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"The sound of a mournful cry"

Text: Zephaniah 1:10

THE WORD OF WARNING

The word of warning that Zephaniah gave should have caused Judah to repent of its sinful ways. But as may be expected, those words fell on deaf ears. Nevertheless, the word of the Lord would be fulfilled in due time.

“‘And there shall be on that day,’ says the LORD,
‘The sound of a mournful cry from the Fish Gate,
A wailing from the Second Quarter,
And a loud crashing from the hills.'”
Zephaniah 1:10

1. The gates of the city of Jerusalem

a) Gates were constructed as part of the city.

b) They were meant to give added security to the city.

c) Jerusalem had Eight Gates.

2. Added significance to the Gates

a) They were also commercial centers.

b) Merchants bought and sold their special wares at the variously named gates.

3. The mention of “the Fish Gate”

a) This was mentioned with reference to the Second Quarter.

b) The Fish Gate was located at the Second Quarter.

4. “Crashing from the hills”

a) This was the invasion that God had warned Judah of.

b) They did not take the word of the Lord seriously until it was too late.

c) The crashing sound

i) Loud and fearsome.

ii) The sound of armies in battle.

iii) The sound of death and destruction.

5. Response of the inhabitants of Jerusalem

a) The inhabitants would be mourning.

b) There would be loud wailing.

c) The usual sounds of merchants bargaining with their buyers would not be heard on that Day of the Lord.

d) Mourning and wailing would be the prevailing sound heard!