How does Zephaniah 3:4 describe the behavior of Jerusalem's prophets and priests? “Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law.” Failings of the Prophets - Reckless • Impulsive, acting without reverence or restraint (Jeremiah 23:21–22) - Faithless • Untrustworthy, turning from God’s revealed word (Jeremiah 23:25–32) Failings of the Priests - Profane the sanctuary • Treat holy things as common, disregard God’s presence (Ezekiel 22:26) - Do violence to the law • Twist or ignore Scripture for personal gain (Malachi 2:8–9) Root Issues Exposed - Disregard for God’s authority - Corruption of leadership filtering down to the people (Hosea 4:6; Micah 3:5–11) Consequences Highlighted Elsewhere - Judgment on false prophets and corrupt priests (Jeremiah 5:30–31; Zechariah 13:3) - Loss of God’s favor and protection (Lamentations 2:14; Ezekiel 34:10) Lessons for Today - Spiritual leaders must handle God’s Word accurately (2 Timothy 2:15) - Holiness in worship is non-negotiable (Hebrews 12:28–29) - Accountability safeguards the church from repeating Jerusalem’s failures (1 Timothy 5:19–20) |
    |