Zephaniah 2:5-7 Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.
Eerdmans Dictionary identifies the Cherethites as loyal bodyguards of David who came from the southern part of the land of the Philistines. The whole of the land of the Philistines was located along the Mediterranean coast in the western part of Israel. The prophet’s message is emphasizing complete destruction of this land. It’s interesting that the destruction being prophesied will leave this land “no inhabitants.” It will become a place for flocks and shepherds and a place of refuge for “the remnant of the house of Judah.” As I read through these verses again, I noticed that the prophecy is directed to “the land” and its inhabitants. As I researched on the web, I find that indications are that though the Philistines as a nation disappeared from the scene, inhabitants in the land did not. Though Israeli’s gained some benefit from living in the Gaza Strip before being recently removed by their own government, this doesn’t seem to fit the description as a place where God visits them and turns away their captivity. That seems to be yet future.
Zephaniah 2:8-9 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border. Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.
Moab and Ammon are the descendants of Lot that occupied some of the area known today as Jordan. Scripture portrays them as ever at enmity with Israel. They lived on Israel’s eastern border, and were always looking for an opportunity to benefit from attack on Israel by her enemies. God is fed up with these ungrateful cousins of Israel. Their attitude towards Israel reflects their attitude toward YHWH, the God of Israel. The people and their land are prophesied to meet the doom of Sodom and Gomorrah—“perpetual desolation.” Again, I cannot find historical fulfillment for this prophecy. These lands are still inhabited today. Verse 9 indicates that the people of Israel will one day “spoil them” and “possess them.” I think one can safely conclude that has not happened yet.
Zephaniah 2:10-11 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts. The LORD will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.
God hates the sin of pride, and Moab in particular is rebuked for her pride many times in scripture. God is pronouncing judgment on them in answer to their pride and the contempt with which they have treated the Israelites, God’s chosen people. Though directed at Moab and Ammon, verse 11 broadens the picture to include judgment against “all the gods of the earth.” Famish is a reference to emaciating or making thin; Webster adds the idea of killing to destroy with hunger. This paints a picture to me of God showing once for all the impotence of false gods through the terrible devastation happening among the people who worship them.
I think it is important to note that God’s judgment will result in Him being worshipped by every one, “even all the isles of the heathen.” This is definitely still future and has to be referring to His wrath as directed at the planet during those last seven years on planet earth before Jesus Christ comes back as King of kings and defeats the Antichrist and his armies and establishes His earthly Kingdom. The word isles can be misleading; in the Hebrew it is a reference to “a habitable spot, dry land, and a country” as well as the coastlands.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment