of good deeds that shows that a person is trying to find God, as why would they bother to do good unto others, if they did not instinctively know that they are an eternal soul that will be called to account some day? Peter knew this truth. We need not trouble ourselves over what God will do with all those souls who lived before the coming of Christ. We can be assured that the Lord of the universe will do righteously by them.
Having said all that, I wish to now speak about the most exciting aspect of this verse. I believe there is a much deeper truth here, just waiting for us, the final generation.
Let us apply this verse to ourselves. The first thing to notice is that it will not necessarily apply to all believers. God is speaking to the meek. No matter where on the earth you are, or what tribe you are from, god is only concerned with your heart condition. Are you truly humble? Or is there some pride lurking about? How about self sufficiency? Self sufficiency is a wonderful thing, as the apostle Paul urged the Thessalonian believers to not be a burden on any others, for example (1 Th 4:11,12; 2 Th 3:10-14). But do you take inordinate pride in all your skills and abilities? Or having done all you can, do you still truly rely on the Lord God to provide for all your needs and keep you safe? Only you and God know.
So, if you are truly humble, are you obeying this fundamental command? Are you truly seeking Him? Do you really love Jesus with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind? Does it reflect in your day to day lifestyle? Do you put prayer and bible study as a priority, or is it the first thing you abandon when something comes up? If you have to give up watching your favorite show or shortening your prayer time, which do you choose? Do you keep seeking him during the dry seasons? When your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, and you can find no peace or presence of your savior?
Secondly, the ones that God is speaking to here not only walk in true humility, but they align with God’s ways, which are judgment (Dan 4:37). Do you agree with God’s decrees? His verdicts on sin? Or do you have a different standard of what is sin, and what is the appropriate punishment for sin? How many of you can read the book of Leviticus, and totally agree that all of God’s judgments are right and true? What do we think the law of the land will be like during the Millenium, when Jesus comes to rule directly, with a rod of iron? Do you think he will tell us to ignore Leviticus, that it doesn’t apply anymore? Is not Jesus the same yesterday, today, and forever? Then why do we think that just because we live in a later century, that somehow God’s standard of morality has changed?
But the main point is, do we judge sin in our own life the same way God judges it? Or do we give ourselves a free pass? We love to quote the scripture to our brother and sister in the Lord, but are not so fond of hearing it applied to ourself.
So let us say that your humble soul agrees with God when it comes to his judgments. God then urges us to not only seek him, but to seek even more humility and right moral living! In essence, seek true holiness in all that you do. Do not be slack in pursuing purity. You can never become too holy! And by that I mean true biblical holiness, not the fake outward piety of the religious.
So now you have passed all those tests. What is the promise that you are now eligible for? It is a promise that may or may not come to pass. It is a possibility, but not a certainty. And what is this promise? That you may (might) be hid in the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord that is almost upon us. We are the generation that this promise really applies to. It is similar to another verse found in Luke:
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Jesus is speaking of the end time horrors that will occur during the day of the Lord. Here the believer is exhorted to watch and pray in earnest, and you may (might) be accounted worthy (or chosen by the Lord) to escape these evil things that are coming on the earth. So in both cases there is a possibility that God will hide you from some of the worst of the tribulation period.
Some use these verses as pre trib rapture verses. I do not. The verse in Zephaniah clearly states that this soul will be hid, not snatched away. The verse in Luke may be used both ways. I see the verse in Corinthians as saying we will be changed at the last trump (1 Cor 15:52). I take that as a hint that the rapture will most likely occur at the last of the 7 trumpets spoken of in Revelation, just before the bowl judgments at the very end of the tribulation, where the final wrath is poured out on the earth. However, this is simply my personal belief. I will not make my entire case in support of my belief here. Suffice it to say that it is plainly wrong to make the timing of the rapture an issue important enough to divide any believers apart. That is simply stupid. It does not matter one bit what we believe about it. That will not change the timing of this future event one way or another. It will happen exactly when the Father wants it to happen. The Father will not change his mind about the timing of it, just because you have decided to believe it occurs on this day, and not on another. One of the most stupid things I saw on the internet recently was some moronic pastor, full of Pharisaical hate, condemn another brother as a heretic, primarily because he did not believe in the pre trib rapture! This is how retarded religion makes people. Have you even noticed that future events are never predicted accurately by these so called armchair prophecy experts? We only see the fulfillment of certain scriptures after the event has actually taken place. For example, I believe the first horseman was the conquering of the planet by the medical system, represented by the white horse. A crown, or corona, was given it to conquer with. Only after 2020 and beyond could we discern that the white horse may of represented the evil medical establishment. No one truly saw the white horse as meaning that until it was actually unleashed on the planet.
