Sofonias 1

Sofonias 1

Morgan - What then is the message that Zephaniah delivered to his own day? It is a message of the unity of the divine method. We see God’s absolute refusal to excuse sin because of His love, and we see His love acting in consuming wrath in order to secure the final realization of its most tender purpose. If you cut out that last part of Zephaniah, then he has no distinctive message. It is not the first part, but the second part, of the prophecy that is the message of Zephaniah. It is that peculiar union formed by the denunciation of sin that is so severe, and the annunciation of love that is so tender. These two together give us the great message that Zephaniah delivered to his people: love cannot excuse sin, but love will at last find a way to realize its purpose in spite of all the sin of the people. Deffinbaugh: As I understand the book, there are two dominant themes in Zephaniah: judgment and deliverance. These reasons for divine judgment can best be summarized in this way: God will judge those in Judah who practice pure paganism (Zeph 1:4). God will judge those in Judah who mix the worship of God with the worship of other deities (Zeph 1:5a). God will judge those in Judah who completely reject and turn away from the faith of their fathers (Zeph 1:6). God will judge those who choose to identify with the heathen (rather than the people of God) by their dress (Zeph 1:8). God will judge those who practice violence and deceit (Zeph 1:9). God will judge those who refuse divine instruction, and who have ignored His warnings (Zeph 3:1-2). Judah should have learned from God’s judgment of others, but she did not (3:6-7). God will judge those in leadership, who have abused their authority and forsaken their stewardship (Zeph 3:3-4). God will judge those who presume that God is indifferent about their sin (Zeph 1:12). God will judge those who put their trust in anything but Him (Zeph 1:18). There are several things that set the righteous remnant apart from the corrupt world in which they live: Those who are a part of the righteous remnant seek God, and they obey His commandments: Those who are a part of the righteous remnant are humble: Those who are a part of the righteous remnant are righteous in their actions toward others: Their sins are forgiven and they are cleansed from their sin (Zeph 3:9, 11, 13). They will be delivered from or through divine judgment (Zeph 2:1-3).289 They will eventually be rescued from the hand of their oppressors (Zeph 2:4-15; 3:15). They have the hope of future blessings (Zeph 2:6-9). They will be given fame and honor (Zeph 3:19-20). They will enjoy security and peace (Zeph 3:13). They will enjoy being in God’s presence, as He rejoices over them as the objects of His love (Zeph 3:15-17). Zephaniah 1:2 “I will completely remove all things From the face of the earth,” declares the LORD. Legacy Standard Bible - “I will completely end all things From the face of the ground,” declares Yahweh. NET 2 "I will destroy everything from the face of the earth," says the LORD. I will: etc. Heb. By taking away I will make an end, utterly. 2Ki 22:16,17 2Ch 36:21 Isa 6:11 Jer 6:8,9 24:8-10 34:22 36:29 Eze 33:27-29 Mic 7:13 Related Passages: Zephaniah 3:8+ “Therefore wait for Me,” declares the LORD, “For the day when I rise up as a witness. Indeed, My decision is to gather nations, To assemble kingdoms (COMMENT - cf the 6th Bowl - Rev 16:12-16+ = FIRST THE KINGS GATHER at HAR-MAGEDON, THEN Joel 3:2+ SUGGESTS THEY MOVE DOWN TO VALLEY OF JEHOSHAPHAT), To pour out on them My indignation, All My burning anger; For all the earth will be devoured By the fire of My zeal. GOD'S JUDGMENT ON THE WORLD I will completely remove (sup/suph; LXX - ekleipsis = abandonment, extinction, destruction, eclipse of sun) all things From the face of the earth,” declares the LORD - Who is this prophecy against? Is it just local (Judah) or is it global (all the earth)? Clearly this prophecy of the Day of the Lord is not only given against Judah but is also against the world (global) and thus has both a near and a far fulfillment. The near fulfillment would come in about 20 years when Babylon invaded Jerusalem for the first of 3 times in 605 BC (597, 586 the other two), the time when Daniel and the 3 Hebrew friends were taken captive. Ezekiel and 10,000 Jews were taken captive in 597 BC. The Temple was demolished in 586 BC. Descriptive Definition of the Day of the LORD - The DAY of the LORD describes a time when God intervenes in the “day of man.” The DAY of the Lord can have a historical fulfillment (NEAR), and an eschatological fulfillment (FAR). This DAY begins with the Great Tribulation when God judges the Gentile nations and Israel, purging, purifying and refining a redeemed remnant of Israel who will enter into the Promised Land for a period of unprecedented blessing and prosperity in the Messianic Kingdom ruled by the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Day of the Lord terminates with God’s “uncreation” of the creation at the end of 1000 years. NET NOTE - The Hebrew text combines the infinitive absolute of אָסַף (’asaf, “gather up, sweep away”) with a Hiphil prefixed first person form of סוּף (suf, “come to an end”; see Jer 8:13 for the same combination). This can be translated literally, “Sweeping away, I will bring to an end.” Some prefer to emend the text so that the infinitive and finite form of the verb are from the same root (“I will certainly sweep away,” if from אָסַף [cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV]; “I will certainly bring to an end,” if from סוּף). For a discussion of proposals see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (OTL), 167, 169. Walter Kaiser - The temptation for modern readers is to tone down the harshness and horror of the judgment threatened in this text by juxtaposing against it the marvelous grace and mercy of our Lord. But their efforts cannot shield us from the seriousness or the certainty of these pronouncements for the future. An insipid view of the love of God should not obliterate an appreciation for the vigor of the wrath of God against all unrighteousness and ungodliness. In fact, Jesus alludes to Zephaniah 1:2–3 in his parable of the weeds in Matthew 13:41 where he says, “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness” (italics ours). Theconcept of “utterly consuming,” “gathering together,” or “sweeping away” occurs four times in Zephaniah 1:2–3. The Hebrew ˒āsap means to “gather together,” “sweep up,” or “bundle together,” as one would do in gathering a crop or in collecting troops. It is a comprehensive action strengthened by an emphatic form of the same verb. This gathering together will involve everything and will have a worldwide scope! Just as all creation had been corrupted since the Fall, so all creation would now be involved in the divine visitation: man, beasts of the land, birds of the air, and creatures of the sea. This would be a universal judgment. Thus, like an overture to a symphony, these two verses announce the themes of the Book of Zephaniah. They also warn that judgment is near. For the moment, no ray of hope or sign of mercy is apparent; instead, with drum-like rapidity come the verbs of destruction, overthrow, and cleansing of evil. “No hotter book lies in the Old Testament.” (Smith page 74) (See all three excellent chapters - Preacher's Commentary) G Campbell Morgan - I will utterly consume.