Manger

Before leaving the Christmas season, there is a thought that I wanted to consider. I heard a teacher say, "If we want to have Jesus in us, sometimes that means we have to be a manger."
A manger is an insignificant piece of furniture in a stable, or barn. It's only purpose is to hold the grain or feed for livestock. Our English word comes from a French/Latin root, "manger", which means to eat. The Hebrew word can mean a crib, or a stall for an animal.
None of us likes to consider ourselves an insignificant piece of farm furniture, but it is just this kind of container that held the glory of the Son of God:
"And she brought forth her first born Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."   Lk. 2:7
If we are this humble food trough, the Lord Jesus can inhabit us in all His glory, and the world can come to us to feed upon the living Word of God. From this humble farm furniture, the provision of life can be given and sustained. Jesus described Himself as this provision:
"Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world...I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."   Jn. 6:32-35
The prophet Amos warned:
"Behold the days are coming", says the LORD God, "That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD...They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD, but shall not find it."   Amos 8:11-12
The famine for the Bread of Life, the Word of God, came upon Israel because they cared more about their own pride, wealth and worldly provision, even praying upon the weak and poor, than they cared for the true provision of God (v.5-6). This suggests to us that perhaps one reason the famine came was because no one was interested in being a manger. Do we in the church have this same mindset today? Do we despise being a manger?
Jesus prayed that we would receive the same glory that He has. One way to have that glory is to contain His glory, and not our own. He worded it this way:
"And the glory which You gave Me, I have given them, that they may be one, just as We are one...Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world."  Jn. 17:22, 24
We share the glory, because we share the place of glory. The glory that we have is because of the Glory we contain.
The manger of our Christmas story, had no importance of its own. It had no name, nor reputation. Men didn't come to see this manger because it was the most "special" manger ever made. Lowly animals had eaten from it unaware of any extraordinary quality of that manger. However, the world sings of that nameless, utilitarian manger, and men journeyed from distances to that manger, because of what it contained: the Glory of God, and the Bread of life come down from heaven.

Our Father has called us to be mangers, that His Son may be laid within us.

"Child in a Manger Born"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZkrBC0SZek

"He Made a Way in a Manger"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwe7GDl9-04

Simple

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all..." 
                                                                                1 Tim. 2:3-6

It is a very good thing to study scripture. Paul tells us to study to show ourselves approved. However, sometimes, it seems I can get caught up and carried away, even a little weighed down in the details, and it takes a special moment to bring all of it into a simple focus.
During a recent conversation, it was mentioned that someone had converted from Christianity to a faith that did not accept Jesus as the Savior. One of the people in this conversation asked sincerely, "How do you go from knowing Jesus is the Savior, to going back to being without that knowledge? How is that possible?" The question was directed toward me, but I never did get to answer it because the conversation went to something else.
More than even thinking of an answer to this, I was struck by the beautifully simple faith expressed by the question. Once we know this truth, how is it possible to "not know"?
The simple faith of this question says that Jesus is so part of reality, how can He then be erased from it? How this simple statement of faith expressed by the question, must touch and please the heart of God, who gave His precious Son for just this inescapable truth.
Sometimes as serious, studying Christians, we forget the many souls who know this simple truth, stated so plainly. Yet, this IS the Gospel. This IS the faith that saves. This IS the faith the size of a mustard seed, yet hidden within it is the great tree of the Kingdom of God.
At Christmas time, our Father invites us to a simple place of faith. He brings us to a stable to look at a baby. He prophesied this baby (Isa. 9:6-7), and He brought this baby, who is the Savior, Christ the Lord, to birth. Perhaps one reason why the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords was born as a baby was so all people, from all walks of life, could come and smile at the little baby born in such circumstances. The lowly animals were invited to come and see the baby. The humble, forgotten shepherds, who worked at night while all others were sleeping, were invited to come and see. The exalted and the wise from foreign lands were invited, even compelled, to come and see Him, and bring Him gifts. The old, devout servant of God, Simeon, was brought by the Spirit to see and hold the baby Jesus at the temple in Jerusalem. He rejoiced that he was allowed to see Him before he died (Lk. 2:24-35). Anna, the old prophetess, likewise was allowed to see and discern the Lordship of this little baby (Lk. 2:36-38).
An evil king of this world also sought to find the child for an evil purpose, but God would not allow the king to find Him. He was not invited to the event. However, we are invited.
A famous radio DJ would say frequently that he wasn't sure he understood or believed all of the details of Christianity, but he l-o-v-e-d the baby Jesus. He didn't just acknowledge the baby Jesus, he loved Him. Even if you do not understand it all, God has a simple starting point. Even if you have turned and walked away from knowing Jesus, this is the perfect time of year to come back to that simple starting point. Come to the stable, and see the little baby born, and laid in a manger. Smile at Him, and welcome Him into the world, and into your heart.

