Home

Nazarene Commentary 2000©

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

THE PROPHET ZEPHANIAH

CHAPTER TWO:
MEEK SURVIVORS

Zephaniah 2:1-3 – Act Before the Day of Wrath

ZP2:1 Assemble! Yes, gather yourselves, O nation without any yearning! 20

20	O nation without any yearning: That is, Babylon the Great, apostate Jerusalem.

ZP2:2 Before the pronouncement gives birth – or the day is vanished like chaff – before Y^eH^oW^aH’s flaming wrath descends upon all of you people 21 – before the day of Y^eH^oW^aH’s rage descends upon you all –

21	All of you people: The modern apostate Jerusalem, Christendom, or Babylon the Great.

ZP2:3 search for Y^eH^oW^aH, 22 all you meek of the earth – you who have obeyed His judgments. Search for righteousness! Search for humility! It is possibly you will be sheltered 23 in Y^eH^oW^aH’s day of wrath.

22	Search for YeHoWaH: This is directed to that remnant of Zephaniah 3:13 which is the end-time Saints [= 144,000]. They are exhorted to seek or search for three things: a] Yehowah; b] righteousness; and, c] humility. They are described as meek and obedient.

23	It is possibly you will be sheltered: A play on Zephaniah’s name. This refers to that “large crowd” of Revelation 7:14-17. Some will die in faithfulness during the Great Oppression, while others will survive to be raptured, then to join their dead friends. [1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17]

Zephaniah 2:4-7 – Western Enemies

ZP2:4 Because Gaza 24 will become an empty town, and Ashkelon an empty desert. In the burning heat of high noon they will drive out Ashdod, and Ekron will be uprooted.

24	Gaza: In modern Palestine, fought over by the Arabs and Jews.

ZP2:5 Woe to the inhabitants of the coast, the Cretans! Y^eH^oW^aH’s word is against you people. O Canaan, land of the Philistines, 25 I will destroy you to the last inhabitants.

25	Philistines: Arabic Palestine.

ZP2:6 The coastal beaches will become pastures – shepherd’s wells and rock pens for sheep. ZP2:7 And it will become an area for the remnant of Jacob’s house to feed. They will stretch out to sleep in the houses of Ashkelon at night. For their God Y^eH^oW^aH will visit them and return their captives.

Zephaniah 2:8-11 – Eastern Enemies

ZP2:8 “I have heard Moab’s insult, and the slander of the children of Ammon – how they scorned my People and continued to behave arrogantly against their land. ZP2:9 And so as I live,” is the pronouncement of Y^eH^oW^aH of Hosts, the God of Israel, “Moab 26 will become as Sodom, and the children of Ammon like Gomorrah – a place overrun with thorns and nettles, a salt pit, and an empty desert – throughout unknown times. The remnant of my People 27 will take them as booty, and the remnant of my Nation will inherit them.

26	Moab, Ammon: Modern Syria and Jordan.

27	Remnant of my People: Compare notes on Zephaniah 3:13.

ZP2:10 This is what will replace their arrogance, because they scorned and behaved arrogantly against the People of Y^eH^oW^aH of Hosts. ZP2:11 Y^eH^oW^aH will be awe-inspiring when He appears against them. For a certainty He will waste all the gods of the earth. All peoples will prostrate to Him, 28 everyone in their own land and all those along the coastlands of the nations.

28	All peoples will prostrate to Him: Beginning with those nations that survive Armageddon and enter the Thousand Years. [Revelation 20:3; Zechariah 14:16]

Zephaniah 2:12 – Southern Enemy

ZP2:12 “Also you! You Ethiopians, you will be the slaughter of My sword!

Zephaniah 2:13-15 – Northern Enemy

ZP2:13 “And then He will reach out with His hand northward, and He will destroy Assyria. 29 Also, He will turn Nineveh into an empty desert, a wilderness without water.

29	Assyria: Modern Iran.

ZP2:14 Right at her center herds will lie down along with all the wild beasts of a nation. Both pelican and porcupine will roost among her columns. An owl will hoot from a window sill, and a raven croak on the doorstep – for He has ruined the door posts. ZP2:15 This was the city rejoicing about her security! She that said in her heart, ‘I am and there is no other!’ O how frightening she has become! A place where wild beasts lie down. Anyone traveling through will whistle and gesture with the hand.”

Review Questions on Chapter Two