DOCSLIB.ORG

Exegesis and Exposition of Zephaniah 2:4-5

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Exegesis and Exposition of Zephaniah 2:4-5 EXEGESIS AND EXPOSITION OF ZEPHANIAH 2:4-5 Pastor William E. Wenstrom Jr. WENSTROM BIBLE MINISTRIES Marion, Iowa 2016 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries Exegesis and Exposition of Zephaniah 2:4-5 Zephaniah 2:4 Gaza Abandoned Zephaniah 2:4 For Gaza will be abandoned and Ashkelon a desolation; Ashdod will be driven out at noon and Ekron will be uprooted. (NASB95) “For Gaza will be abandoned” is composed of the following: (1) conjunction Gaza” (3) feminine“ ,(עַזָּה) for” (2) feminine singular proper noun ʿazzâ“ ,(כִּ י) kî abandoned” (4) third“ ,(עָּזַב) singular qal passive participle form of the verb ʿāzab will“ ,(הָּיָּה) person feminine singular qal active imperfect form of the verb hāyâ be.” The conjunction kî means “because” since it functions as a marker of causation since it is introducing a series of prophetic declarations which present the reason for Zephaniah’s previous commands in Zephaniah 2:1 and 3. The proper noun ʿazzâ, “Gaza” means “strong” and refers to one of four major Philistine cities which was located geographically to the south of Judah. It was the Philistine coastal capital within the tribal allotment of Judah (Josh. 15:47). This city lay at the intersection of two important trade routes in the eastern Mediterranean. The “Way of the Sea” ran between Egypt and Mesopotamia (Africa and Asia). The desert route that connected the Red Sea and Arabia with the Mediterranean also crossed through Gaza which made it a constantly contested city. The proper noun ʿazzâ is similar in sound to the verb ʿāzab, which in the qal passive form means “to be abandoned, deserted, forsaken.” Thus, this verb expresses the idea of the Philistine city of Gaza being deserted, forsaken and abandoned by the citizens of this city. The qal stem of this verb ʿāzab is stative expressing a state or condition indicating that the city of Gaza will exist in the state of being abandoned by its citizens. The passive voice of this verb means that the subject receives the action of the verb from an expressed or unexpressed agency. The subject are the citizens of the Philistine city of Gaza. The expressed agency is this city’s citizens. Thus, the passive voice denotes that the city of Gaza will receive the action of being abandoned by its people. The participle form of this verb is functioning as a predicate adjective meaning it is making the assertion that the city of Gaza in the imminent future will exist in a state of being abandoned by its citizens. 2016 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1 Together, these two words form a play on words between the name of the city Gaza and the fact of its judgment is intended. They are similar in sound and form the figure of speech called “paronomasia,” which is so-called because one word is placed alongside another which sounds and seems like a repetition of it. However, it is not but only similar. Two things are emphasized and the reader’s attention is called to this emphasis by the similarity of the sound. A play on the sound of the name of the city Gaza emphasizes its imminent destruction by God. The verb hāyâ means “to be” in the sense of existing in a particular state or condition. Here it is used in relation to the city of Gaza and Ashkelon expressing the fact that the former will in the future exist in the state or condition of being abandoned by its citizens and the latter will exist in the state or condition of being desolate. The qal stem is stative expressing a state or condition indicating that the city of Gaza will exist in the state of being abandoned by its citizens and the city of Ashkelon will exist in the state of being desolate. The imperfect conjugation of this verb describes this state of Gaza being abandoned by its people and the city of Ashkelon being desolate as taking place in the future. Ashkelon Desolate Zephaniah 2:4 For Gaza will be abandoned and Ashkelon a desolation; Ashdod will be driven out at noon and Ekron will be uprooted. (NASB95) “And Ashkelon a desolation” is composed of the following: (1) conjunction w ,(אַש ק לֹון) and” (2) feminine singular form of the proper noun ʾašqĕlôn“ ,( וְ) which is not translated (4) feminine singular ( ל־) Ashkelon” (3) preposition l“ ”.desolate“ ,(ש מָּמָּ ה) noun šĕmāmâ The conjunction w is adjunctive meaning it is introducing a prophetic declaration which serves as an addition to the previous one that asserted that Gaza will exist in a state of being abandoned by its citizens. The proper noun ʾašqĕlôn, “Ashkelon” means “place of weights” and was located geographically on the Philistine plain, 32 miles south of Joppa. It was one of the five cities of the Philistines (Josh. 13:3; 1 Sam. 6:17). It stood on the shore of the Mediterranean and was located 12 miles north/northeast of Gaza. Like Gaza, the city of Ashkelon was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 603 B.C. It kings was killed and prisoners were taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. Ashkelon’s destruction was not only predicted by Zephaniah but also by Jeremiah (47:5-7). The city recovered and became a famous Hellenistic city. The noun šĕmāmâ means “desolate” since the word pertains to a state of utter ruin often relating to uninhabitable land as a sparsely populated area. Here it refers 2016 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 2 to the city of Ashkelon being devastated and destroyed as a result of an invading army plundering them. It describes the condition of the homes of this city as devastated and destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar’s armies. This word is also the object of the preposition l which should left untranslated since it is simply marking this noun as the predicate adjective of the verb hāyâ which appears in the first prophetic declaration in verse 4. This indicates that this word is making the assertion that Ashkelon will exist in the state or condition of being desolate or a desolation. Ashdod Driven Out at Noon Zephaniah 2:4 For Gaza will be abandoned and Ashkelon a desolation; Ashdod will be driven out at noon and Ekron will be uprooted. (NASB95) “Ashdod will be driven out at noon” is composed of the following: (1) ”at“ ,( בְ) Ashdod” (2) preposition b“ ,( אַשּדֹוד) feminine singular proper noun ʾašdôd noon” (4) third person“ ,(צָּהֳרַ יִּם) articular masculine dual noun ṣāhŏrayim (3) will be“ ,(גָּרַ ש) masculine plural piel active imperfect form of the verb gāraš which is ,(הְִּיא) driven out” (5) third person feminine singular pronominal suffix hîʾ not translated. The prophet Zephaniah is employing the figure of asyndeton meaning he is not using a connective word between the first and second prophetic statements in verse 4 and the next two which are to follow. The purpose of this figure is the structure of the poetic structure of the prophecies in Zephaniah 2:4-15. It also emphasizes the solemn nature of the third and fourth prophetic declarations in verse 4. The proper noun ʾašdôd means “fortress” and was the northernmost of the three Philistine cities located on or near the Mediterranean coast. It is mentioned 21 times in the Old Testament and figures prominently in historical narratives addressing the wars between the Israelites and the Philistines. It was located 22 miles south of Joppa, approximately 10 miles north of Ashkelon and three miles inland. The verb gāraš is in the piel stem and means “to be driven out, to expel.” It is used of the inhabitants of Ashkelon indicating that they will be “driven out” or “expelled” from this city. The piel stem of this verb is factitive meaning that the subject of the verb in the piel causes its direct object to enter the state that can be described by the same verb in the qal stem. The subject is those who drive out the inhabitants of Ashdod which history records was the soldiers of Babylon. The object is the Ashdod and specifically, her inhabitants. Therefore, this stem indicates that the Babylonian army will cause the inhabitants of Ashdod to enter the state of having been driven out of the city. 2016 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 3 The imperfect conjugation of this verb describes the inhabitants of Ashdod being driven out by the Babylonian army as taking place in the future. The dual noun ṣāhŏrayim means “noon” since it pertains to a time in the day when the sun appears at the highest point in the daytime sky, a time which is most opposite of night and darkness, the mid-point of the daytime. The