My point is that some of us will remain on the planet until the return of Christ, or at least the rapture, if there is one before his feet touch the mount of Olives. Why doesn’t this promise apply to all sincere believers? Because the bible also teaches that most saints in the tribulation will be martyred for their faith. The fifth seal is a preview of this. As a side note, I see the 7 seals as previewing the tribulation. Things of the antichrist system are being set up one after the other. The seals give us a rough outline of what will be emphasized during this set up phase, and in what order. Once the four horsemen are fully unleashed, great persecution follows, then great natural disasters. These are all signs of the great tribulation to come, which quickly follows, once we get a taste of all these horrible things by living through the seal judgments.
Because many of us are appointed to die, only some will be hid. God has his reasons as to who and how many. Perhaps he needs a certain amount of intercessors to be petitioning heaven night and day, until the utter end. Perhaps he wants witnesses. It seems that you increase your chances for this great honor by being a great intercessor, and one who watches and prioritizes personal holiness above all other things.
For all those who deeply believe in the pre trib rapture, I sincerely hope that you are right! Who in his right mind wants to live through what is just ahead? In my heart, I am convinced that one of the main reasons God has called me to write, is to help prepare the body for what is to come. We in the west are simply not ready to face reality. I am trying to watch as many videos as possible that describe the worst of the worst atrocities that the wicked are unleashing upon us, in order to train my mind to be able to navigate and survive these terrible things. I fervently pray regularly that I and my spouse will be of the chosen few to be hidden during these awful days ahead. I do not have the courage to face all that is on the horizon! I really rather not be taken away to a camp, tortured and jabbed with toxins, radiated with 5g, have chips implanted in my brain, or whatever else the cabal can dream up for the true church. Is it not better to prepare for the worst, then if the Lord wills, be pleasantly surprised if we are spared?
Let us take verses such as these and really make them a part of our lives. Let them serve as not only an exhortation to holiness, but as a ray of hope when the light all around us is being threatened to be extinguished completely.
Zep 2:4 For Gaza (strong) shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon (a weighing place, as in commerce) a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod (ravager) at the noon day, and Ekron (eradication) shall be rooted up (exterminated).
Now Zephaniah begins a litany of judgments on specific nations. These nations border Judah, or have interacted with Judah in their history. Part of it is to show the Judeans that there is no safe haven to run to when the judgment of God falls. Does that not apply to us today? I look at Canada. Where can we run to find sure safety? America? With 50 million illegal invaders within their borders, how secure is that place? With the fact that America is the number one target of the cabal for destruction, not to mention the prime target of God’s judgment, not many places in America will survive what is coming. Central or South America? Some of those nations currently seem promising. But mostly it is because certain countries have not been bothered with by the cabal. Any country’s fortune can change on a dime these days. The globalists have continually demonstrated their ability to interfere with and overturn any election on the planet that they desire. Such is the power given satan by God in this last generation. He knows he has but a short time, and is leaving no stone overturned in his mission of total global destruction.
Note that Gath is the only one of the five major cities of the Philistines that is omitted. This is because it was still under the control of Judah at this time. All these cities of Philistia would be overrun by Nebuchadnezzar, just as Judah would be. The meanings of these city names may contain some meaning. Those who are strong, will have no strength when God judges. Those that rely on commerce or trade, will be impoverished. Those that were known to ravage and eradicate will be ravaged and eradicated themselves. God always sets out appropriate punishments that fit the crime.
Zep 2:5 Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites (executioner)! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee (you will have no way to flee), that there shall be no inhabitant (no one will dwell there).
Cherethites is another name for the Philistines, as seen in this text when the Amalekite slave describes the land of the Philistines (v16) as the land of the Cherethites (v14).
1Sa 30:14 We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.
1Sa 30:16 And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.
I suppose one may posit that today’s Gaza war may be a continuation of the complete fulfillment of this prophecy.
Zep 2:6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages (meadows) for shepherds, and folds (enclosures) for flocks.
There may be some play on words as far as the Hebrew sounds go, but I will not explore that idea here. Suffice it to say that this once populated region, home of those 5 famous cities of antiquity, will now be known as empty lands, fit only for flocks of sheep.
