Zephaniah 1:7-13

The day of the LORD is at hand -- Zephaniah 1:7-13: Zephaniah 1:7 says, "Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests." This verse is the same in meaning as Habakkuk 2:20, "But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him." The Day of the Lord had come and Judah would be taken to Babylon. The Lord had invited the entire world to observe the judgment that was to be sent upon His disobedient people. God promised to punish the national leaders and their families because they were responsible for introducing and allowing the evil that filled the land. Those that joined the evil leaders in idol worship would likewise be punished severely. God promised that crys would be heard when the invasion came. The commercial center of that day, Maktesh would be wiped out. The merchants would howl because of the punishment. How surprised some were going to be punished as they were? They had said, "The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil." Calamity was coming upon their city because of sin and they were too blind to see. God predicted that the invasion would come. He said, "Their possessions will be taken, their homes left in ruins. They will not get to live in the houses they build, or drink wine from the grapes in their own vineyards." Sin brings sure and certain misery.