God Protects His Treasure

[keras]

Zephaniah 1:2-13 The Lord will consume and get rid of humans and all living things from the Land. The wicked will be brought to their knees. Ezekiel 20:47-48 & 30:1-5, Jer. 30:23-24
Judah will be judged and those who have neither sought the Lord nor enquired of Him will be cut off. Ezekiel 21:3, Isaiah 22:14, Zechariah 13:8-9, Jeremiah 12:14
Be silent before the Lord, for the Day of vengeance is near. The Lord has prepared a sacrifice and set apart those He has invited. Isaiah 66:15-16, Malachi 4:1, Rev. 6:12-17
I shall punish all you leaders and officers on the Day of the Lord’s sacrifice. Cry and wail, you merchants and dealers, all who fill their lord’s house with violence and fraud, you will be destroyed on that Day of distress, desolation, darkness and death. Jeremiah 13:19-27.
I shall search for all those complacent people, those who say the Lord will do nothing. They will build and plant, but all will be destroyed. Jeremiah 12:4+12-17, 2 Peter 3:3-4
Zephaniah 1:14-18 The Great Day of the Lord’s wrath is near, a Day of destruction and battle cries. Great distress will come on the peoples who have sinned against the Lord; their blood will pour out on the ground. Their wealth will not save them, for He will make a sudden and terrible end to all who live in the Land. Isaiah 2:12-22, Habakkuk 3:12-14, Joel 2:1-11
Zephaniah 2:1-15 Humble yourselves, you shameful nation, before the Day arrives, before the burning anger of the Lord comes upon you. Jeremiah 6:8, Jer. 8:5-12, Matthew 21:41-43
Seek the Lord, all you who live humbly, obeying His laws. It may be that you will be sheltered on the Day of the Lord’s anger. Isaiah 31:5, Micah 5:1, Revelation 6:12-17.
Gaza will be deserted, woe to all you Philistines, at midday I shall crush you – your land will belong to the survivors of Judah. Amos 1:6-8, Ezekiel 25:15-17, Obadiah 19-21.
I have heard the insults of the Ammonites, those who revile against My people. Moab and Ammon will become a wasteland for evermore and the remnant of My people who survive will dispossess them. Ezekiel 25:1-11, Jeremiah 9:25-26. Because, they [the Ammonites, i.e. Jordanians] have insulted My people and encroached on their Land, I will bring terror upon them. Jer. 12:14, Amos 1:13-15, Ezekiel 21:28-32, Jeremiah 49:1-27.
You Cushites will be slain by the Sword of the Lord. Psalm 83, Jer. 49:28-33. [Cush, a son of Ham; the African peoples] Syria and Iraq will be devastated, becoming a wasteland, all who pass by will scoff at her fate. Isaiah 17:1, Isaiah 33:10-12, Nahum 3:18-19. Then the nations of the coasts and islands will worship the Lord. Isaiah 49:1-6, Isaiah 66:18b-21
Zephaniah 3:1-8 Woe betide that tyrant city, filthy and foul. [Jerusalem] She heeded no warning and refused to trust the Lord. Her leaders were as wolves and lions. Her prophets are treacherous men and her Rabbis do violence to the Law. Ezekiel 14:21-23, Jeremiah 8:8
Yet every day, the Lord dispenses justice, but the evildoer knows no shame. Matt 23:25
I have wiped out this arrogant people, their cities are abandoned. Isaiah 22:14, Ezekiel 21:4
I said surely they will fear Me and accept correction, that they would escape destruction, but no, they eagerly continued in their evil ways. Isaiah 22:11, Ezekiel 16:59
Therefore, says the Lord, wait for the Day when I accuse you. I will gather nations in order to pour My wrath upon them. The whole earth will know the fire of My jealousy. Hab. 3:12, Jeremiah 8:3, Hebrews 10:27, Romans 1:18
Zephaniah 3:9-20 Then I shall restore pure lips to all peoples. So that everyone may call on the Name of the Lord and serve Him with one accord. Hosea 2:14-23, Isaiah 52:6.
My worshippers, from distant places will bring their offering to Me. Isaiah 66:20-21
On that Day, Jerusalem, you will not be shamed because I will have rid you of your proud and arrogant citizens. Isaiah 65:11-12, Isaiah 65:1-7
Only a remnant of lowly and humble people will survive. They will be righteous and nothing will make them afraid. Isaiah 14:1, Malachi 3:17, Matthew 13:44
Shout for joy, Israel, your punishment is over, your enemies defeated. Isaiah 35:1-10
The Lord is now in your midst, He will show His love for you. Isaiah 41:8-10, Psalm 118.
When that time comes, I will deal with your oppressors. I shall gather you and bring you all home. Ezekiel 34:11-16, Isaiah 65:8-9.Jeremiah 16:14-16
You will have honour and praise among all the peoples when I restore your fortunes before your eyes. It is the Lord who speaks. Jeremiah 33:6-9, 2 Esdras 1:35-40, 2 Esdras 2:12-28. Ref: Revised English Bible. Verses abridged.