Zep 2:7 And the coast (region) shall be for the remnant (surviving portion) of the house of Judah; they shall feed (pasture it) thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit (avenge) them, and turn away (shoob – turn back, or go again, or come back again) their captivity (exile)
Any biblically ignorant individual reading these posts who think that somehow cheering on the Gazans, right along with the rest of the planet, such as antifa, blm, the alphabet crowd, and all mainstream media, and the majority of so called Christian denominations, and most truther groups on alternative media, as well as all the muslims worldwide, should know that the Gaza strip was given to Abraham and his descendants with an everlasting covenant that is never subject to change. It absolutely floors me just how many Jew hating individuals there are who profess to be born again believers! Let me be perfectly clear. You cannot hate the Jews and call yourself a Christian. Period. End of story. Exactly what nationality is Jesus? Aryan? Arab?
If you are one of those who have been so greatly deceived, please, please, please, repent, before it is too late. You do not know the spiritual danger that you are in. For those who cannot accept this basic, fundamental truth of the bible, please leave, and never come back!
All of Philistia was given by God to the Israelites. However, rarely in their history did they occupy this land. Because this was one of the main areas that Joshua failed to drive out the inhabitants of the land, the descendants were left to haunt the nation as a thorn in their side, even up to this day. Who would of thought that a failure to obey the Lord over 3000 years ago is still causing negative consequences even up to today?
God says that Gaza shall be left for the remnant, or the surviving portion of the Jews. We can see ominous signs as to how this year long war seems to be expanding, with no end in sight. Who would of thought that in just a few short years, the actual conditions for the war of Gog and Magog (at least the initial fulfillment of it), could be definitively setting up? By the time Israel is done with this conflict, a remnant may be all that is left.
The verse can also be looked upon as an allegory for the church and her enemies. The Philistines have always represented the arch typical enemy of God and his chosen people. At the end of time, we shall inherit the enemy territory that satan had stolen from Adam, which was the entire earth. Yet only a remnant of us will be left, as most will become casualties of this great final battle to come.
Zep 2:8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.
We finally are done with Philistia, and turn to some of the other historical enemies of Israel. Moab and Ammon were destroyed about 5 years after Judah by Nebuchadnezzar. Thus all their gloating over Judah’s downfall would be for naught.
Strong’s concordance says the word for reproach is kher-paw. It has something to do with the word pudenda, and also can mean disgrace and shame. So the idea is some sort of sexual slur. The bible is certainly not for the squeamish!
Are we not tired of the left’s continual insults and revilings of all things good and normal? Remember that the birth of these 2 nations came out of a perverse and abominable sexual act. Have you noticed that very few who have fallen into serious sexual perversion ever repent? It is a known fact that pedophiles cannot be rehabilitated by any natural psychological technique. I have never heard of a single one ever being saved. I am sure that Lord could save one if he so chose, but reality is simply proving the bible, as we all know that Romans chapter one clearly indicates that homosexuals and lesbians are given over to their vile perversion permanently if they do not quickly repent of their deeds, and are forever damned while yet still alive. It is a rare thing for a homosexual to be saved. It is almost impossible for pedophiles to do so.
God is saying that he hears all the malicious, vile, reprehensible taunting of the wicked as they rejoice over the misfortunes that fall upon the people of God. Pride is always at the heart of their evil actions.
Zep 2:9 Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles (a possession of thorns), and saltpits, and a perpetual (eternal) desolation (devastation, waste and astonishment): the residue (remnant) of my people shall spoil (plunder) them, and the remnant (rest) of my people shall possess (inherit) them.
God swears by himself. A more solemn oath will never be heard. God wants us to know that the total judgment of Moab and Ammon is guaranteed. He uses the proverbial comparison to Sodom and Gomorrah, just as it is found in places such as Isaiah 1:9. These places are guaranteed to be a ruin forever. God’s remnant will inherit them, with whatever wealth is left to be found therein. The typology is more important than the actual physical fulfillment. God’s people are promised the return of the riches of the planet that was originally stolen from Adam by satan, and kept for evil purposes by his evil minions ever since. Once we get through the day of the Lord, that thieving nonsense will end.
Zep 2:10 This shall they have for their pride (arrogance), because they have reproached (defamed) and magnified (twisted the truth of) themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.
How many warnings has the serious student of the bible encountered over the sin of pride? How many verses must we read before we are convinced to make every effort to strip such a vile thing from our souls? Every time you magnify yourself at the expense of someone else, you are twisting the truth, like a serpent winding its way on the ground. God wants to make the crooked straight. That includes our attitudes towards our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Do not be caught in the same sin as these enemies of God’s people! Otherwise you too shall receive a just recompense for your pride and arrogancy.
