WEBVTT 00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:03.700 Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're 00:00:03.700 --> 00:00:05.740 taking this journey together to read the Bible 00:00:05.740 --> 00:00:09.099 in a year. Today's reading is the entire book 00:00:09.099 --> 00:00:13.480 of Zephaniah, chapters 1, 2, and 3. Chapter 1. 00:00:13.800 --> 00:00:16.160 The word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah, 00:00:16.339 --> 00:00:19.359 the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son 00:00:19.359 --> 00:00:22.339 of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days 00:00:22.339 --> 00:00:37.539 of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah. I 00:00:37.539 --> 00:00:40.119 will cut off man from the face of the land, says 00:00:40.119 --> 00:00:42.840 the Lord. I will stretch out my hand against 00:00:42.840 --> 00:00:45.179 Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 00:00:45.439 --> 00:00:48.299 I will cut off every trace of Baal from this 00:00:48.299 --> 00:00:51.420 place, the names of the idolatrous priests with 00:00:51.420 --> 00:00:53.740 the pagan priests, those who worship the host 00:00:53.740 --> 00:00:56.310 of heaven. on the housetops, those who worship 00:00:56.310 --> 00:00:59.549 and swear oath by the Lord, but who also swear 00:00:59.549 --> 00:01:02.710 by Milcom, those who have turned back from following 00:01:02.710 --> 00:01:05.829 the Lord, and have not sought the Lord nor inquired 00:01:05.829 --> 00:01:08.409 of him. Be silent in the presence of the Lord 00:01:08.409 --> 00:01:11.349 God, for the day of the Lord is at hand, for 00:01:11.349 --> 00:01:13.950 the Lord has prepared a sacrifice. He has invited 00:01:13.950 --> 00:01:16.370 his guests, and it shall be in the day of the 00:01:16.370 --> 00:01:18.609 Lord's sacrifice that I will punish the princes 00:01:18.609 --> 00:01:21.269 and the king's children, and all such as are 00:01:21.269 --> 00:01:23.790 clothed with foreign apparel. In the same day 00:01:23.790 --> 00:01:26.670 I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, 00:01:26.969 --> 00:01:29.209 who fill their masters' houses with violence 00:01:29.209 --> 00:01:31.909 and deceit. And there shall be on that day, says 00:01:31.909 --> 00:01:34.730 the Lord, the sound of a mournful cry from the 00:01:34.730 --> 00:01:37.310 fish gate, a wailing from the second quarter, 00:01:37.430 --> 00:01:40.250 and a loud crashing from the hills. Wail, you 00:01:40.250 --> 00:01:43.069 inhabitants of Maktish, for all the merchant 00:01:43.069 --> 00:01:45.969 people are cut down, all those who handle money 00:01:45.969 --> 00:01:49.120 are cut off. and it shall come to pass at that 00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:51.599 time that i will search jerusalem with lamps 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:54.439 and punish the men who are settled in complacency 00:01:54.439 --> 00:01:57.219 who say in their heart the lord will not do good 00:01:57.219 --> 00:02:00.599 nor will he do evil therefore their goods shall 00:02:00.599 --> 00:02:03.680 become booty and their houses a desolation they 00:02:03.680 --> 00:02:06.459 shall build houses but not inhabit them they 00:02:06.459 --> 00:02:08.840 shall plant vineyards but not drink their wine 00:02:08.840 --> 00:02:11.699 the great day of the lord is near it is near 00:02:11.699 --> 00:02:14.319 and hastens quickly the noise of the day of the 00:02:14.319 --> 00:02:17.389 lord is bitter There the mighty men shall cry 00:02:17.389 --> 00:02:20.729 out. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble 00:02:20.729 --> 00:02:23.569 and distress, a day of devastation and desolation, 00:02:23.689 --> 00:02:26.590 a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds 00:02:26.590 --> 00:02:29.449 and thick darkness, a day of trumpet and alarm 00:02:29.449 --> 00:02:32.229 against the fortified cities and against the 00:02:32.229 --> 00:02:34.810 high towers. I will bring distress upon men, 00:02:34.930 --> 00:02:38.030 and they shall walk like blind men, because they 00:02:38.030 --> 00:02:40.449 have sinned against the Lord. Their blood shall 00:02:40.449 --> 00:02:43.050 be poured out like dust, and their flesh like 00:02:43.050 --> 00:02:46.080 refuse. neither their silver nor their gold shall 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:48.500 be able to deliver them in a day of the lord's 00:02:48.500 --> 00:02:51.580 wrath but the whole land shall be devoured by 00:02:51.580 --> 00:02:54.360 the fire of his jealousy for he will make speedy 00:02:54.360 --> 00:02:59.080 riddance of all those who dwell in the land chapter 00:02:59.080 --> 00:03:02.500 two gather yourselves together yes gather together 00:03:02.500 --> 00:03:05.879 o undesirable nation before the decree is issued 00:03:05.879 --> 00:03:08.819 or the day passes like chaff before the lord's 00:03:08.819 --> 00:03:11.879 fierce anger comes upon you seek the lord all 00:03:11.879 --> 00:03:14.569 you meek of the earth who have upheld his justice. 