‘God has Kept His Treasure’: Zephaniah’s name in Hebrew = God hides in order to protect, also means God is a vigilant watch keeper. Zephaniah was a prophet at the time of King Josiah, circa 620 BCE, 100 years after the exile of the House of Israel. God will keep His people safe. Amos 9:9, Jer. 31:36, Isaiah 49:15-16, Matt. 13:44
‘The Great Day of the Lord’s vengeance and wrath is near’: This is the next prophesied event that we can expect to happen. It will be an earth directed blast of fire from the sun, as Isaiah 30:26a, 2 Peter 3:7 and Malachi 4:1 informs us. It will literally fulfill all the graphic prophesies about that Day. The results of that terrible Day will be: ‘a sudden and terrible end to all who live in the holy Land, Palestinians, Arabs, Africans and the proud and arrogant citizens of Judah will all die by this sword of the Lord’s judgement’. Jeremiah 11:16, Ezekiel 21:3, Ezekiel 30:1-5 ‘The whole earth will know the fire of My wrath’, a worldwide devastation, that will destroy most of our modern infrastructure and kill millions. Jer. 25:33, Isaiah 34:6, 2 Peter 3:10, Rev. 6:12-17
‘When that time comes, I will deal with your enemies’ : It is foolish to speculate about another conventional war or a nuclear exchange in the Middle East, as the prophetic truth confirms how the Lord Himself will instigate His fiery wrath against those attackers of Israel. Psalm 83, Psalm 18:7-15, Isaiah 22:1-14, Jeremiah 49:35-37
But those ‘who live humbly, obeying His Laws, may be sheltered on that Day’. Nahum 1:7, Psalm 50:3-6, Daniel 12:1 Then: ‘I will gather you and bring you all home’. Psalm 107, Hosea 2:23, Zech. 10:8-10 This will be the great Second Exodus of the Lord’s people, back to a regenerated Land; all of that area promised to Abraham, Genesis 15:18 but never as yet fully owned by His chosen people. Their right of ownership will be proven when the title deed buried by Jeremiah 32:14, is found.
‘Then the nations of the coasts and islands will worship the Lord’ : This makes it clear that all Israel is far more than just the Jews. Isaiah 49:12 They are coming from far away, some from the North and the West and some from the South. The true, righteous Israelites are now mostly living on islands or in countries with extensive coastlines and in places to the North, West and South of the holy Land. Those nations and peoples are the ones with a Christian heritage, but have fallen away in the latter years, although many remain faithful and it will only be those righteous people; ‘My worshippers in distant places’, who will go to live in the new nation of Beulah. Isaiah 62:1-5, Isaiah 60:21-22, Ezekiel 36, Jeremiah 33, Amos 9:13-15, Acts 26:6-7
‘The Lord is now in your midst’. In the same way as He was for the ancient Israelites. 1 Cor. 10:11 This is confirmed by Ezekiel 43:4 – it will be the Shekinah Glory that will enter the new Temple and also the Lord will ‘reveal Himself to the elders and leaders’, in a cloud, like He did for Moses and David. Jer. 30:21, Isaiah 24:23, Acts 7:37-38

All this is prophesied to happen before the end of this age: The world changer of the Sixth Seal devastation, the regeneration and resettlement of all the holy Land, the establishment of a One World Government, the attack by a Northern confederation led by Gog, a seven year treaty signed between Beulah and the Leader of the OWG, then at the mid-point; the Great Tribulation starts and 3½ years later, comes the culmination, the Lord Jesus Returns for His Millennial reign.

