For the sake of argument. Zephaniah 1:2. Part two.

 Since we covered verse one in the introduction to Zephaniah, we will only touch on it lightly. That word lightly makes me laugh because I rarely do anything lightly.

Zephaniah 1:1 NET. This is the prophetic message that the LORD gave to Zephaniah, son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. Zephaniah delivered this message during the reign of King Josiah, son of Amon of Judah:

If you read my introduction to Zephaniah, then you would know that I wanted to find out what could have been an aspect of his motivation to speak such a strong word. I realize many will not understand my simplistic idea of motivation, as “God,” we assume, speaks to us, telling us to jump, and we say, how high. It doesn't work quite like that. For me, it was a major trust issue as the Holy Spirit was kind enough to give me something like “and the” for a starter. I had to trust Him to fill my mouth, and He always did. As I sit in groups, I rarely find people who recognize that God/the Holy Spirit can and does speak to them.

Along with this track, I was recently reminded that Proverbs tells us more about God's attempts at talking with us than any other book.

Proverbs 1:20-21 NET. Wisdom calls out in the street, she shouts loudly in the plazas; 21) at the head of the noisy streets she calls, in the entrances of the gates in the city she utters her words:

If Proverbs 1:20 is an example of the Holy Spirit speaking, then you can see that He is not merely talking; He is calling out.

If you understand that God is Wisdom, you should be able to grasp that He is calling out to you all the time.

For the sake of argument, let's assume that you don't believe or will not accept that God will speak to you.

If that is your understanding, then you would never realize that the twisted path God has taken you on was meant to build the character and personality in you that you now have (even if you look and act like a biker). The truth is, God has never let you out of His hand and has directed every move you made, even the painful ones.

Why did those things have to happen to you?

Because God needed the person, you became to reach that one person who would only listen to you.

I don't know if you realize what is going on here as I write, but I am also talking to myself, a man who struggles with several damaged aspects of my life (those aspects are primarily emotional, but the damage is real and affects every aspect of my life). In other words, like many of you, I am a walking miracle.

In my previous post, I emphasized the impact of the evil king Manasseh's reign.

The assumption would be logical and practical to consider him, as he played the majority role in Zephaniah's life, and strove to create an environment that echoed the Nazi regime's goals of eradication. Manasseh also, in many ways, matches the current apostate condition of the world we now live in; a world where the name of the Lord is on the verge of being outlawed. Here in my state, California's state assembly has moved to pass Assembly Bill 2943. This bill will make the Bible illegal literature because the words and message in the Bible have always stood against homosexuality. The reality of the Bible is that there are many words in this book that anger people, many of which are religious. The Bible irritates so many people because the Word stands in contrast to and against our selfish desires.

As a side note, I feel no compulsion to use my Bible as a harsh motivation against sin; it speaks against sin on its own. If I can call it that, my motivation for teaching and preaching is meant to get you excited about the life and potential found in the Bible, and then let that control you.

One commentary stated, all we know about Zephaniah is told to us in verse one;
And, it tells us that, “Zephaniah delivered this message during the reign of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah.”

Since Josiah is set before us, we need to learn about Josiah.

2 Kings 22:1 NET. Josiah was eight years old when he became king and reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jedidah, daughter of Adaiah, from Bozkath.

Seriously? How useful or self-directed would an eight-year-old child be?

In reality, someone who held Jehovah in high esteem, regardless of Manasseh's oppression, was helping to direct Josiah's actions and words. Now, I would expect Josiah, if he had a heart for it, to be a follower of the law and God's way, and that is what we see, as we are told he reigned for thirty-one years. This information does not tell me what Josiah did that demonstrated a life of dedication to the Lord, but verse two does.

2 Kings 22:2 NET. He did what the LORD approved and followed in his ancestor David's footsteps; he did not deviate to the right or the left.

Having listened to Pastor Chuck Smith, the founder of the Calvary Chapels, talk about Josiah, you would think this young man would put King David to shame.

Put this information in context: We are all human, and this idea of hearing God would have been a struggle, even for a king, especially for a young king. Therefore, again, it is safe to assume that sane people, led by God, were able to instill great and unselfish wisdom into the young king's life.