word’s articular construction indicates the uniqueness of this period of the day. It is the object of the preposition b which means “at” since it is functioning as a temporal marker indicating the exact point in the day in which Ashdod’s inhabitants will be expelled from this city. The third person feminine singular pronominal suffix hîʾ means “her” referring to the city of Ashdod and in particular her inhabitants. It is functioning as the direct object of the verb gāraš indicating that the citizens of Ashdod receive the action of being expelled from the city by the Babylonian armies. Ekron Uprooted Zephaniah 2:4 For Gaza will be abandoned and Ashkelon a desolation; Ashdod will be driven out at noon and Ekron will be uprooted. (NASB95) “And Ekron will be uprooted” is composed of the following: (1) conjunction Ekron” (3) third“ ,(עֶק רֹון) and” (2) feminine singular proper noun ʿeqrôn“ ,( וְ) w ,(עָּקַר) person feminine singular niphal passive imperfect form of the verb ʿāqar “will be uprooted.” The conjunction w is adjunctive meaning it is introducing another prophetic declaration which is an addition to the previous one.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Zephaniah 202 1 Edition Dr
    Notes on Zephaniah 202 1 Edition Dr. Thomas L. Constable TITLE AND WRITER The title of the book comes from the name of its writer. "Zephaniah" means "Yahweh Hides [or Has Hidden]," "Hidden in Yahweh," "Yahweh's Watchman," or "Yahweh Treasured." The uncertainty arises over the etymology of the prophet's name, which scholars dispute. I prefer "Hidden by Yahweh."1 Zephaniah was the great-great-grandson of Hezekiah (1:1), evidently King Hezekiah of Judah. This is not at all certain, but I believe it is likely. Only two other Hezekiahs appear on the pages of the Old Testament, and they both lived in the postexilic period. The Chronicler mentioned one of these (1 Chron. 3:23), and the writers of Ezra and Nehemiah mentioned the other (Ezra 2:16; Neh. 7:21). If Zephaniah was indeed a descendant of the king, this would make him the writing prophet with the most royal blood in his veins, except for David and Solomon. Apart from the names of his immediate forefathers, we know nothing more about him for sure, though it seems fairly certain where he lived. His references to Judah and Jerusalem (1:10-11) seem to indicate that he lived in Jerusalem, which would fit a king's descendant.2 1Cf. Ronald B. Allen, A Shelter in the Fury, p. 20. 2See Vern S. Poythress, "Dispensing with Merely Human Meaning: Gains and Losses from Focusing on the Human Author, Illustrated by Zephaniah 1:2-3," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 57:3 (September 2014):481-99. Copyright Ó 2021 by Thomas L.
    [Show full text]
  • Exegesis and Exposition of Zephaniah 2:14-15
    EXEGESIS AND EXPOSITION OF ZEPHANIAH 2:14-15 Pastor William E. Wenstrom Jr. WENSTROM BIBLE MINISTRIES Marion, Iowa 2016 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries Exegesis and Exposition of Zephaniah 2:14-15 Zephaniah 2:14 Flocks Will Lie Down in Nineveh Zephaniah 2:14 Flocks will lie down in her midst, all beasts which range in herds; Both the pelican and the hedgehog will lodge in the tops of her pillars; Birds will sing in the window, desolation will be on the threshold; For He has laid bare the cedar work. (NASB95) “Flocks will lie down in her midst” is composed of the following: (1) which is not translated (2) third person masculine plural qal ,( וְ) conjunction w ,( בְ) will lie down” (3) preposition b“ ,(רָ בַץ) active perfect form of the verb rābaṣ (midst” (5“ ,(תָ וְֶך) in” (4) masculine singular construct form of the noun tāwek“ her” (6) masculine“ ,(הִ יא) third person feminine singular pronominal suffix hîʾ ”.flocks“ ,(עֵדֶ ר) plural noun ʿēder The conjunction w is a marker of result meaning that it is introducing a series of prophetic statements which present the result of the previous prophetic declaration recorded at the end of Zephaniah 2:13 which asserts that the God of Israel will make Nineveh a desolation, a dry land like the desert. The noun ʿēder means “flocks and herds” since this word pertains to flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. It pertains to a group of mammals that range together, usually sheep or goats as well as cows, camels, donkeys, etc.