 

[Interplanner]

So I conclude from this that God does not treasure those who have faith.

I conclude that the regeneration and resettlement of Israel is an awful thing even when glowing OT terms are used because it is part of that OWG etc.

Do you realize that when the NT speaks of the day of God's future wrath, there is no particular reference to Israel in any of it? that's because it applies the same to all mankind. It is not dependent on things going on in Israel.

 

[keras]

IP, your conclusions are totally wrong. Your preterist view makes you see prophecy in an entirely different light.
God will keep His own safe, those who have kept the faith, during this forthcoming Day of wrath.
The people who go to inhabit all of the holy Land will NOT be a part of the OWG. This is evidenced by the fact of the leader [dictator; the Anti-Christ] of the OWG, coming to them and making a 7 year treaty of peace with the new nation of Beulah.
Your abrogation of the prophesies in the OT, because the NT doesn't confirm them, [in your opinion] means the OT is basically of no value, just a history book. This is a serious error, there is much information there of great value to us, as confirmed by the Apostles themselves.

 

[Old Timer]

I like the parable of Matthew 13 here.. It speaks of treasure..

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

 

[Interplanner]

If the Apostles validate it so much, why not use it the way they did? There is no validation of a future Israel state in ordinary language about the future in the NT.

It sounds like you think God needs to have Israel stand up to the OWG. What matters to us is whether we are now.

You can't generalize the term preterism like that when even BW says Lk 21 is about the DofJ. Much of such beliefs is historical, just as Paul's quote of Isaiah 59 & 27 in Rom 11 is historical.

It also doesn't help to use terms that don't speak to the problem. The problem is 2P2P. You think it is true. I can't find it in the NT. Dispensationalism dies without it. Ryrie said it was the sine qua none, the indispensable part.

 

[ebedmelech]

Talk about "cherry picking" the scriptures. Keras...you simply built a strawman! Read the entirety of every passge you provide...it's no way your view is correct...NO WAY!

 

[keras]

I find it interesting that Interplanner and Ebedmelech always jump in to deny any promotion of O.T. prophecy pertaining to our time. Their view is that because the N.T. focus's on the spiritual and grace aspects of the Gospel, then the O.T. has been superseded.
I see this belief as wrong, as God does want us to know His plans, Amos 3:7 and the Book of Revelation. But a lot of the details of what will happen before the Return of Jesus, is prophesied in the O.T. Sure, what Zephaniah wrote is very dramatic stuff and some people refuse to think that the God of love, as portrayed in the N.T. would do such things.
But God is also a God of justice and punishment of those who wilfully choose to do evil, is right and just. Nahum 1:1-2, Hebrews 10:26-27
When I post Original Posts like this thread, often there is no response, because people may not agree with it, but cannot refute the Scriptures. So at least I.P. and Ebed keep the thread alive and all those forum viewer's out there can read and understand the truth of what God says He will do.

 

[Interplanner]

The theme of the wrath of God is alive and well in the Gospel in two ways. One, the wrath of God fully landed upon Christ. This is certain from Is 53. As you know, there is deep controversy in Judaism about whether this is Israel or Messiah's suffering, so the appearance of wrath upon the nations and Israel is often referring to Messiah in OT prophecy. For believers, they have have already 'seen' the day of God's wrath when they enjoy the gift of grace through Christ, Rom 3:21-26.

Two, there is the remarkable wrath poured out on Israel in the DofJ besides the coming worldwide wrath on the day of judgement. But I don't know why God would judge the last generation alive differently from the previous. So it must not be done in separate events as we know them, and as futurists try to chart and schedule so much. It will be one judgement.

