Book of Small Prophets
Zephaniah
Chapter
2
¹ Gather together, gather O shameless nation, ² before you are driven away like the drifting chaff, before there comes upon you the fierce anger of the LORD, before there comes upon you the day of the LORD's wrath.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 verses 1 to 2)
Oh people of the earth, let us repent of our ways, let us gather as one nation and pray for the mercy of God' our Father, for we have gone against His ways many times and we are entitled, for the penalty of hell. Mercy oh God even though we deserve all we get in consequences of our sins amen.
³ Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do his commands; seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the LORD's wrath.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 verse 3)
Oh God what a great gift it is to be humble and to be obedient and ready to obey instruction than to be proud and always in control or as we think we are. I pray that I always aim for humility and never seek to dominate others Amen.
⁴ For Gaza shall be deserted, and Ashkelon shall become a desolation; Ashdod's people shall be driven out at noon, and Ekron shall be uprooted.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 verse 4)
Oh God my Father, when You want something to happen, You will make all things possible, You are able to remove people who are of trouble and opposition to the reaching of the goals that You planned for us and give rise to those people who will be of opportunity to us Amen.
⁵ All inhabitants of the seacoast, you nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan land of the Philistines; and I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 verse 5)
³ Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do his commands; seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the LORD's wrath.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 verse 3)
Oh God what a great gift it is to be humble and to be obedient and ready to obey instruction than to be proud and always in control or as we think we are. I pray that I always aim for humility and never seek to dominate others Amen.
⁴ For Gaza shall be deserted, and Ashkelon shall become a desolation; Ashdod's people shall be driven out at noon, and Ekron shall be uprooted.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 verse 4)
Oh God my Father, when You want something to happen, You will make all things possible, You are able to remove people who are of trouble and opposition to the reaching of the goals that You planned for us and give rise to those people who will be of opportunity to us Amen.
⁵ All inhabitants of the seacoast, you nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan land of the Philistines; and I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 verse 5)
Oh God my Father, the last thing I need right now id that You be against me. I am willing to take on the yoke of the sacrifice, however, I pray on You to speak to me like You once did Amen.
⁶And you, O seacoast, shall be pastures, meadows for shepherds and folds for flocks. ⁷ The seacoast shall become the possession of the remnant of the house of Judah, on which they shall pasture, and in the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening. For the LORD their God will be mindful of them and restore their fortunes.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 verses 6 to 7)
Oh God, my beloved Father, I thank You for being so caring and sensitive to my needs and that of my family. I know that I am always on Your mind because You genuinely love me. Even before I declare a need, wish or want, You are already aware of it, and if it's for my own good, You will make it possible to be Amen. Thank You, God my Father. When I needed the assistance of an interpreter, You not only sent me one, but also a person with a background in psychiatry whom You sent at the right moment, and whom I am proud to call a friend. Although he is of another religion by means of this person You showed me who the real Christian is and I felt really ashamed on one hand and grateful to You on the other Amen.
⁸ I have heard the taunts of Moab and the revilings of the Ammonites, how they have taunted my people and made boasts against their territory.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 Verse 8)
Oh God my beloved Father, You are more than aware of the persecution that Christians are experiencing during the present times. People are being killed simply for being Christians. On the one hand may Your will be done, because You had made us aware that we would be persecuted because of Your Name, but on the other hand innocent blood is being shed. I pray that You have mercy on this targeted group of Christians Amen.
⁹ Therefore as I live, says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab shall become like Sodom and the Ammonites like Gomorrah, a land possessed by nettles and salt pits, and a waste forever. The remnant of my people shall plunder them and the survivors of my nation shall possess them.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 Verse 9)
Oh God my beloved Father, this is an issue that is really on my mind. You took the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, so seriously so much that You mention it in different chapters of the Bible, however the Roman Catholic Church is changing its attitude toward people with homosexual tendencies, people who were not accepted by You. When You destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah You did not discriminate the sin from the sinner, because both were present and therefore both were given the same penalty Amen.
