Zephaniah 3:8

Zephaniah 3:8

Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

a. NLT: Therefore, be patient,” says the LORD. “Soon I will stand and accuse these evil nations. For I have decided to gather the kingdoms of the earth and pour out my fiercest anger and fury on them. All the earth will be devoured by the fire of my jealousy.

b. NIV: Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD, “for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on them— all my fierce anger. The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger.

c. YLT: Therefore, wait for Me -- an affirmation of Jehovah, For the day of My rising for prey, For My judgment is to gather nations, To assemble kingdoms, To pour out on them Mine indignation, All the heat of Mine anger, For by the fire of My jealousy consumed is all the earth.

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Therefore [earnestly] wait for Me, says the Lord, [waiting] for the day when I rise up to the attack [as a witness, accuser, or judge, and a testimony]. For My decision and determination and right it is to gather the nations together, to assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them My indignation, even all [the heat of] My fierce anger; for [in that day] all the earth shall be consumed with the fire of My zeal and jealousy.

e. Septuagint: Therefore wait upon me, saith the Lord, until the day when I rise up for a witness: because my judgment [shall be] on the gatherings of the nations, to draw to me kings, to pour out upon them all [my] fierce anger: for the whole earth shall be consumed with the fire of my jealousy.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: Therefore, wait for Me—the word of HASHEM—for the day when I will arise to plunder [them]. For My judgment will be to assemble nations, to gather kingdoms, to pour My fury upon them, all My burning wath; for with the fire of My jealously the earth will be consumed.

1. “Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey…”

a. Therefore wait [2442 * chakah] [Strong: a primitive root (apparently akin to 2707 through the idea of piercing); properly, to adhere to; hence, to await:--long, tarry, wait.]

b. saith [5002 *  n'um] [Strong: from 5001; an oracle:--(hath) said, saith.]

c. the LORD [3068 * Yhovah] [Strong: from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

d. until the day [3117 * yowm] [Strong: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, + chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, + (for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually, presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space, then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole (+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.]

e. that I rise up [6965 * quwm] [Strong: a primitive root; to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative):--abide, accomplish, X be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, X be dim, endure, X enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, X but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (up), remain, (a-)rise (up) (again, against), rouse up, set (up), (e-)stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up, strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, - rising).]

f. to the prey [5706 * `ad] [Strong: the same as 5703 in the sense of the aim of an attack; booty:--prey.]

2. “…for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms…”

a. for my determination [4941 * mishpat] [Strong: from 8199; properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style:--+ adversary, ceremony, charge, X crime, custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due, fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly), (manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order, ordinance, right, sentence, usest, X worthy, + wrong.]

b. is to gather [622 * 'acaph] [Strong: a primitive root; to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e. remove (destroy, leave behind, put up, restore, etc.):--assemble, bring, consume, destroy, felch, gather (in, together, up again), X generally, get (him), lose, put all together, receive, recover (another from leprosy), (be) rereward, X surely, take (away, into, up), X utterly, withdraw.]

c. the nations [1471 * gowy] [Strong: rarely (shortened) goy {go'-ee}; apparently from the same root as 1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts:--Gentile, heathen, nation, people.]

d. assemble [6908 * qabats] [Strong: a primitive root; to grasp, i.e. collect:--assemble (selves), gather (bring) (together, selves together, up), heap, resort, X surely, take up.]

e. the kingdoms [4467 * mamlakah] [Strong: from 4427; dominion, i.e. (abstractly) the estate (rule) or (concretely) the country (realm):--kingdom, king's, reign, royal.]

1). The purpose to gather and assemble the nations is to pour out judgment upon them for scattering Israel among the nations and dividing up the land. 

a). Joel 3:1, 2 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,

3:2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

b). Ezekiel 36:5 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey.

c). Notice in both of these verses the LORD refers to the land as His land. I will discuss this later in the verse.

3. “…to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger...”

a. to pour upon them [8210 *  shaphak] [Strong: a primitive root; to spill forth (blood, a libation, liquid metal; or even a solid, i.e. to mound up); also (figuratively) to expend (life, soul, complaint, money, etc.); intensively, to sprawl out:--cast (up), gush out, pour (out), shed(-der, out), slip.]

b. mine indignation [2195 * za`am zah'-am from 2194; strictly froth at the mouth, i.e. (figuratively) fury (especially of God's displeasure with sin):--angry, indignation, rage.]

c. all my fierce [2740 * charown; or (shortened) charon] [Strong: from 2734; a burning of anger:--sore displeasure, fierce(-ness), fury, (fierce) wrath(-ful).]

d. anger [639 * 'aph] [Strong: from 599; properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire:--anger(-gry), + before, countenance, face, + forebearing, forehead, + (long-)suffering, nose, nostril, snout, X worthy, wrath.]

1). This is referring to the second coming of Christ at Armageddon. His “indignation” and “fierce anger” are clearly described in Revelation.

a). Revelation 14:17-20 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

14:18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

14:19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

14:20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

b). Revelation 19:11-16 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

4. “…for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.”

a. for all the earth [776 *  'erets] [Strong: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.]

b. shall be devoured [398 * 'akal] [Strong: a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):--X at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, X quite.]

c. with the fire [784 * 'esh] [Strong: a primitive word; fire (literally or figuratively):-- burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.]

d. of my jealously [7068 * qin'ah] [Strong: from 7065; jealousy or envy:--envy(-ied), jealousy, X sake, zeal.]

1). What is the cause of God’s jealously? In Joel 3:2 the LORD refers to the Jewish people as “my heritage Israel”. God is not only married to Israel, he is also married to the land.

a). Isaiah 62:3-5 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.

Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.

For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.

2). The LORD God in Jeremiah 12:14 (NIV) calls those nations “wicked neighbors” who would “seize the inheritance I gave my people Israel.” The jealously is about Israel and the land! In light of these verses, President George W. Bush’s Roadmap to Peace, that divides up the land of Israel between Israel and an independent Palestinian state does not look so good. In fact if America does not repent of their part in this horrible plan, it is probable that American troops will be among those in the valley of Jehoshaphat or in the plain of Megiddo in the Kishon river valley on the day that Christ comes back.

3). The context of Zephaniah 3:9-20 is the Day of the LORD including the Millennial reign of Christ. This verse speaks of the second coming of Christ at Armageddon, after which he will set up his Millennial Kingdom. The whole thousand year reign of Christ Jesus beginning with the second coming of Christ is the Day of the LORD. Zephaniah 3:8-13 are all first person, while Zephaniah 3:14-17 is second or third person and finally Zephaniah 3:18-20 are first person again.