12/19/2022 DAB Transcript

Zephaniah 1:1-3:20, Revelation 10:1-11, Psalm 138:1-8, Proverbs 30:11-14

Today is the 19th day of December, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian and it is fantastic to be here with you today as we move, I guess this really is Christmas week, even though Christmas begins a new week. This is Christmas week, but it’s great to be here with you as we enjoy the Christmas spirit, enjoy all or any of the festivities and focus our hearts on the overwhelming love of God to come for us, as we prepare to celebrate the arrival of the Christ child, the Savior of the world. It’s also great to be together during, I mean we’re all over the world, at least every day, we’re going through this together and enjoying this season together.

Introduction to the Book of Zephaniah:

We’re also here to take the next step forward together and that leaves us to another one of the minor prophets in the Old Testament, the ninth of the 12 minor prophets. And we will read it in its entirety today, the book of Zephaniah. And as with a good many other authors in the Scriptures, we don’t know all lot about who Zephaniah was, actually Zephaniah itself begins by giving us all the information that we’re going to get. And that is that Zephaniah received a message from the Lord when Josiah’s son of Amon was king of Judah. And we’re also told Zephaniah was the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. And biblical scholars find that genealogy to be interesting, because he traces his genealogy four generations back, as opposed just naming his father, and that may be because Zephaniah was a descendent of the good King Hezekiah, which would explain the material in Zephaniah, his awareness of what was going on around him. And if his lineage does go to King Hezekiah than that would have given him credibility and got his prophetic utterances paid attention to. Zephaniah, the word or the name means God has hidden, and as we just pointed out, we’re told that the message came during the reign of Josiah, which would place him in the early maybe mid 600s BC and that would make him a contemporary with other prophets like Jeremiah. And many scholars believe that Zephaniah out was at least familiar with other writings of other prophets like Isaiah, because there’s a similarity in the language. And another thing we may notice is that Zephaniah is not targeting his prophecies to anything or anyone particularly, it’s the whole world, which includes Judah. And it’s a warning that God’s judgment is immanent, and that the day of the Lord is coming, and that it’s time to repent before it is too late. God will judge evil. And I think we need to remember God is eradicating evil, not people, but if people are unwilling to participate in ridding themselves of evil, then they’ll be swept away in the judgment of evil, whether they live in the kingdom of Judah or no matter where they live. And Zephaniah tells us, those who are left will be the lowly and humble, for it is they who trust in the name of the Lord. And so, with that, let’s read the three chapters of the book of Zephaniah.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word, we thank You for another day around the Global Campfire and to be able to take another step forward together, in a busy season and a celebration week where we are overwhelmed with Your love for us in your arrival to save us. But even as we are moving through the celebrations, we are also moving step-by-step, day-by-day through the Scriptures. And as we move through these prophets in the Old Testament quickly, we see the arc, we see that You send someone to say that You are about to step in, that things have gotten too far off track, with a warning, a warning to turn in repentance, which brings the hearer to a crossroads. And we think back to when we began our journey, and we were talking about the book of Proverbs and the wisdom and that she is at every crossroads and so we see these crossroads over and over and over in the Scriptures. That there is a way to go, and that there is a way that leads to destruction, and the pathways that we choose are indicated by what, where our loyalties lie, what we are loyal to, what we are trusting in. And we hear over and over the echoes of your voice, saying, trust me, trust in me. I know the way to go, I will show you the right way. And so often we do anything but that. And yet over and over repeatedly, we are being reminded as we move to this territory in the Scriptures of this arc, may we be aware of what we are doing and where we are going. May our loyalty and trust be in You and to You and You alone. We pray in Jesus name. Amen

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is home base, it’s the website, it’s where you find out what’s going on around here and it’s Christmas week and so that’s where we are. Each of us navigating it’s however we do all the last-minute stuff all kind just it’s a busy week for everybody, a busy week of unbelievable celebration and festivity. It’s a week of great sadness for many people, as well. It’s usually a busy week, no matter what. This is the week though that we’re longing, like this is, we’re about to bring Advent to a close, this season of hoping, of longing for the arrival of Jesus and then we have the benefit of being able to celebrate and have that exhale of relief. The Savior has come, Emmanuelle, God is with us. And so, no matter what’s going on in all the little festivity last-minute things we gotta do, and little chaos is in stresses that can come this week, let’s not lose site of the story. The story that even makes this week important and these days that are coming out that we celebrate, that they even have importance is because of the story of God with us. And so, let’s hold onto that as we continue through this week.