Since the passage compares him to King David, you should be able to acknowledge that David was a man after God's own heart. A reality check: David had all the human faults a man could stand, so what qualifies David for this title? Solomon's interactions with God give us a clue.

1 Kings 11:4 NET. When Solomon became old, his wives shifted his allegiance to other gods; he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD his God, as his father David had been.

David was wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, in spite of his flaws and failures.

A look at the word devoted reveals this:

šālēm: An adjective meaning full, complete, safe, whole, peaceful. This adjective has several uses when it suggests complete, safe, unharmed, and natural.

So David felt safe, whole, peaceful, and natural. Take that in for a moment.

Do you have anyone in your life who produces those feelings in you?

I don't. A few come close, like my wife, but then there are those moments when you are ready to leave even the sanest people behind.

The most important thing, even if it was only the eight-year overlap of Zephaniah's life, is that Josiah followed the Lord.

One could hope that the impact brought through Josiah's rule and life would exceed and outlast any of the damage and horrors Manasseh's reign brought. We all know that was not the case, as damage lingers for years. I point this out because even though I have seen the goodness of God in my life, I still carry too much of the hurt and damage that life has dished out. I continually have to do self-checks, as I wonder if the voice I heard in my spirit was not something inspired by the negativity and abuse I was subjected to; and, when I speak about the trials and tribulations we endure, I freely admit the realization that there are issues I will struggle with my entire life here on earth. Some people can't hear these words and understand them, for they have never experienced such pains.

Can I be sure Zephaniah understood the damage Manasseh caused?

No, but since problems and abuse are common to all of us, there is a good chance Zephaniah would understand this conversation.

Moving on, the caption precedes verse two:

The Coming Judgment on Judah.

Zephaniah 1:2-6 NASB "I will completely remove all things from the face of the earth," declares the LORD. 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. 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 along with the priests. 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 Milcom¹, 6) And those who have turned back from following the LORD, And those who have not sought the LORD or inquired of Him."

Without going into details, the general theme I get here is an angry God cleaning house.

If I base my understanding on the caption, Judah is the Southern Kingdom, and Israel is the Northern Kingdom.

In the long run, was one Kingdom better than the other?

Absolutely not, and even if they became unified under the name Israel, they all went into captivity. During Josiah's reign, it was a divided kingdom. To give you some perspective, while Godly men are often thought to have reigned over Judah, Ahab and his hell-bent, murderous wife reigned over Israel, but not at the same time. In reality, no one was safe, and they mostly forgot about Jehovah.

What does this judgment entail? The removal of all things from the earth.

• Man and beast;

• the birds of the sky;

• The fish of the sea;

• The ruins along with the wicked;

Ah, here comes the clues.

• “So I will stretch out My hand against Judah And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”

Now, if I wanted to play with words, then I could put forth the premise that He did not include Israel, but you know that did not happen.

Why does God feel this way?

• Because His people are worshiping Baal;

  And, I can assume that all of Israel, in some manner, is still worshiping Baal. My wife does not like to hear about Molech. You know, that thing that Aaron recreated for “Israel” as they assumed that Moses was dead, and he made us leave all our gods and idols in Egypt. So make the god Molech and Rephan for us. Read Acts chapter 7, where Stephen gives the Jewish council, who are about to have him stoned, an oral history of the children of Israel. (Molech is the half calf – half human god, with outstretched arms. They made fire inside the body and roasted their children (babies) in some form of disgusting idol worship. Rephan, by the way, was a sex god.) What Stephen said to this council was a very intense history lesson, which NO ONE disputed.

• Because there are idolatrous priests alongside the so-called legitimate priests.

  The conveyance that some are not so idolatrous does not excuse their complicity.

• Zephaniah 1:5 in the Amplified translation tells us:

  “And those who worship the starry host of the heavens upon their housetops and those who [pretend to] worship the Lord and swear by and to Him and yet swear by and to [the heathen god Molech or] Malcam [their idol king],”

• And, they have turned their backs on following the Lord.

  I find this same theme in Revelation, Daniel, and others.

Were these conditions exclusive to Judah, the Southern kingdom?

There is not a chance, and any of the books that speak of end times events will prove that out.

Zephaniah 1:2-6 covers one more group of people. I guarantee that this one will make you mad.

• And those who have not sought the LORD or inquired of Him.

