When God Comes In Judgment (Zephaniah 1:1-18) Series

So up to this point, what do we know? We know that Yahweh has started the process of judgment against his people, and against the whole earth. It's begun. And we know why.

Starting in verse 7, Zephaniah tells us more about when this will happen, and he paints a picture of what this day will look like. This picture is designed to scare you. So be scared:

(7) Be silent before the Lord Yahweh,

because near, the day of Yahweh [is],

because Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice.

He has consecrated/dedicated his guests,

(8) and it shall be on the day of Yahweh's sacrifice,

"I shall punish the leaders,

and the royal officials,

and all the ones clothed with foreign garments,

(9) and I shall punish all the ones stepping over the threshold on that day;

the ones filling the house of their master/lord with violence and deceit,

Let's pause here. Yahweh announces here his judgment against two (?) distinct groups of people: "leaders" and "the ones clothed with foreign garments."

Why are leaders going to be judged?

The average Israelite, walking down the street, can see the nation's idolatry. You see people stepping over the threshold into pagan temples. You see people worshipping other gods. You hear them offering prayers to the host of heaven from their rooftop. You see this happening all around you-- and there's not really much you can do about it. It is what it is.

But leaders?

When the leaders of God's people see sin, they can do something about it. And God expects them to do something about it. You can't just let sin go, if you are a leader. And because Judah's leaders have done nothing about this apostasy, and syncretism, God is coming after them. He is "visiting against" them.

How about the "foreign clothing"?

The easiest way to understand this, probably, is to think in terms of NFL clothing (2 Kings 10:22) (or maybe, in terms of the distinctive clothing of a Catholic priest). Part of showing loyalty to your God Yahweh, and your people, is wearing the clothing of your team, Judah. And if you are dressed in the colors of some other team, you show that your allegiance is to the wrong team, and god.

These people wearing foreign clothing, do so because of their loyalty to other gods. They are advertising their apostasy. And Yahweh is coming for them as well, to punish them.

Verses 10-11:

(10) and then, on that day --utterance of Yahweh--

the sound of a cry from the Fish Gate,

and a wail/howling from the Second Quarter,

and a great crash from the hills.

(11) Wail, O Dwellers of the Mortar!

because all the traders were destroyed;

the ones weighting out silver/money have been cut off,

When bad things happen in life, it's usually noisy. You drop a dish on the floor. You hammer your thumb instead of a nail. Someone gets shot. A dog gets run over. What happens next, is loud. There are cries of agony, and distress. Zephaniah says, the sounds of the day of Yahweh will be terrible. The kinds of sounds you never forget.

Verse 12-13: