Rebellion

God described Jerusalem and its people at rebels who engage in habits that corrupt their lives morally and spiritually choose a prophet Zephaniah.

What sorrow awaits rebellious, polluted Jerusalem. It does not trust in the Lord. If leaders are like roaring lion hunting for their victims. It’s judges are like ravenous wolves. It’s profits are arrogant liars. It’s pretty defile the temple.

Zephaniah 3:1-4

They were determined to go their own way and we’re not interested in the things of God. They did not trust or seek Him.

Its leaders were particularly guilty. The political leaders were determined to take advantage of the people for their own benefit. They were like roaring lions hunting for victims. Doesn’t that sound like America today? Even it’s spiritual leaders were like “arrogant liars seeking their own gain.”

God continue to focus on moral behavior, fairness, honesty, righteousness, and the commitment to truth. Why? For He was “still there in the city and He does no wrong. He hands down justice.“ God is consistent, for “He does not fail,’ (Zephaniah 1:5).

But these principles did not matter to some people. God tried to get their attention, but they refuse to listen or change. God was concerned. He warned about the horrible consequences of rebellion and what happens when there is no commitment key purity and godliness but a willingness to embrace self-centered behavior.

The Bible makes it clear that there are destructive consequences for rebellion, rejecting God’s Word, and going our own way. Ask God to show you if you are guilty of rebellion. Seek the clarity of His Word. Be sensitive to the leading of His Spirit. 

The Bible speaks of “birthing pains” before the tribulation. Many don’t recognize it, but we are experiencing “birthing pains.”

Matthew 24:6-8 tells us, “See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. Or nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All of these are the beginning of the birth pains.”

Seeking The Lord

Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth who have practiced His ordinances; seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will remain hidden on the day of the Lord’s anger.

Zephaniah 2:3

John Dickinson “lived one of the most extraordinary political lives in all America founding fathers.” Born in Maryland, he received a legal education in England. When he returned to America, he became an influential voice, writing essays distributed in America, England, and France.

However, he failed to receive the fan granted to me any other founders because he opposed the independence. He said he thought to reconcile the colony with England and did not sign the declaration. Yeah he gave respect even among those who disagreed with him and went on to hold positions of importance in the new nation.

One reason for his respect was Dickinson’s character and his Christian faith. The urge others to base their lives on the Bible, which can “make us wait for salvation’ through faith which is in Jesus Christ “ (2 Timothy 3:15).

Also stressed how important it was to realize that someday we will face God. He stated his conviction that there will be a Day of Judgement when each person will be evaluated.

Someday you will give a count of your life. Will be judged not according to your popularity or stand on political issues but on the condition of your heart and whether you are right with God.

The time is soon with all who are sitting on the fence will have to choose God or Satan.

Be sure you are ready. Seek the Lord. Humble yourself before Him. And serve Him with your whole heart.

God And The Weather

Storms, floods, and earthquakes are indeed part of the present world. We sometimes called him natural disasters but they are not a surprise to God. Yes God certainly control the weather and sends deadly storms.

Somehow concluded that suffering or Carl because it is beyond gods control. This is incorrect. God has indeed established certain laws and principles that govern nature, but He remains sovereign over these laws. Psalm 148:8 declares that storms “do His bidding.” Concerning Jonah, it was the Lord who “sent out a great wind into the sea and there was a mighty tempest in the sea” (Jonah 1:4).

Old Testament writers did not hesitate to attribute the forces of nature to God: Deep cough too deep at the noise of your waterfalls. All your waves in Billows has swept over me” (Psalm 42:7). Today, God‘s creation is to often depersonalized. He is in control, and has His reasons for all kind of weather, both fair and stormy.

One biblical example is the story of Job. Severe weather had killed Job’s sheep, his servants, and all 10 of his children.

As Job suffered burger physical application, he asked, “ why is there evil in the world?” His rims were not a great help in answering the question.

Finally, after much dialogue. God spoke directly to a job out of a whirlwind (Job 38:41). The Lord made clear that His control over nature and His ultimate purposes were to be trusted, We simply cannot understand all the details of the divine plan.

Job’s testimony describes how trials should bring us closer to God, instead of driving us away.

The Lord gave in the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord.

