Zephaniah - Zeph. 2:1-2 DailyBibleStudy.Org

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Zeph. 2:1-2

Lesson # Zeph. 2:1-2
Study Material - Zeph. 2:1-2

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Zeph. 2:1-2

1 Gather yourselves together [qashash] , yea, gather together [qashash] , O nation [gowy] not desired [kacaph] ;
2 Before the decree [choq] bring forth [yalad] , before the day [yowm] pass [abar] as the chaff [mots] , before [lo] the fierce [charown] anger [aph] of the LORD [Yahovah] come [bow] upon you, before the day [yowm] of the LORD'S [Yahovah] anger [aph] come [bow] upon you. KJV-Interlinear

1 Gather yourselves together, yes, gather, O nation without shame, 2 Before the decree takes effect — The day passes like the chaff — Before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you, Before the day of the Lord's anger comes upon you. NASB

'Gather together.' This is a humble gathering. This gathering is used in describing those who go out into the field and gather straw, or stubble, or whatever is left behind after a harvest. This is gleaning of that which is left over.

A poor person gleans because he has little or no money for purchasing the finer products of the harvest. He is going after that which is in effect, free. He just has to make the effort to go out and collect whatever is left over.

When a farmer harvests a crop, he is to leave a little behind for those who glean. He is not to be so greedy and try to collect every last grain, such that there is nothing left even for the birds. But he is to even go the extra mile to make sure that there is enough left in the fields in order to comply with Gods command for charity, so that the poor will have something for themselves.

This is a lesson in charity which we aren't studying now, but the principle is here just the same. The nation, to whom Zephaniah is speaking, is poor spiritually. The nation is a collection of people, and on the whole, they have gone astray spiritually. God always leaves enough doctrine for anyone and everyone who is willing to make the effort to go after it.

To glean in the fields one has to get up and go to the field and then move through the field, looking diligently for the last few bits of grain, or ears of corn, or whatever is left after the harvest of the crop. And the gleaner has to carry some sort of bag or container with which to collect the grain and then bring it back to their home for storage and later use.

God does not drive the people to despair, and try to make them just give up on life, but His intent is to drive them to Himself, God, and to their duty as believers in Himself. He does not wish to frighten them out of their wits, but attempts to frighten them out of their sins, or evil pattern of life which they freely chose for themselves.

Isa. 65:1
1 'I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, 'Here am I, here am I,' To a nation which did not call on My name. NASB

The danger to each individuals life is great. A great deal is at stake for unbelievers - the Lake of Fire verses Heaven. And for believers, the stakes are great as well - the normal blessings which will be received by all verses the tremendous blessings above and beyond which will be received by the few who advance to spiritual maturity..

Zephaniah now calls on everyone to turn to God, in humility, as a gleaner is humbled when, with the public looking on, he goes out into the field to get what scratchings he can just to live. The gleaner has to make the effort however.

'Don't delay,' is the call. Because the Day of the Lord is coming fast. It comes fast within ones individual life as death takes command of us all when we cross that line. And for human history, the Day of the Lord is coming fast as time approaches those last days.

As the winds blow the 'light' chaff so easily on the hot summer day, so too is the coming of the Day of the Lord. It is no effort for God to bring history to its conclusion. Even the creation of the universe was no more than finger work.

Psa. 8:3
3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; NASB

Mankind expends tremendous effort in inventing alternate religions, in inventing alternate theories, in inventing alternate philosophies for his own alternate faith. All these are a big waste of time. People will ignore God and pursue with all their energy, the very things that God gives out freely - happiness, security, prosperity and so forth, and a person can have these with virtually no effort - just by studying their Bibles daily and following through with the commands which Gods gives us all, and of these commands, they are nothing more than that which we should be doing in life anyway.

But do this, before - with a big emphasis on the 'before,' the decree of God takes effect. Gods warning is certain. Life for each one of us, will come to an end. There is a life after death. There will be an end to human history. There will be a judgment - an evaluation for believers, and a terrible condemnation for unbelievers.

These things will come to pass. Ignoring them will not make them 'not' happen. So make the changes in your life and do it before it is too late. Once you are dead there are no take overs!

Can you be certain that you will be alive tomorrow, next week, next month, next year? What guarantee do you have? None.

Now is the time to post a prayer.

End Of Lesson

Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.

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