During this Christmas season, we can study so many wonderful things pertaining to it. Let's not forget the beauty of the simple, elegant, truth which it brings to man:
"Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord."    Lk. 2:10-11

Our Father sent a child, a Son, to be born unto us.


"What Child Is This?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGqf5ha_GEA

"Charlie Brown Christmas" Scene: The True Meaning of Christmas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn10FF-FQfs

Gold

We have seen in recent headlines that the world has begun to question supporting Israel. Throughout the nations, anti-Semitic activity is also on the increase. Anti-Semitic marches were held in France with marchers shouting, "Juif, la France n'est pas a toi!", meaning, "Jew, France is not yours." Because of the increase in Anti-Semitism in France, many French Jews are leaving the country. The number of French Jews who have emigrated to Israel has increased by 63%. This increase in anti-Semitic/anti-Israel sentiment is not limited to France.
Scripture warns us that the nations will turn against Israel in the Last Days.
One of the most graphic examples of anti-Semitism in scripture is found in the Book of Esther. The main protagonist, Haman, is a counselor to the king, and deeply resents the Jews sojourning in his nation (Est. 3:6). He particularly despises the Jew, Mordecai ("little man"), who refuses to bow when Haman passes. Even though Haman has been promoted to a position of great honor, even above the princes of the land, he resents the Jew, Mordecai. Haman eventually convinces the king to issue a decree that would mean the murder of all of the Jews in the land (Est. 3:8-10). He even offers to finance the operation from his own funds.
The meaning of Haman's name is "magnificent", and it is related to the planet Mercury. The root meaning, however, refers to "rage, tumult, commotion". Like the planet Mercury of his name, Haman was closest to the sun (king), but full of volcanic fire of rage that twisted and marred his surface. He focused all of that rage toward the Jews of his land.
This kind of hate, like all other racial hatreds, is completely irrational, and baseless. Why should Haman, who had everything, and every honor, who was a confidant of the king, focus all of his resentment and covetousness upon this "little man", who posed no threat to him in the least.
At one point in the story of Esther, Mordecai is honored by the king for the faithful service he provided in exposing a plot against the king. His good deed had been recorded in the historical records, and the king came across it when reading those records one evening.
Haman is enraged at the honor given to Mordecai by the king. All of this irrational, resentful rage against the "little man", Mordecai, would lead to Haman's destruction.
As Haman heads home, after Mordecai's honor by the king, he bitterly complains to his wife, and all of his friends about the unfairness of the honor paid to Mordecai-honor he felt should have been paid to himself. However, it is here that his wife, and his wise advisors tell him a truth that we are amazed that they should know:
"If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against him but will surely fall before him."  Est. 6:13
Haman's wife and his sage advisors were not Jewish, and yet they knew by revelation the relationship the Jews have with God. If they knew this powerful truth as unbelieving Gentiles, what excuse is there for us, and for the nations of the world, who refuse to acknowledge this covenant relationship?
Scripture says that while his wife and advisors were yet saying this to Haman, the king's servants came to bring him to the fateful banquet where Haman's plot against the Jews would be exposed, and subsequently, Haman would be taken and hanged.
Haman's wife, who gave him the truthful prophetic word, was named Zeresh, which means "gold". She, and the sages who counseled Haman knew a truth that it would do well for the world to remember: If you set your hand upon the Jew, you will fall. The LORD has a covenant relationship with Israel, and with the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, which He will never forget, nor from which will He ever walk away.
"I will bles those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."   Gen. 12:3
This is a truth my own nation had better not forget, and it is a truth to ALL nations in the earth. I have also provided the French translation:
"Je bénirai ceux qui te béniront, et Je maudirai ceux qui te maudiront."

