Scripture Reading : Zephaniah 2:4-15
Theme : The Day of the Lord on the Nations
Judgment against Philistines (4-7). All the cities mentioned here belong to the Philistines. Woe means both judgment and lament in v.5. God does not promise to restore the Philistines, but he promises that He will restore the fortune of Israel. This was fulfilled when Israel returned from exile in Babylon, 70 years after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.
Judgment against Moab and Ammon (8-11). Moab and Ammon are people from Lot’s incestuous relationship with his two daughters (Gen. 19:29-38). Even though, they are distant relatives of Israel, they did not help Israel but taunted at Israel and gloated over its destruction. Therefore, God will destroy them, but Israel’s remnants will return and possess their land. In the end times, all the nations of the world will bow down to God (2:11).
Judgment against Cush (12). The Cushites were people in modern day Sudan and Ethiopia. God will judge all the sins of the world, no matter where they are on earth.
Judgment against Assyria (13-15). When God’s wrath is kindled against sin, no nation can protected itself, not even the most powerful nation in the world at the time: Assyria.
Praying the Scripture
- We must not think that all this judgment and wrath by God is senseless. God is not wrathful or angry by nature, but He is loving by nature (1 John 4:8). He is wrathful only in response to evil. His wrath is not senseless or purposeless. His wrath satisfies His justice and His wrath will eventually result in all the nations on earth worshipping Him (2:11). True paradise will result. Let us not lose heart and become hopeless when God judges, but use it as an opportunity to proclaim salvation through Jesus, just as God proclaims salvation to Judah in the midst of judgment.
- After reading so much about God’s judgment, pray that we do not become desensitized, apathetic or think God is too angry. All these judgments by God are meant to show us the ugliness and seriousness of sin. God hates sin with a passion because He is gloriously righteous. We should be sober and never take sin lightly. So many false teachers in the prosperity gospel movement do not even like to mention sin. When they do mention sin, they twist the definition of sin to mean negative thoughts. All who down play the seriousness of sin will not run to the cross to seek forgiveness. They treat the cross as an insurance policy to pursue sin; therefore, they will face the great day of the Lord.
经文：西番雅书2:4-15
主题：耶和华的日子临到列国
对非利士的审判（4-7）。这段经文所列的所有城市属于非利士。“有祸了”可以指审判，也可以指哀号。神没应许要复兴非利士，但祂承诺要恢复以色列的财富。当耶路撒冷在公元前586年沦陷于巴比伦，又在70年的放逐后从巴比伦归回时，这应许得应验了。
对摩押和亚扪的审判（8-11）。摩押人和亚扪人源于罗得与他二女的乱伦关系所生（创19:29-38）。虽然他们是以色列的远亲，但他们并没帮助以色列，反倒嘲讽她，又为她的毁灭幸灾乐祸。因此，神会消灭他们，而以色列余剩的子民将归回并占领他们的土地。到了末日，世上的列国将屈膝敬拜神（2:11）。
对古实的审判（12）。古实人是现代的苏丹人和埃塞俄比亚人。不论人处在世界上的哪个角落，神都会审判他们的罪孽。
对亚述的审判（13-15）。当神对罪的愤怒被点燃，任何国家都无能逃脱。即便是当代最强大的国家——亚述也无法自卫。
用经文祷告
- 我们不能认为这些审判和愤怒是无理的。神不爱发怒，因为祂本是慈爱的神（约一4:8）。神会发怒，是因为罪孽的存在；这种怒气不是无理的。神的愤怒源于祂的公义，而这愤怒最后会使万国万民都敬拜祂（2:11）。那时候将有真太平。当神施行审判时，让我们不要气馁，也不要绝望，乃使之转变成传福音的机会，宣扬耶稣基督里的救恩，因为神在施行审判时也向犹大传祂的救恩。
- 读到了神众多的审判后，祈求我们不要变得麻木，变得不在乎，或只认为神太苛刻了。神一切的审判是要向我们显示罪恶的丑陋和严重性。神极度憎恨罪，是因为祂是完全圣洁的。我们当警醒，不要轻视罪。致富福音的许多假教师甚至不爱提起罪，而他们若真说到罪，其定义是歪曲的，使之罪只成为负面的想法。凡淡化罪之严重性的绝对不会奔向十字架苦求饶恕；他们只会把十字架当成继续作恶的保险。因此，在耶和华的日子里，他们会受到审判。