While it may have been easier to see this as strictly a Jewish problem, this last sentence expanded it to include us church folk. Let me give you an example to chew on. I recently learned that a pastor committed suicide. Many would think, why, as pastors should be the ones that have it all together. At least that is the impression you get, as the pastor says to you, as he did me, I can't believe that you, being a Christian for over 40 years, would think or feel that way.

One of the men I sit with asked me what I think of a pastor who kills himself. It only took a second for a response to come into my spirit. Having dealt with depression and anxiety, it is typically something that has built over time and has not adequately been dealt with. Mind you, these events can come from childhood trauma, but they can also build up from marriage and work situations.

This pastor's wife said, I am thankful that he is now in heaven. This statement too became a part of the discussion, as there are doubts that a person who commits suicide is entitled to heaven.

My answer, and I explained that I have learned to err on the side of mercy, was this.

• The pastor was not in his right mind and therefore was not thinking clearly.

  Do we judge the impaired when they cannot think rationally?
  One of the brothers argued against allowing ourselves to give that man any grace and mercy; yet, that same man was willing to argue for Judas to receive mercy. You can't have it both ways.

• If you are going to play the judgment card, then you can exclude yourself from any mercy.

  Why say that?
  Because Jesus went to the cross as the final sacrifice for sin. Paul told us that there is NO MORE sacrifice for sin, therefore we need to accept the fact that sin and the price for it was done away with. So, if you must stand before God to be judged, it would only be for what you did, or did not do with Jesus. That is it.

I have sat with some of these people who “have not sought the LORD or inquired of Him.

I know this because they feel they have the right to hold people in judgment. You would never say that if you sought the Lord and knew his nature and character.

1 John 4:8 NASB The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

1) The Amplified Bible identifies this Milcom as Molech. Molech was the half man, half calf god that the people had Aaron recreate for them to worship. Molech was half man, half calf upon which they roasted their children as an offering.

A study on Zephaniah - Part one.

 

A Study on Zephaniah

This study was initiated in 2018; it is currently March 2025.

I will tell you what motivated this study. I went to a “Bible Study” that, to some degree, was promoted by a Southern California Christian radio host. I think the man is sincere, and I believe the work God has done because of him throughout the years is legitimate. So a group of men, under the flag and theme of this radio host, called for men to come to their bible study using Instagram. I thought I would check it out, but I quickly determined that this was not what I thought it would be.

What I took away was a newfound interest in the Book of Zephaniah. The “pastor” of this group told us that he had been at a loss as to what to talk about and felt that he was led to Zephaniah. I honestly do not remember anyone teaching out of Zephaniah, so as he found some legalistic aspects to focus on, I began skimming through the three chapters that comprise the book, and quickly heard this inside my spirit: this book is talking about the last days. I felt so strongly that night that I needed to study who the man was and what he had to say. This is that effort.

The overview given by The Biblical Illustrator tells us this

"Of Zephaniah we know absolutely nothing but what he himself mentions in the superscription of his Book. No information can be gathered from the contents of the prophecy, where the writer’s personal history is wholly unnoticed." ¹

That seems like a hard way to start, especially when we have some particular information about Zephaniah.

Dake's Bible² gives us this information.

Date and place: The prophetic words were written in Palestine about 679-648 B.C.
Another source gives these dates: A.M. 3374, B.C. 630.

Author: Zephaniah the prophet.

Proof of authorship: "We have the testimony of the book itself that Zephaniah wrote it." Dake's comments.

Zephaniah 1:1 NET. "This is the prophetic message that the LORD gave to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. Zephaniah delivered this message during the reign of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah:"

Theme: Judgment of God upon both Jews and Gentiles for their many sins, and His goodness to the godly of both classes.

The book opens with a message regarding immediate judgment upon Judah by Babylon, then depicts their judgment in the future day of the Lord (Zep_1:1-18). Zep_2:1-15 is devoted to immediate judgments of God upon Gentiles by Babylon-Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Ethiopia, and Assyria. The prophet then returns to the immediate judgment upon Judah by Babylon, and also makes predictions regarding Israel in the future day of the Lord, in the reign of the Messiah (Zep_3:1-20).

Purpose: To make it clear to Judah that unless they would consecrate to do the will of God, judgment would surely come; and to encourage the godly of the nation regarding the fact that final and complete restoration under the Messiah would come.