Our Father remembers His covenants.

"Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61R9YpxWjOY

Handwriting

Judah was carried into captivity by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the most powerful king of his time. God exiled His people from the land in order to cleanse the land from the defilement of the shedding of innocent blood. Judah's king, Manasseh had defiled the land by worshipping false gods with the sacrifice of children in fire, even his own son. So the land would be cleansed with 70 years of Sabbath rest (2 Ki. 24:3-4, 2 Chron. 33:9-11, 36:20-21, Jer. 25:11-12).
The mighty king, Nebuchadnezzar, learned the hard way that the people of God had not been placed into his care for his abuse. This king addresses all people and generations in Daniel 4, telling his testimony of how the Hebrew God taught him humility. Immediately following this powerful, unprecedented testimony by one of history's greatest figures, we are given a very sobering account of Nebuchadnezzar's son in Dan. 5.
Nebuchadnezzar's son was named Belshazzar, and he was now king of Babylon. His name has a root meaning, "lord of the straitened's treasure". The "straitened" in this case, were the exiled people of God. Their treasure included the vessels of the Temple of Jerusalem that were captured along with them and brought to Babylon. The king's very name told him that these vessels (both human and worship utensils) were placed in his care.
This king held a great feast and invited a thousand of the elite of the land. Drinking was done, and in the middle of this great celebration the king decided to send for the golden vessels of the Temple of Jerusalem, and use them for drinking. As they drank from these holy vessels, they praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone (Dan. 5:4, Rev. 9:20).
At this moment, the king saw a man's hand writing words on the wall by the candlestick. His countenance changed, and his body grew weak with fear. He could not understand the words written by the hand, so he called in all of the astrologers, wise men, and soothsayers who served him and offered a great reward, even a third of his kingdom, if they could interpret the words on the wall for him. None could interpret. His wife then reminded him of a man who had served his father, Nebuchadnezzar. She told him that this man, Daniel, a captive from Judah, was filled with the Spirit of the Holy God. The king sent for Daniel.
Daniel told the king that he would interpret the words on the wall. He began telling the king how God had exalted his father, Nebuchadnezzar, and when Nebuchadnezzar became hardened in pride, God humbled him. Daniel told this king that, unlike his father, he had not humbled himself:
"But you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven...the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified." (v. 22-23)
Daniel told the king that God sent the hand to write on the wall:

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN

 

The interpretation word by word means "God has numbered your kingdom and finished it; you have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the Persians." (v. 26-28)

The king knew he had received the correct interpretation, even though Babylon's great wall was believed to be unbreachable by enemies. He rewarded Daniel as he had promised.

That very night Babylon fell, and the king was killed.



We should never forget the lesson of Belshazzar, neither as a nation, nor as individuals. The Father has given the care of His people and His vessels of honor into the hands of the governing leaders of this nation, into the hands of the spiritual leaders, and into each one of our hands. When we exalt ourselves in pride, and knowingly defile these precious things for our profane use, or for the praise of men, God will humble us. This is a very serious time for our nation at this time. We are being weighed in the balances.

Our Father is not mocked (Gal. 6:7, Job 12:4).


" Humble Thyself in the Sight of the LORD"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU8MAQKSbEI

"Bow Down"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ii6a5PW04w

Forgive

These are the days between the Feast of Trumpets, or Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The other day, I heard the question in my spirit, "What does "forgive" mean?"

When I am asked a question by the Asker, I know it is something I am supposed to look into and learn. Because the question was asked of me in the first place, I know I'm going to be in for a surprise, and I was.

In English, the origin of the word from the Old English/German has the meaning of "give before". From this, I can learn that forgiveness is something given before a wrong is even committed, or a debt incurred. When I think of scripture, this makes sense because Jesus is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8). Before man ever committed the sin, the provision for forgiveness and atonement was already in place.

