“I, YAHWEH, declare that I will certainly sweep away every living thing from the land— animals and humans, birds and fish. I will topple the wicked and their idols and sweep away man from the land.” “I will punish Judah and all who live in Jerusalem. I will wipe out every trace of Baal from the land along with the names of the pagan priests or any priest who has turned away from me. I will punish those who bow down on their rooftops to worship the sun, moon, and stars and those with divided loyalties who bow before YAHWEH and swear allegiance to me but also swear their oaths in the name of their king. I, YAHWEH, will punish those who have turned their back on me, who do not seek me nor pray for me to guide them.” YAHWEH Be silent before the Lord God, for the day of YAHWEH is near. “I have prepared a sacrifice and have consecrated my invited guests. On the day of YAHWEH’s sacrifice, I will punish the royal family, your officials, and all who dress like pagan priests. At that time, I will punish all who worship Dagon and fill the palace of their rulers with violence and deception. “I, YAHWEH, declare: A cry for help will be heard from the Fish Gate in Jerusalem, wailing from the wealthier, newer part of the city. A loud crash will echo from the hills. Wail, you who live in the market area because all the merchants will be dead, and those who weigh out silver will be wiped out. “When that time comes, I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those stagnating in their self-satisfied smugness. They say in their hearts, ‘YAHWEH is aloof and can do nothing for us, either good or bad.’ Yet all their hoarded wealth will be looted and their houses leveled. They will build houses but never move in, plant vineyards but never drink the wine.”
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Compare All Versions: Zephaniah 1:2-13
4 Days
Prophesying during the reign of King Josiah, Zephaniah’s ministry concerned the sinfulness of Judah and her neighbors. Zephaniah prophesied about a coming “day of the Lord,” when God will pour out His wrath on those who persist in their wickedness. Zephaniah reminds us that although the coming judgment of the Lord is severe, God stands ready to save those who trust in Him.
5 Days
Idolatry is rife amongst God’s people and the surrounding nations, and it’s into this context that the prophet Zephaniah brings two clear messages: judgment and restoration. Dave Cornes explores what it looks like for us to repent and return to God, trusting Him to protect us through persecution and purify us through right judgment. This five-day reading plan will inspire you to rejoice as you look forward to ultimate restoration.
7 Days
The phrase “The day of the Lord” appears many times in the Bible. For the writers of the Bible, the expectation of this day played an important part in the way they lived their lives. In this plan, we will discover how the meaning of this phrase can shape our life and view of God. We will learn the importance of living our life in expectation of this day.
31 Days
Daily Bible Reading is designed to facilitate consistent interaction with Scripture. It includes background information on each day’s Scripture passage and key verse for meditation, reflection questions to help you dive deeper into Scripture, a prayer and prayer concern to help you connect to God and be of spiritual support to others. Journey with us this month as we explore the theme “God’s Life-Giving Word of Forgiveness and Mercy.”
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