I have looked at more than just the commentaries I mention here. And yet, these authors convey, in a few words, what I have seen with consistency in most.

One thing I wanted to add here: several authors indicated that Zechariah's father and grandfather were prophets. In the Jewish mindset, that meant that you were most likely to be a prophet. Don't you wish it worked that way? The Apostle Paul tells us that prophecy is a gift and that we are to long for it. I am not sure why, but it helps to make life more interesting, especially when people ask you how you knew that. I suppose I am just more willing than some others. I don't try to make it something to brag about; hardly anyone believes you anyway.

Albert Barnes' commentary spells out another fact about Zephaniah.

"Zephaniah was called to his role not long after Habakkuk. Since his time was near to that of Habakkuk, so his subject was also related. Both lived when, for the sins of the reign of Manasseh, God had pronounced an irreversible sentence of destruction upon Jerusalem."³

Dr. John Gill states

"He is the last of the minor prophets that prophesied before the Babylonish captivity. His name, according to Jerom, signifies either "the Lord's watch tower", or "watchman"; or else "the secret of the Lord"; or, "his hidden one"; deriving his name, either from hpu, which signifies to "look out", as a watchman from his tower; or from Npu, "to hide"; which latter derivation is best; and some interpret it "a revealer of the secrets", or "hidden things, of the Lord"⁴

With the knowledge of the time in which he operated, and the Babylonian captivity, I can piece together some of the events that would have motivated the man.

People don't seem to understand something about the prophet or the prophetic. There are humans involved, and unless you can lock yourself in a closet and do little else but commune with God, then you will be affected by the world around you. In other words, you cannot separate the man from the message.

An example of what I am saying can be gleaned from Daniel's life.

When he was taken captive, he was the cream of the crop. Educated and trained in several facets of life, which may have included diplomacy. If nothing else, in time, he would have been a Pharisee or a ruling member of the Jewish council. Daniel would have been of marrying age and, therefore, may have had a young lady picked out to be his wife. Captivity changed all that rapidly. Nebuchadnezzar had the young man castrated immediately. This act served a multitude of purposes, such as removing all hope of ever going back home to a normal life. Jewish law disallowed a castrated man from ever serving in the temple or entering, for that matter; and, it ended his hopes of being married.

Another example, and one that is even more prominent, is Jonah.

We do not know if Jonah had been an eyewitness to what the Assyrians were capable of, or the stories he heard were very graphic, because of this ugly history of abuse toward Israel, Jonah hated the Assyrians. These feelings of hatred were so intense that Jonah was willing to commit suicide to avoid bringing the prophetic message to them. What was Jonah's message? It offered no hope, and he gave none; at the end of forty-five days, Nineveh will be overthrown. All of Jonah's feelings and emotions can be summed up in one verse, which comes after the Ninevehites repented, hoping that God would change His mind or relent. Well, God did, and we find Jonah lamenting that decision.

Jonah 4:2 NET. "He prayed to the LORD and said, "Oh, LORD, this is just what I thought would happen when I was in my own country. This is what I tried to prevent by attempting to escape to Tarshish! -- because I knew that you are gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in mercy, and one who relents concerning threatened judgment."

I could expound upon other aspects of Jonah's saga, but they rely on history and logical speculation. The question you should ask is, why would a people so warlike, fearless, and bloodthirsty give such immediate attention to a man like Jonah? The answers are there if you are interested and willing to dig just a little.

What kind of mental picture is painted about Zephaniah?

Nothing so ominous. Living between 679-648 BC, he would have been primarily influenced the Assyrian empire, just as Jonah was. We are told that Zephaniah operated prophetically under the rule of Josiah; however, a timeline shows Josiah's influence to be from 640 – 609 BC and therefore have no impact on Zephaniah's life. He did, however, live under Manasseh's rule. So how did we get to Manasseh?

2 Kings 20:19-21 NET. "Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The LORD's word, which you have announced, is appropriate." Then he added, "At least there will be peace and stability during my lifetime." 20) The rest of the events of Hezekiah's reign and all his accomplishments, including how he built a pool and conduit to bring water into the city, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 21) Hezekiah passed away, and his son Manasseh replaced him as king."