00:03:14.789 --> 00:03:17.770 Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be 00:03:17.770 --> 00:03:20.250 that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's 00:03:20.250 --> 00:03:23.330 anger. For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon 00:03:23.330 --> 00:03:26.569 desolate. They shall drive out Ashdod at noonday, 00:03:26.610 --> 00:03:29.789 and Ekron shall be uprooted. Woe to the inhabitants 00:03:29.789 --> 00:03:32.789 of the sea coast, the nation of the Caritites. 00:03:32.909 --> 00:03:35.629 The word of the Lord is against you, O Canaan, 00:03:35.710 --> 00:03:38.210 land of the Philistines. I will destroy you, 00:03:38.289 --> 00:03:41.090 so there shall be no inhabitant. The sea coast 00:03:41.090 --> 00:03:44.069 shall be pastures, with shelters for shepherds 00:03:44.069 --> 00:03:46.789 and folds for flocks. The coast shall be for 00:03:46.789 --> 00:03:48.990 the remnant of the house of Judah. They shall 00:03:48.990 --> 00:03:51.669 feed their flocks there. In the houses of Ashkelon 00:03:51.669 --> 00:03:54.210 they shall lie down at evening, for the Lord 00:03:54.210 --> 00:03:56.409 their God will intervene for them and return 00:03:56.409 --> 00:03:59.030 their captives. I have heard the reproach of 00:03:59.030 --> 00:04:01.449 Moab and the insults of the people of Ammon, 00:04:01.550 --> 00:04:04.169 with which they have reproached my people, and 00:04:04.169 --> 00:04:06.189 made arrogant threats against their borders. 00:04:06.650 --> 00:04:08.990 Therefore, as I live, says the Lord of hosts, 00:04:09.229 --> 00:04:11.990 the God of Israel, surely Moab shall be like 00:04:11.990 --> 00:04:14.090 Sodom, and the people of Ammon like Gomorrah, 00:04:14.189 --> 00:04:17.569 overrun with weeds and salt pits, and a perpetual 00:04:17.569 --> 00:04:20.470 desolation. The residue of my people shall plunder 00:04:20.470 --> 00:04:23.050 them, and the remnant of my people shall possess 00:04:23.050 --> 00:04:26.389 them. This they shall have for their pride, because 00:04:26.389 --> 00:04:28.470 they have reproached and made arrogant threats 00:04:28.470 --> 00:04:31.370 against the people of the Lord of hosts. The 00:04:31.370 --> 00:04:33.470 Lord will be awesome to them, for he will reduce 00:04:33.470 --> 00:04:36.009 to nothing all the gods of the earth. People 00:04:36.009 --> 00:04:39.129 shall worship him, each one from his place, indeed 00:04:39.129 --> 00:04:41.850 all the shores of the nations. You Ethiopians 00:04:41.850 --> 00:04:45.110 also, you shall be slain by my sword. And he 00:04:45.110 --> 00:04:47.470 will stretch out his hand against the north, 00:04:47.629 --> 00:04:50.589 destroy Assyria, and make Nineveh a desolation. 00:04:50.769 --> 00:04:53.589 As dry as the wilderness, the herds shall lie 00:04:53.589 --> 00:04:56.149 down in her midst, every beast of the nation. 00:04:56.350 --> 00:04:58.629 Both the pelican and the bittern shall lodge 00:04:58.629 --> 00:05:01.370 on the capitals of her pillars. Their voice shall 00:05:01.370 --> 00:05:04.110 sing in the windows. Desolation shall be at the 00:05:04.110 --> 00:05:06.670 threshold. for he will lay bare the cedar work. 00:05:06.829 --> 00:05:09.990 This is the rejoicing city, that dwelt securely, 00:05:10.310 --> 00:05:13.509 that said in her heart, I am it, and there is 00:05:13.509 --> 00:05:17.189 none besides me. How has she become a desolation, 00:05:17.250 --> 00:05:20.290 a place for beasts to lie down? Everyone who 00:05:20.290 --> 00:05:23.329 passes by her shall hiss and shake his fist. 00:05:24.490 --> 00:05:28.290 Chapter 3 Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, 00:05:28.410 --> 00:05:31.110 to the oppressing city! She has not obeyed his 00:05:31.110 --> 00:05:34.000 voice, she has not received correction. She has 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:36.540 not trusted in the Lord. She has not drawn near 00:05:36.540 --> 00:05:39.620 to her God. Her princes in her midst are roaring 00:05:39.620 --> 00:05:42.779 lions. Her judges are evening wolves that leave 00:05:42.779 --> 00:05:46.019 not a bone till morning. Her prophets are insolent, 00:05:46.060 --> 00:05:48.620 treacherous people. Her priests have polluted 00:05:48.620 --> 00:05:50.899 the sanctuary. They have done violence to the 00:05:50.899 --> 00:05:54.240 law. The Lord is righteous in her midst. He will 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:57.600 do no unrighteousness. Every morning he brings 00:05:57.600 --> 00:06:00.959 his justice to light. He never fails, but the 00:06:00.959 --> 00:06:04.199 unjust knows no shame. I have cut off nations. 00:06:04.439 --> 00:06:07.420 Their fortresses are devastated. I have made 00:06:07.420 --> 00:06:10.100 their streets desolate. With none passing by, 00:06:10.279 --> 00:06:12.980 their cities are destroyed. There is no one, 00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:16.220 no inhabitant. I said, Surely you will fear me. 00:06:16.300 --> 00:06:18.920 You will receive instruction, so that her dwelling 00:06:18.920 --> 00:06:21.500 would not be cut off, despite everything for 00:06:21.500 --> 00:06:24.139 which I punished her. But they rose early and 00:06:24.139 --> 00:06:26.680 corrupted all their deeds. Therefore wait for 00:06:26.680 --> 00:06:29.899 me, says the Lord, until the day I rise up for 00:06:29.899 --> 00:06:32.680 plunder. My determination is to gather the nations 00:06:32.680 --> 00:06:35.600 to my assembly of kingdoms, to pour on them my 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:38.620 indignation, all my fierce anger. All the earth 00:06:38.620 --> 00:06:41.279 shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. 00:06:41.480 --> 00:06:44.259 For then I will restore to the peoples a pure 00:06:44.259 --> 00:06:46.860 language, that they all may call on the name 00:06:46.860 --> 00:06:49.600 of the Lord, to serve him with one accord. From 00:06:49.600 --> 00:06:52.240 beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, my worshippers, 00:06:52.339 --> 00:06:54.959 the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring 00:06:54.959 --> 00:06:58.079 my offering. In that day you shall not be shamed 00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:00.740 for any of your deeds in which you transgress 00:07:00.740 --> 00:07:03.779 against me. For then I will take away from your 00:07:03.779 --> 00:07:06.980 midst those who rejoice in your pride, and you 00:07:06.980 --> 00:07:09.379 shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain. 00:07:09.660 --> 00:07:12.060 I will leave in your midst a meek and humble 00:07:12.060 --> 00:07:14.240 people, and they shall trust in the name of the 00:07:14.240 --> 00:07:17.680 Lord. The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:20.660 and speak no lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue 00:07:20.660 --> 00:07:22.829 be found in their mouth. For they shall feed 00:07:22.829 --> 00:07:25.550 their flocks and lie down, and no one shall make 00:07:25.550 --> 00:07:28.589 them afraid. Sing, O daughter of Zion. Shout, 00:07:28.769 --> 00:07:31.470 O Israel. Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, 00:07:31.550 --> 00:07:34.250 O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord has taken away 00:07:34.250 --> 00:07:37.389 your judgments. He has cast out your enemy. The 00:07:37.389 --> 00:07:40.290 King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst. You 00:07:40.290 --> 00:07:43.550 shall see disaster no more. In that day it shall 00:07:43.550 --> 00:07:46.629 be said to Jerusalem, Do not fear. Zion, let 00:07:46.629 --> 00:07:49.310 not your hands be weak. The Lord your God in 00:07:49.310 --> 00:07:52.089 your midst, the Mighty One, will save. He will 00:07:52.089 --> 00:07:54.930 rejoice over you with gladness. He will quiet 00:07:54.930 --> 00:07:57.970 you with his love. He will rejoice over you with 00:07:57.970 --> 00:08:00.589 singing. I will gather those who sorrow over 00:08:00.589 --> 00:08:03.410 the appointed assembly who are among you, to 00:08:03.410 --> 00:08:06.769 whom its reproach is a burden. Behold, at that 00:08:06.769 --> 00:08:09.550 time I will deal with all who afflict you. I 00:08:09.550 --> 00:08:12.129 will save the lame and gather those who were 00:08:12.129 --> 00:08:14.730 driven out. I will appoint them for praise and 00:08:14.730 --> 00:08:17.350 fame in every land where they were put to shame. 00:08:17.589 --> 00:08:20.870 At that time I will bring you back. even at the 00:08:20.870 --> 00:08:23.750 time I gather you, for I will give you fame and 00:08:23.750 --> 00:08:26.649 praise among all the peoples of the earth when 00:08:26.649 --> 00:08:29.689 I return your captives before your eyes, says 00:08:29.689 --> 00:08:37.149 the Lord. I hope you enjoyed today's reading 00:08:37.149 --> 00:08:39.470 as much as I did, and I look forward to seeing 00:08:39.470 --> 00:08:41.509 you again tomorrow to continue on our journey. 00:08:41.649 --> 00:08:43.309 God bless you and have a great day.