1-13-05 Zephaniah 1:8

Zephaniah 1:8 (KJ21)
And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD’S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.

Zephaniah 1:8 (NAS)
Then it will come about on the day of the LORD’S sacrifice, That I will punish the princes, the king’s sons, And all who clothe themselves with foreign garments.

Zephaniah 1:8 (NIVUS)
On the day of the LORD’s sacrifice I will punish the princes and the king’s sons and all those clad in foreign clothes.

Zephaniah 1:8 (NLT)
On that day of judgment," says the LORD, "I will punish the leaders and princes of Judah and all those following pagan customs.

In the chronicles of history, a certain day came when Jehovah the Lord gave His life in sacrifice. He shed His blood for the remission of your sin, freely offering Himself to set your free. At that time, He made a way for you to be adopted into the family of God. You became a child of the King, a prince or princess with all the privileges of your new rank.

You, as the King's child, are the builder of the family name and you have the responsibility to steward all that the Lord's name entails. Adonai wants to place you in a position to rule and to have dominion, but He needs to know that you will act according to His will. He desires that you reign with His mercy and His justice. He has made it possible for you to always be clothed with His robe of righteousness and to do what is right.

There are, however, some princes who do not want to submit themselves to the King's authority. They want to rulle and reign in their own power and might. The have arrayed themselves in their own glory, which makes them look strange, outlandish, and foolish. They show no respect nor reverence to the King of kings. They ignore and disregard His commands. As they reject the Lord's word, they estrange themselves from the One who elevated them to their position.

To have peace in His Kingdom, God cannot let such behavior go on. He cares for these rebellious children and, therefore, visits them to oversee their actions. When He sees their empty and hurtful ways, He will avenge Himself. He will bring judgment and punishment when necessary, for He wants to bring them back in alignment with His commandments, precepts, and statutes.