¹⁰ This shall be their lot in return for their pride, because they scoffed and boasted against the people of the Lord of hosts.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 Verse 10)
Oh God my beloved Father, at times I do not understand the Roman Catholic Church of which I am a member. You strongly emphasize the penalty of being like the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and their ways and our Church has a completely opposite attitude towards such a social group. please have mercy on us oh God my Father Amen.
¹¹ The LORD will be terrible against them; he will shrivel all the gods of the earth, and to him shall bow down, each in its place, all the coasts and islands of the nations.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 Verse 11)
Oh sisters and brothers, we all in some way or another may have personal 'gods' and ambitions, may we not be controlled by our careers, plans, families, jobs and even by the same technology that has become so advanced. May we including myself, place our Lord God and Father in the centre of our lives and give Him full control Amen because none of these 'gods' can withstand the power of God Amen. He deserves the centre place of our lives. He is the rock of our salvation.
¹² You also, Ethiopians, shall be killed by my sword.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 Verse 12)
Oh God my Father, The Good News is really like a sharp sword, because when I reflect on it it's message penetrates my soul and makes me aware of both Your love, and even the issues that are still pending in my spiritual and psychological self Amen. I pray that You not only raise my awareness but even continue the healing process Amen.
¹³ And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and he will make Nineveh a desolation, a dry waste like the desert.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 verse 13)
Ohy God my Father, You are able to stretch Your mighty hand and raise us out of our pit of misery and You are also able to keep us in a state of humility and submission until You consider as proper the days of our deliverence. Either or Oh God my Father, I respect Your decision Amen.
¹⁴ Herds shall lie down in it, every wild animal; the desert owl and the screech owl shall lodge on its capitals; the owl shall hoot at the window, the raven croak on the threshold; for its cedar work will be laid bare. ¹⁵ Is this the exultant city that lived secure, that said to itself, "I am, and there is no one else"? What a desolation it has become, a lair for wild animals! Everyone who passes by it hisses and shakes the fist.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 verses 14 to 15)
Oh God my Father I also feel like a barren field that is dry full of weeds and a dwelling place for wild animals. Going back in time I was really happy so much that happy was one of my passwords but now I have lost my happiness. I feel abandoned and betrayed by the world and at times even by You. People will look at me, and say "Look at him he who always placed his trust in God he is no better than us who live according to the ways of the world, and I tend to agree with them.
Oh God my beloved Father, I would like to end this second chapter of the book of the prphet Zephaniah with the following prayer:
Oh God my beloved Father, I thank You for this time of tribulation and desolation. All hell is breaking lose around me. My marriage is in a desperate crisis, my work is in a desperate crisis and moreover I am on treatment for depression. I pray that you have mercy on me my God and Father, because I do not know how much more I can take. Gradually You are stripping me off my securities one by one until I am totally dependent on You which is ok for me but please help me before I loose my mind. Amen. Thank You God my Father.
⁶And you, O seacoast, shall be pastures, meadows for shepherds and folds for flocks. ⁷ The seacoast shall become the possession of the remnant of the house of Judah, on which they shall pasture, and in the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening. For the LORD their God will be mindful of them and restore their fortunes.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 verses 6 to 7)
Oh God, my beloved Father, I thank You for being so caring and sensitive to my needs and that of my family. I know that I am always on Your mind because You genuinely love me. Even before I declare a need, wish or want, You are already aware of it, and if it's for my own good, You will make it possible to be Amen. Thank You, God my Father. When I needed the assistance of an interpreter, You not only sent me one, but also a person with a background in psychiatry whom You sent at the right moment, and whom I am proud to call a friend. Although he is of another religion by means of this person You showed me who the real Christian is and I felt really ashamed on one hand and grateful to You on the other Amen.
