Zephaniah 3:1-8 - Homiletics.

Having taken a mental survey of the surrounding heathen nations, the seer returns again in thought to his own people. It was, indeed, in their interest that he had been led to take this wide review of God's dealings with men. He desired to make very real to them the Divine law that sin cannot go unpunished, and that national guilt must inevitably be followed by chastisement; yea, more, that if this law operated in heathen lands, much more might they expect to come under it who had enjoyed the special illumination of God's Spirit, to whom he had given his holy oracles, and amongst whom he had raised up a succession of faithful men to guide them into the paths of truth and righteousness. In these verses observe —

I. THE PROPHET PRESENTS A HEAVY INDICTMENT , SETTING FORTH THE GUILT OF JUDAH AND JERUSALEM .

1 . This indictment contained certain counts, directed against the people in general. They were charged with

God had spoken unto them, but they had not hearkened unto his voice ( Zephaniah 3:2 ). He had corrected them, but they did not humble themselves under his chastening hand ( Zephaniah 3:2 ). He had offered himself to them as the Object of trust, but they withheld their confidence from him, and rested in an arm of flesh ( Zephaniah 3:2 ). He had intimated his willingness to enter into fellowship with them, and to inspire and strengthen them, but "they drew not near unto him" ( Zephaniah 3:2 ). He had frustrated and brought to confusion their adversaries, and had covered with confusion and shame the godless nations around them, but instead of being warned by these Divine judgments, executed in their sight against evil doers, they had themselves wilfully persisted in their iniquity ( Zephaniah 3:6 , Zephaniah 3:7 ).

2 . This indictment contained also certain counts directed against the leaders of the nation in particular ( Zephaniah 3:3 , Zephaniah 3:4 ).

II. THE PROPHET DECLARED THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD , AND THE CONSEQUENT RETRIBUTION THAT SHOULD BE EXPERIENCED BY THE EVIL DOERS . ( Zephaniah 3:5 , Zephaniah 3:1 , Zephaniah 3:8 ) God is righteous ( Zephaniah 3:5 ). He is so absolutely and essentially. His perfections are all conformed to this, and, when truly contemplated by us, only render his righteousness the more manifest and intense to us. His Law is distinguished by this, and all his doings are guided by this. "He thinks, and feels, and purposes, and acts always according to what ought to be, and never in accommodation to what is; he makes uncompromising rectitude the rule of all his judgments and proceedings in all his dealings with men. He is not facile and bending, open to appeals and appliances from without, but inherently and unalterably righteous" (Candlish). And God being thus essentially and eternally righteous, iniquity cannot go unpunished; and transgressors persisting shamelessly in wrong doing must reap the due reward of their deeds. In no spirit of vindictiveness, but in strict accordance With this rectitude, so perfect and entire, by which he is characterized, God here, by "the mouth of his holy prophet," pronounced "woe" unto Jerusalem ( Zephaniah 3:1 ), and declared his "determination" to gather the godless nations and to assemble the rebellious kingdoms, and to pour upon them his indignation, etc. ( Zephaniah 3:8 ).

III. THE PROPHET INDICATED THE TRUE ATTITUDE OF THE GOOD IN THE LAND WHILST THE PREVAILING INIQUITY WAS REACHING ITS CULMINATION AND WHEN THE JUDGMENTS OF HEAVEN SHOULD FALL . They should wait in the exercise of patience and of hope, assured that out of the chaos wrought by sin God would evolve his purposes of love, bringing good to the race. "Therefore wait for me, saith Jehovah" ( Zephaniah 3:8 ).

Zephaniah 3:9 . - Symbols of the final prosperity of God's spiritual kingdom.

This verse introduces us to brighter scenes. The writer has unfolded the guilt of his own and other nations, and has declared the terrible judgments which, in consequence of the prevailing iniquity, should be experienced; and now, in the closing portion of his prophecy, he seeks to comfort the true hearted in such troublous times by lingering upon the glorious future of the Church of the living God. His faith pierces the mists and clouds, and apprehends the noble victories to be won in the coming time by the Lord and his Christ, and the halycon days that lay beyond. We are not to imagine that the ancient prophets realized the full significance of the predictions they uttered respecting the glory of "the latter day." They wrote under the inspiration of God's Spirit, and we doubt not there was often a deeper meaning underlying their utterances than even they supposed. Unconsciously they "testified beforehand" of a "glory" such as, if fully seen by them, would have dazzled and bewildered them by its very splendour. We must avoid placing narrow interpretations upon their words in reference to these high themes. It were weak indeed to seek the complete fulfilment of the glowing predictions which form the closing portion of this prophecy in any one nation, and still less in any particular event in that nation's history. The prophets themselves, partial although the light they possessed was, would not thus have restricted their own words, for they recognized and rejoiced in the thought of God as working in the interests of the whole race; and we, with the increased light possessed by us, ought not to be less comprehensive than they. Viewing this verse ( Zephaniah 3:9 ) in this spirit, we may see set forth in it a striking symbol, the characteristics of the sincere and genuine subjects of the spiritual kingdom of God. Such are distinguished by —