—Zeph. 1.2 Zephaniah exercised his ministry in the days of Josiah. This is an interesting fact, because in his days there was a great reformation, and yet the prophet makes no reference to it. An examination of the history of that reform will show that, so far as the nation was concerned, it was superficial. The king was loyal to God, and sincere. He was also popular with the people, and they followed him in his re-forming work, as to external things. But there was no true repentance. Therefore Zephaniah did not recognize the reform; and indeed, in all probability the insincerity of it gave greater vehemence to his denunciation of the sin of the people. Taken as a whole this prophecy sets forth the severity and goodness of God with overwhelming force; and shows how these apparently contradictory elements of His government move to the same end. The words we have emphasized give the key note to the prophet's message as to the action of God, consequent upon the sins of the people. This chapter is wholly taken up with the day of Divine wrath. The outlook was wider than Judah. It began with the declaration that the whole creation, so far as it was polluted, should be destroyed. It then dealt with the nation itself, denouncing its sins, and announcing the consuming wrath of God as proceeding against princes, extortioners, the city, the merchantmen, the luxurious. It is a terrible setting forth of the severity of God against apostasy. There was no equivocation, no uncertainty, no hesitancy, in the prophet's words. They abide for all time, a revelation of the fact that God not only will make no terms with sin, but that He will proceed against it in fiery indignation that it may be utterly consumed. Zephaniah 1:3 “I will remove man and beast; I will remove the birds of the sky And the fish of the sea, And the ruins along with the wicked; And I will cut off man from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD. Legacy Standard Bible - “I will end man and beast; I will end the birds of the sky And the fish of the sea And the ruins along with the wicked; And I will cut off man from the face of the ground,” declares Yahweh. NET "I will destroy people and animals; I will destroy the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea. (The idolatrous images of these creatures will be destroyed along with evil people.) I will remove humanity from the face of the earth," says the LORD. CSB I will sweep away man and animal; I will sweep away the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, and the ruins along with the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth.This is the LORD's declaration. ESV "I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the rubble with the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth," declares the LORD. NIV "I will sweep away both men and animals; I will sweep away the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. The wicked will have only heaps of rubble when I cut off man from the face of the earth," declares the LORD. NLT "I will sweep away people and animals alike. I will sweep away the birds of the sky and the fish in the sea. I will reduce the wicked to heaps of rubble, and I will wipe humanity from the face of the earth," says the LORD. NRS I will sweep away humans and animals; I will sweep away the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. I will make the wicked stumble. I will cut off humanity from the face of the earth, says the LORD. NJB I shall sweep away humans and animals, the birds of the air and the fish of the sea, I shall topple the wicked and wipe all people off the face of the earth -declares Yahweh. NAB I will sweep away man and beast, I will sweep away the birds of the sky, and the fishes of the sea. I will overthrow the wicked; I will destroy mankind from the face of the earth, says the LORD. YLT I consume man and beast, I consume fowl of the heavens, and fishes of the sea, And the stumbling-blocks -- the wicked, And I have cut off man from the face of the ground, An affirmation of Jehovah, consume man: Jer 4:23-29 12:4 Ho 4:3 Ruins - stumblingblocks: or, idols, Isa 27:9 Eze 7:19 14:3-7 44:12 Ho 14:3,8 Mic 5:11-14 Zec 13:2 Mt 23:39 Rev 2:14 and I: Eze 14:13-21 15:6-8 Related Passages: Isaiah 6:11 Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered, “Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, Houses are without people And the land is utterly desolate, Jeremiah 4:25 (REMOVE) I looked, and behold, there was no man, And all the birds of the heavens had fled. Jeremiah 9:10 (REMOVE) “For the mountains I will take up a weeping and wailing, And for the pastures of the wilderness a dirge, Because they are laid waste so that no one passes through, And the lowing of the cattle is not heard; Both the birds of the sky and the beasts have fled; they are gone. WHAT IS THE EXTENT OF YAHWEH'S GLOBAL JUDGMENT? I will remove (sup/suph; LXX - ekleipo = cease, come to an end) man and beast; I will remove (sup/suph; LXX - ekleipo) the birds of the sky And the fish of the sea, And the ruins (stumbling blocks) along with the wicked; And I will cut off (karath; LXX - exairo = expel, remove, drive out as in 1Co 5:13+; cf use in Da 9:26+) man from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD - NET on "the ruins..." translates it as "The idolatrous images of these creatures will be destroyed along with evil people." What does this divine removal remind you of? Clearly, this recalls the earth's destruction by the worldwide flood, when “man and beast” and “birds of the sky” (Ge 6:7+; Ge 7:23+) were destroyed. These are listed in exactly the opposite order of their appearance in the original creation account (cf Ge 1:20-28+) (See note below) This destruction will exceed even that of the flood, (cf Ge 6:17+) since here fish will also feel the brunt of God's righteous wrath. Walter Kaiser - As He did in the days of Noah, God will destroy the earth in order to deal with the wickedness of man. Along with the fire that will consume all else, God promised, “I will consume … the stumbling blocks” (v. 3). The words “stumbling blocks” were usually used to describe idols (e.g., Ezek. 14:3, 4, 7), but they have a wider application in this context. Not only will the wicked be judged, but so will the very instruments that were the occasions for their moral and spiritual failings. (See all three excellent chapters - Preacher's Commentary) All creation will suffer as a result of the sin of humankind, reminding us of Paul's words in Romans 8 - "For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now." (Ro 8:20-22+) As an aside, when will creation be set free from its slavery to corruption? I propose (without being dogmatic but comparing Scripture with Scripture) that this glorious redemption of all creation will be realized when the Redeemer returns and begins His 1000 year reign on His throne Jerusalem. In short, creation will be set free in the "positive side" of the Day of the Lord (cf "no more curse" Zech 14:11+; see also Jesus' promise in Mt 19:28+ "in the regeneration [paliggenesia] when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne." When is that day? The Millennium - see Zech 14:9, 17+ = "LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day". Cf Hab 2:14+)! Note the repeated verb "remove" (sup/suph) and the repetition of "I will" the latter indicating God may be behind the scenes but is in full control of the scenes He is behind. Do you believe that is true in all the circumstance (good or bad) of your life? 🙏 THOUGHT - How should we respond to this truth? Hebrews 6:12+ says we should not be indifferent or "sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises." So in face of the warning of a coming global catastrophe, what was Noah's pattern for us to imitate? Remember that Noah was a man of great faith (Heb 11:7+) and faith is an "active, dynamic" word. What did Noah's faith impel him to do in light of the coming global catastrophe? To build an Ark of course. But Peter gives a second response describing Noah as a "preacher of righteousness" (2Pe 2:5+). So in view of the truth that the coming Day of the Lord is near, will come suddenly on the unsuspecting lost world and will be great and terrible and will bring worldwide decimation, in imitation of the pattern of Noah, we too should strive to warn all who spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1+). We should speak the life giving, life transforming Gospel (Ro 1:16-17+) to as many souls as God's Spirit gives us opportunity (cf Eph 5:16+, "Redeem the Time" - here is a video talk I gave to a group of men 5 years ago at age 75 - Redeem the Time), so that they too might be rescued "from the wrath to come." (1Th 1:10+, cf 1Th 5:9+). HCSB - To underscore the gravity of their sins and the intensity of their deserved punishment, Zephaniah used prophetic hyperbole (Jer 4:23-29; 9:9-11) in which creation itself is reversed; here the creatures are listed in reverse order from Gen 1:20-28 (sea creatures, birds, beasts, and man). NET NOTE - Heb “And the stumbling blocks [or, “ruins”] with the evil”; or “the things that make the evil stumble.” The line does not appear in the original form of the LXX; it may be a later scribal addition. The present translation assumes the “stumbling blocks” are idolatrous images of animals, birds, and fish. See J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah [borrow] (Old Testament Library), 167, and Adele Berlin, Zephaniah [borrow] (Anchor Bible Commentary), 73–74. Illustration: Like pulling the plug in a bathtub, God announces that He will drain a corrupted world system that has rejected Him. Remove (05486)(sup/suph) means to to