    [Show full text]
  • Not So Minor After All Not So Minor After All
    Not So Minor After All Not So Minor After All Define Biblical things in a Biblical way. If this is true, what scripture ever calls these 12 prophets minor? None Luke 24 : 27, 44 “...Moses and all the Prophets…” Twelve Prophets (Aramaic: Trei Asar, "The Twelve"), occasionally Book of the Twelve, is the eighth and last book of the Nevi'im, the second main division of the Jewish Tanakh. The collection is broken up to form twelve individual books in the Christian Old Testament, one for each of the prophets. Not So Minor After All We didn’t understand what they are saying. We do now. We felt there was nothing for us and we didn’t know how to use them. We see now. We felt it would take to long to go through them all. It didn’t just 12 weeks We had a lack of respect to God’s word (Completed Word). We don’t anymore. 12 Prophets Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Nahum Jonah Habakkuk Micah Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi 12 Prophets - Nahum ‘nachum’ (h) – comfort ‘nacham’ (h) – properly to sigh; by implication to be sorry, that is, to pity, console Nahum brings comfort. The book of comfort. Nahum 1 – The Lord is good. He reserves wrath, He is slow to anger, He knows those who trust in Him Nahum 2 – The Lord will restore No one will help Nineveh, she will be desolate, I am against you Nahum 3 – Consider No Amon This undefeatable city, was defeated…who can stop Me? 12 Prophets - Habakkuk ‘chabaqquq’ (h) – embrace Habakkuk is a book written from 3 perspectives: Habakkuk asking God where His embrace has gone God revealing His plan to Habakkuk Habakkuk finding comfort in God’s revealed salvation Habakkuk 1 – Two questions for God How long shall I cry, And you not hear? Why do You hold Your tongue? Habakkuk 1/2 – God’s Answers I am sending someone to deal with this.
    [Show full text]
  • The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible
    The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible James C. VanderKam WILLIAM B. EERDMANS PUBLISHING COMPANY GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN / CAMBRIDGE, U.K. © 2oi2 James C. VanderKam AU rights reserved Published 2012 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 2140 Oak Industrial Drive N.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49505 / P.O. Box 163, Cambridge CB3 9PU U.K. Printed in the United States of America 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 7654321 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data VanderKam, James C. The Dead Sea scrolls and the Bible / James C. VanderKam. p. cm. "Six of the seven chapters in The Dead Sea scrolls and the Bible began as the Speaker's Lectures at Oxford University, delivered during the first two weeks of May 2009" — Introd. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-0-8028-6679-0 (pbk.: alk. paper) L. Dead Sea scrolls. 2. Dead Sea scrolls — Relation to the Old Testament. 3. Dead Sea scrolls — Relation to the New Testament. 4. Judaism — History — Post-exilic period, 586 B.c-210 A.D. I. Title. BM487.V255 2012 22i.4'4 — dc23 2011029919 www.eerdmans.com Contents INTRODUCTION IX ABBREVIATIONS XÜ ι. The "Biblical" Scrolls and Their Implications ι Number of Copies from the Qumran Caves 2 Other Copies 4 Texts from Other Judean Desert Sites 5 Nature of the Texts 7 General Comments 7 The Textual Picture 9 An End to Fluidity 15 Conclusions from the Evidence 15 New Evidence and the Text-Critical Quest 17 2. Commentary on Older Scripture in the Scrolls 25 Older Examples of Interpretation 28 In the Hebrew Bible 28 Older Literature Outside the Hebrew Bible 30 Scriptural Interpretation in the Scrolls 35 ν Continuous Pesharim 36 Other Forms of Interpretation 38 Conclusion 47 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