That is why NT passages in normal (non-symbolic) language have nothing Judaic about them in reference to the coming day of judgement. Nor is there even a separation between judgements for the last generation vs. the previous, because it must be one judgement, right? I'm referring to Rom 2, 8, I Cor 15, 2 Pet 3, Heb 9, Acts 17, etc.

This of course is all separate from his evaluative judgement of believers about precious metal vs flimsy material, I Cor 4.

 

[keras]

Thanks IP, we do agree there is coming: a Day of Judgement.
I actually think that Day may be the same Day as what you describe as the evaluative judgement of believers, because 1 Cor 3:13-15...that day dawns in fire and fire will test the worth of each persons worth....
It seems probable to me that this fire judgement/punishment is the same as that so well described in the OT and by 1 Peter 3:7. It will be the Sixth Seal event, a worldwide devastation, a reset of civilization, that will enable the establishment of the OWG, the gathering and settling of all those found worthy in all of the holy Land. Ezekiel 20:34-38
Your comment 'I don't know why God would judge the last generation differently from the previous...' is hard to figure, because the generations of nations are all mixed up and why not anyway? Everyone will be judged according to their life situation and how they lived it.
You use Romans to prove the point of the gift of grace. Don't forget that 'if it is indeed God's purpose to display His retribution and make His power known, can it be that He has with great patience tolerated vessels [people]...due for destruction? Romans 9:22

 

[mxyzpt1k]

(It is only during the 5 months period in revelations that all the Twelve Tribes are included in the "Abrahamic Covenant". Acts 13:8 to Acts 13:10, The Tribe of Juda was separated from the Tribe of Ephraim, this has existed since Solomon when Juda took the 10 Tribes ... it is being restated as a reminder that God did not intend to give the "Abrahamic Covenant" to more then the Jews and the Church by the events of the crucifixion) (It is only after the 42 months of Revelations when the Two Witnesses are Slain, and the Antichrist is taken by Babylon, that the "Darkness or Three Days of Darkness can come to the Deputy, that has only been extended to Elymas in Acts 13:8 to Acts 13:10 ... when the Tribe of Juda is called the Lion in revelations as a servant of the lord) (The Tribe of Dan will not live to see the 153 Days of the Cosmic Shift, it must be taken away immediately as a public threat, and assault against the Gospel Program, as it does not apply)

(I can understand the "Opening Post", but using the "world government" or a "confederacy" as a go between the antichrist and the migration movement is an assault on the authority of the antichrist, (the antichrist is the law, this law will eventually be formerly declared, and enforced largely depending on the force used by political people against the public, or rogue regimes, etc.), in acknowleding the destruction of the earth and the nations and therefore their branches of authority at the end of time ... more importantly the Tribe of Juda is to be tried in its sin, and only a remnant of it will be saved, and this is not negotiable or refutable with the gospel program. If we take just the passages that are quoted in the "Opening Post", it may produce a common Anti-Semitic trend, that is one that avoids specific references to the Jewish People or the Church, as apart of the satisfaction of the covenant god has with man. ... ...) (whatever force they do use the universe uses to acknowledge the authority of the antichrist, between shame and death they are kept blind and out of the way of the salvation program ... if we are intelligent enough to make use of this activity without increasing activity against the migration movement, we will truly have a very peaceful time during the day of judgment)

(Just my thoughts, in parenthesis)

 

[keras]

mxyzpt1k, you lose me and most others, when you start talking about 'cosmic shifts' and 'the darkness coming to the deputy', etc.
These ideas may have a basis in the Bible, but you have expanded upon them beyond recognition. They are, therefore simply speculation and do not have any place in this thread.
The end times story is told by Zephaniah and all the other prophets, [except Jonah] can be read in plain language, what will happen, who is involved, etc. Read and understand, no need for guessing or fanciful notions.

