What are you giving ears to? To Jesus or to the false gods of this world?
• Zephaniah 2:8 -> “I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border. 2:9 Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them. 2:10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts. 2:11 The LORD will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.”.
As you can remember, the Israelites used to worship Malcham (Zeph 1:5; also called Molech, abomination of the Ammonites - 1Kings 11:5,7,33; 2Kings 23:13), Baal (Zeph 1:4) and Chemosh (Chemarins – Zeph 1:5).
Perhaps, one of the reason is because the reproach of Moabe and the reviling of Ammon in virtue of, apparently, their land to be more prosperous and their people, numerous.
In regard with Moab, we can see that they were very proud and liars:
• Jeremiah 48:29.30 -> “We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart. 48:30 I know his wrath, saith the LORD; but it shall not be so; his lies shall not so effect it.”.
And the worst is that Israel were easily convinced by their lies.
It is interesting how people like to be fooled when this is fit for them. For example, when Israel was freed from Babylon’s captivity by Cyrus, as they were more interested in building their own houses, they gave ears to the false counselors hired by their enemies:
• Haggai 1:2-4 -> “Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD's house should be built. Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?”.
• Ezra 4:4,5 -> “Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, and hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.”.
So, if we pine for being victorious in this world, the first thing that we need is to be true with ourselves. Don’t be like Judah:
• Amos 2:4 -> “Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:”.
Make the prayer of the Psalmist is yours:
• Psalms 139:23 -> “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 139:24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”.
So, don’t allow that the lies of this world and their citizens delude you, making you consider their gods (for instance, mammon (money), delights of the flesh, etc.) superior to Jesus and the reward of His grace.
Don’t mind if, apparently, the wrongdoings seem to prosper (Ps 37:3): enjoy your day with fear and tremble before the Creator, having for sure that the evildoers will be rooted up very soon and suddenly.
May Jesus bless you in His truth and purity.
• Zephaniah 2:8 -> “I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border. 2:9 Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them. 2:10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts. 2:11 The LORD will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.”.
As you can remember, the Israelites used to worship Malcham (Zeph 1:5; also called Molech, abomination of the Ammonites - 1Kings 11:5,7,33; 2Kings 23:13), Baal (Zeph 1:4) and Chemosh (Chemarins – Zeph 1:5).
Perhaps, one of the reason is because the reproach of Moabe and the reviling of Ammon in virtue of, apparently, their land to be more prosperous and their people, numerous.
In regard with Moab, we can see that they were very proud and liars:
• Jeremiah 48:29.30 -> “We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart. 48:30 I know his wrath, saith the LORD; but it shall not be so; his lies shall not so effect it.”.
And the worst is that Israel were easily convinced by their lies.
It is interesting how people like to be fooled when this is fit for them. For example, when Israel was freed from Babylon’s captivity by Cyrus, as they were more interested in building their own houses, they gave ears to the false counselors hired by their enemies:
• Haggai 1:2-4 -> “Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD's house should be built. Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?”.
• Ezra 4:4,5 -> “Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, and hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.”.
So, if we pine for being victorious in this world, the first thing that we need is to be true with ourselves. Don’t be like Judah:
• Amos 2:4 -> “Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:”.
Make the prayer of the Psalmist is yours:
• Psalms 139:23 -> “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 139:24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”.
So, don’t allow that the lies of this world and their citizens delude you, making you consider their gods (for instance, mammon (money), delights of the flesh, etc.) superior to Jesus and the reward of His grace.
Don’t mind if, apparently, the wrongdoings seem to prosper (Ps 37:3): enjoy your day with fear and tremble before the Creator, having for sure that the evildoers will be rooted up very soon and suddenly.
May Jesus bless you in His truth and purity.