    A People of the Book 8-Year Curriculum Year 6, Quarter 4 A Study of Selected Texts from Minor Prophets III (Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi) Mike White Minor Prophets III 4th Quarter 2012 Table of Contents =============================================================== Introduction Timeline Summary Table for all the Minor Prophets Lesson 1–Zephaniah 1-2:3- Urgency for national spiritual revival -7 October Lesson 2–Zephaniah 2:4-3–God’s present judgment & future hope-14 October Lesson 3-Haggai 1-Putting first things first-21 October Lesson 4-Haggai 2-Victory comes from the Lord & not from men!-28 October Lesson 5-Zechariah 1-3-Be encouraged because God is among us-4 November Lesson 6-Zechariah 4-6-Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit-11 November Lesson 7 –Zechariah 7-8-What does true religion look like?-18 November Lesson 8 –Zechariah 9-11-1st Oracle: Sovereignty of God and the Good Shepherd -25 November Lesson 9 – Zechariah 12-14-2nd Oracle: Our Lord’s final victory-2 December Lesson 10 –Malachi 1 – Cheating God? – 9 December Lesson 11 – Malachi 2 – Honoring God – 16 December Lesson 12 –Malachi 3-4-God is in control & Jesus Christ is on the way-23 December Lesson 13 – Pop Quiz-30 December Minor Prophets III 4th Quarter 2012 Introduction Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi Welcome to our study of the last four books of the Old Testament. All of what we study in these books will be perfectly applicable to our lives today because the stress and challenges of the Jews in Jerusalem during the time of Zephaniah, and the small group of Jews who returned to Judah and Jerusalem after the destruction of their way of life as foreordained by God demand the same level of trust toward God and obedience to His will today as it did 2500 years ago.
    [Show full text]
  • THE WAR SCROLL – 1QM,1Q33,4Q491-7, 4Q471 Hitgalut 12:17
    THE WAR SCROLL – 1QM,1Q33,4Q491-7, 4Q471 Hitgalut 12:17 “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make warwarwar with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Yeshua‘ the Messiah.” 1 Outline for War Scroll I. Introduction II. Proclamation of war III. Reorganization of Temple worship IV. Program of 40 year war V. The trumpets VI. The standards VII. War formations VIII. Age of soldiers IX. The camp X. Duties of priests and Levites XI. Addresses and prayers of the battle liturgy XII. Thanksgiving songs XIII. Battle against the Kittiym 2 The War Scroll – Column 1 “For the In[structor, the Rule of] the War. The first attack of the Sons of Light shall be undertaken against the forces of the Sons of Darkness, the army of Belial: the troops of Edom, Moab, the sons of Ammon, the [Amalekitesl, Philistia, and the troops of the Kittim of Asshur. Supporting them are those who have violated the covenant.” 3 Defining the Sons of Darkness Army of Belial Edom Moab Sons of Ammon Sons of the East/ Amalekites Philistines Bands of Kittiym 4 The Coming of Melchizedek (column 1-2) 11Q13 “And concerning what Scripture says, "In this year of Jubilee you shall return, everyone of you, to your property" (Lev.Lev. 25;13Lev. 25;13)25;13 And what is also written; "And this is the manner of the remission; every creditor shall remit the claim that is held against a neighbor, not exacting it of a neighbor who is a member of the community, because God's remission has been proclaimed" (Deut.15;2Deut.15;2Deut.15;2Deut.15;2)” 5 The Coming of Melchizedek (column 3-6) “the interpretation is that it applies to the Last Days and concerns the captives, just as Isaiah said: "To proclaim the Jubilee to the captives" (Isa.