come to an end, cease, to terminate. Purim is an annual observance whose celebration should not cease (Esther 9:28). Ps 73:19 describes how quickly the prosperity enjoyed by the wicked is brought to an end, "swept away by sudden terrors." Elsewhere, it is a general term that refers to the end of something as a result of God's judgment (Isa. 66:17; Jer. 8:13; Zeph. 1:2, 3). Sup/suph - 7x - Est. 9:28; Ps. 73:19; Isa. 66:17; Jer. 8:13; Amos 3:15; Zeph. 1:2; Zeph. 1:3 Cut off (destroy) (03772) karath literally means to cut, to cut off or to sever an object from its source or cut into parts and implies a violent action. For example, Zipporah "cut off her son’s foreskin." (Ex 4:25) or the Jews "cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes." (Nu 13:2-24, cf Dt 19:5, 20:19-20, Jdg 9:48-49, 1Sa 5:4, 17:51, 24:4-5,11, 31:9, 2Sa 10:4, 2Sa 20:22) In another literal use as punishment to Israel for breaking the Mosaic covenant (cf Dt 29:25, 31:16), God says He will "cut down (karath) your incense altars" (Lev 26:30, cf Jdg 6:25-26, cf 1Sa 28:9). A sacrificial animal was not to be offered if it was "cut" (karath) (Lev 22:24). Karath means "chewed" (cutting food with teeth) in Nu 11:33. Zephaniah 1:3 contains a striking literary feature: the prophet appears to reverse the order of creation described in Genesis 1, portraying God’s coming judgment as a kind of “un-creation.” In other words, the judgment of the Day of the LORD is depicted as the undoing of the created order because of human sin. In Genesis 1, God creates living things in a clear sequence. First come the fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens (Gen 1:20–23), then the animals of the earth, and finally human beings, the climax of creation (Gen 1:24–27). Humanity is placed at the top of this created order as God’s image-bearer. But in Zephaniah 1:3, God announces judgment in the reverse order: “I will remove man and beast; I will remove the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea…” (NASB) Here the sequence runs from the highest part of creation downward: Humans Animals (beasts) Birds of the heavens Fish of the sea Instead of creation moving upward toward humanity, the order moves downward toward destruction. The created order is symbolically being dismantled step by step. When the image-bearer falls into sin, creation itself suffers under judgment. This literary reversal communicates an important theological truth. Because humanity—the crown of creation—has rebelled against God through idolatry and wickedness (Zeph 1:4–6), the consequences extend beyond people to the entire created order. When the image-bearer falls into sin, creation itself suffers under judgment. The prophets therefore portray divine judgment not merely as punishment of individuals but as cosmic disorder, the undoing of the harmony established in Genesis. This theme echoes elsewhere in Scripture. For example, Jeremiah 4:23–26 describes judgment using language that intentionally recalls Genesis 1 but in reverse, portraying the land as “formless and void.” Similarly, Hosea 4:3 declares that because of human sin “the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky and also the fish of the sea disappear.” These passages show that prophetic judgment is often depicted as a collapse of the created order. Thus, the wording of Zephaniah 1:3 is not random. By reversing the Genesis creation order, Zephaniah vividly portrays the Day of the LORD as an “un-creation”—a dismantling of the world corrupted by sin. Yet this theme also prepares the reader for the hope that follows in the prophets: after judgment, God will ultimately restore and renew creation, bringing about a purified world where His people once again live under His righteous rule. Zephaniah 1:4 “So I will stretch out My hand against Judah And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, And the names of the idolatrous priests (CHEMARIMS - KJV) along with the priests. Legacy Standard Bible -“So I will stretch out My hand against Judah And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, And the names of the idolatrous priests along with the priests, NET "I will attack Judah and all who live in Jerusalem. I will remove from this place every trace of Baal worship, as well as the very memory of the pagan priests. stretch: Ex 7:5, Ex 15:12 2Ki 21:13 Isa 14:26,27 the remnant: "Fulfilled", 2Ki 23:4-5 2Ch 34:4 Related Passages: 2 Kings 23:4-5 Then the king (JOSIAH) commanded Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers, to bring out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven; and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel. 5 He did away with the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had appointed to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah and in the surrounding area of Jerusalem, also those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the constellations and to all the host of heaven. 2 Kings 21:13 ‘I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab, and I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. DIVINE JUDGMENT DIRECTED AT JUDAH Zephaniah 1:4-17 describe the Day of the LORD and speak of a historical (near) judgment of Judah (defeat by Babylon 586 BC) and then in Zephaniah 1:18 the description of the Day of the LORD encompasses the judgment to the entire world ("all the inhabitants of the world") which speaks of an eschatological (far) fulfillment. So vivid are Zephaniah's descriptions that George Adam Smith quipped "No hotter book lies in all the Old Testament." And yet it ends on an encouraging note concerning the future in chapter 3. Therefore Zephanian's overall message is "Through Judgment To Blessing" So I will stretch out My hand (yad ~ power) against Judah - Neither Judah nor Jerusalem will be exempt from this sweeping worldwide judgment. This is an idiom for for divine action, often associated with judgment (as in this verse Ex 15:12; Is 5:25; 14:26; 23:11; Jer 21:5) or deliverance (Ex 7:5, Isa 5:25) and in other contexts stretching out God’s hand is a metaphor for God’s work of liberation and protection (e.g., Ex. 6:16; Dt. 4:34),. Hand in Hebrew speaks of power. This is obviously an anthropomorphic description of God. Sometimes the Scriptures describe the "good hand of" Yahweh on someone (like Ezra in Ezra 7:9+), but this divine hand is a "heavy" hand of God's fierce wrath and righteous indignation against a Christ rejecting, rebellious creation, in this case against Judah! (See Hand of the LORD) And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And I will cut off the remnant (shear) of Baal (ba'al) from this place, And the names of the idolatrous priests (CHEMARIMS - KJV) along with the priests (cf 2Ki 23:5+) - NET = "I will attack Judah and all who live in Jerusalem. I will remove from this place every trace of Baal worship, as well as the very memory of the pagan priests." The passage emphasizes that God’s judgment begins with His own people when they compromise with idolatry and fail to honor the covenant they voluntarily entered with Him. The prophecy identifies specific targets of judgment, especially the remnant of Baal worship and the pagan priests who promoted idolatry. Baal, the Canaanite storm god (often associated with Hadad), had long been a snare to Israel (cf. Jdg 6:25; 1 Kgs 16:31–32; 18). Even though reforms—such as those under Josiah—attempted to purge idolatry, traces of pagan religion still remained, and these lingering practices provoked God’s anger. Walter Kaiser on Baal (ba'al) - The native Canaanite fertility gods and goddesses had been a nettlesome affair ever since Israel set foot in Canaan. Their festivals of fertility, “sacred” prostitution, and sexual orgies had constantly tempted the people of Israel. (See all three excellent chapters - Preacher's Commentary) This was fulfilled in Judah after the Babylonian captivity. The verb cut off (karath) is somewhat ironically the same verb used for God cutting covenant with Abraham (Ge 15:18+) and the Mosaic Covenant (Ex 24:8+). Another notable use of karath is when Zipporah "cut off her son’s foreskin." (Ex 4:25+) Note that the judgment on Judah focuses on overt idolatry (v4-5), syncretism (v5), and total apostasy (v6). And all of these godless actions by a people who had repeated, incredible exposure to God's presence and power! What a dramatic reminder of the tremendous power of our fallen flesh which continually seeks to draw us away from our great and awesome God Who loves us with an everlasting love. NET NOTE - Heb “of the pagan