_Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! _ A RELIGIOUS CITY TERRIBLY DEGENERATE I. A professedly religious city terribly degenerated. 1. The princes are mentioned. They are “roaring lions.” 2. The judges are mentioned. They are “evening wolves.” 3. The prophets are menti... [ Continue Reading ]
_She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord._ GOD’S LAMENTATIONS OF HIS PEOPLE’S INCORRIGIBLENESS There can be no doubt that the city mentioned in the first verse of this chapter is Jerusalem; and if we duly consider the whole description of its moral state,... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have cut off the nations._ TERRIBLE CALAMITIES IN HUMAN HISTORY In these verses the prophet sums up all that he had said in the preceding verses of this chapter, and thus closes his admonition to repentance with the announcement of tremendous judgments. These verses remind us of the following g... [ Continue Reading ]
_Therefore wait ye upon Me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey._ THE ENCOURAGING ASPECTS OF GOD’S JUDGMENTS In this latter portion of his prophecy, in language pathetic, awe-inspiring, and sublime, Zephaniah foretells “the restitution of all things,” when “all the ends of the... [ Continue Reading ]
_For then will I turn to the nations a pure lip, that they may all invoke the name of the Lord, and serve Him with one shoulder._ ON SERVING GOD WITH ONE SHOULDER “Then!” When? In the day in which God has risen up to pour out all the heat of His fury on the nations and kingdoms of the earth. No que... [ Continue Reading ]
_In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings._ A SKETCH OF A MORALLY REGENERATED CITY I. The utter absence of bad. There is an absence of-- 1. Painful memories. “In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings.” Thou wilt not need to be ashamed of all thy iniquities-- (1) B... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord._ THE RICH POVERTY I. God’s dealings with His poor Church when He comes to visit the world. “I will leave in the midst of thee.” God will have some in the worst time. This is an article of... [ Continue Reading ]
_The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity._ THE SAVED REMNANT The “remnant” is those who are left after the sifting out. God is ever sifting out, and the unworthy fall through the meshes of the mighty sieve. They are swept up and east out, but the worthy remain. He sifted Israel. The Captivity... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sing, O daughter of Zion._ JOY: HUMAN AND DIVINE Here is a call to the regenerated inhabitants of Jerusalem to exult in the mercy of God, who has wrought their deliverance. I. The joy of the regenerated man. 1. The joy of gratitude for the deliverance from evil. 2. The joy of conscious securit... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let not thine hands be slack._ THE CHURCH OF CHRIST EXHORTED TO DILIGENCE I. These words suggest to the Church of Christ that there is a work to be performed. The caution “not to be slack” implies an injunction to be diligent, and is supposed to refer first to the rebuilding of the temple, and th... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty._ GOD IN THE MIDST OF HIS CHURCH Almost all the messages of the prophets to the ancient Church begin with the most awful threatenings and end with the most animating promises. I. What is here said to the Church by way of encouragement. 1. The Chur... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will gather them that are sorrowful._ COMFORT TO MOURNERS FOR THE LOSS OF SOLEMN ASSEMBLIES I. God doth sometimes suffer the solemn assembly to lie under reproach. 1. When does it lie under reproach? (1) When the presence of God is departed from the public ordinances. (2) When a reformation... [ Continue Reading ]