Zep 2:11 The LORD will be terrible (yaw-ray – to fear, to be put in dread) unto them: for he will famish (emaciate) all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one (eesh – man) from his place (locality), even all the isles (or coasts) of the heathen (goy-ee).
Here is an interesting use of the word used for the fear of the Lord. Christians have for far too long softened the true meaning of this wonderful word. It is not just to reverence, but to be in dread of. So for the goyim sinners of the eh-rets (the earth), Yehovah will put the yaw-ray of Yahweh into them! He will do the equivalent of starve all the other so called gods that men worship. Perhaps that means that he will take all their worship away and cause it to be all directed toward its proper place, which is to him alone. It says that every eesh – every man will worship him, no matter where he is located on the planet. This is truly Millenium stuff. The church was given the task to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. We can debate all day long on the relative success or lack thereof. What is known is that never have all men worshipped the one true god all at the same time. Yet after God unleashes and completes his final judgments on all mankind during the great and terrible day of the Lord, the survivors will finally realize that everything that they have believed in up until then was a total lie, and all will come to worship the King of Kings, once he is installed on his throne in Mount Zion.
That is why I am proud to say that I am a Zionist! If it’s good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me!
Zep 2:12 Ye Ethiopians (Cushites) also, ye shall be slain (pierced) by my sword.
Almost as an afterthought, God gets around to completing the list of guilty nations that will also partake of his divine wrath. The Babylonians overthrew the Ethiopians, when they came to assist Egypt in the time of Nebuchadnezzar’s conquests.
Zep 2:13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north (figuratively hidden or gloomy), and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry (waste) like a wilderness (desert).
Now God turns his attention to the north. The place where the first of his rods of judgment used against his people was located. Assyria was used by God to destroy the northern kingdom. Now it is their turn. Assyria was conquered by Babylon even before Judah. The land being turned into desert can be taken literally, and also as a symbol of depopulation, a term that unfortunately we are being made all too aware of today.
Nations should never boast, when God allows them to conquer others. If they turn to corruption, the same fate is guaranteed in their future. Even five years ago, even with all of the sin and corruption, America still appeared to be untouchable. Look at her today. Breathing out her last gasps before the end.
Zep 2:14 And flocks (herds) shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations (goy-ee): both the cormorant (pelican, some bird that vomits up their food to redigest it) and the bittern (some bird species) shall lodge in the upper lintels (the capital of a column) of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation (drought, waste) shall be in the thresholds (basin, doorpost): for he shall uncover (leave destitute) the cedar work (cedar wainscotting).
God loves to use poetic language to describe spiritual realities. He especially enjoys to use examples from nature, as not only does he take pride in his creation, which was said to be very good, but it is something everyone can relate to.
Assyria, once so terrifying and invincible, becomes a haunt for every unclean bird. Since the bittern is said to nest on top of columns, that most likely refers to a stork, as that is exactly what they do. If you pass by these ruined dwellings, all you will see and hear is the sound of these unclean fowls. Depopulation is the result of defying the most high God.
As America the invincible defied God, has she not now been filled with every unclean bird imaginable? Has not every kind of sin been discovered in her midst? Are we not being depopulated, and depopulated quickly? Are we not experiencing the very same fate as this once great and terrible nation of Assyria?
Zep 2:15 This is the rejoicing (exultant) city that dwelt carelessly (securely and safely), that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation (sham-maw – a ruin, astonishment), a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss (scorn it), and wag his hand.
Did we not think that we lived in the most secure place on earth? What part of the world has ever had more physical security from their enemies than North America? Yet here we are. Betrayed from within. All in a matter of a few years, it seems. And now we find out that we are powerless to do anything about it. We rejoiced in our safety. We dwelt carelessly. We were so full of pride. Everyone envied us, but also wanted what we had. We believed we were unique, so blessed by God that we would last forever.
Nevertheless in the blink of an eye, we have become an astonishment. How quickly and comprehensively has Babylon fallen! As Assyria of old, so America (and the west) has become a desolation, a place for every unclean beast to lie down in. Not only are we unleashing every evil beast from our biolabs, but we are importing every unclean evil savage from all parts of the globe to replace us. And replace us they have. Soon there will be very few of us left, if we continue on this present trajectory.
Judgment is a doctrine that few eagerly pursue. Who wants to hear such things?
Let us remember that it is the mercy of the Lord that causes him to devote so much of the scripture to this crucial topic. He desires that no man perish, therefore he warns us again and again to shoob – turn back from our evil ways so that we may be spared.
Solitary Man
https://solitaryman.substack.com/