priests and priests.” The first word (כְּמָרִים, kémarim) refers to idolatrous priests in its two other appearances in the OT (2 Kgs 23:5, Hos 10:5), while the second word (כֹּהֲנִים, kohanim) is the normal term for “priest” and is used of both legitimate and illegitimate priests in the OT. It is likely that the second term, which is omitted in the LXX, is a later scribal addition to the Hebrew text, defining the extremely rare word that precedes (see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah [OTL], 167–68; cf. also NEB, NRSV). Some argue that both words are original; among the modern English versions that include both are NASB and NIV. Possibly the first word refers to outright pagan priests, while the second has in view once-legitimate priests of the Lord who had drifted into idolatrous practices. Another option is found in Adele Berlin, who translates, “the idolatrous priests among the priests,” understanding the second word as giving the general category of which the idolatrous priests are a part (Zephaniah [AB 25A], 75). Cut off (make [a covenant], cut off, destroy) (03772) karath literally means to cut, to cut off or to sever an object from its source or cut into parts and implies a violent action. Zipporah "cut off her son’s foreskin." (Ex 4:25) or the Jews "cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes." (Nu 13:2-24, cf Dt 19:5, 20:19-20, Jdg 9:48-49, 1Sa 5:4, 17:51, 24:4-5,11, 31:9, 2Sa 10:4, 2Sa 20:22) In another literal use as punishment to Israel for breaking the Mosaic covenant (cf Dt 29:25, 31:16), God says He will "cut down (karath) your incense altars" (Lev 26:30, cf Jdg 6:25-26, cf 1Sa 28:9). A sacrificial animal was not to be offered if it was "cut" (karath) (Lev 22:24). Karath means "chewed" (cutting food with teeth) in Nu 11:33. Remnant (07605)(shear/šĕʾār) rest, residue, remnant shaar = to remain, be left. The word refers collectively to a surviving portion left after judgment, disaster, or removal, and it is always used of a group rather than a single individual (e.g., 1 Chr 16:41; Ezra 3:8; Esth 9:16; Zeph 1:4). In the Septuagint it is often translated with terms derived from kataleipō, meaning “that which has been left.” The term is not limited to people but can describe anything remaining after loss or reduction, such as the few trees left after devastation (Isa 10:19), the remaining money used to repair the temple (2 Chr 24:14), or the remainder of a city rebuilt by David (1 Chr 11:8). Theologically, however, shear/šĕʾār plays an important role in the biblical theme of the “remnant.” While the word can describe survivors of many nations—such as Assyria (Isa 10:19), Babylon (Isa 14:22), Moab (Isa 16:14), Aram (Isa 17:3), or Kedar (Isa 21:17)—the prophets especially use it to describe the remnant of God’s people whom He preserves after judgment. This concept is closely related to its cognate šĕʾērît and forms a major theme in the book of Isaiah (Isa 10:20–22; 11:11, 16). The name of Isaiah’s son Shear-jashub (“A remnant shall return,” Isa 7:3) symbolized this promise: although most of the nation would experience judgment, God would graciously preserve a faithful portion who would survive, return, and trust Him. Thus the remnant idea holds both warning and hope—warning that widespread judgment may come, yet hope that God will never completely destroy His covenant people but will preserve a purified remnant to fulfill His promises. SHEAR - 26X/25V - remainder(1), remnant(11), rest(13), survivors(1).1 Chr. 11:8; 1 Chr. 16:41; 2 Chr. 9:29; 2 Chr. 24:14; Ezr. 3:8; Ezr. 4:3; Ezr. 4:7; Neh. 10:28; Neh. 11:1; Neh. 11:20; Est. 9:12; Est. 9:16; Isa. 10:19; Isa. 10:20; Isa. 10:21; Isa. 10:22; Isa. 11:11; Isa. 11:16; Isa. 14:22; Isa. 16:14; Isa. 17:3; Isa. 21:17; Isa. 28:5; Zeph. 1:4; Mal. 2:15 QUESTION - Who are the Chemarim / Chemarims in Zephaniah 1:4? GOTQUESTIONS.ORG ANSWER - Speaking God’s words in the days of King Josiah of Judah, the prophet Zephaniah says, “I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests” (KJV). The term Chemarims is a transliteration of a Hebrew word and is used only in the KJV and a few other translations such as the American Standard Version and English Revised Version. Other versions render the word Chemarim as “idolatrous priests” (NIV) or “pagan priests” (NET). The KJV translates same Hebrew word as “idolatrous priests” in 2 Kings 23:5. The Chemarim were false priests who may have claimed to serve the LORD but in reality sacrificed to Baal, Molech, and other pagan deities. The Chemarim were the “pagan priests” whom Zephaniah pronounced judgment against. Baal-worship in Judah was put down by King Josiah, who did away with the pagan priests who had been appointed by former kings (2 Kings 23:5). In his reforms, Josiah stopped the practice of burning incense to Baal and to the sun and moon and stars. He also tore down the altars and shrines to false gods, destroyed the Asherah poles, and eliminated anything associated with pagan worship practices (2 Kings 23:6–20). Josiah then reinstituted the observance of Passover (2 Kings 23:21–23). Zephaniah’s prophecy against the Chemarim is set in a larger passage of judgment against the entire world: “I will sweep away everything / from the face of the earth . . . / When I destroy all mankind / on the face of the earth, . . . / and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble” (Zephaniah 1:2–3). God promises to put an end to all idolatry some day. That universal Judgment Day was preceded by a smaller-scale “judgment day” led by King Josiah, who rid Judah of the Chemarim and their detestable practices. Not only were their altars and high places destroyed, but their very names were wiped out (Zephaniah 1:4). The word Chemarim comes from a root word that means “black.” Why the Hebrews called the false priests “Chemarim” is unclear, but commentators have several theories: 1) the false priests wore black garments, as opposed to the white garments God had specified that priests wear (see Leviticus 16:23); 2) the garments of the Chemarim were usually darkened by soot from their numerous incense burnings; 3) the Chemarim branded their foreheads; or 4) the “blackness” of the Chemarim was a reference to the smoke of the fires in which they sacrificed children to Molech. The obscurity of the word’s meaning indicates that God did indeed carry out His promise that the very names of the Chemarim, as well as the priests themselves, would be forgotten. God had spoken, and His word is as good as action. Zephaniah 1:5 “And those who bow down on the housetops to the host of heaven, And those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by Milcom, Legacy Standard Bible - And those who worship on the housetops the host of heaven, And those who worship and swear to Yahweh and yet swear by Milcom, NET I will remove those who worship the stars in the sky from their rooftops, those who swear allegiance to the LORD while taking oaths in the name of their 'king,' worship: 2Ki 23:12 Jer 19:13 32:29 and them: 1Ki 18:21 2Ki 17:33,41 Mt 6:24 and that: De 10:20 Isa 48:1 Jer 4:2 Ho 4:15 by the Lord: or, to the Lord, Isa 44:5 45:23 Ro 14:11 swear by: Jos 23:7 Milcom = Moloch: 1Ki 11:33, Milcom, Am 5:26, Related Passages: Jeremiah 7:17-18 “Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 “The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods in order to spite Me. Jeremiah 8:2 “They will spread them out to the sun, the moon and to all the host of heaven, which they have loved and which they have served, and which they have gone after and which they have sought, and which they have worshiped. They will not be gathered or buried; they will be as dung on the face of the ground. Jeremiah 44:17-19; 25 “But rather we will certainly carry out every word that has proceeded from our mouths, by burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, just as we ourselves, our forefathers, our kings and our princes did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then we had plenty of food and were well off and saw no misfortune. 18 “But since we stopped burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have met our end by the sword and by famine.” 19 “And,” said the women, “when we were burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and were pouring out drink offerings to her, was it without our husbands that we made for her sacrificial cakes in her image and poured out drink offerings to her?”....