Zephaniah 3:4

" Her prophets are light and treacherous persons:
her priest have polluted the sanctuary, they

have done violence to the law."

Your probably thinking, Zephaniah? Does any one really read these old testament minor prophets? Like pastor Jon Courson says, they are minor prophets with a major message. I like that. To be quite honest with you, when this verse was given to me I felt like "huh"? Then I began to think about it and ponder it and allow God to reveal some stuff to me. Here's a quick background to the text without getting to involved. Zephaniah was prophesying to the nation of Israel before the coming Babylonian captivity. Also he prophesied on " the day of the Lord". The nation had fallen away from God and He was speaking through His prophets to the people. Specifically to the nation of Judah. King Josiah was reigning at this time. Ok with all that said, what does this text say. Well first off, God says the prophets were light and treacherous. Light? Were they on diets? No. Strongs defines this word, pachaz, as meaning unimportant. The word for treacherous, bogdoth, can mean transgress, unfaithful etc. The priests are described as polluting the sanctuary. The word for that is chalal. It means defile or profane. They also have done violence to the law. Basically violated it. So what is the application for us? This is all historical fact. The application is this. The people leading God's church today, do they fit in any of these categories? I think so. There is so much junk out there that trys to pawn itself off as Christianity today, that one would believe Christians are fruity! T.V. Evangelists always asking for money, pastors swearing to draw in crowds. People barking like dogs and laughing insanely during so called services. It's nuts!!! How can we tell what is truly from God? Measure it against God's word. Does it line up with scripture? Jesus said in John's gospel 13:35, " By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." In the end times Jesus said in Matthew 24:24 " For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." So is this anything to not be expected? No. Our job is to be on top of things by reading our bible and spending time with the Lord. This is the only way we will be able to tell truth from false. It's like this. I have been married 8 years going on 9. If in that time I only occasionally spoke to my wife, how would I really know her? Man Christmas shopping hard enough!! That's how our relationship with God is. How can we really know Him if we only see Him occasionally? Like the nation of Israel, we too have fallen away from God. To be quite honest, we have asked Him to leave for the most part. I am speaking as a nation now not an individual. My prayer is that we draw near to Him again like 2nd Chronicles 7:14 says, read for extra credit. This week ask yourself, the bible teachers I listen to, the church I go to, are they really of God? Have a blessed week and seek Him.

Bob