Sometimes I feel very noble and "Jesus-like" when I say to myself that I have forgiven this person, or that incident. However, if I really want to be true to the real meaning of the word both in fact and in Spirit, then the forgiveness should have existed before the wrong act against me. There would be no need for me to have to stir up my "holy" attitude after the fact. If I am to forgive others as I have been forgiven (Mt. 6:12, Lk. 11:4), then it must be "given before".

The hurt and feelings of offense that come when a wrong is committed against me, may come because I have not given this forgiveness gift before, as God has. Perhaps it's why we always go back again and again, remembering the wrongs done, even though we say we have "forgiven". They haunt us, and stir up feelings of hurt and anger all over again. Just the other day, a memory of a wrong from my childhood popped up. I hadn't thought of it in many years, but, evidently, it is still there. A small thing like that came back before my eyes again. Perhaps this is why the internal question about forgiveness came up to begin with. I am going back now and forgiving before it happened so long ago, not only for the sake of the child involved, but for my own sake as well. I am saying, "It was already forgiven before it happened."  If I can learn to "give before" in this little thing from the past, perhaps it will train me for those larger, more difficult things that have happened, and will happen in the future. Starting small is better than not starting at all!

The word "forgive" in Hebrew is also very interesting. It is the word nasa. It means "to lift, to bear up, to carry, to lift up, to bear, to support, to endure, to be lifted up, be exalted, to rise up, to be borne, to be carried, taken away, carried off, swept away, to bear continuously, to marry, to magnify, pardon, honorable, respect, armor-bearer (person who carries the armor or weapons of a warrior)". This awesome meaning has very little similarity to my previous understanding of forgiveness. However, it immediately stirs up a connection to something else.

The Hebrew meaning creates an image for me of Jesus carrying His own cross, and being lifted up upon it. This forgiveness was borne from the foundation, and carried, lifted up and exalted, at the cross. Jesus was the armor-bearer who carried His Father's armor and weapons of forgiveness, the cross. It is our armor and our weapon, as well. This forgiveness might have even been the power behind His resurrection (see nasa above: "to rise up").
The letters of nasa are nun (heir to the throne, son, faithfulness), shin (devour, consume, destroy, point of a rock), aleph (ox head, leader, power, authority, first, teach, Adonai). The Son has the power and the authority to forgive:
"But that you my know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" - He said to the man who was paralyzed- "I say to you arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."
                                                                       Mt, 9:6, Mk. 2:10, Lk. 5:24)

The gift of forgiveness was prepared and given to me before I was born, and I accepted it thankfully through Christ. Now I have to learn to prepare and give forgiveness the same way as my Father did for me - from the foundation.
The gift was already prepared and given, and needed only to be accepted. I will now try to give the gift to others in the same manner.

Our Father prepared and gave us forgiveness before we ever knew Him.

"Via Dolorosa"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67XrqXXTceM


 



 