    [Show full text]
  • EM03222020 Notes
    DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. This week, we continue our series, “God in the Ruins: The Message of the Minor Prophets,” by looking at ZEPHANIAH the prophet Zephaniah. Begin your study by praying that God would speak to you through His Word. GOD IN THE RUINS | ZEPHANIAH 1-3 | MARCH 22, 2020 | PASTOR FEMI IBITOYE 2. Background: Zephaniah was a prophet to the southern kingdom of Judah before the fall of Nineveh (612 BC) and the fall of Jerusalem (587 BC). Zephaniah ministered in the days of Josiah the son of “The Lord your God is with You, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; Amon, king of Judah (640 - 609 BC) 2 Kings 22-23. The prophets Jeremiah, Nahum and Habakkuk in his love he will no longer rebuke you but will rejoice over you with singing.” were his contemporaries. He is a descendant of King Hezekiah (Zephaniah 1:1) (Zephaniah 3:17) 3. The major themes of the book of Zephaniah include the judgement of God on the whole world (Zephaniah 1:2-3, 14-18 and 3:8; Judah and Jerusalem (Zephaniah 1:4-13, 3: 1-4, and the Surrounding Introducing Zephaniah nations. There is a warning of the coming day of the Lord (Zephaniah 1:15-11, 2:2-20) and the • Prophesized during the reign of King Josiah (640 – 609 BC) (Zephaniah 1:1) deliverance and blessing of the remnant of Israel (Zephaniah 3:14-20). • Descendant of King Hezekiah (Zephaniah 1:1) 4. Read Zephaniah 1:2-3. Summarize the prophet’s prophesy about the destruction of the whole world in • Preached in the Southern Kingdom (Judah) your own words.
    [Show full text]
  • Notes on Zephaniah 2007 Edition Dr
    Notes on Zephaniah 2007 Edition Dr. Thomas L. Constable Introduction TITLE AND WRITER The title of the book comes from the name of its writer. "Zephaniah" means "Yahweh hides [or has hidden]," "Yahweh's watchman," or "Yahweh treasured." The uncertainty arises over the etymology of the prophet's name, which scholars dispute. I prefer "Yahweh hides." Zephaniah was the great-great-grandson of Hezekiah (1:1), evidently King Hezekiah of Judah.1 If he was indeed a descendant of the king, this would make him the writing prophet with the most royal blood in his veins, except for David and Solomon. Apart from the names of his immediate forefathers we know nothing more about him for sure, though it seems fairly sure where he lived. His references to Judah and Jerusalem (1:10- 11) seem to indicate that he lived in Jerusalem, which would fit a king's descendant. UNITY Criticism of the unity of Zephaniah has not had great influence. Zephaniah's prediction of Nineveh's fall (2:15; 612 B.C.) led critics who do not believe that the prophets could predict the future to date the book after that event. Differences in language and style influenced some critics to divide the book up and identify its various parts with diverse sources. Yet the unity of the message and flow of the entire book, plus ancient belief in its unity, have convinced most conservative scholars to regard Zephaniah as the product of one writer.2 DATE Zephaniah ministered during the reign of King Josiah of Judah (640-609 B.C.; 1:1).
    [Show full text]
  • The Book of Zephaniah
    The Book of Zephaniah from the book Minor Prophets: Major Messages by Rev. George McCurdy Contents How To Use This Study Guide......................................................................................................... 4 Introduction........................................................................................................................................... 5 Who was Zephaniah?..................................................................................................................... 5 What kings of Judah preceded Zephaniah’s prophecy, and what king was ruling during the time of his prophecy?.............................................................................................. 6 What spiritual issues did Zephaniah address on behalf of the Lord?........................7 What hope did Zephaniah bring to Judah from the Lord?..............................................8 Chapter One........................................................................................................................................... 9 Zephaniah 1:1-3............................................................................................................................... 9 Zephaniah 1:4-6............................................................................................................................ 15 Zephaniah 1:7-8............................................................................................................................ 18 Zephaniah 1:9-11........................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • This Week's Focus Zephaniah 1:1-7
    2 The Prophet Zephaniah 1:1-7 This Week’s Focus Tornado alley is the term some people give to states in the central region of the United States because of the cross-wind patterns that frequently develop when cold and warm fronts collide in this part of our nation. Violently rotating cones of wind can be spun to life in minutes when a tornado hits. Houses can be flattened and lives can be destroyed in a matter of minutes. Zephaniah warned all who would listen of a spiritual truth that is eerily similar to the truth about tornadoes; when the conditions are right, the devastating forces of God’s judgment will be unleashed on human society. © LifeWay 2014 10 Explore the Bible | Students Begin by reading through the passage two times. Zephaniah 1:1-7 1 The word of the ordL that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, during the reign of Josiah a son of Amon king of Judah: 2 “I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the L ord. 3 “I will sweep away both man and beast; I will sweep away the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea—and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble.” “When I destroy all mankind on the face of the earth,” declares the Lord, 4 “I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem. I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place, the very names of the idolatrous priests— 5 those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the Lord and who also swear by Molek, 6 those who turn back from following the Lord and neither seek the Lord nor inquire of him.” 7 Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the day of the Lord is near.