(44:25) thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, as follows: ‘As for you and your wives, you have spoken with your mouths and fulfilled it with your hands, saying, “We will certainly perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her.” Go ahead and confirm your vows, and certainly perform your vows!’ Jeremiah 19:13) “The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like the place Topheth, because of all the houses on whose rooftops they burned sacrifices to all the heavenly host and poured out drink offerings to other gods.”’” Jeremiah 32:29 “The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will enter and set this city on fire and burn it, with the houses where people have offered incense to Baal on their roofs and poured out drink offerings to other gods to provoke Me to anger. 2 Kings 21:3 For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them.....21:5 For he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD 2 Kings 23:5-6 He did away with the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had appointed to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah and in the surrounding area of Jerusalem, also those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the constellations and to all the host of heaven. 6 He brought out the Asherah from the house of the LORD outside Jerusalem to the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and ground it to dust, and threw its dust on the graves of the common people. WORSHIPPING THE CREATION RATHER THAN THE CREATOR! And those who bow down on the housetops to the host of heaven The “host of heaven” included the sun, moon, planets, and stars, all of which were deified in the ancient Near East. Flat housetops gave a clear view of the sky and allowed construction of altars for burning incense (see Related Passages above, especially their abominable worship of the queen of heaven) Charles Feinberg - Another class designated in Judah for judgment were those that worshiped the host of heaven upon the housetops. It was carried out on the flat housetops to afford a clearer view of the sky and chiefly by altars for burning incense. (Cp. Jer 8:2; 19:13; and 32:29.) This worship was called Sabeanism, and prevailed quite early in the East. Moses warned against it in Deuteronomy 4:19. Nevertheless, it was widely practiced in Israel, thus virtually making every home an idol sanctuary. (See 2 Ki 21:3, 5; 2Ki 23:5-6; Jer 7:17-18; Jer 44:17-19, 25.) (See The Minor Prophets) And those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by Milcom (see note) - Aka "syncretism" or "compromise worship" the attempt to worship the true God while also honoring pagan gods. Zephaniah is calling out people in Judah who outwardly acknowledged the LORD but divided their loyalty with idolatry. To “swear to the LORD” meant to make an oath invoking God’s name, acknowledging Him as the true God. In Israel, swearing by the LORD was intended to express exclusive allegiance (cf Dt 6:13+). The same people were also swearing by Milcom, revealing divided loyalty. Milcom was the national god of the Ammonites. In other passages he is associated with Molech, a deity connected with horrific practices including child sacrifice. Milcom or Molech was a horrible idol to whom the Israelites offered their children. The worship of Milcom had already infiltrated Judah earlier in history during Solomon's reign (1Ki 11:5) and it (among other idols) cost the division of the nation. HCSB - To pledge loyalty to Milcom involved religious syncretism, combining pseudo-worship of Yahweh with worship of a false god. Here and in Jer 49:1,3, "Milcom" is spelled "Milcam" (lit "their king") in the Masoretic Text, which some interpret as a reference to Baal worship (see Zeph 1:4; cp. Jer 32; 35). Yet Milcom/Milcam was more likely the Ammonite god (Jer 49:1-3), interchangeable with "Molech" (1Ki 11:7; Jer 32:35). No consensus exists about the exact nature and spelling of this Ammonite deity; if equivalent to the Canaanite god of the underworld Molech, worship of this god apparently included child sacrifice (as in worship of Molech/Milcom; Lv 18:21; 20:2-5; 2Ki 23:10; Jer 32:35). This worship continued Manasseh's pagan practices which Josiah would disrupt (2Ki 23:10-13) John Walton - worshiping starry host. Worship of the starry hosts refers to the celestial gods (sun god, moon god and Venus particularly; in Babylonia, Shamash, Sin and Ishtar respectively), who were primary in most ancient religions. Controlling calendar and time, seasons and weather, they were viewed as the most powerful of gods. They provided signs by which omens were read, and they looked down on all. By the end of the second millennium a major compilation of celestial omens, the seventy tablets of the work known as Enuma Anu Enlil, had been compiled and was consulted for nearly a thousand years. Stamp seals from Israel in this period show that astral deities were very popular. There were many constellations recognized by the Mesopotamian astrologers (many, though not all, the same we recognize today, transmitted through the Greeks), but the zodiac was not yet known. For more information see comment on 2 Chronicles 33:5. (page 795 IVP Bible Background Commentary: OT) C H Spurgeon—Zephaniah 1:5 Such persons thought themselves safe because they were with both parties: they went with the followers of Jehovah, and bowed at the same time to Malcham. But duplicity is abominable with God, and hypocrisy his soul hateth. The idolater who distinctly gives himself to his false god, has one sin less than he who brings his polluted and detestable sacrifice unto the temple of the Lord, while his heart is with the world and the sins thereof. To hold with the hare and run with the hounds, is a dastard’s policy. In the common matters of daily life, a double-minded man is despised, but in religion he is loathsome to the last degree. The penalty pronounced in the verse before us is terrible, but it is well deserved; for how should divine justice spare the sinner, who knows the right, approves it, and professes to follow it, and all the while loves the evil, and gives it dominion in his heart? My soul, search thyself this morning, and see whether thou art guilty of double-dealing. Thou professest to be a follower of Jesus—dost thou truly love him? Is thy heart right with God? Art thou of the family of old Father Honest, or art thou a relative of Mr. By-ends? A name to live is of little value if I be indeed dead in trespasses and sins. To have one foot on the land of truth, and another on the sea of falsehood, will involve a terrible fall and a total ruin. Christ will be all or nothing. God fills the whole universe, and hence there is no room for another god; if, then, he reigns in my heart, there will be no space for another reigning power. Do I rest alone on Jesus crucified, and live alone for him? Is it my desire to do so? Is my heart set upon so doing? If so, blessed be the mighty grace which has led me to salvation; and if not so, O Lord, pardon my sad offence, and unite my heart to fear thy name. QUESTION - WHO IS THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN? ANSWER - The phrase queen of heaven appears in two passages of the Bible, both in the book of Jeremiah. The first passage deals with the things the Israelites were doing that provoked the Lord to anger. Entire families were involved in idolatry. The children gathered wood, and the men used it to build altars to worship false gods. The women were engaged in kneading dough and baking cakes of bread for the “Queen of Heaven” (Jeremiah 7:18). This title referred to Ishtar, an Assyrian and Babylonian goddess also called Ashtoreth and Astarte by various other groups. She was thought to be the wife of the false god Baal, also known as Molech. The motivation of women to worship Ashtoreth stemmed from her reputation as a fertility goddess, and, as the bearing of children was greatly desired among women of that era, worship of this “queen of heaven” was rampant among pagan civilizations. Sadly, it became popular among the Israelites as well. The second passage that refers to the queen of heaven is Jeremiah 44:17-25, where Jeremiah is giving the people the word of the Lord which God has spoken to him. He reminds the people that their disobedience and idolatry has caused the Lord to be very angry with them and to punish them with calamity. Jeremiah warns them that greater punishments await if they do not repent. They reply that they have no intentions of giving up their worship of idols, promising to continue pouring out drink offerings to the queen of heaven, Ashtoreth, and even going so