Zephaniah 3A

v. 1-7

"Woe to the city of oppressors,

rebellious and defiled!

She obeys no one,

she accepts no correction.

She does not trust in the Lord,

she does not draw near to her God.

Her officials are roaring lions,

her rulers are evening wolves,

who leave nothing for the morning.

Her prophets are arrogant;

they are treacherous men.

Her priests profane the sanctuary

and do violence to the law.

The Lord within her is righteous;

he does no wrong.

Morning by morning he dispenses his justice,

and every new day he does not fail,

yet the unrighteous know no shame.

I have cut off the nations;

their strongholds are demolished.

I have left their streets deserted,

with no one passing through.

Their cities are destroyed;

no one will be left - no one at all.

I said to the city,

'Surely you will fear me

and accept correction!'

Then her dwelling would not be cut off,

nor all my punishments come upon her.

But they were still eager

to act corruptly in all they did."

Why did the Israelites ignore 

this prophet's warnings?

The more they were warned about God's punishment, 

the more they sinned. 

 In fact, they were eager to sin. 

Sin entraps us, it satisfies our desires,

but the more we satisfy self,

the less we satisfy God!