Dr. J. Vernon McGee, in his commentary, said this of Hezekiah.⁵

“This may seem like an awful thing for me to say, but Hezekiah should have died when the time came for him to die. Three things took place after God extended his life that were foolish acts: he showed his treasures to Babylon, which will cause great trouble in the future; he begat a son, Manasseh, who was the most wicked of any king; he revealed an arrogance, almost an impudence, in his later years. His heart became filled with pride. 2Ch_32:25 tells us, "But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem." You see, it might have been better if Hezekiah had died at God's appointed time.”

Since we are now aware of Manasseh's reign, let's see what we can learn about the damage he did.

Smith's Bible dictionary informs us of Manasseh.

"The thirteenth king of Judah, son of Hezekiah, 2Ki_21:1, ascended the throne at the age of twelve, and reigned 55 years, from B.C. 608 to 642. His accession was the signal for an entire change in the religious administration of the kingdom. Idolatry was again established to such an extent that every faith was tolerated, but the old faith of Israel."⁶

From Easton's dictionary, we get this.

"Though he reigned so long, yet comparatively little is known of this king. His reign was a continuation of that of Ahaz, both in religion and national polity. He early fell under the influence of the heathen court circle, and his reign was characterized by a sad relapse into idolatry with all its vices, showing that the reformation under his father had been to a large extent only superficial (Isa_7:10; 2Ki_21:10-15). A systematic and persistent attempt was made, and all too successfully, to banish the worship of Jehovah out of the land."⁷

Now I can begin to understand the heart of the man giving the prophetic word.

Manasseh had turned Israel into an idolatrous wasteland and was attempting to remove the worship of Jehovah from the land. Sounds a bit like the world we live in today; no wonder God declares with such zest how God will wipe all flesh from the land.

Here it is, August 26, 2018. Pastor Greg Laurie recently completed his massive salvation campaign at the Anaheim Stadium. However, even Pastor Greg had some contention, as just before the series of meetings, some whiner cried loud enough to force them to change several of the billboards that pictured Greg holding a Bible. If you are a follower of Christ, then you know that the Bible offends many people, including some “Christians.”

Here in California, we are on the verge of passing Assembly Bill AB 2943, which will make books and methods that convey the idea of gender modification (a return to the physical sexual orientation you were born with, whether it be in thought or deed) illegal. That means that the Bible may become an unlawful piece of literature. By the way, that bill did not pass.

I don't know about you, but it sounds more and more like there is a systematic and persistent attempt being made to banish the worship of Jehovah out of the land (just as in the days of Manasseh); and I see it happening all across this nation called America.

Some may read this and get angry; others will consider a piece like this and decide it's time to get off their behinds and get proactive.

Do I know these are the things that motivated Zephaniah?

No, but sin has not changed; it merely spreads faster in the modern world.

The caption, as verse two begins, is this:

The Coming Judgment on Judah

While the caption points to Judah, the Southern Kingdom, look at this next verse.

Zephaniah 1:2 GNB  The LORD said, "I am going to destroy everything on earth,"

This includes the whole earth.

The GNB tends to be rather childish in its translation, so let's expand the translations.

The Amplified puzzles me.

(AMP)  “By taking away I will make an end and I will utterly consume and sweep away all things from the face of the earth, says the Lord.”

If you have read your Bible, then you know that the concept of "utterly" can only occur at the end of the thousand-year reign, when He burns up everything.

(CJB- The Complete Jewish Bible)  "I will completely sweep away everything off the face of the land," says Adonai.”

Zephaniah 3:8 BSB  "Therefore wait for Me,” declares the LORD, “until the day I rise to testify. For My decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them My indignation— all My burning anger. For all the earth will be consumed by the fire of My jealousy."

This, too, points to the end of time when everything will be purged, but in this case, with fire.

To substantiate a destruction by fire, I give you 2 Peter 3:7.

2 Peter 3:7 BSB  And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

The finality of judgment will only come with the great throne judgment that we see in the end, after the 1000 years.

1The Biblical Illustrator By Joseph S. Exell, M.A.

2Dake's Study Notes (Finis Dake) Copyright © 1961, 1963, 1989, 1991 by Finis Jennings Dake. All rights reserved in U.S.A. and Other Countries.

3Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible, published 1847-85

4John Gill's Exposition of the Bible; Dr. John Gill, D.D., (1697-1771); Published in 1746-1766, 1816; public domain.