Kingship

I heard something amazing this week. New York City has erected a re-creation of the Gate of Ba'al that stood before the Temple of Ba'al in Palmyra, Syria. Another replica will be in London. The original was destroyed by ISIS. Ba'al was a horrible counterfeit of the one true God. Ba'al worship mercilessly demanded the sacrifice of children burnt in fire. Israel was drawn away from the worship of God to the worship of this false god. Jezebel, the woman who married Ahab, a king of Israel, killed the prophets of God, and established the worship of Ba'al in Israel. Her name means "married to Ba'al". In modern times, her name has become synonymous with everything horrible that a woman might be.
When this replica of the Gate of Ba'al in New York City was announced as a warning by Rabbi Jonathan Cahn in an interview, the host asked in a fearful way, "If they did this stupid thing in New York City, the judgment of God would fall on New York, right? The rest of the country, like St. Louis, or Greenville, North Carolina wouldn't have to fear judgment because of something New York did, right?"
I wondered at this reaction to this sad day in the spiritual choices of NYC. Should our reaction really be that so long as the judgment hits and stays in NYC, the rest of us can relax?
When the Prophet Isaiah was sent by the LORD to King Hezekiah to tell the king that his days were numbered, the king turned his face to the wall and wept bitterly to God (Isa. 38:3). Before Isaiah even left the palace grounds, the LORD had him return to the king with the word that God had heard the king, and He was giving the king fifteen additional years of life. 
However, when God informed Hezekiah a short time later that Israel would be overthrown by its enemies after the king died, this same king thought, "So long as it happens after my death, it's OK."
This same king who had wept so bitterly before the LORD upon hearing of his own imminent death, basically shrugged his shoulders when hearing of the coming destruction of his nation at the hands of its enemies:
"So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good!" For he said, "At least there will be peace and truth in my days."  Isa. 39:8
King Hezekiah said this after the LORD, through His prophet, gave a vivid description of the terror of the coming destruction:
"Behold the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated, until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left", says the LORD. "And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon."  Isa. 39:6-7
This king had begged the LORD to let him live to have a son, and yet, he is unmoved by the pitiful future of those descendants.
Is that our attitude when hearing of the judgment of God? "Well, they deserved it." or "So long as it doesn't happen to my city, or in my time." Like Hezekiah, we are to be kings, and also priests to our God. God is a King. His Son, Jesus, is very much a King. What is God's reaction to coming judgment? What is Jesus' reaction?
When Hezekiah is indifferent to the coming judgment of God upon his nation, the LORD spends the next twenty-six chapters of Isaiah, from Ch. 40-66, interceding on behalf of His people, and His nation. He starts by saying, "Comfort, yes, comfort My people!", says your God. "Speak comfort (to the heart of) Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended...".   Isa. 40:1-2
The LORD starts crying out prophetically to Jerusalem before Hezekiah, its earthly king, can even finish shrugging his shoulders in indifference. The interceding prophetic word is so powerful, that not only is judgment spoken as part of it against these attacking enemies of Israel, but the LORD reveals the coming ministry of John the Baptist (Isa. 40:3-8), and the redeeming ministry of His Messiah (Isa. 52-53). In His intercession, the LORD even reveals His new heavens, and His new earth:
"For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, and her people a joy."  Isa. 65:17-18
Now that's a King! And those are the pronouncements and decrees of a King.
"Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
For the LORD is the great God,
And the great King above all gods."      Ps. 95:2-3
The LORD is indeed a great King!
Jerusalem was about to kill its Messiah, its King, its Son of David, the One sent by the Father in heaven to save them. He was about to be killed in a ravenous, unspeakable way. They would show Him no mercy. They would leave none of Him untouched by their fierce hatred, resentment and anger. Yet, Jesus, her King, when He looked upon the city that would soon suffer in judgment, wept on its behalf (Lk. 19:41).
Something terrible has just happened in New York City, and also, in London. Something monstrous has defiantly and proudly been rebuilt. Yes, cry out, and weep St. Louis and Greenville, North Carolina. Don't shake your heads, or shrug your shoulders. Weep for yourselves (Lk. 23:28), your city, and your nation. Intercede on behalf of an arrogant New York City and London, because your sons and your daughters may also be carried away by an evil that knows and shows no mercy.

Our Father shows His Kingship.


"O, Come Let Us Sing for Joy"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IvTyGdR11o

Gate of Ba'al in NYC

Zephaniah

The Book of Zephaniah opens with terrible pronouncements of judgment by the LORD. It seems that all creation is being wiped out, all life swept off of the earth. The Book closes with great outpourings of God's love and comfort, even rejoicing. What could this be about?
When I read this Book, I see the hijacking of creation, and the rescue of it.
In the first verse, we are introduced to Zephaniah, and his previous generations. All of the names listed here are very interesting in the Hebrew meanings:
Zephaniah- "Jehovah has treasured",  treasure meaning: hide, store up, treasure, hide from discovery, protect, esteem, secret place.
This directs me to the thought that there is something valuable here hidden in the secret place of God, that we can search out, which I am eager to do.
Cushi- "black", associated with Ethiopia
Gedaliah- "Jehovah is Great" 
Amariah- "Yah (the LORD) has promised, Yah speaks"
Hezekiah- "Jehovah is my strength"

