Grieving for the Appointed Feasts

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TZ'FANYAH [Zephaniah / "Hidden of YHVH"] Chapter Three
  1. Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the city of violations!
  2. She heeded no voice, she accepted no instruction. She did not trust in YHVH, she did not draw near to her God.
  3. Her princes within her are roaring lions, her judges are wolves at evening. They leave nothing for the morning.
  4. Her prophets are froth, and treacherous men. Her priests have bored-through [chalal] (dissolved) the holy thing. They have violated the Torah.
  5. (Yet) the righteousness of YHVH is the center. He will not do wrong. Every morning He brings His judgment to light; He does not fail. But the morally wrong know no shame.
  6. "I have cut off nations. Their corner towers are in ruins. I have made their streets desolate, With no one passing by. Their cities are laid waste, Without a man, without an inhabitant.
  7. "I said, 'Surely you will revere Me, Accept instruction!' That way her dwelling would not be utterly cut off (from) all that I have appointed concerning her. But they were inclined to corrupt all their exploits.
  8. "Therefore endure long [chakah] with Me," declares YHVH, "For the day when I rise up to attack [ad]! Indeed, My decision is to gather the Gentiles, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out on them My indignation, all My burning anger, for all the earth will be devoured by the fire of My zeal.
  9. "Then I will restore to the peoples a clarified language, that all of them may call on the Name of YHVH, to serve Him with one shekem (back of neck between the shoulders) [backing Him with one accord].
  10. "From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My daughter, My dispersed ones, will bring My offerings.
  11. "In that day you will not pale because of all your performances by which you have rebelled against Me. For then I will remove from your midst your exultation in ornamentation, and you will never again lift your way above that of My holy mountain.
  12. "But I will leave among you a humble and lowly people, and they will flee-for-the-protection [chasah] of the Name of YHVH.
  13. "The remnant of Israel will do no wrong and tell no lies, nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths. For they will feed and lie down, and no one will terrorize them."
  14. Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with a full heart, O daughter of Yerushalayim!
  15. YHVH has taken away judgments against you, He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, YHVH is within you. You will not see bad things anymore.
  16. In that day it will be said to Yerushalayim: "Do not be afraid, O Zion; Do not let your hands fall limp.
  17. "YHVH your God is within you, He is the mighty Yeshua. He will shine [sus] over you with celebration [simchah]. He will engrave [charash] His love in you. He will swirl [gil] over you with shouts [rinnah] (singing).
  18. "I will gather those who grieve [yagah] about the Appointed Feasts [Mo'edim]. They came from you, (O Zion). The reproach of the burden [maset](raising of the hands) is upon them.
  19. "Behold, I am going to deal at that time with all who look down on you [anah], I will save the limp and gather the pushed away [nadach], and I will give them praise and a name in all the earth where once there was idolatry [boshet] (shamefulness).*
  20. "At that time I will bring you in, even at the time when I gather you together. Indeed, I will give you a name and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore [shuvah] the former-state [shebut] before your eyes," says YHVH.

* "Flee from idolatry," I Cor. 10:14.
Translation by Messianic Rabbi David M. Hargis
Copyright 1997 - 2008 Messianic Bureau International. All rights Reserved. Reprinted with permission.

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