5Thru the Bible Commentary By J. Vernon McGee; Thomas Nelson Publishers Nashville; Copyright 1981 by J. Vernon McGee

6Smith's Bible Dictionary, By Dr. William Smith. Published in 1863; public domain.

7Easton's Bible Dictionary. These Dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton, M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Published in 1897; public domain.

Things that puzzle and provoke me. Matthew 3:9-12.

 In the previous post on Matthew 3, we touched on verses 9 – 12, but as I look at these verses again, I see things that provoke and puzzle me. For example:

“And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.”
(Matthew 3:9 BSB)

If you are unaware, one of the primary purposes of the seven years of God's wrath is to drive Israel to God and bring about their repentance.

When you read a statement such as “I tell you that out of these stones, God can raise up children for Abraham,” at the least, it sounds like a threat, as though God is telling the Jewish listener, don't be so sure of yourselves. If you don't know God's capabilities, this thing with the rocks is doable. (Think about it, He -Jesus, created it all and made man from dirt. Dirt is a combination of many things, and one of them is rock.) I cannot begin to imagine what raising up stones as His children would look like, but it would be easy for God to do a substitution. Suddenly, this Gentile, who was graciously adopted into the family, feels very small.

Now look at what Jesus has to say.

“The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
(Matthew 3:10 BSB)

Who is He referring to when He says trees?

The Children of Abraham.

“And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy—just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too.”
(Romans 11:16 NLT)

Many will try to tell you that the Gentile church replaced Israel. NOT by a long shot. The Apostle Paul begins to explain.

“Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves. Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.”
(Romans 11:11-12 NLT)

I can't help but think about the implications where “the axe lies ready at the roots of the trees.”

• If you cut even a single, large root, you will severely damage the tree and possibly kill the tree; death, in this case, is slow. Some of the effects from such damage may have played a role in several tall trees falling due to rain, wind, and who knows what else. Fortunately, no one was struck by the trees.

• Cut all the roots, and you will cut off the water and nutrient supply. Death will come quickly, anywhere from days to weeks.

If you are a farmer and your life is dependent upon the crops you produce, you only buy the best. A tree represented as top quality should not produce bad fruit; if it does, then you have insect damage or soil nutrient issues, which you should have checked. 

But what does Jesus say?

Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

I think about my life, where I was raised in the church. Whether I understood what I was doing or not seems irrelevant because I have been able to look back upon these detrimental events and know that God has always been a part of my life. Undoubtedly, I turned my back on God several times as I soaked in my shame, but God NEVER turned His back on me.

This would be an excellent place to throw in my two cents.

First, many have said God cannot look upon sin. Most recently, in my hearing, Pastor Greg Laurie once again made this assertion. The implications are that God must turn His back on you, effectively cutting you off from His active grace and mercy.

Is that true?

No, How can it be? 

Adam and Eve did not only sin (they missed the mark and blew it up for all of us) in the garden, but some feel it is appropriate to say that Adam committed high treason. 

So what did God do in response to their actions?

Turn His back on them?

No, He comes down, as usual, and walks in the cool of the garden, as He always did. Yes, He spelled out what the sin had done and what would continue to happen. But have hope, as Eve's seed would eventually crush the Serpent's head.

And while a rant like this could go on for volumes, let me repeat what the Apostle John told us.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”
(John 3:16-17 BSB)

Not only did He NOT turn His back on us, but He put Himself on the cross for us. Just the opposite of turning His back.

Did God cut me down and throw me into the fire?

This statement certainly sounds permanent, much like Gehenna/hell, and in a recent conversation with my wife, I think I realized that God had brought the fire into my life to purge and purify me. The circumstances drove me into the Word, where, as one dear lady puts it, it made me a Bible Nerd.
Look at what John the Baptizer has to say in the very next verse,

“I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
(Matthew 3:11 NLT)

There is that word fire again.

I understand baptism with the Holy Spirit because of statements that Jesus made to explain it. Still, there were the cloven tongues that appeared like fire upon the disciples, equaling about 120 persons. There was obvious evidence of speaking with other tongues and power, which for many equated to boldness.

Jesus had to go so that the Holy Spirit – the comforter, could come, and He did, but along with comfort comes boldness.

