K27.11.85.htm

ZEPHANIAH 3:8-20.

"'Therefore keep yourselves in expectation of Me,' is the utterance of Jehovah... (for the day when I arise as a witness. RSV) ...for My judicial decision is to gather nations, for Me to collect together kingdoms, in order to pour out upon them My denunciation, all My burning anger; for by the fire of My zeal all the earth will be devoured. For then I shall give to peoples the change to a pure language, in order for them all to call upon the Name of Jehovah, in order to serve Him shoulder to shoulder.'

"From the region of the rivers of Ethiopia the ones entreating Me, [namely,] the daughter of My scattered ones, will bring a gift to Me. In that day you will not be ashamed because of all your dealings with which you transgressed against Me, for then I shall remove from the midst of you your haughtily exultant ones; and you will never again be haughty in My holy mountain. And I shall certainly let remain in the midst of you a people humble and lowly, and they will actually take refuge in the Name of Jehovah. As regards the remaining ones of Israel, they will do no unrighteousness, nor speak a lie, nor will there be found in their mouths a tricky tongue; for they themselves will feed and actually lie stretched out, and there will be no one making them tremble."

Joyfully cry out, O daughter of Zion! Break out in cheers, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! Jehovah has removed the judgements upon you. He has turned away your enemy... Do not be afraid, O Zion. May your hands not drop down. Jehovah your God is in the midst of you. As a Mighty One, He will save… The ones grief-stricken in absence from your festal season I shall certainly gather together; absent from you they happened to be, because of bearing reproach on her account. Here I am acting against all those afflicting you, at that time... And I will set them as a praise and as a name in all the land of their shame. At that time I shall bring you people in, even in the time of My collecting you together. For I shall make you people to be a name and a praise among all peoples of the earth, when I gather back your captive ones before your eyes," Jehovah has said." (Zeph 3:8-20).

"O daughter of Zion" are the heavenly "woman" (144,000 faithful anointed sons of God), their descendants (sons of Zion), and all members of the beloved people of God the "great crowd" that have been keeping in expectation of Jehovah. The "great crowd" are people "humble and lowly" that will remain after the removal of "haughtily exultant ones" (enemies of "Mount Zion") from their midst.

THE DAY WHEN JEHOVAH WILL RISE AS A
WITNESS AGAINST THE NATIONS IS NEAR.
Is there evidence on earth testifying to this fact? Yes. The drought and famine in Ethiopia is evidence of measures being taken by Jehovah God to remove from among them "haughtily exultant ones" enemies of heavenly "Jerusalem". (Isaiah 18:1-7. 43:1-4). This is also the way our God is gathering His saved people. The "four winds" of Revelation 7:1-3 are the spirit of the Lord's judgement over all the earth. By letting loose these "four winds" Jehovah will bring about calamitous measures within each nation to remove their "haughtily exultant ones" until all that remains is a people humble and lowly. Further evidence that Jehovah is near is the recent earthquake in Mexico City (20^th Sept 1985) that ended the "sounding" of the seventh angel, in preparation for the blowing of the seventh "trumpet" to herald the rule of God. (See Rev 11:13,15). Many of the people of Mexico City were struck with fear by the earthquake, but there still remains among them "haughtily exultant ones". They will therefore be given attention again, this time by a spiritual "earthquake" within the spirits of all mankind that will cause such cities of the nations to fall! (Rev 16:18,19).

GOD IS GATHERING THOSE
"BEARING REPROACH ON HER ACCOUNT". (Zeph 3:18).
Faithful anointed sons of the heavenly "woman" of God (Rev 12:13-17) and all humble lowly ones taking hold of their righteous "garments" (Zech 8:23) are bearing reproach on account of the sins of "haughtily exultant ones" within spiritual "Israel". For remaining faithful to heavenly "Jerusalem" such ones have been afflicted with exclusion, ostracism, mockery and been treated with contempt by those wishing to lead sectarian lives. (Zeph 3:18,19. Isaiah 66:5). In Mexico City there were no such afflicted ones. (For the principle, see: Gen 18:20-33). Sectarian worship of the false god Madonna by "haughtily exultant ones" among them was punished. Also evident is that there were no faithful anointed members of the heavenly "woman" awaiting the seal of our God in Mexico City. (Rev 7:3).

27/11/85.