From my previous post, I have suggested
Zephaniah 2 is an epitome of 7 years tribulation. Here
it goes.
Zephaniah begins with an urgent calling "
Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have
wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness:
it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S
anger." We are living under this urgent message. For
those who seek the LORD God and His Son Jesus, they
shall be hidden in the day of the LORD"s anger which is
the 7 years tribulation.
Zephaniah then went on to prophesy what
will happen after we are hidden / raptured from the 7
years tribulation, the day of the LORD's anger. The
first event is Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a
desolation.
4 For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon
a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon
day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.
5 Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea
coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the
LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the
Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall
be no inhabitant.
This is a parallel message to the fourth
transgression in Amos 1:6-7.
Amos 1:6 Thus saith the LORD; For three
transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn
away the punishment thereof; because they carried away
captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom:
7 But I will send a fire on the wall of
Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof:
This fourth transgression is also known as
the three shepherds war in Zechariah 11, and Psalm 83.
The participants are Gaza / Hamas, Ammon, Moab,
Edom/Jordan, Damascus/Syria and Tyre/Hezbollah.
According to Zechariah 11, this war is fought prior to
rapture. God cuts them off in one month, followed by
rapture immediately. After this war, the
coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah;
7 And the coast shall be for the remnant
of the house of Judah;
Besides Gaza, God also foretells His
judgment against Moab and Ammon.
8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and
the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they
have reproached my people, and magnified themselves
against their border.
9 Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of
hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom,
and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding
of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation:
the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the
remnant of my people shall possess them.
Again, Moan Ammon which is modern day
Jordan shall be judged when they come up against Israel
during the three shepherds war/the fourth transgression.
After this war, the residue of God's people who is
Israel shall spoil them, and the remnant of God's people
Israel shall possess their land. From Isaiah 16:13,
Moab/Jordan shall be fallen into Israel's hand for three
years. These three years represent the first half of
tribulation. Israel shall enlarge their territory to
Jordan. Verse 4 to 9 are the judgment against Gaza,
Ashkelon, and Moab Ammon at the beginning of 7 years
tribulation.
After God prophesies against Gaza and
Ammon Moab, the 7 years tribulation timetable turns to
Ethiopia.
12 Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain
by my sword.
From Daniel 11:42-43, we learn that after
AC attacks Israel in verse 41, he also raises army
against Egypt and Ethiopia. This event shall take
place in the second half of tribulation. Under siege by
AC and his western allies, Ethiopia shall send a swift
messenger to China for help (Isaiah 18:1-2). China
finally engages in this conflict. This is world war
three which leads to the fall of Antichrist. At this
time, AC has already moved to Shinar/modern day Iraq
(Zechariah 5:5-11). God has changed AC's title to
Assyrian.
13 And he will stretch out his hand
against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make
Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.
The "he" who shall stretch out his hand
against the north, and destroy Assyria is God
(Revelation 18 Babylon is fallen, fallen!!!). This is
near the end of 7 years tribulation. Assyria and Babylon
shall be laid desolate. We find this in verse 14 besides
13.
14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst
of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the
cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper
lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows;
desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he shall
uncover the cedar work.
God also laughs and mocks at this
rejoicing city Nineveh,
15 This is the rejoicing city that dwelt
carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is
none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place
for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her
shall hiss, and wag his hand.
Make my long story short. Zephaniah 2 is
an epitome of 7 years tribulation. It begins with
judgment against Gaza, Moab and Ammon. This is the
beginning of 7 years tribulation, an aftermath of three
shepherds war and the fourth transgression. Zephaniah
then jumps to Ethiopia. This event takes place right
after the mid-trib invasion against Israel by AC. Then
he concludes the 7 years tribulation with the tragic
fate of Nineveh after God lays His hand against this
rejoicing city. By this time, it is very close to the
return of Jesus Christ. All these happen during
the day of the Lord's anger, or simply put, the
day of the Lord lasts 7 years.
Ray