far as to credit her with the peace and prosperity they once enjoyed because of God’s grace and mercy. It is unclear where the idea that Ashtoreth was a “consort” of Yahweh originated, but it’s easy to see how the blending of paganism that exalts a goddess with the worship of the true King of heaven, Yahweh, can lead to the combining of God and Ashtoreth. And since Ashtoreth worship involved sexuality (fertility rites and temple prostitution), the resulting relationship, to the depraved mind, would naturally be one of a sexual nature. Clearly, the idea of the “queen of heaven” as the consort or paramour of the King of heaven is idolatrous and unbiblical. There is no queen of heaven. There has never been a queen of heaven. There is most certainly a King of Heaven, the Lord of hosts. He alone rules in heaven. He does not share His rule or His throne or His authority with anyone. The idea that Mary, the mother of Jesus, is the queen of heaven has no scriptural basis whatsoever. Instead, the idea of Mary as the queen of heaven stems from proclamations of priests and popes of the Roman Catholic Church. While Mary was certainly a godly young woman greatly blessed in that she was chosen to bear the Savior of the world, she was not in any way divine, nor was she sinless, nor is she to be worshiped, revered, venerated, or prayed to. All followers of the Lord God refuse to be worshiped. Peter and the apostles refused to be worshiped (Acts 10:25–26; 14:13–14). The holy angels refuse to be worshiped (Revelation 19:10; 22:9). The response is always the same: “Worship God!” To offer worship, reverence, or veneration to anyone but God is nothing short of idolatry. Mary’s own words in her “Magnificat” (Luke 1:46–55) reveal that she never thought of herself as “immaculate” or deserving of veneration; on the contrary, she was relying on the grace of God for salvation: “And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Only sinners need a savior, and Mary recognized that need in herself. Furthermore, Jesus Himself issued a mild rebuke to a woman who cried out to Him, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you" (Luke 11:27), replying to her, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it." By doing so, He curtailed any tendency to elevate Mary as an object of worship. He could certainly have said, “Yes, blessed be the Queen of Heaven!” But He did not. He was affirming the same truth that the Bible affirms—there is no queen of heaven, and the only biblical references to the “queen of heaven” refer to the goddess of an idolatrous, false religion. (GOTQUESTIONS) QUESTION - Who was Moloch/Molech/Molek? ANSWER - As with many details in ancient history, the exact origin of Moloch/Molech/Molek worship is unclear. The term Moloch is believed to have originated with the Phoenician mlk, which referred to a type of sacrifice made to confirm or acquit a vow. Melekh is the Hebrew word for “king.” It was common for the Israelites to combine the name of pagan gods with the vowels in the Hebrew word for shame: bosheth. This is how the goddess of fertility and war, Astarte, became Ashtoreth. The combination of mlk, melekh, and bosheth results in “Moloch,” which could be interpreted as “the personified ruler of shameful sacrifice.” It has also been spelled Milcom, Milkim, and Malik. Ashtoreth was his consort, and ritual prostitution was considered an important form of worship. The Phoenicians were a loosely gathered group of people who inhabited Canaan (modern-day Lebanon, Syria, and Israel) between 1550 BC and 300 BC. In addition to sexual rituals, Moloch worship included child sacrifice, or “passing children through the fire.” It is believed that idols of Moloch were giant metal statues of a man with a bull’s head. Each image had a hole in the abdomen and possibly outstretched forearms that made a kind of ramp to the hole. A fire was lit in or around the statue. Babies were placed in the statue’s arms or in the hole. When a couple sacrificed their firstborn, they believed that Moloch would ensure financial prosperity for the family and future children. Moloch/Molech worship wasn’t limited to Canaan. Monoliths in North Africa bear the engraving “mlk”—often written “mlk’mr” and “mlk’dm,” which may mean “sacrifice of lamb” and “sacrifice of man.” In North Africa, Moloch was renamed “Kronos.” Kronos migrated to Carthage in Greece, and his mythology grew to include his becoming a Titan and the father of Zeus. Moloch is affiliated with and sometimes equated to Ba’al, although the word ba’al was also used to designate any god or ruler. In Genesis 12 Abraham followed God’s call to move to Canaan. Although human sacrifice was not common in Abraham’s native Ur, it was well-established in his new land. God later asked Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:2). But then God distinguished Himself from gods like Moloch. Unlike the native Canaanite gods, Abraham’s God abhorred human sacrifice. God commanded Isaac to be spared, and He provided a ram to take Isaac’s place (Genesis 22:13). God used this event as an illustration of how He would later provide His own Son to take our place. Over five hundred years after Abraham, Joshua led the Israelites out of the desert to inherit the Promised Land. God knew that the Israelites were immature in their faith and easily distracted from worshiping the one true God (Exodus 32). Before the Israelites had even entered Canaan, God warned them not to participate in Moloch worship (Leviticus 18:21) and repeatedly told them to destroy those cultures that worshiped Moloch. The Israelites didn’t heed God’s warnings. Instead, they incorporated Moloch worship into their own traditions. Even Solomon, the wisest king, was swayed by this cult and built places of worship for Moloch and other gods (1 Kings 11:1–8). Moloch worship occurred in the “high places” (1 Kings 12:31) as well as a narrow ravine outside Jerusalem called the Valley of Hinnom (2 Kings 23:10). Despite occasional efforts by godly kings, worship of Moloch wasn’t abolished until the Israelites’ captivity in Babylon. (Although the Babylonian religion was pantheistic and characterized by astrology and divination, it did not include human sacrifice.) Somehow, the dispersion of the Israelites into a large pagan civilization succeeded in finally purging them of their false gods. When the Jews returned to their land, they rededicated themselves to God, and the Valley of Hinnom was turned into a place for burning garbage and the bodies of executed criminals. Jesus used the imagery of this place—an eternally burning fire, consuming countless human victims—to describe hell, where those who reject God will burn for eternity (Matthew 10:28). GotQuestions.org QUESTION - What is religious syncretism? ANSWER - Syncretism, as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary, is “the reconciliation or fusion of differing systems of belief.” This is most evident in the areas of philosophy and religion, and usually results in a new teaching or belief system. Obviously, this cannot be reconciled to biblical Christianity. Religious syncretism often takes place when foreign beliefs are introduced to an indigenous belief system and the teachings are blended. The new, heterogeneous religion then takes a shape of its own. This has been seen most clearly in Roman Catholic missionary history. Take, for example, the Roman Catholic Church’s proselytizing of animistic South America. Threatened with the fear of death, natives were baptized into the church by the tens of thousands without any preaching of the Gospel whatsoever. Former temples were razed, with Catholic shrines and chapels built on the same spot. Natives were allowed to substitute praying to saints instead of gods of water, earth and air, and replaced their former idols with new images of the Roman Catholic Church. Yet, the animistic religion the natives had formerly practiced was never fully replaced—it was adapted into Catholic teachings, and this new belief system was allowed to flourish. More recently, religious syncretism can be seen in such religious systems as the New Age, Hinduism, Unitarianism, and Christian Science. These religions are a blending of multiple different belief systems, and are continually evolving as the philosophies of mankind rise and fall in popularity. Therein lies the problem, for syncretism relies on the whim of man, not the standard of Scripture. The Bible makes it very clear what true religion is. Think on just a few things stated in