 

[ebedmelech]

I find it interesting that Interplanner and Ebedmelech always jump in to deny any promotion of O.T. prophecy pertaining to our time. Their view is that because the N.T. focus's on the spiritual and grace aspects of the Gospel, then the O.T. has been superseded.
I see this belief as wrong, as God does want us to know His plans, Amos 3:7 and the Book of Revelation. But a lot of the details of what will happen before the Return of Jesus, is prophesied in the O.T. Sure, what Zephaniah wrote is very dramatic stuff and some people refuse to think that the God of love, as portrayed in the N.T. would do such things.
But God is also a God of justice and punishment of those who wilfully choose to do evil, is right and just. Nahum 1:1-2, Hebrews 10:26-27
When I post Original Posts like this thread, often there is no response, because people may not agree with it, but cannot refute the Scriptures. So at least I.P. and Ebed keep the thread alive and all those forum viewer's out there can read and understand the truth of what God says He will do.

Keras...you really think you're onto something...but you always pull out what you want to emphasize from a passage, when if you include the context, what you're proposing falls apart.

Let's just do Zephaniah 1:2-13. You skipped verse 1...which sets the stage for this prophecy:
The word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah:

Now that we have the timeframe...what is Zephaniah prophecying about? That would be verse 4:
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,
The prophecy is about the judgement of Judah!

Keras departed from the prophecy...period!!!

 

[keras]

Quote Ebed; Keras...you really think you're onto something...but you always pull out what you want to emphasize from a passage, when if you include the context, what you're proposing falls apart.
Sure I want to emphasize the relevant scriptures and I always check the context. Only because you see prophecy as being already fulfilled or abrogated, do you disagree with what I post. But despite your efforts to denigrate the Prophetic Word, it is actually the only true message to us about what God has planned for our future.

Zephaniah 1:1 tells us his ancestry and the time period that he lived in. I leave out superfluous words to make my articles more easily read.
Yes, not long after the prophecy in Zeph 1:4 was made, Babylon did conquer Judah. But if you carefully read the rest of Zephaniah's prophecy, it becomes clear that it wasn't fully and finally fulfilled at that time. It is actually a triple prophecy for Judah, confirmed by: Ezekiel 21:14...swing the sword twice, nay thrice, the great sword of slaughter...
First: Babylon, Second Rome, next the Day of the Lord's vengeance and wrath; read the rest of Zeph 1, in no way does it relate to the historical conquests.
Zephaniah 1:18...On the Day of the Lord's wrath, by the fire of His jealousy, the whole land will be consumed, for He will make a sudden and terrible end of all who live in the land.
Ezekiel 21:3 Say to the land: I am against you, I shall draw My sword and make away with both the righteous and wicked among you. [land- all the holy Land. Righteous and wicked killed, only a holy seed will remain.Isaiah 6:11-13]

But I expect it will not be until this shocking event happens, that you and all the complacent people thinking 'everything goes on as usual', 2 Peter 3:3-7, and the Lord's 'burning wrath' hits the world, will at last; ...see what the Lord has done... and regard Israel's God with awe. THEN the confused will gain understanding and the obstinate will accept instruction. Isaiah 29:22-24

 

[Interplanner]

Is 6 is about as clear a framing of the DofJ situatioin that I can think of.

 

[keras]

Is 6 is about as clear a framing of the DofJ situatioin that I can think of.

Its good to see that the pages of your Old Testament are not stuck together!
Yes; Isaiah 6:11-13 gives a précis of what will happen. Isaiah asked the Lord: How long? [before the prophesies are fulfilled]
'Until cities are ruined and deserted...the people will be gone and all the land will be a vast desolation...only a stump remains, that stump will be a holy seed'.
Isaiah 29:4 gives us an interesting picture of those few survivors in Jerusalem: You [Judah] will be brought down and your voice will come ghostlike out of the ground, your words will squeak out of the earth'. They will be the true, righteous Jews, kept safe in an underground bunker.

Take note of Isaiah 6:8-10...this peoples wits are dulled, they have stopped their ears and shut their eyes. They can neither hear, see or understand. The truth of the Prophetic Word, was a closed book to them then, just as it is today with most Christians as well as Jews.

 

[Interplanner]

what do you mean stuck together? I keep referring to the 2500 uses of the OT by the NT. Stuck together?

 

[keras]

Sorry IP, my bad joke. You do obviously use the OT.
But you don't believe that the prophesies about end times will be fulfilled literally.