Job 1:21

Job 37:13 declares that God sometimes bring storms to punish people. This brings to mind the experiences of both Noah and Jonah; storms played a major part in their lives.

Scripture contains many examples of God controlling the weather and using them to direct people and nations.

How divine weather has changed history:

Global deluge rain storm ( plus Irruption of fountains of the great deep Are humans on earth killed in Divine global flood judgement, and all air breathing, land dwelling animals killed, except those saved by divine intervention on the Ark (Genesis 6:5-9:19).

Tremendous hailstorm and continuous thunder and lightning against all Egypt – struck down all unprotected people, animals, trees and plants- except in the region of Goshen where there was no hail (Exodus 9:23-29).

Tornadoes, hurricanes and drought

‘The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies. 

The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means leave that guilty unpunished. A whirlwind and storm is His way…

He dries up all the rivers in Bashan and Carmel wither; The blossoms of a Lebanon wither (Nahum 1:2-4).

Very great thunder sent to confuse and disburse the Philistine army at just the right moment – saving Israel (1 Samuel 7:10).

Drought and famine judgments (Leviticus 26:19-20; Deuteronomy 11:13-15; 2 Samuel 21:1; Hosea 13:15; Zachariah 14:17).

Sin brought drought punishment and repentance brings reward.

“The heavens are shut up and there is no rain, because they have a sin against You” (1 Kings 16:30; 18:45).

Reign given or withheld from certain cities by God (Amos 4:7).

Thunder and rain gets peoples attention and induces right for fear of the Lord.

So Samuel call to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly fear the Lord and Samuel (1 Samuel 12:18).

A sea storm sent to punish a disobedient man and redirect him to Nineveh was saved from divine annihilation (Jonah 1:4; 10:15.

Future huge hail storms judgment about 100 pounds each (Revelation 16:21).

A serious flaw I secular environmentalism is that it sees nature as inherently good and normal. The biblical record says that creation and the weather were originally ‘very good,’ from the time God created the world until the first man sinned.

“ and God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31).

Due to man’s sinfulness, the world did not stay ‘very good.’ Not long after Creation all of nature was affected by man’s fall to sin and God’s curse.The pain and sorrow of this present world, along with severe weather, demonstrate an imperfect world.

Furthermore, the worldwide flood of Noah’s time would clearly have caused radical changes in our environment. Before the flood, the weather was evidently very mild and different from today, it did not even rain (Genesis 2:5-6; 7:11-12).

Thankfully, a new world is coming, when God will burn up this universe and create a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:10-13; Isaiah 65;17; Revelation 21). Paradise will be restored. Once again, deadly storms will not be part of our world.

Indifference

God told the prophet Zephaniah that some are “complacent in their sins.” They are comfortable with their lifestyle and behavior. Even if they have heard His warnings, they don’t want to change. They are indifferent to the Lord. I suppose most people are this way in society today.

These pod whatever they want with no concern of the consequences. Many think God will do nothing to them to punish them.

The image is of people who are set in their ways and preoccupied with their personal desires and interests. They are intoxicated with their pleasures. They are secure and easy. In that they don’t fear God.

These aren’t just the characteristics of non-believers. Some Believers have similar attitudes. Some Even go to church and say they believe, but deep down they have their own ideas about God’s Word and have developed their own interpretations.

The Bible makes it clear that God wants to take His Word seriously and realize there are consequences to our actions. Obeying Him is key to blessing, fulfillment, and wisdom.

I have to admit I have become complacent lately. There are days I just want to hide away in my house and do nothing for God. It maybe because of how the world is today and I’m getting tired of trying or maybe I’m just getting lazy. But God has a way of reminding me, that it’s not over and there’s still work to be done.

This has nothing to do with “good works,” It has everything to do with obeying God and taking the Bible at face value. The way it’s written is truth. There is no other interpretation to be made by me or any other person on earth.

God’s word to Zephaniah:

I will search with lanterns in Jerusalem’s darkest corners to punish those who sit complacent in their sins. They think the Lord will do nothing to them, either good or bad. – Zephaniah 1:12.

I believe God is searching America’s darkest corners also. We have a small window of time in which we must turn to God or judgement will come.