King James Version, with Nii Okai's journal notes · 4 notes
1Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;
2Before 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.
3Seek 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.
Amen. Yes, there is escape for the righteous in the day of the Lord's wrath.
4For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.
5Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.
6And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.
7And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.
8I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.
9Therefore 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.
Interesting. Meanwhiles, Moab and Ammon were birthed after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Indeed, they were birthed as a result of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
And fast forward, their end was to be the same as the place they hailed from, the place that birthed them. They were the sons of Lot's daughters, who slept with their father to birth them.
10This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.
Just as their father Lot lifted himself in pride and chose the best part of the land in his own eyes, and left the father of Israel, Abraham, to feed on the rest. Yet Lot did not reckon that the blessing was on Abraham, so wherever the soles of his feet would tread there would be a blessing.
And now we see the children of Lot reproach the children of Abraham — the people of Israel.
11The LORD will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.
Famish??? 🤯
Zephaniah 2:11 AMP
The Lord will be terrifying and awesome to them, for He will starve all the gods of the earth; and all the coastlands of the nations will bow down and worship Him, everyone from his own place.
And he alone will be worshipped. It almost sounds like the gods thrive and are empowered by worship 🛐, i.e. sacrifices, blood and following their doctrine.
In a sense this is true; the gods live off these. It is true in that it is through these that they are empowered and granted access to have authority on the earth 🌎.
It does not mean they die or lose or diminish in existence, but in influence in the earth realm.
And of course, since all gods want a stake in the earth 🌎, they do all they can to have an entrenched position.
A permanent ♾ stake if possible.
And in this wise will God outsmart all others.
He will have it all and famish all others.
12Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.
13And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.
14And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he shall uncover the cedar work.
15This 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.