Here's something I would like you and Ebed to consider. You will know of 'Pascal's Wager'? Anyone who doesn't, can google it for the explanation.
So if you are right and the world just keeps on much like it is now, we may have a few hassles with a upstart and dictatorial leader of the, soon to be established O.W.G., but we hang in there and when Jesus Returns, all will be well.
Then we will all be just fine and enjoy a nice Millennium.

The other scenario is much nastier: a terrible and shocking devastation of Noahic proportions strikes the Middle East, virtually wiping it out and probably billions will die all around the world from the fires, earthquakes, storms and tsunamis. The Lord will protect His own righteous people and they will go to live in all of the holy Land. It's another time of testing as they face threats from the North, [Gog/Magog] and the Dictator of the OWG will threaten and eventually conquer them. It will be about 16-20 years before Jesus Returns to destroy the AC army and commence His Millennial reign.

Is it better to believe what the prophets are telling us and be physically and mentally prepared; then relieved if it doesn't happen, or discount all that; hope for the best
and be shocked and terrified when it does?

 

[Interplanner]

Everyone, Christian or not, should be prepared to resist dictatorship. "If we do not follow God, we will follow tyrants" --Pres. J. Adams. I don't know where piles of Judaic detail about that helps a person in NZ, Kenya, Omaha, or Latvia do so.

Along with the amount of information about the DofJ in Mt24A and //s, there is the significant fact about the 'very long reign' of Christ as mentioned in Rev 20: it ends with a worldwide 'little time of rebellion' before the new heavens and earth. There is nothing Judaic about that, either. The Rev says it is about things at hand, immediate, happening quickly, and as you know from BW, we are supposed to be literal. So the bulk of the Rev is about what would happen then, and its images helped the early and extremely suffering church cope with the ordeal and with every other member being either beheaded or nailed 6 feet up in the sky.

So in both cases: NT eschatology is EITHER near-future and Judaic OR distant-future and worldwide. I cannot find any mixing of these.

 

[keras]

Yes, we should read the prophesies literally, unless its obviously metaphorical.
With the timing, remember God is not slow in keeping His promises; 2 Peter 3:9. One day for Him is like 1000 years for us.
IP, your thinking that the Revelation prophesies refer to the early church or to the Jews, cannot be sustained, as in no way have they been fulfilled as described.

 

[ebedmelech]

Quote Ebed; Keras...you really think you're onto something...but you always pull out what you want to emphasize from a passage, when if you include the context, what you're proposing falls apart.
Sure I want to emphasize the relevant scriptures and I always check the context. Only because you see prophecy as being already fulfilled or abrogated, do you disagree with what I post. But despite your efforts to denigrate the Prophetic Word, it is actually the only true message to us about what God has planned for our future.

Zephaniah 1:1 tells us his ancestry and the time period that he lived in. I leave out superfluous words to make my articles more easily read.
Yes, not long after the prophecy in Zeph 1:4 was made, Babylon did conquer Judah. But if you carefully read the rest of Zephaniah's prophecy, it becomes clear that it wasn't fully and finally fulfilled at that time. It is actually a triple prophecy for Judah, confirmed by: Ezekiel 21:14...swing the sword twice, nay thrice, the great sword of slaughter...
First: Babylon, Second Rome, next the Day of the Lord's vengeance and wrath; read the rest of Zeph 1, in no way does it relate to the historical conquests.
Zephaniah 1:18...On the Day of the Lord's wrath, by the fire of His jealousy, the whole land will be consumed, for He will make a sudden and terrible end of all who live in the land.
Ezekiel 21:3 Say to the land: I am against you, I shall draw My sword and make away with both the righteous and wicked among you. [land- all the holy Land. Righteous and wicked killed, only a holy seed will remain.Isaiah 6:11-13]

But I expect it will not be until this shocking event happens, that you and all the complacent people thinking 'everything goes on as usual', 2 Peter 3:3-7, and the Lord's 'burning wrath' hits the world, will at last; ...see what the Lord has done... and regard Israel's God with awe. THEN the confused will gain understanding and the obstinate will accept instruction. Isaiah 29:22-24

Deal with the fact that the prophecy is against Judah...NO ONE ELSE.