Despite her former relationship with God, absolutely no nation could ever out-sin Judah, even though God had given her multiple warnings to repent.

Zephaniah has messages for the remnant of physical Israel, the house of David, and for the faithful remnant from the Israel of God.

The book's five acrostic songs (chapters) answer the question, 'Why did this happen?' God brought the punishment on Judah because of gross and sustained sin.

As witnesses to the decline and fall of Israel and Judah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and Haggai report the conditions that led to their defeat and captivity.

In Lamentations 2, Lady Jerusalem sidesteps godly repentance, opting instead for self-centered recrimination against Almighty God.

Jerusalem recounts her sins as a nation, depending on her own strength or on her lovers (political alliances) rather than upon God.

God has expressed infinite patience with Jacob's rebellious children, but He has also put a time limit on their tolerance and craving for lawlessness.

Personified Jerusalem, whom God depicts as a grieving widow, blames others for her troubles while overlooking her own sins as the real cause of her sorrow.

The Lamentations show poignant before-and-after vignettes of formerly happy times contrasted with the horror of the present as God punishes Judah.

As we approach the coming self-examination prior to Passover, we can apply six significant lessons taught to ancient Israel through the book of Lamentations.

Book Three of the Psalms deals with the somber theme of judgment on a people who have rejected their God and have produced much rotten spiritual fruit.

God exiles to punish for sin, separating individuals and groups from Him in order to spur repentance. There is something to exile that God finds very good.

When Joel describes the devastating locust plagues, instead of promising a silver lining on a very black cloud, he says things are going to get intensely worse.

We are mandated to live by faith, being given trials of faith in order to chisel our character. We must totally and unreservedly accept God's sovereignty.

Just about half of the continental United States suffers under severe drought conditions. And lack of water is not the only thing we need to worry about.

Even though Manasseh was absolutely the worst king ever to lead Judah, Manasseh finally got the message that God only is God, and sincerely repented.

Even though the Gentiles will be punished, only Israelites had a special relationship with God, and consequently were more accountable for their failure.

The law for stoning a rebellious son was never recorded as having been carried out, but ironically the nation put to death the maximally obedient Son.