Daily Devotions
Zephaniah
"The coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah"
Text: Zephaniah 2:7
THE SEACOAST OF THE PHILISTINES
The seacoast was once under the domain of the Philistines. But after the Day of the Lord where they would be severely dealt with, the seacoast would no longer be in their possession.
“The seacoast shall be pastures,
With shelters for shepherds and folds for flocks.
The coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah;
They shall feed their flocks there;
In the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening.
For the LORD their God will intervene for them,
And return their captives.”
Zephaniah 2:6-7
1. Conversion of the seacoast to pasture land
a) This was never the case when the Philistines were in control.
b) Sheep-breeding was never within their consideration.
c) The Philistines were war-like whereas looking after sheep was essentially the opposite.
2. “The seacoast shall be pastures, with shelters for shepherds and folds for flocks”
a) This would be an amazing feat.
b) Only the Lord could bring about this change pronounced prophetically.
c) Sheep-breeding would require many things:
i) Large tracts of pasture land.
ii) Patient and faithful shepherds committed to looking after their sheep.
iii) Shelters for shepherds out in the fields.
iv) Safe folds for the sheep to rest for the night.
v) The scene is totally pastoral and peaceful.
3. Who would possess the seacoast
a) The remnant of the house of Judah.
b) Not the rebellious and sinful ones who would be summarily dealt with in the Day of the Lord (Zephaniah 1).
c) The remnant who are proven to be genuinely meek (Zephaniah 2:3).
Their blessing would be to inherit this part of the earth.