    [Show full text]
  • Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi
    ZEPHANIAH HAGGAI ZECHARIAH MALACHI ........-­ '!t-­ .. ZEP~1JAH of the reigning king of Judah at the time of his prophetic activity. With this lesson we come to the last four writings in the Book of the Twelve. The A second thing we learn about Zephaniah first of these books is Zephaniah. In the in this opening verse is that the word of the opening verse of the book, we learn two Lord that he proclaims comes to him during things about Zephaniah. First of all the the reign of King Josiah. Josiah ruled from verse traces his family line back four gener­ 640 to 609 B.C. We also know that Jeremiah ations. No other prophet receives such a was active during this same period. So pedigree. Why is Zephaniah an exception? Jeremiah and Zephaniah were contempo­ Perhaps the identity of one of his ancestors raries, although neither mentions the other. is important. He is said to be a descendant We can divide the Book of Zephaniah of Hezekiah-maybe the king of that name into three parts. These three parts do not who ruled about a century before Zepha­ correspond to the present chapter divisions. niah. Thus Zephaniah would be a relative In Zephaniah 1:2-2:3 Zephaniah prophesies ZEPHANIAH / MALACHI liS against Judah. In Zephaniah 2:1-3:8 he b. prophesies against foreign nations. In the remainder of Chapter 3 Zephaniah tells of the good time coming in the future. As we have seen, many of the prophetic books have a similar outline-judgment against the chosen people, followed by judgment against foreign nations, followed c.
    [Show full text]
  • Old Testament – Student Guide
    Village Missions Website: http://www.vmcdi.com Contenders Discipleship Initiative E-mail: [email protected] Contenders Bible School – Survey of the Old Testament – Student Guide Old Testament Village Missions The Hebrew Contenders Discipleship InitiativeVillage Missions Scriptures Contenders Discipleship Initiative The Law The Prophets The Writings Survey of the Old Survey of the Old Testament Testament Local Instructor Guide Local Instructor Guide Contenders Discipleship Initiative – Old Testament Survey – Local Instructor Guide TRAINING MODULE SUMMARY Course Name Survey of the Old Testament Course Number in Series 4 Creation Date March 2017 Created By: Cliff Horr Last Date Modified August 2018 Version Number 4.1 Copyright note: The Contenders program is provided free of charge and it is expected that those who receive freely will in turn give freely. Permission for non-commercial use is hereby granted but re-sale is prohibited. Contenders Bible School was a tuition-free two-year ministry equipping program started in 1995 by Pastor Ron Sallee at Machias Community Church, Snohomish, WA. It is now run as a tuition-free online equipping ministry by Village Missions. The full Contenders Discipleship Initiative program with pdf copies of this guide and corresponding videos can be found at www.vmcontenders.org. Copyright is retained by Village Missions with all rights reserved to protect the integrity of this material and the Village Missions Contenders Discipleship Initiative. Contenders Discipleship Initiative Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in the Contenders Discipleship Initiative courses are those of the instructors and authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Village Missions. The viewpoints of Village Missions may be found at www.villagemissions.org/doctrinal-statement Village Missions may be found at www.villagemissions.org/doctrinal-statement LOCAL INSTRUCTORS using the CDI in a classroom setting are encouraged to fill in any gaps and add to the discussion of content provided by our ONLINE INSTRUCTORS.
    [Show full text]