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Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

THE PROPHET ZEPHANIAH

CHAPTER ONE:
YEHOWAH’S DAY

Zephaniah 1:1-6 – Those to Be Terminated

ZP1:1 Y^eH^oW^aH’s Word that came to Zephaniah 1 – the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliahm, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekieh – during the time of Joshiah, 2 the son of Amon, 3 king of Judah:

1	Zephaniah: Meaning is “Yah Conceals [Treasures]. Hebrew: TSEPHANYAH; Greek: SOPHONIAS; Latin: SOFONIAS.

2	Joshiah: 2 Kings 22:1; Jeremiah 1:2.

3	Amon: 2 Kings 21:18.

ZP1:2 “I will certainly terminate 4 everything from the off the face of the ground,” 5 is Y^eH^oW^aH’s pronouncement.

4	Terminate: Or, cut off, utterly consume, finish off, sweep away, clean way.

5	The face of the ground: Or, land. That is those dwelling within Babylon the Great as the “sons of the wicked one.” [Matthew 13:40-42]

ZP1:3 “I will terminate humankind and animals. I will terminate the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, as well as the stumbling-blocks 6 among all the wicked. I will cut off humankind from the surface of ground,” is the pronouncement of Y^eH^oW^aH.

6	Stumbling-blocks: For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew 13:40-42.

ZP1:4 “Also, I will reach out my hand against Judah, 7 and I will cut off from this region any remains of Baal 8 – the name of the priests of an alien god 9 and the priests themselves.

7	Judah: The end-time Saints taken out of the twelve tribes of Israel. [Revelation 7:4]

8

Baal: Meaning, “Lord” in contrast with those who know the name of their God, Yehowah. The paganized, Grecianized apostate worship of those collective weeds and goats. [Matthew 13:40-42; 25:31-46. Compare 1 Timothy 4:1-3. [2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1, 2] On Baal, John Newton wrote: “Though he is of the masculine gender in the Hebrew, the lord, yet Baal is called the lady, in the Septuagint; Hos. ii. 8; Zeph. i. 4; and in the New Testament, Romans xi. 4. At the licentious worship of this androgyne, or two-sexed god, the men on certain occasions wore female garments, whilst the women appeared in male attire, brandishing weapons.” [Ancient Pagan and Modern Christian Symbolism, by T. Inman, 1875, p. 119.] One can easily see how modern Babylon [Christendom] is more and more accepting lesbian and homosexual persons as clergy.

9	Alien god: including the Egyptian and Grecian triads or trinities. For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Error of the Trinity.]

ZP1:5 Also those prostrating on their roofs to the stars of the heavens, and also those prostrating in worship, and swearing in oaths to Y^eH^oW^aH, and those swearing in oaths by Malcam. 10

10	Malcam: Meaning “their king.”

ZP1:6 Also those who have apostatized from following Y^eH^oW^aH and those who do not search for Y^eH^oW^aH or inquire of Him.”

Zephaniah 1:7 – Zephaniah: Silence!

ZP1:7 Remain silent in the Presence of Y^eH^oW^aH the Absolute Lord! 11 For the Day of Y^eH^oW^aH 12 is near, because Y^eH^oW^aH has readied His sacrifice! He has sanctified His Elect! 13

11	Absolute Lord: Similar to DESPOTA of Acts 4:24.

12	The Day of YeHoWaH: A phrase occurring most often in Zephaniah. Compare Acts 2:20; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 3 Peter 3:12. [1 Corinthians 5:5]

13	Sanctified His Elect: Or, KJV: bid his guests; LXX: sanctified his guests; NJB: consecrated his guests. Greek KLETOUS AUTOU [his invited ones] Compare notes on Matthew 22:1-14.

Zephaniah 1:8-13 – The Day of Y^eH^oW^aH Is Near!

ZP1:8 “Now it will happen on Y^eH^oW^aH’s day of sacrifice that I will inspect princes, the sons of the king, and to everyone wearing an alien garment. ZP1:9 And on that Day I will inspect anyone who ascends the king’s dais, as well as those who fill up their lord’s house with violence and deceit. ZP1:10 And it will happen on that day,” is the pronouncement of Y^eH^oW^aH, “there will be the sound of screaming out of the Fish Gate, 14 and a shriek out of the second quarter, and a tremendous crash from the countryside.

14	Fish Gate: Jerusalem is the city comparable to that “great city” where “their Lord was impaled.” [Revelation 11:7-13]

ZP1:11 Shriek, all you inhabitants of Jerusalem’s quarters, for every merchant 15 has become quiet. Everyone who measures out money has been cut off.

15	Merchant: There is surely a parallel here with Revelation 13:17.

ZP1:12 And it will happen during this time that I will seek throughout Jerusalem with lamps. I will inspect those who are thickening over their wine dregs, and also those who say from within, ‘Y^eH^oW^aH will do neither good or bad.’ ZP1:13 All their wealth 16 will become spoils, and their homes destroyed. They will build houses, but never inhabit them. They will plant vineyards but never drink their wine.

16	All their wealth: Compare Revelation chapter 18.

Zephaniah 1:14-19 – Y^eH^oW^aH’s Day Described

ZP1:14 “Y^eH^oW^aH’s great day approaches! It comes on apace and hurries greatly. The sound of Y^eH^oW^aH’s Day 17 is distressing, for then even a powerful man will scream.

17	YeHoWaH’s Day: Or, day of Jehovah. See notes on Revelation 6:17.

ZP1:15 That Day is a day of rage 18 – a day of grief and agony, a day of tempest and annihilation, a day of darkness and depression, a day of clouds and concentrated obscurity,

18	That Day is a day of rage: Compare notes on Romans 2:5-16 and 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10.

ZP1:16 a day of the SHOFAR and trumpet blast – against the castles and elevated watchtowers. ZP1:17 And I will cause great anxiety 19 upon humankind. They will stumble about like blind persons, because they have sinned against Y^eH^oW^aH. Their blood will be poured out like dirt, and their intestines like excrement.

19	Great anxiety: Compare notes on Luke 21:25, 26.

ZP1:18 Their silver and gold will never save them in Y^eH^oW^aH’s day of rage. For the entire land will be consumed by the flame of His fervor. Because He will cause instant horror at the extinction of all the inhabitants of the land!”

Review Questions on Chapter One