Zephaniah 3:9-13

THE PROMISE OF REDEMPTION. Zephaniah 3:9-13

RV. For then will I turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of Jehovah, to serve him with one consent. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering. In that day shalt thou not be put to shame for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me; for then I will take away out of the midst of thee thy proudly exalting ones, and thou shalt no more be haughty in my holy mountain. But I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall take refuge in the name of Jehovah. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their month; for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
LXX. For then will I turn to the peoples a tongue for her generation, that all may call on the name of the Lord, to serve him under one yoke. From the boundaries of the rivers of Ethiopia will I receive my dispersed ones; they shall offer sacrifices to me. In that day thou shalt not be ashamed of all thy practices, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then will I take away from thee thy disdainful pride, and thou shalt no more magnify thyself upon my holy mountain. And I will leave in thee a meek and lowly people; and the remnant of Israel shall fear the name of the Lord, and shall do no iniquity, neither shall they speak vanity; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed, and lie down, and there shall be none to terrify them.

COMMENTS

The purpose for which God's wrath is poured out in human history is a redemptive purpose. Zephaniah sees, as do the other prophets, the promise of repentance and consequent redemption. He is just, not arbitrary. He does not punish out of vindictive petulance but out of love. (Hebrews 12:6) His judgements are therapeutic, not merely punitive. Ultimately He chastens to save.

The hope comes to Zephaniah like a calm after a hurricane.

A PURE LANGUAGE. Zephaniah 3:9

For then i.e. following the judgement just described; there is reason for hope.

I will turn i.e. I will change the nature. The Psalmist cried, Create within me a pure heart, O God. (Psalms 51-10) Paul wrote ... if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold they are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Evidence of this redemptive reconciliation is a pure language or more accurately, a clean lip. Isaiah, called by God to speak for Him, cried out I am a man of unclean lips, (Isaiah 6:5) And after he had been purged with fire from the altar, God said to him, Thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is forgiven.

A purified heart, redeemed and reconciled to God always results in pure speech.

... SERVE HIM WITH ONE CONSENT.

Those who are redeemed not only may but will serve Him. Jesus promised that the living water of redemption would, in him who drinks, become a fountain, bubbling over to eternal life. (cf. John 4:14)

And their service will be with one consent. more literally with one shoulder. As several oxen pushing against a single yoke, they will serve as one. Both the redeemed of Israel and the purged nations will in that day serve Him as one. Here is a glimpse of the unity which characterized the New Testament church which, from Antioch forward was a fellowship of those redeemed from Israel and those purified from among the nations.

FROM BEYOND THE RIVERS. Zephaniah 3:10

From the long list of those to whom God's wrath would be revealed in judgement Zephaniah selects Ethiopia (see above on Zephaniah 2:12) to represent the redeemed from among the nations.

This company of the reconciled is also to include Jews from among the dispersion, i.e., those who were scattered among the nations. It was to the synagogues of the diaspora that Paul first took the gospel in every city. The church, fifteen years after her birth in Judaism, had become a fellowship of redeemed from every kindred and nation,

This concept of universal salvation is not unknown to the Old Testament. In fact, Jesus saw in such prophetic passages the meaning of the entire Old Testament. (Cp. Luke 24:44 -f)

The reader will do well here to review Isaiah 2:2-4, Micah 4:1-4, Isaiah 11:9; Isaiah 19:23-25; Isaiah 49:5-6. To pursue the idea of universal salvation in the Old Testament, an excellent reference work is Wm. O. Carver'S, Missions In The Plan of The Ages, Broadman Press, Nashville, Tenn.

IN THAT DAY THOU SHALT NOT BE PUT TO SHAME.

Zephaniah 3:11

In the day when the fires of divine judgement shall have purged men of all nations, promises the prophet, you will not be made ashamed for those things in which you have transgressed. What a promise! Paul exalted in this truth, There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus! (Romans 8:1) When Jesus received in our behalf the judgement of God upon our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21), He purged us of all those things for which we need be ashamed.

Zephaniah points out that the lack of any reason for shame on the part of the redeemed is due to God's removal from their midst the boastful and proud. Again we are reminded of Paul's letters. Again and again he reminds the redeemed that all reason for boasting is removed in the processes of redemption. (e.g. Romans 3:27, 1 Corinthians 3:21; 1 Corinthians 4:7, Galatians 6:14) Since Christ received for all of us the wrath of God for our sins, none among the redeemed has any reason to boast. Therefore, no one has any reason to be ashamed of the sin from which he was redeemed, since there are no exceptions. All have sinned and all, in Him; have been redeemed. No Christian has any right to a guilt complex or an inferiority complex.

I WILL LEAVE. AN AFFLICTED AND POOR PEOPLE. Zephaniah 3:12

Blessed. said Jesus, are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3) To be poor in spiritafflicted. and poor as Zephaniah has itis to recognize that we are of ourselves unprofitable to Godfit subjects for His wrath. Having exacted our due punishment on Calvary, God leaves us poorwholly dependent upon Him, but. in this dependence we are rich beyond our fondest hopes. O, the depth of the riches of God's love!

THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL SHALL NOT DO INIQUITY. Zephaniah 3:13.

The remnant is again, as in Isaiah and Micah et al, God's redeemed covenant people on the redemption side of God's wrath. They were those who passed through the captivity, God's punishment for former sin. they are now those who have passed through Calvary, by being united with Christ's death. In any context the remnant are God's covenant people.

The impure speech of an un-redeemed heart is not to be found among God's people. Those whom God has cleansed will remain after all others have been burned away in the consuming wrath of God's judgement. The redeemed are to become like their God. No untruth, i.e. unreality, is to be found among them.

Here, as in many other Old Testament passages, God's people are pictured as a flock, lying down in the security of His fold. (cp. Psalms 23, Isaiah 17:2, Ezekiel 34:25; Ezekiel 34:28) This security is only for those who have their refuge in Jehovah.

Chapter XXIIQuestions

Comfort and Consolation

1.

The sin for which Judah will be led captive is ________________ sin.

2.

Social sin is inevitably the result of ________________.

3.

Though not specifically named in Zephaniah 3:1, ________________ is obviously intended by Her that is rebellious.

4.

In light of Zephaniah's pronouncement of judgement against social evil which results from false religion, discuss the statement it doesn-'t make any difference what one believes, so long as he is sincere.

5.

According to Zephaniah 3:2, four failures have brought her to the brink of destruction. They are: (1) ________________, (2) ________________, (3) ________________, and (4) ________________.

6.

Zephaniah condemns four classes of cultural leaders in Judah. They are: (1) ________________, (2) ________________, (3) ________________ and (4) ________________.

7.

The ________________ ________________ is the beginning of wisdom.

8.

Should a Christian fear God? Explain.

9.

What is meant (Zephaniah 3:7) by rose early and corrupted?

10.

Why is God's wrath poured out in human history?

11.

What is meant by turn? (Zephaniah 3:9)

12.

Pure Language is evidence of ________________.

13.

In Zephaniah 3:10 Ethiopia represents ______________.

14.

Is the idea of universal salvation found in the Old Testament? Discuss.

15.

What is meant by in that day? (Zephaniah 3:11)

16.

The closing verses of Zephaniah are in contrast to ________________.

17.

Who are the daughter of Zion. the daughter of Israel. the daughter of Jerusalem (Zephaniah 3:14)?

18.

Discuss the Messianic significance of the closing verses of Zephaniah.

19.

Discuss God will delight in His people.

20.

Discuss a praise and a name. (Zephaniah 3:19-20)