“But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.”
(John 16:7 NLT)

People are always willing to fight over terminology, especially if you did not say the correct word by their standards. So let me show you the Amplified translation, as they give more than enough supplementary words to define.

However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you].
(John 16:7 AMP)

The Holy Spirit, acting on God's behalf and doing only what the Father says, as Jesus did, strengthens our hearts about Jesus.

“But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.”
(John 15:26 NLT)

The Holy Spirit will abide with you forever. Doesn't this speak of a God that will not let you go?

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.”
(John 14:16 NLT)

The Holy Spirit will teach you all things.

If you live under a rock and put your faith in Him, the comforter will teach you what you need to know and help you understand. Now, mind you, Jesus was referring to the things the disciples had been told at a time when there were no Bibles, and absorbing the Word of God could only come through repeated hearing from the Torah scrolls - typically kept in the synagogues.

“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”
(John 14:26 NLT)

I tried to run this past the wife, where John the baptist says, “ He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire,” and she had to ask me what the fire is supposed to be in our lives. Well, to be honest, I don't know, in spite of the fact that many have tried to explain what they think this is.

Elijah called fire down from heaven upon troops that would take him, prisoner. And when you consider the two witnesses that show up on the streets of Jerusalem after the church has been removed, they are adeptly spewing literal fire upon anyone who tries to harm them.

Here is the drawback to thinking regarding the physical spewing of fire.

James and John exclaimed at one point,

“Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” (Luke 9:54 NLT)

They had no lack of faith that this could be done, but you won't see their potential motivation if you use one of the simplistic translations. So instead, the Amplified expands the verse appropriately and gives you the backreference.

“But [the people] would not welcome or receive or accept Him, because His face was [set as if He was] going to Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John observed this, they said, Lord, do You wish us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, even as Elijah did ?” [II Kings 1:9-16.] (Luke 9:53-54 AMP)

Some things to notice here in this narrative about Elijah. It's an amazing narrative; perhaps you should read it.

• Because at least these two disciples had paid attention that day in synagogue school, James and John had a strong faith that they, too, could call fire down. Paying attention and having Jesus perform miracles on many levels could have built their confidence to the point where they felt they could call down fire on people. It's a fantastic narrative; perhaps you should read it. 

  The context begins in 2 Kings 1:2.

  “One day Israel’s new king, Ahaziah, fell through the latticework of an upper room at his palace in Samaria and was seriously injured. So he sent messengers to the temple of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether he would recover.” (2 Kings 1:2 NLT)

• So instead of turning to the Lord, he turns to Baalzebub, the god of Ekron. On their way to the temple of Baalzebub, the king's messenger meet Elijah.

  “But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are on your way to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?’ Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘You will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die.’” So Elijah departed.” (2 Kings 1:3-4 BSB)

  Of course, there is a God in Israel, but it is so easy to forget, and secondly, no one wants to hear that they are going to die, and the messengers return to Ahaziah.

  “When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, “Why have you returned?” They replied, “A man came up to meet us and said, ‘Go back to the king who sent you and tell him that this is what the LORD says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending these men to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die.’” (2 Kings 1:5-6 BSB)

  If you send someone on a mission knowing how long it should take, and they are back within 30 minutes when it should have taken a couple of hours, you know there is a problem. Having had experiences with Elijah, the King asks:

  “The king asked them, “What sort of man came up to meet you and spoke these words to you?” “He was a hairy man,” they answered, “with a leather belt around his waist.” “It was Elijah the Tishbite,” said the king.” (2 Kings 1:7-8 BSB)

  I am the king; go get him.

  “Then King Ahaziah sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. So the captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on top of a hill, and said to him, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down!’” (2 Kings 1:9 BSB)

  The response from Elijah to this command.

  “Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men.” (2 Kings 1:10 BSB)

  This happened three times, but the third captain was wiser and could see the results of the previous two attempts.

  “So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. And the third captain went up, fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, “Man of God, may my life and the lives of these fifty servants please be precious in your sight. Behold, fire has come down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty, with all their men. But now may my life be precious in your sight.” (2 Kings 1:13-14 BSB)

  This response also pleased the Lord, so God gave Elijah the green light to go with the captain. 

