King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Friday, August 04, 2023
Chapters: THE BOOK OF ZEPHANIAH
Study: The Mighty God to Save
Hello My Brother/Sister/Friend,
When I was at work yesterday I started getting a headache and extremely tired. I managed to get through the day, but by the time I got home I started getting chills and my head hurt so bad that I could barely keep my head up. The very first thing that my sweet husband did was pray, then started a prayer chain with our family. Then he proceeded to cook dinner for me and after I had rested and ate I started to feel better. My husband said that he did not care if I was feeling better, I was not going into work today. It was a good thing that I did call out as it gave me time to rest and recuperate. It turns out that my blood pressure, blood sugar, and iron levels had gotten so low that my body was shutting down. You know, God’s design of our bodies are something rather extraordinary, He knows exactly what we are made of, and what He designed us for, [Romans 8:27-28 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.]
I do not tell God this very often anymore, and shame on me for not, but I use to thank Him every day for taking me out of the life that I lived before I knew Christ as my Saviour. Our lives before Christ, believe it or not, had no meaning, in fact, if we were to go to God and give an account for what we had done prior to our salvation, He would flat out tell us that He never knew us. Our faith in Christ does more than secure our soul from death and hell, it secures our eternity from the wrath that God will instill on those who do not know Him, [Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.]
The Book of Zephaniah contains three chapters, the author of the book is Zephaniah and it was written to Israel and all nations. The timeline for these events took place approximately between 639BC and 609BC. The purpose of the book was to warn all nations of Judgment Day. What we are to learn from the book is that God rather save then destroy, and is mighty to save all who come to Him, [Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.]
Zephaniah, is the great-grandson of king Hezekiah, which also makes him a son of Josiah. In the days of Josiah, he was there with Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and foretells of what Jeremiah and Ezekiel did. Although Zephaniah does not have much to say in the three small chapters within this book it is a powerful message. God, is angry, and has cast judgment upon the entire earth.
[Zephaniah 1:1-6 The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah. 2 I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD. 3 I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD. 4 I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; 5 And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham; 6 And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.]
[and those that have not sought the LORD,] God, gives every soul that manages to make it on this earth the opportunity to come to know Christ. There are two things that keep a person from Christ and that is pride and denial of His existence. Do not let them fool you though, they know of Christ, they just rather bask in their sin for a season than turn to Christ, [Hebrews 4:2-3 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. 3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.]
My sweet and I watched a movie called, “Jesus Revolution” and I know it was not Jesus Himself as the main character, but it did try to play Him off as this carefree, spirited man who does not care how you live as long as you ask Jesus to save you. There are several problems with this, one; they have no idea what Jesus is saving them from. Two; they teach that you can live anyway you please as long as you are saved. And three; they proclaim that there are no consequences of sin after you are saved. We cannot expect God to be okay with everything that is going on, not in this generation or any generation, especially among His very own people. Through Zephaniah, God, has declared a day of sacrifice, a day in which He will judge all who are of the world.
[Zephaniah 1:7-8,14,16-18 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. 8 And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD’S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel. 14 The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. 16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. 17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. 18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.]
[and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.] Does this sound familiar? Jesus said it this way, through a parable, [Matthew 22:11-14 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.]
[Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them] This puts a wrench into all those fools who keep telling you to buy silver and gold because the cash will run out. What good does silver and gold bars do when there will be nothing to buy? Jesus, tells us what we need to trust in, [Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.]
God, is addressing those who think they are hid from Him and that He does not see what they are doing. All of their efforts to save themselves will be a waste. God, does not have to use man made weapons to rid the earth of all that is evil, He is very patient and long suffering in that He will give everyone an opportunity to find His Son before the final judgment comes.
[Zephaniah 2:1-3,9,15 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; 2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you. 3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger. 9 Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them. 15 This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.]
[O nation not desired;] Guess what? We, who accept Christ as our Saviour are not desired by the world, and with good reason. You know, before I truly understood the sacrifice that Jesus made for me (which we will never fully understand) and dedicated my life to Him, I tried so hard to fit in with the world, but they did not accept me. Even before we find Christ, we are not the accepted of those who are in world because we are a rare breed indeed as we do not desire the things they do, [John 15:18-19 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.]
[that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me:] Do you see what God is talking about here? If you recall, Moab and Ammon are the incestuous children of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Lot, actually lived in Sodom before God had literally sent fire down from heaven and destroyed it. The only reason that God had spared Lot was because he had some faith in Him, but his love for the world had always taken place over God, and that was the very reason why He separated him from Abraham, [Genesis 13:10-11 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.]
Each and every passing day, we are one day closer to Christ’s return, in a moment, God’s anger will be poured out over the entire world. Why? Because He is a jealous God, and that same fire that He sent down upon Sodom and Gomorrah is the same fire that He will send down to rid the entire earth of all its evil.
[Zephaniah 3:1-2,5-8 Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! 2 She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God. 5 The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame. 6 I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant. 7 I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings. 8 Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.]
[I said, Surely thou wilt fear me,] Sometimes God’s greatest efforts to win someone to Christ is through fear. It is often the fear of death or even someone’s death that leads someone to look for Christ in the first place. Regardless of how we are led to Christ, the most important thing to do is to accept Him before we die or He returns, [Romans 6:22-23 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.]
[for my determination is to gather the nations,] God, does not want His own to be in the midst of all this, and those who are saved will be hid from all this. Perhaps more dangerous than worshiping false gods is making yourself one. We all think highly of ourselves, that is just part of our nature, but when we place ourselves above God that is when it becomes a problem. The devil did that and has a one way ticket to hell and the lake of fire waiting for him as does anyone else who is too proud to seek the LORD, [Revelation 21:7-8 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.]
God, willingly saves and rejoices over anyone who comes to Him through His Son, He promises that while we may be afflicted from time to time, we will be saved from the worse that is yet to come, and not only that, join Him.
[Zephaniah 3:9,12-13,15,17,20 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent. 12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD. 13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid. 15 The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. 17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. 20 At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.]
[the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee:] What a day it will be when God’s wrath is halted, and their will be an end to all evil as we know it, no more sin, sickness, sadness, pain, suffering or even death. Salvation does not lie on a particular group, sect, race, or religion, it lies on One Person, the LORD, Jesus Christ, who is also out King, and will be in the midst of us throughout eternity, [1 Corinthians 15:52-57 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.]
[for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth,] What is the name that God gives all who come to Him through His Son? Christian. A true Christian will be greatly honored by God Himself. The one who became the living sacrifice, who while falls several times, gets back and never backs down in their faith, [Romans 12:1-2,11-14 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for giving us hope and assurance of the glorious day in which all nations will come together as one, speak one language, and worship only You in the kingdom that You are preparing for Your believers. You desire our fellowship, our devotion, and our reliance on You for all our needs as You delight in providing everything we have need of. Thank You for all that You do and allow in my life and in everything that You do. Lead me and guide me in Your will and ways, help me to labor only for the things that give You glory, for I know that as long as I am in You I will be taken care of and even receive much more than I imagine. I love You Lord, and pray this in Your name, Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/ready-to-follow-jesus/
Receive The KJB Daily Devotions In Your Email: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Missed A Message: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/
Visit I’m Following Jesus: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/welcome/
Read Today’s Bible Reading: http://kingjamesbible.imfollowingjesus.com/
I’m Following Jesus On Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/readytofollowJesus/
Copyright © 2023 I’m Following Jesus, All rights reserved.