The king of Judah (praise) during this time is Josiah, "Whom Yah Heals", also meaning foundation, buttress, support, column, who is the son of Amon, "Architect, master, skilled workman, support, confirmation, faithful, pillar". Both names here take us to the beginning, the foundation, the support. To me this is the Creator, and His Son.
In the second verse, the word of the LORD to Zephaniah is that He will utterly consume everything from the face of the land. The phrase "utterly consume" can mean to remove, to perish, to destroy. However, the phrase can also mean "collect, gather, receive, gather in (as a harvest), bring up the rear, rearguard, to assemble, gather and take away, to be gathered to one's fathers, to make an end, to snatch away, to recover another from leprosy."
From these things, I see that some are gathered in for perishing, and some are gathered in for rescue:
"Let both (wheat and tares) grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, "Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into My barn."   Mt. 13:30
So the phrase "utterly consume" used by the LORD is not limited to the idea of destroying, but involves much more than that.
In verse 3, while forms of life described as man and animals, are being "utterly consumed", so are "stumbling blocks" and the "wicked". "Stumbling block" refers to the stumbling block of idols, to bring decay and ruin. They cause people to stumble, bring injury or ruin to, to make feeble, to make weak, to bereave. The "wicked" are criminal, hostile to God, guilty of sin, condemned, vexed, to cause or declare wrong, violate, disturb.
The people mentioned in chapter one are the inhabitants who worship idols, and the counterfeit god, Ba'al, even Milcom, who is Molech, the god who demands child sacrifice by burning.
The LORD will punish those who are supposed to be the children of the king (King), but they wear the strange (foreign) apparel- adulterous, calamity, disaster, misfortune, disguise, dissemble, feign. From God's perspective, they don't belong to Him at all. They "leap over the threshold (serpent, snake)" of the master's house and fill that house with violence and lies (Zeph. 1:9). They should be serving the Master, and were born and purposed to serve Him, but instead, have chosen to be vessels of evil, wreaking havoc in the Master's house.
This is the condition of some today who consider themselves to be the people of God- would God recognize them as His own?

In Chapter 2, who are the ones told to "gather" together that they might be "hidden" before this terrible day of the LORD? Those who seek Him, who are meek, who seek righteousness and humility (v. 1-3):
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."  Mt. 5:5
"LORD, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble: Thou wilt prepare their heart, Thou wilt cause Thine ear to hear: to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress."   Ps. 10:17
"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."  Isa. 57:15
"Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."  Mt. 18:4
It becomes evident that the qualities of humility and the seeking of righteousness are important considerations at this time of the gathering in. Do we humble ourselves under God, or do we exalt ourselves under the ways of evil? Are we real (wheat) or are we counterfeits (tares) like the serpents in strange apparel that leap across the threshold of the Master's house?
According to this chapter, on that day, the following will be dealt with by the Creator:
Gaza- strong, greedy, harsh, fierce
Ashkelon- : "Fire of Infamy: I shall be weighed"
Ashdod- powerful, spoiler, robber, to destroy, to violently despoil
Ekron-"turn up by the roots", eradicate, exterminate
Cherithites- executioners, cut off, cut down
Canaan- to bring low, to subdue, to humiliate, to vanquish
Philistines- sojourners, immigrants, to roll in ashes, to mourn. The Philistines were descendants of Mizraim, which is Egypt- besiege, siege works, siege enclosure, beset, assault, adversary, bind, distress, show hostility. They were originally from Caphtor: a crown, a circlet at the top of a column, a circlet of adornment on the golden candlestick.
So the Philistines are from  those who had been meant to rule, and adorn the golden candlestick of light, but became an adversary, an oppressor, an assaulter who beseiges.
In these names above, the LORD is dealing against some of the most ancient, darkest, most evil destroyers of man.
The LORD goes on to condemn Moab and Ammon in Ch. 2, likening them to Sodom and Gomorrah. Moab and Ammon were children produced from the incest of Lot and his daughters. While Lot had been delivered miraculously by the angels of God from the destruction of Sodom (Burning) and Gomorrah (A ruined heap, to treat tyrannically, to treat as a slave, to bind for merchandise), he entered right back into them spiritually with the incestuous acts with his daughters. What he produced became enemies of the people of God.
The LORD also condemns and judges Assyria and Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria. Assyria represents that which has been "blessed, prospered, advanced and progressed". It's city, Nineveh, was founded in antiquity by Ninus, its builder. Ninus was said to be the son of Bel (Ba'al). It is a spiritual counterfeit to the city whose builder is God, and comes down from heaven adorned as a bride for the Son (Heb. 11:10, Rev. 21:2). Why would the LORD have anything against this prosperous city and nation? It is because they represent the attitude that they are responsible for their own success, and they have no need of God:
"This is the rejoicing city that dwelt securely, that said in her heart, "I am it, and there is none besides me". How has she become a desolation..."    Zeph. 2:15
We can look back to an ancient city in the plain of Shinar, as they built and built in order to make a name for themselves, set up a defense against the will of God,  and to worship the stars, and the false gods of the earth (Gen. 11:1-9).
The earth, and all of creation upon it, are held captive by these evils described above, killing and destroying the life that YHWH spoke and breathed, and sustains in existence. However, God will not leave this so. The LORD, YHWH (Creator, Behold! Redeemer, Behold!) will not cede His sustaining place over creation to anyone, or anything:
The earth is the LORD's and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein."
                                                                                Ps. 24:1, 1 Cor. 10:26
"The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; the world and all its fullness, You have founded them."             Ps. 89:11
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  Jn. 1:1-4

