Prayer: Father, there is a warning in Your word to Zephaniah, to me today. Reveal Your warning to me today, in the name of Messiah Yeshua. Amen.
Bible Project: Book of Zephaniah Summary | Watch an Overview Video (bibleproject.com)
Reading: Zephaniah 1 key: vs. “The word of Adonai that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah: I will totally sweep away everything from the face of the earth, declares Adonai. I will sweep away man and beast, I will sweep away the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea— also the stumbling blocks—the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth, declares Adonai. “I will stretch out my hand upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place —the names of the idolatrous priests along with the kohanim, those bowing down on the roofs to the host of the heavens. those bowing down, swearing to Adonai and also swearing by Molech those turning from following Adonai, not seeking Adonai or consulting Him.” TLV
Attention: How do you see the Word of God, Adonai? Do you see His Word as a historical account and valid only for the day in which Zephaniah received it? Or do you so the office of prophet and Adonai speaking through a prophet valid for today? This is a key question for how you see the Bible. If you believe that Adonai still speaks to people and through people like the prophets, you will see scripture differently.
As a child and through my young adult years I was taught that the office and gifting of a prophet and the Holy Spirit, no longer applied to this generation. So, their teaching had a prolonged impact on me until I got into the Word, explored it myself, and allowed the Holy Spirit to teach me all things (John 14:26). This journey began almost 20 years ago and has led me into embracing the legitimacy of the role of a prophet and the prophetic giftings, along with the manifestations of the Holy Spirit for today. We are witnessing the fulfillment of prophecies declared by Adonai through prophets before Yeshua arrived on earth and which extend to the day of the Lord future. If we do not believe the legitimacy of prophets and prophetic extending futuristically, how can we believe the prophecies of the apostle John in Revelation? For his vision and documentation of the end times recorded in Revelation, came to John post resurrection and post Pentecost.
One of the aspects of inductive Bible study is to observe repetitive statements in the passage of scripture, made by Adonai through the prophet. I observe at least six (6) “I will” statements by Adonai telling Zephaniah what He will do. The key question, was Adonai true to His word? Did He do what He declared; He would do? We know historically that Adonai brought the Babylonians against the southern kingdom, Judah, and Jerusalem. We know that the Babylonians were subdued by the Chaldeans and each nation which subdued the former was eventually subdued. Adonai declared it and His Word was fulfilled. Each nation which subdued and was subdued, was declared by Adonai, and substantiated historically by the fall and decimation of those nations. We must understand, God (Adonai) is Sovereign. He is Supreme. The name Adonai is divine name meaning “Lord” and signifies, sovereignty. He has shown Himself Sovereign to the Hebrew nation and through His acts, Sovereign to all nations He has humbled.
Action: I choose to acknowledge Adonai as Sovereign Lord over all nations.
Yield: I choose to submit to the sovereignty of Adonai.
Engage: I choose to engage with the Holy Spirit in worship of Adonai as my Sovereign Lord.
Relationship: I choose to live in submitted, obedient, intimate relationship with Adonai.
Prayer: Father, I embrace Your Sovereignty over all nations and the lives of all mankind. You love the world so much that You sent Yeshua to die upon the cross of Calvary and resurrect victoriously three days later. May all mankind accept Your gift of life and follow You eternally. Amen.
Memory Verse: Colossians 1:15-23 “He (Yeshua) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created— in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen, whether thrones or angelic powers or rulers or authorities. All was created through Him and for Him. He exists before everything, and in Him all holds together. He is the head of the body, His community. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead— so that He might come to have first place in all things. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, making peace through the blood of His cross— whether things on earth or things in heaven! Once you were alienated from God and hostile in your attitude by wicked deeds. But now He has reconciled you in Messiah’s physical body through death, in order to present you holy, spotless and blameless in His eyes—if indeed you continue in the faith, established and firm, not budging from the hope of the Good News that you have heard. This Good News has been proclaimed throughout all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become its servant.” TLV
Music Video: Hillsong—Transfiguration https://youtu.be/pri10SRoBPc?si=Cl7HlUP6kNcWVLEV
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”