Scripture: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37); "Jesus replied, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'" (John 14:6); "Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:31); and “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Religious syncretism is simply not compatible with true Christianity. In fact, any modification to biblical law and principle for the sake of a “better” religion is heresy (Revelation 22:18-19).GotQuestions.org QUESTION - What does it mean to worship the starry host or the host of the heavens (Zephaniah 1:5)? GOTQUESTIONS.ORG ANSWER - Zephaniah’s opening verses include a strong judgment on Judah because of “those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the LORD and who also swear by Molech” (Zephaniah 1:5). To “worship the starry host” is a clear violation of God’s law in Deuteronomy 4:19. There we read, “When you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars – all the heavenly array – do not be enticed into bowing down to them.” The “starry host” includes the sun, moon, planets, and stars. These celestial bodies were worshiped by the pagan cultures of the day, but God had commanded His people to worship Him and not bow down to other gods (Exodus 20:3-4). The Ten Commandments specifically says, “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above. . . . You shall not bow down to them or serve them” (Exodus 20:4-5). The violation of this command became a perennial problem in Judah. Zephaniah prophesied against it during the reign of King Josiah. Later, during Manasseh’s reign, we are told that the king “worshiped all the host of heaven and served them” (2 Kings 21:3).The prophet Jeremiah condemned the same practice: “The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah—all the houses on whose roofs offerings have been offered to all the host of heaven” (Jeremiah 19:13). God’s people were frequently tempted to worship heavenly bodies, and their rulers often led the way. The apostle Paul speaks of those who worship created things rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25). These created things include the stars, planets, and other heavenly objects. Today, many people seek wisdom from the stars instead of from God. Astrology, including the use of horoscopes, is simply another form of worshiping the “starry host” and should have no place in a Christian’s life. The heavens point to the majesty and glory of their Creator (Psalm 19:1-6); they are not to be the focus of worship. Zephaniah 1:6 And those who have turned back from following the LORD, And those who have not sought the LORD or inquired of Him.” Legacy Standard Bible - And those who have turned back from following Yahweh, And those who have not sought Yahweh or inquired of Him.” NET and those who turn their backs on the LORD and do not want the LORD's help or guidance." turned: 1Sa 15:11 Ps 36:3 125:5 Isa 1:4 Jer 2:13,17 3:10 15:6 Eze 3:20 Ho 4:15,16 11:7 Heb 10:38,39 2Pe 2:18-22 and those: Ps 10:4 Ps 14:2,3 Isa 43:22 Ho 7:7 Ro 3:11 Heb 2:3 Related Passages: 1 Samuel 15:11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My commands.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all night. Psalm 10:4 The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him. All his thoughts are, “There is no God.” Psalm 14:2; 3 The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God. (14:3) They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one. Isaiah 43:22 “Yet you have not called on Me, O Jacob; But you have become weary of Me, O Israel. Hosea 7:7 All of them are hot like an oven, And they consume their rulers; All their kings have fallen. None of them calls on Me. Romans 3:11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; TURNING YOUR BACK ON GOD A DANGEROUS & FOOLISH MOVE! And those who have turned back (sug; LXX - ekklino) from following the LORD, And those who have not sought (baqas; LXX - zeteo) the LORD or inquired of Him - NET - "those who turn their backs on the LORD and do not want the LORD's help or guidance." This is an amazing verse! Note 2 groups, one turning their back and another no seeking or inquiring of Him. Judahites had the Temple of God in their midst. And yet they turned their back on the Glorious One "and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them." (NOTE HOW IDOLATRY IS INTEGRALLY LINKED TO IMMORALITY!) (Ro 1:23-24+) Turned back (sug) in the Greek is ekklino which descibes morally deviating from a right path. Ekklino is in the present tense indicating this is not an occassional deviation (we'd all be in trouble there!) but a persistent, habitual turning away from the path of righteousness. And the active voice indicates that this was their willful, consicous choice to turn away! 🙏 THOUGHT- Every time we sin beloved we in effect "turn our back from following Yahweh!" Have you "turned your back on Yahweh" today? Then, enabled by the Spirit (repentance is a divine gift - Ro 2:4+), "Repent (aorist imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) therefore and return (aorist imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey), that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord." (Acts 3:19+) Return to Him with your whole heart (Jer 24:7). Indeed, return to Him and He will return to you (Malachi 3:7+)! Jesus says to the busy church at Ephesus who had left their first love of Jesus "remember (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey = we need to continually "remember" because we are so prone to forget and then to sin against Him) from where you have fallen, and repent (aorist imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) and do (aorist imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place–unless you repent." (Rev 2:4,5+) Turned back (05472) sug means to move away or backslide. The Hebrew verb sûg / sūg (סוּג) fundamentally means “to turn back, turn away, retreat, or deviate from a path or commitment.” The root idea is movement away from something that should have been followed or maintained. It can describe physical retreat, moral deviation, or covenantal unfaithfulness. The word occurs in several stems (Qal, Niphal, Hiphil, and Hophal), but most often appears in the Niphal, where it conveys the idea of shrinking back, falling away, retreating, or becoming disloyal. Cognates in other Semitic languages carry similar ideas of moving cautiously or turning aside. In Scripture the verb frequently appears in hostile or judgment contexts, describing enemies being driven back in defeat (Ps 35:4; Jer 46:5) or adversaries being repelled and put to shame. It can also depict the failure or retreat of something that should have advanced, as when Jonathan’s bow did not “turn back empty” from battle (2 Sam 1:22). More commonly, however, sûg carries a strong moral and spiritual sense, describing apostasy, disloyalty, or backsliding from God. It portrays people who abandon the path of covenant faithfulness and turn aside into rebellion or indifference toward the LORD (Ps 53:3; Ps 78:57; Zeph 1:6; Isa 59:13). In wisdom literature it describes a “backslider in heart” who reaps the consequences of his own disloyalty (Prov 14:14). Conversely, the faithful pledge not to “turn back” from God when He restores them (Ps 80:18), and the Servant of the LORD declares that he did not shrink back from his divine calling despite suffering (Isa 50:5). The verb also appears in legal contexts where it means to move or remove a boundary marker, an act of injustice that violated the divinely allotted inheritance of one’s neighbor (Deut 19:14; 27:17; Prov 22:28; Hos 5:10). Because land boundaries represented God-given family inheritance, shifting them symbolized treachery and social corruption. A related noun form (sîg) refers to “dross”, the impurities skimmed away during metal refining (Isa 1:22, 25), metaphorically depicting moral corruption that must be removed. Taken together, the various uses of sûg highlight the biblical theme of turning away from what is right—whether retreating in battle, violating justice, or abandoning covenant loyalty to God. The word therefore often functions as a warning that turning aside from God leads to shame, judgment, and moral collapse, while faithfulness requires steadfastness that refuses to “turn back” from the path God has set. Key Takeaways: Turning away from God is the essence of spiritual decline. Scripture repeatedly shows that moral collapse begins when the heart “turns back” from the LORD (Ps 53:3; Zeph 1:6). Faithfulness is defined by refusing to turn back. The righteous remain