⁸ I have heard the taunts of Moab and the revilings of the Ammonites, how they have taunted my people and made boasts against their territory.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 Verse 8)
Oh God my beloved Father, You are more than aware of the persecution that Christians are experiencing during the present times. People are being killed simply for being Christians. On the one hand may Your will be done, because You had made us aware that we would be persecuted because of Your Name, but on the other hand innocent blood is being shed. I pray that You have mercy on this targeted group of Christians Amen.
⁹ Therefore as I live, says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab shall become like Sodom and the Ammonites like Gomorrah, a land possessed by nettles and salt pits, and a waste forever. The remnant of my people shall plunder them and the survivors of my nation shall possess them.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 Verse 9)
Oh God my beloved Father, this is an issue that is really on my mind. You took the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, so seriously so much that You mention it in different chapters of the Bible, however the Roman Catholic Church is changing its attitude toward people with homosexual tendencies, people who were not accepted by You. When You destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah You did not discriminate the sin from the sinner, because both were present and therefore both were given the same penalty Amen.
¹⁰ This shall be their lot in return for their pride, because they scoffed and boasted against the people of the Lord of hosts.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 Verse 10)
Oh God my beloved Father, at times I do not understand the Roman Catholic Church of which I am a member. You strongly emphasize the penalty of being like the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and their ways and our Church has a completely opposite attitude towards such a social group. please have mercy on us oh God my Father Amen.
¹¹ The LORD will be terrible against them; he will shrivel all the gods of the earth, and to him shall bow down, each in its place, all the coasts and islands of the nations.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 Verse 11)
Oh sisters and brothers, we all in some way or another may have personal 'gods' and ambitions, may we not be controlled by our careers, plans, families, jobs and even by the same technology that has become so advanced. May we including myself, place our Lord God and Father in the centre of our lives and give Him full control Amen because none of these 'gods' can withstand the power of God Amen. He deserves the centre place of our lives. He is the rock of our salvation.
¹² You also, Ethiopians, shall be killed by my sword.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 Verse 12)
Oh God my Father, The Good News is really like a sharp sword, because when I reflect on it it's message penetrates my soul and makes me aware of both Your love, and even the issues that are still pending in my spiritual and psychological self Amen. I pray that You not only raise my awareness but even continue the healing process Amen.
¹³ And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and he will make Nineveh a desolation, a dry waste like the desert.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 verse 13)
Ohy God my Father, You are able to stretch Your mighty hand and raise us out of our pit of misery and You are also able to keep us in a state of humility and submission until You consider as proper the days of our deliverence. Either or Oh God my Father, I respect Your decision Amen.
¹⁴ Herds shall lie down in it, every wild animal; the desert owl and the screech owl shall lodge on its capitals; the owl shall hoot at the window, the raven croak on the threshold; for its cedar work will be laid bare. ¹⁵ Is this the exultant city that lived secure, that said to itself, "I am, and there is no one else"? What a desolation it has become, a lair for wild animals! Everyone who passes by it hisses and shakes the fist.
(Book of Small Prophets Zephaniah Chapter 2 verses 14 to 15)
Oh God my Father I also feel like a barren field that is dry full of weeds and a dwelling place for wild animals. Going back in time I was really happy so much that happy was one of my passwords but now I have lost my happiness. I feel abandoned and betrayed by the world and at times even by You. People will look at me, and say "Look at him he who always placed his trust in God he is no better than us who live according to the ways of the world, and I tend to agree with them.
Oh God my beloved Father, I would like to end this second chapter of the book of the prphet Zephaniah with the following prayer:
Oh God my beloved Father, I thank You for this time of tribulation and desolation. All hell is breaking lose around me. My marriage is in a desperate crisis, my work is in a desperate crisis and moreover I am on treatment for depression. I pray that you have mercy on me my God and Father, because I do not know how much more I can take. Gradually You are stripping me off my securities one by one until I am totally dependent on You which is ok for me but please help me before I loose my mind. Amen. Thank You God my Father.
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