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And that’s it for today, I’m Brian, I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here, tomorrow.

Prayer and Encouragements:

I beloved Christian praying for Zack in Phoenix. All might God, carry Zack by the strength of Your love. Wonderful Counselor, infuse Zack with Your wisdom. Everlasting Father, open Zack to be aware of Your constant abiding presence. Prince of Peace may Your peace that surpasses all understanding, guard Zack in full, in his heart. Restore Zack the joy of Your salvation, that your joy may be in him, that his joy may be complete and that Your joy may be Zack’s strength. Draw Zack ever nearer to Yourself. Be Zack’s solid foundation that cannot be shaken no matter how much everything around him feels like it’s crumbling. Give Zack grace to cling to You, even when darkness seems to be pervading his mind. You alone Lord, can guide Zack full against the enemy’s weapons. So, we place Zack in Your hand, trusting You to intercede on his behalf, and to act according to Your glory. In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, we pray this not only for Zack, but for all around the Global Campfire.

Hello DAB, this is Russ from Santa Maria, California. I just had quadruple bypass surgery on Friday. I’m home now from the hospital and recovering well. But I just ask you to pray for pain management and to be able to sleep well at night. Because I need the healing to go well, and sleep is a big part of it. So, thank you.

This is God’s Little Mud Puddle from Maryland, calling about the father who had to put his son in the state institution. Lord Jesus, I thank You. I thank You that You know the pain that the father is feeling. Lord, I just ask that You would guide him in wisdom, that You would fill him with Your love and Your mercy. I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace, because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confidence, hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit. That you would trust in the sovereign hand of God is working in not only your life but your son’s life. That You, Lord, would bring alongside his son, a helper that understands and can work with his son and who communicate clearly. Lord, I just thank You that You continue to work in their lives, to bring them into a deeper, more intimate walk with You.

Hey Daily Audio Bible, this is Jessica from California. I’m just calling you and I just got back from the hospital. I’m on my way home from the hospital with my friend Josh. He’s only 39 years old and he’s, he’s having a hard time. He’s already had to get brought, revived two times. He’s a type 1 diabetic and he’s got, he’s not able to walk anymore so he’s got pressure sores. And he’s had a blood infection and everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. I’m just praying for a miracle. I believe that God can do a miracle for him. And I just need your guy’s help, please pray for him. Please pray for Josh. He’s here, we’re here in Fresno, California at Keiser Hospital. And I just please pray for the hospital to get the doctors that the right help. Please just, we need a miracle. I don’t know what else to do. I’m just, believing God for a miracle but if I ever had to walk by faith and not by sight, it’s right now. Because it doesn’t look good at all. So, please family, just help pray for him. He doesn’t want to die. He’s only 39, he said he doesn’t want to die. So, anyway, thank you family. In Jesus name. Amen.

Hi, my name is Winnie. I just wanted to call and say you know, praise God for this podcast. I pray with, along with and for people who are on the community prayer and in the podcast itself. I do want to offer up a prayer. Offer up a prayer request for my nephew. I’m gonna call the family A through D, God knows who they are. But he lost his wife last week and they have three children, 17, 12 and a 11-month-old. And he really, the family really needs prayer. She’s being buried tomorrow which will be the 17th, yes, the 17th. So, they just need prayer for salvation. He needs wisdom and guidance and grace and strength, and he just needs God. He really does, the family is just grieving, and they really could use some prayer. So, I appreciate it. God Bless and keep everyone this upcoming New Year. Thank you.