Chapter three, the final chapter, brings us to two groups of people. Considering the conditions of man that the LORD has revealed above, and the evils that men have accepted and exalted over their lives, there are those who will receive His correction, and those who will not. Those are the two choices. If we think we do not need correction, or that correction is for other people, then we automatically fall into the group that will not receive correction, who will not humble themselves. This is how that group is described:
"Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, to the oppressive city! She has not obeyed His voice, she has not received correction; she has not trusted in the LORD, she has not drawn near to her God....the unjust knows no shame...I said, "Surely, you will fear Me, you will receive instruction"- so that her dwelling would not be cut off, despite everything for which I punished her. But they rose early and corrupted all their deeds."   Zeph. 3:1-2, 5, 7)
The second group of people, those who will receive correction are described:
"In that day, you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds in which you transgress against Me;...I will leave in your midst a meek and humble people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.
Even the thought of receiving correction causes most of us to turn away from it. We will do great mental gymnastics to twist out of the responsibility or blame, and place it upon someone else. We feel angry and unfairly treated when correction comes our way. I can feel my neck stiffening, and my heart hardening at the idea of correction, and I can recall past corrections with the same resentment as I felt at the time. Though humility seems like a small thing, it would have been a balm to those feelings of anger and resentment. I can see my wrong that resulted in those corrections now, but it still rankles. I can attest that humility is not as easy as it sounds, and I can see why the LORD treasures it so much.
How do these people indicate that they have received His correction?:
"I will gather (this is the same word that is also interpreted as "consume" in Zeph. 1:2) those who sorrow over the appointed assembly, who are among you, to whom its reproach is a burden."
Those who will receive the correction of the LORD, have a feeling of sorrow at the sinful condition of the assembly, including themselves. The shame of the condition is a burden to their souls and spirits. Their hearts mourn for the assembly that is in this condition. God can work with that,  and He does. He removes the reproach from their hearts, as He also removes the judgment from them.
For this sorrow and heavy heart of repentance, God gives them joy:
"Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
The LORD has taken away your judgments,
He has cast out your enemy.
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
You shall see disaster no more...
The LORD your God in your midst,
the Mighty One will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing."     Zeph. 3:14-15, 17

I think we can conclude that the Book of Zephaniah is not about the LORD destroying everything that moves. I think the "hidden treasure" here, that is revealed in Zephaniah's name, is a treasure to be found by those whose hearts are searching God. At the end of this search is the joy and beauty of His salvation and deliverance:
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."   Mt. 13:44
 However, we know the story does not end there. The search for His ways, the repentant heart, and the teachable spirit is still an ongoing part of our lives. This desire and repentance in heart is the thing that separates the wheat from the tares, and those who will receive correction from those who won't. It is not about seeking the city of the son of Bel, but about seeking the City of the Son of God. It is about coming out from under the names of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, and the like, and being gathered in under the name of the LORD.
The time of being "utterly consumed" is near, even upon us. Into which group do we desire to be gathered?

Our Father will gather us in.