steadfast in their commitment to God even when facing pressure, hardship, or temptation (Ps 80:18; Isa 50:5). SUG - 24X24V - backslider(1), drawing(1), move(4), moves(1), remove(1), turn(2), turn back(1), turned(8), turned aside(1), turned back(3), turning away(1). Deut. 19:14; Deut. 27:17; 2 Sam. 1:22; Ps. 35:4; Ps. 40:14; Ps. 44:18; Ps. 53:3; Ps. 70:2; Ps. 78:57; Ps. 80:18; Ps. 129:5; Prov. 14:14; Prov. 22:28; Prov. 23:10; Isa. 42:17; Isa. 50:5; Isa. 59:13; Isa. 59:14; Jer. 38:22; Jer. 46:5; Hos. 5:10; Mic. 2:6; Mic. 6:14; Zeph. 1:6 Sought (01245) baqas expresses a person's earnest seeking of something or someone which exists or is thought to exist with the intention that it will be found or acquired. It pictures one searching earnestly until the object of the search is located. The Septuagint (LXX) translates baqas with the verb zeteo which implies giving attention and priority to and deliberately pursuing after. Webster says that to seek means to go in search or quest of, to look for, to try to discover, to search for by going from place to place. Zeteo in classical Greek is often used as a technical term for philosophical investigation, something “examined, considered” or “deliberated.” For example, baqas describes seeking for Moses' life (Ex 4:19 Lxx = zeteo), Absalom seeking to kill David (2Sa 16:11), those seeking to kill Pharaoh and Zedekiah (Jer 44:30) Baqas describes an earnest search until the object of the search is located. Thus peace is to be searched for earnestly (Ps 34:14+). The Lord’s face (His presence) must especially be sought (Ps 27:4, 8+) On the other hand, we are not to seek the occult (Lev 19:31). Naomi sought for security for her daughter-in-law Ruth (Ru 3:1+). Jehovah "sought out for Himself a man after His own heart." (1Sa 13:14 - As an aside God is ever looking for this quality in a man or woman! Does it describe you [me]?) God promises if we seek for Him we will find Him (Dt 4:29). EXCURSUS ON SEEKING THE LORD To seek the LORD in Scripture means to pursue God Himself with wholehearted devotion, repentance, humility, and obedience. It is not merely searching for information about God or asking Him for blessings; rather, it is a spiritual pursuit of His presence, character, will, and righteousness. In the Bible, seeking the Lord involves turning away from sin and self-reliance and directing one’s heart toward a living relationship with God. The call is often presented as an urgent invitation to life and restoration. For example, Amos 5:4 (NASB) records God’s appeal: “Seek Me that you may live.” In this sense, seeking God is the pathway to true spiritual life, because life flows from communion with Him. Similarly, Psalm 27:8 (NASB) expresses the heart response of a believer: “When You said, ‘Seek My face,’ my heart said to You, ‘Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.’” Seeking God therefore involves a longing for God Himself, not merely His gifts. Throughout Scripture this pursuit is tied closely to repentance and humility. One cannot genuinely seek God while persisting in rebellion. Isaiah 55:6–7 (NASB) urges, “Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts.” Seeking God requires a turning of both life and heart toward Him. The Hebrew concept often includes the idea of diligent pursuit, like searching for something precious. Thus Jeremiah 29:13 (NASB) promises, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” The emphasis on the whole heart shows that seeking the Lord involves sincerity, devotion, and the rejection of divided loyalties. Seeking the Lord also means desiring to know Him as He has revealed Himself, rather than creating a god of one’s own imagination. God reveals Himself through His Word, His works, and ultimately through His Son. In the Old Testament context, seeking the Lord often involved going to the temple, praying, offering sacrifices, and obeying the Law. Yet the prophets repeatedly emphasized that true seeking was not merely ritual but relational. Psalm 105:4 (NASB) commands, “Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face continually.” To “seek His face” means to desire God’s personal presence and fellowship, not simply His help or blessings. Another important element is dependence and submission. Those who seek the Lord acknowledge that they cannot direct their lives apart from Him. They seek His wisdom, guidance, and righteousness. Psalm 34:10 (NASB) states, “They who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.” This promise does not mean that seekers of God avoid hardship, but that God Himself becomes their sufficiency and provision. Seeking God therefore involves trusting His character and submitting to His authority. In the New Testament the concept reaches its fullest expression in coming to Christ. Because Jesus perfectly reveals the Father, seeking the Lord ultimately means seeking Christ in faith and repentance. Jesus illustrated this pursuit when He asked two early disciples, “What do you seek?” (John 1:38 NASB). Their answer revealed their desire to know Him personally. Jesus then invited them, “Come, and you will see” (John 1:39 NASB). Seeking God therefore becomes a response to God’s own invitation. Scripture teaches that apart from God’s grace people do not naturally pursue Him, for Romans 3:11 (NASB) says, “There is none who seeks for God.” Yet God graciously reaches out to sinners. As Paul writes, God declares, “I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me” (Romans 10:20 NASB). Human seeking is ultimately a response to God’s initiating grace. Practically, seeking the Lord expresses itself through prayer, worship, study of Scripture, obedience, and continual dependence on God. It is both a decisive turning to God and a lifelong pursuit of knowing Him more deeply. Those who seek the Lord experience spiritual renewal and transformation because communion with God reshapes the heart and life. This pursuit also produces joy and peace, for the greatest blessing of seeking God is finding God Himself. In summary, to seek the Lord means to turn from sin and self-reliance, pursue God with the whole heart, desire His truth and presence above all else, obey His Word, and come to Him in faith through Jesus Christ. It is the continual posture of a humble soul that recognizes its complete dependence on God for life, forgiveness, wisdom, and purpose. Those who seek Him sincerely discover that God graciously reveals Himself, fulfilling His promise: “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 NASB). Zephaniah 1:7 Be silent before the Lord GOD! For the day of the LORD is near, For the LORD has prepared a sacrifice, He has consecrated His guests. Legacy Standard Bible - Be silent before Lord Yahweh! For the day of Yahweh is near, For Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice; He has set apart His guests. NET Be silent before the Lord GOD, for the LORD's day of judgment is almost here. The LORD has prepared a sacrificial meal; he has ritually purified his guests. thy: 1Sa 2:9,10 Job 40:4,5 Ps 46:10 76:8,9 Isa 6:5 Am 6:10 Hab 2:20 Zec 2:13 Ro 3:19 9:20 for the day: Zep 1:14 Isa 2:12 13:6 Eze 7:7,10 Joe 2:1,2,11,31 Am 5:18-20 Mal 4:1 Php 4:5 2Pe 3:10-12 for the Lord: Isa 34:6 Jer 46:10 Eze 39:17-20 Rev 19:17,18 he hath: Pr 9:1-6 Mt 22:4 Lu 14:16,17 bid: Heb. sanctified, or prepared, 1Sa 16:5 20:26 Col 1:12 Related Passages: Habakkuk 2:20 But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.” NO EXCUSES WHEN YAHWEH JUDGES Be silent (KJV = "Hold thy peace") before the Lord GOD! For (explains "why be silent?) the day of the LORD is near, Why be silent? The Judge of all mankind is giving His verdict and you can hear a pin drop in the courtroom (so to speak)! There seems to be a touch of sarcasm here. For the LORD has prepared a sacrifice, He has consecrated His guests - The statement uses sacrificial language to portray divine judgment. In ancient Israel, when an animal sacrifice was offered, those who participated in the sacrificial meal were consecrated or set apart beforehand so they could partake in the holy event. Zephaniah uses this familiar ritual imagery but reverses expectations. Instead of a normal worship sacrifice, the “sacrifice” is Judah itself, and the consecrated guests are the Babylonians who would be the Lord's instrument for carrying out the sacrifice against Judah. (cf Isa 13:3; 34:6; Jer 46:10; Eze 39:17, Rev 19:17-18) Charles Feinberg quips "How galling must be the judgment when God sanctifies the heathen Babylonians as His priests to slay the sacrifices." (The Minor Prophets) John