Polemic on the Church

Zephaniah 3:1–5 ESV

Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city! She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the Lord; she does not draw near to her God. Her officials within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave nothing till the morning. Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men; her priests profane what is holy; they do violence to the law. The Lord within her is righteous; he does no injustice; every morning he shows forth his justice; each dawn he does not fail; but the unjust knows no shame.

Pray for hearts that are receptive to the Word. Ears to hear what God is saying. Courage to make the needed changes in our lives to align with Him. Strength to remain steadfast in the God-said in our lives.

A word to the churches in Maricopa

Woe (Deep Distress; Calamity; Shame) to the rebellious Church;

Openly defying the authority… How many times has the church heard the call to change… the call to repent… the call to return to its first love?

Churches, leaders, congregants who will not yield

Woe (Deep Distress; Calamity; Shame) to the defiled church

Having been purchased, washed white as snow now stained once more

Woe (Deep Distress; Calamity; Shame) to the oppressing church

a rhetoric against the religious and moral corruption that has permeated even the sanctuary of the Living God.

a body that instead of building a powerful people of God has turned to oppressing, and in jealousy stealing the gifts of others

Several issues have besieged her and she will not yield;

How many have been sent to her that she will not listen to?

Why does she not submit to the correction?

Somehow she thinks she can do it all on her own… She has not trusted in the Lord (she thinks she can do it on her own) When the presence of the Lord moving she does not draw near to her God. (She is does not want His presence)

The charge against the ministering body

Officials (representatives of the King) roaring lions destroying lives to get dishonest gain.

judges (those power and authority) wolves that devour the flock in the name of Christianity

Prophets are fickle… “the Lord said…” “the Lord showed me…” but at the first sign of trouble are the first to become your accuser setting aside the “God-said” (faithless, liars, for their own gain)

Priests profane what is holy… trample the word of God under foot. Unjust; merciless, proud and arrogant.

The church is broken, the church is busted its no good… His word declares

The Lord is inside of the church (not a single injustice that has occured is unseen)

Our God is just… each morning there is an opportunity to see His justice at work

Yet the unjust, will continue to violate the body (it knows no shame)

Zephaniah 1:3 ESV

“I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the rubble with the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.

v.3 the rubble (stumbling blocks) idols. “…to remain unrepentant is to enter into a complete fall”

Judgement begins in the house of God… 1 Pet 4:17, v.18 “…with great difficulty the righteous is saved

while this is a word of correction for the body at large it is also a plea for a return… that in our repentance He will

Heal Deliver and Restore

Open the heavens once more over the city

The Need for Pruning

Zephaniah 1:4–6 ESV

“I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests, those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the Lord and yet swear by Milcom, those who have turned back from following the Lord, who do not seek the Lord or inquire of him.”

Religious syncretism

Zephaniah 1:4 ESV

“I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests,

Serving numerous gods under one banner

Cannot serve two gods… effort to keep God while serving other foreign gods

come out of the fake/ disingenuous religions and serve God alone

God’s name is Holy therefore we are to be Holy…

Worship of Baal in the Temple

King Josiah fought to his death to remove the worship of foreign gods

there are those who are working tirelessly to uproot fake worship

Baal = one who creates from pre-existing materials; owns and controls their movements

inside we have foreign gods controlling the body

Removal of the name of idolatrous priests along with priests

not a single one of us that remains idle will remain

teaching the congregation to pursue idols will be dealt with harshly (name removed!!!!)

Worship of the heavens

Zephaniah 1:5 ESV

those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the Lord and yet swear by Milcom,

Rooftop worship… what is allowed on their roof

angels, saints, portals, gateways, rituals

societal pressures

Worship of other gods

Milcom or Molech (popular or national god)

Related to child sacrifice

Those who have given up on the Lord

Zephaniah 1:6 ESV

those who have turned back from following the Lord, who do not seek the Lord or inquire of him.”

Turned their back on the Lord…

still go to church; still read; still pray; but, their hearts are from the Lord (its out of tradition)

Do not seek the Lord…

At least I am saved crowd… never really committing… never really wanting to change… never really wanting to grow…

Hope in Submission

The promises of the Lord are sure what He is after is a Body that is restoring their place with Him. One that rejects external influences and does not give itself over to the things of this World.

Unifying the Body

Zephaniah 3:9–10 ESV

“For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord. From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering.

Reversal of a confused tongue tower of babel

Call on His name and Serve Him with one unified voice (no need for 50+ churches in a city)(primary squabbles are over who does what and the color of a logos)

Intent is not destroy but to bring proper worship into the house of the Lord once more.

Seeking the Lord…Ending Injustice

Zephaniah 3:12–13 ESV

But I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord, those who are left in Israel; they shall do no injustice and speak no lies, nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue. For they shall graze and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.”

The longing of the Lord is not that we use His house to abuse people but that as a people we walk humbly before our Lord

Desires that we seek Him and find refuge in Him

Root out injustice, quit the deception in His name

Working with one another to accomplish His will

The Lord Alone will Save

Zephaniah 3:19–20 ESV

Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says the Lord.

Vindication according to Is 54 is found in the Lord “…their heritage and vindication is from ME”

yes things have been hard… and in judgement it may seem harsher yet… But your God is at work to deal with your oppressors

Save the lame… those who have been limping along

what was once our shame will be transformed into a praise and He will make us known

Gathered by the Lord and restore your fortunes.