Day 267 of the podcast, reading Zephaniah 1-3 Haggai NET, read along at:

https://netbible.org/bible/Zephaniah+1-3+Haggai/

This is day 267 of our journey.

Zephaniah prophesied near the end of the southern kingdom. His oracles speak of the coming day of the Lord where God will wipe everything from the face of the earth. He speaks first against the surrounding nations, but then against Jerusalem herself. He cries out for the people to seek God, that perhaps they will, through repentance and obedience, be spared from the destruction. Then, he brings a message of hope that this destruction will ultimately bring about good for the people. God's wrath will be appeased, and all men will seek God and worship him.

Haggai is written during the reign of Darius, after Israel has been allowed to return to their land. It is an oracle against the exiles because they have not yet rebuilt the temple (instead focusing on rebuilding their own homes). As a result of this self-centered mentality, they have not received God's blessing. Haggai calls on them to rebuild the temple so that God's blessing and glory may return to the land.

Join me in Zephaniah for the coming cleansing and in Haggai for the call to rebuild God's temple.

Key verses:

Zephaniah 1:2

“I will destroy everything from the face of the earth,” says the Lord.

Zephaniah 2:3

Seek the Lord’s favor, all you humble people of the land who have obeyed his commands! Strive to do what is right! Strive to be humble! Maybe you will be protected on the day of the Lord’s angry judgment.

Zephaniah 3:9

Know for sure that I will then enable the nations to give me acceptable praise. All of them will invoke the Lord’s name when they pray, and will worship him in unison.

Haggai 1:4

“Is it right for you to live in richly paneled houses while my temple is in ruins?

Haggai 2:9

“The future splendor of this temple will be greater than that of former times,” the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared. “And in this place I will give peace,” decrees the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

All Scriptures are from the NET.

Check out these links for more thoughts on the topic:

https://thebibleproject.com/explore/Zephaniah/

https://thebibleproject.com/explore/Haggai/