  “Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Do not be afraid of him.” So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king. And Elijah said to King Ahaziah, “This is what the LORD says: Is there really no God in Israel for you to inquire of His word? Is that why you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die.” So Ahaziah died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. And since he had no son, Jehoram succeeded him in the second year of the reign of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat over Judah.” (2 Kings 1:15-17 BSB)

  Setting aside the fire momentarily, God carried out His word, and Ahaziah died. There is an intriguing phrase within this paragraph: "So Ahaziah died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken.” Wow, I am sure that Elijah merely said what the Lord had told him to say. Perhaps there is a relationship thing that we are missing when we skim over something like this. 

• Jesus didn't denounce the two disciples. The Bible tells us, depending upon the translation, that He reprimanded them.

  The word that the majority of translations use is rebuked.

I'm not too fond of that word because, as a child, I was rebuked savagely, and let's leave it at that.

The word rebuke is the Greek word epitimaō, and the meanings read like this:

REBU'KED, pp. Reproved; reprehended; checked; restrained; punished for faults.

REPROVED, pp. Blamed; reprehended; convinced of a fault.

CHECKED, pp. Stopped; restrained; repressed; curbed; moderated; controlled; reprimanded.

RESTRAINED, pp. Held back from advancing or wandering; withheld; repressed; suppressed; abridged; confined.

Did Jesus control, hold back, curb, restrain, and convince of a fault, these two disciples?

Most certainly, and He did it without rage. He did NOT tell them that what they were proposing was stupid and impossible because it wasn't, but they were learning that they were living in the age of grace. So the instructions that Jesus had repeatedly given them were to be wise as serpents and gentle as doves.

Alright, the last verse for this post.

“His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
(Matthew 3:12 ESV)

The idea behind a fork like this is that the lightweight, unwanted portion gets caught by the breeze and moves away, forming a pile of debris while the wheat falls at your feet. 

Eugene Peterson's The Message tells us that “He (God) is going to clean house" soon. He goes on to say, “He'll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he'll put out with the trash to be burned.”

The seemingly simplistic word burn is the Greek word katakaiō and means to burn down (to the ground), that is, consume wholly.

The King James Concordance tells us that the word katakaiō was used 13x in the New Testament. Revelation 18 is one of those places where the term katakaiō is used and is used concerning Babylon. Many seem to think that Babylon, the physical place, is to be rebuilt.

How about NOT. About a year ago, a Christian archaeologist went to the site of former Babylon and demonstrated how much it matches the description in Isaiah 13.

“And Babylon, the beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the Chaldeans' pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It will never be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation; Nor will the Arab pitch his tent there, Nor will shepherds make their flocks lie down there. But desert creatures will lie down there, And their houses will be full of owls; Ostriches also will live there, and shaggy goats will frolic there. Hyenas will howl in their fortified towers And jackals in their luxurious palaces. Her fateful time also will soon come And her days will not be prolonged.” (Isaiah 13:19-22 NASB)

So Babylon is a demonic spiritual entity; watch what happens to it.

"To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, 'I SIT as A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning.' "For this reason, in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong. "And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour, your judgment has come.' "And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes any more --” (Revelation 18:7-11 NASB)

And it goes on.

"The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls; for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!' And every shipmaster and every passenger and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea, stood at a distance and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What city is like the great city?' "And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!'” (Revelation 18:15-19 NASB)

One more passage where the word katakaiō is used.

“The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.”
(Revelation 8:7 ESV)

When you start with Revelation chapter six, you see the beginning of God's wrath being poured out upon Israel and the nations in the seals. Then, as the seals end, God moves into the “trumpet” judgments that begin in Revelation eight. Remember that the word katakaiō implies a complete burning where nothing is left.

I began this look at Matthew 3:11, where John the baptizer discussed how Jesus will baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire. I focused on fire and pointed out what it was not. What fire does is purify, so I cannot exclude God from bringing fire into our lives. If it needs to bring that idol you have set up to the ground, let it, as God is purifying you.

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”
(2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV)

We will be tested with fire as part of the judgment seat. This is NOT a trying to see if you pass the admission test, but removing those things NOT allowed into the Holy City.

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
(1 Peter 1:6-7 ESV)

Fire brings warmth and comfort, so I hope you can see yourselves as someone who brings these aspects into the lives of others.