Temple Baptist Church - 9-25-2010
Zephaniah 1:14-2:3; 3:1-8
Introduction:
A. The interpretation of the verses read this morning is to the nation of Israel. The Book of Zephaniah deals with the coming of the Day of the Lord and the end time.)
B. The application is to any nation. There have been many great nations that have risen to power and then, through moral decay have fallen from their position of world prominence.
1. Egypt (rose to its zenith of power under Joseph)
2. Israel (the greatest nation and most feared upon the face of the earth to the most despised)
3. Babylon (from Nebuchadnezzar to Belshazzar)
4. Medio-Persia (From Cyrus the anointed to oblivion)
5. Greece (Alexander the Great and no more worlds to conquer at age 30)
6. Rome (the great Caesars, armies and roads to internal decay)
7. Spain (the great explorers and Spanish Armada to mediocrity)
8. England (great military and missions outreach to total apathy and apostasy)
9. America (In God We Trust to In Government We Mistrust; God expelled from schools never to return; prayer banished from sporting events; witnessing disallowed in the work places; a form of godliness in the churches that denies the power thereof!)
C. We have seen out Country go from:
1. Pride to Shame
2. Morality to Perversion
3. Prayer to Apostasy
4. Strength to Apologies
5. Humility to Arrogance
6. Respect to Distain
D. America not only needs our prayers, it desperately needs our help! We are Americans and this is our country! I love America! America is not gone yet but she is gravely “listing” in the sea of sinfulness.
E. This morning, I want to look at the condition of our nation in light of the text verses that we read. We need to know where we are in order to know how to pray for this great land.
1. Our Nation Is Sinful - vs. 1 “filthy and polluted”
a. Lack of integrity among the people
b. Immorality and sexual perversion
2. Our Nation Is Disobedient - vs. 2a “obeyed not the voice”
a. She had and knew God’s Word
b. She rejected God’s Word
3. Our Nation Is Stiff-Necked - vs. 2 “received not correction”
a. She rejected the message from God’s Men
b. She rejected the warnings of impending destruction
4. Our Nation Has Become Self-Reliant - vs. 2 “she trusted not the Lord”
a. She forgot from whence her blessings came
b. She became proud in her accomplishments
c. She trusts in the government to supply instead Of God
5. Our Nation Has Willfully Rejected God - vs. 2 “she drew not near to her God”
a. In our government – The president said that America was no longer a Christian nation.
b. In Our schools – Bible reading and prayer expelled.
c. In Our homes – They are no longer Bible based and fall quickly when the rains and floods come.
6. Our Nation Has Become Politically Corrupt - vs. 3 “roaring lions...evening wolves:
a. From government by the people and for the people to Anarchy
b. From statesmen to politicians
c. From prayer and fasting to corruption and bribery
7. Our Nation Has Become Religiously Apostate - vs. 4 “prophets...light and treacherous...priests...polluted the sanctuary...done violence to the law”
a. Our pulpits are shallow
b. Our pews are sinful (we embrace sin and compromise)
c. Our testimony is gone
8. Our Nation Is Shameless - vs. 5 “knoweth no shame”
a. Sinners are justified
b. Sin is acceptable
9. Our Nation And Her End - vs. 8 “mine indignation...my fierce anger”
a. The anger of the Lord
b. The judgment of the Lord
10. Our Nation and Her Salvation - vs. 2:1-3
a. Seek the Lord
b. Seek righteousness
c. Seek meekness
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