1:1-6 - NO LOVE

Condemned because they turned from following God, others condemned because they did not seek nor inquire of Him. They did not study the scriptures to understand who God is and what He expected. How deep are you into the Scriptures. A married couple will not survive if they do not trust one another and listen to each other.  Do you trust His Word, is your love for God and neighbor growing?

  

1:7-13 - NO JOY

Time for Babylon to destroy Judah, they filled the house of the Lord with violence and deceit. Punish is mentioned 3 times, wail 2 times, cry once, no joy if there is no obedience. Do you reward disobedient children? Number one vitamin parents do not give their children enough of is NO. God's patience will run out and He will punish.

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1:14-18 - NO PEACE

Day of the Lord is coming, for them 606 BC for us Judgement Day, and there will be no peace. A day of wrath, trouble, destruction... because they sinned, they didn't share God's Word, they took advantage of their positions of authority. As a   Christian do you share the Truth that set you free or is it well buried under a rock as you busy yourself serving self instead of others?  Reap no peace just wrath.

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2:1-7 - BE PATIENT

Gather before it's too late, realize the day is approaching and seek the Lord, seek righteousness and humility, perhaps you will find safety, pray you're not too late. No big promise for the remnant but safety on the coast and restored fortune. Fortune is that peace of mind that your saved, we are rich because we have salvation.

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2:8-11 - NO KINDNESS

The Jews obviously showed no kindness to their neighbors because they taunted them. If you show kindness people will show it in return. God will destroy those who taunt His people, showing kindness draws people to God, are you drawing the lost or pushing them away?

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2:12-15 - GOODNESS

These nations rejected God's goodness and perished. Ethiopians had the chance with Queen of Sheba meeting Solomon. Didn't follow up. Assyria saw God's power in time of Hezekiah when 180,000 died in one night by the death angel. Didn't follow up. Nineveh was saved by Noah. Didn't follow up. To reject God's goodness is to bring disaster upon yourself, what are you doing with salvation?

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3:1-7 - NO FAITHFULNESS

The tyrannical city is Jerusalem who did not listen - no love/accepted no instruction - no joy/not trust in the Lord - no patience/not draw near - no kindness/After all God did to the disobedient nations, she did not accept instruction but was eager to be corrupt. Faithfulness is what you do when no one else is around, read, study, memorize God's word or TV, movies, internet, conforming to the world instead of transforming to the Word of God?  You know, don't blame others

 

3:8-11 - BE GENTLE

Wait for the Lord - His day will come and go, the fire will prove our work see 1Cor.3:13; Then with purified lips you may call on the name of the Lord to serve Him, shoulder to shoulder, referring to the time of Christ and our complete forgiveness, feel no shame, all sin forgiven. Are you waiting or impatient with the church and God who do not do things according to your timetable?

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3:12-20 - SELF CONTROL

God expects us to be, humble and lowly, doing no wrong, no lies, no deceit - taking refuge in the name of Jesus - feeding on the word of God.  He has taken away His judgements - forgiveness/no enemies - Satan/in your midst - Holy Spirit/fear no disaster - fear only God not men/.  Do not be afraid! Hands not limp, keep working for the Lord.

 

The Jews were hypocrites because they did not trust in the Word of the Lord, thus having no love for God but were willing to take all His blessings.  They reaped what they sowed and for those who did trust in God, the remnant, God spared. God knows those who are His, He knows our hearts. This letter was written in 625 BC 20 years before the Babylonians started attacking and dishing out the punishment of God.

 

This message is for us, to learn from their mistakes, we will always have hypocrites amongst us, but with Christ we can repent, be forgiven and get back to work for God. A remnant listened to the wake-up call from Zephaniah back then. Will there only be a remnant to respond to the wake-up call today. Which camp will you be in?