I. PURITY IN HEART AND LIFE . "For then will I turn to the peoples a pure language;" literally, "a purified life" ( Zephaniah 3:9 ). Degeneracy reveals itself in a marked manner in the evil utterances of men. The filthy jest, the coarse oath, the brutal curse, the foul names, which how often offended our ears as we have walked along the public streets, indicate the depravity of hardened hearts. Equally expressive of this is uncharitable speech, whether taking the form of open reproaches or the cowardly and more dangerous form of secret slander. Double-tongued utterances, too, reveal the wickedness of the human heart — utterances which appear to convey a twofold meaning, good and evil, the good being simply a kind of disguise employed for the purpose of rendering the evil the more effective. And vain and frivolous speech likewise serves to indicate wrongness of heart; "idle words," useless effectless words, words which some spend so much time in dropping from house to house, words very unsavoury to all sensible minds, and which, if they accomplish anything, only work mischief and mistrust. In contrast to this, and as indicating the opposite disposition of mind said heart, we place true speech. "The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life'" ( Proverbs 10:11 ), "natural, clean, life giving, refreshing;" "The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright" ( Proverbs 15:2 ); "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life" ( Proverbs 15:4 ); "The lips of the wise disperse truth" ( Proverbs 15:7 ). Happy they who resemble the character portrayed by George Eliot, in her 'Scenes of Clerical Life,' and of whom she says, "He was the man to give me help and comfort when everything else failed: every word he says seems to have a new meaning. I think it must be because he has felt life more deeply than others, and has a deeper faith. I believe everything he says at once; his words seem to come like rain on the parched ground. It has always seemed to me before as if I could see behind people's words as one sees behind a screen, but in this man it is his very soul that speaks." And since speech thus reveals character, no more appropriate symbol could have been chosen by Zephaniah than this for the purpose of setting forth the Divine renewal in man, and of expressing that purity in heart and life which should characterize the members of the true Church of God in the happier days to which, despite the prevailing gloom, he looked forward so hopefully. "For then will I turn to the peoples a pure language."

II. DEVOUTNESS IN SPIRIT AND DISPOSITION . Purified in heart, they should be rendered devout in spirit. Fellowship with God should be their delight. They should no longer grovel in the dust, but their aspirations should tend towards God and heaven. Delivered from idolatry and superstition and worhtliness, they should all "call upon the Name of the Lord" (Verse 9). "From the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my Name, and a pure offering" ( Malachi 1:11 ).

III. UNITY IN PURPOSE AND AIM . "To serve him with one consent," literally "with one shoulder." The symbol was suggested by the thought of a number of men being engaged in bearing a heavy burden. They walk in step, they act together, they stand shoulder to shoulder, the weight is proportionately shared by each; such, indeed, is their agreement and concert that it would seem as though there were but one shoulder among them. And so shall it be with the Church of God eventually. The time shall come when all divisions and strifes shall cease, when all antagonisms, whether real or seeming, shall be no longer traceable amongst good men, when that true unity in heart, in life, and in endeavour shall become manifest, for which the great Intercessor yearned, and for which he prayed as he cried, "That they all may be one" ( John 17:21-23 ). Happy era, predicted in this verse, and which, since "the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it," shall assuredly come at length, when all God's servants shall "with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" ( Romans 15:6 ).

Zephaniah 3:10 . - The restoration of the Jews.

These words have been regarded by some biblical expositors as having reference to the conversion of the Gentiles. This utterance of Zephaniah in the Old Testament, and the prophecy of Caiaphas recorded in the New ( John 11:51 , John 11:52 ), have been associated together in their minds, and they have thought that by the "dispersed" Zephaniah meant the Gentiles, even as Caiaphas described the Gentiles as "the children of God that were scattered abroad," and that when the prophet alluded to the dispersed "beyond the rivers of Ethiopia," he meant to intimate that the Gentiles even from the remotest parts should eventually be brought home to God. Others, including many of the ablest interpreters, take the opposite view. They regard Verse 9 as referring to the Gentiles in their relation to the truth and the kingdom of God, and as intimating the great fact of the calling of the Gentiles, who should be led with one consent to serve the Lord, and then refer to this tenth verse as having special reference to the spiritual restoration of the Jews, who, through the agency of the Gentiles thus converted to God, should at length be brought in ( Romans 11:30 , Romans 11:31 ). Accepting this latter interpretation, we have here declared the spiritual restoration of the Jews (Verse 10). Note —

I. THEIR PRESENT POSITION .

1 . Dispersed. Scattered over the face of the whole earth. "Can you find a country which they can call their own? Can you find a nation in which they are not? In Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, and the furthest islands of the Southern Sea, among bond and tree, copper-coloured and yellows white and black, wherever there are men, there are Jews."

2 . Yearning. Crying out to God, longing for the fulfilment of their cherished hopes. In exile they are still his "suppliants," expecting the promised Messiah, and, whilst many of them are embittered against Christianity, there are not wanting numbers who have embraced it, and openly avowed their faith in Christ, whilst many are his disciples "secretly," ready to avow themselves his, only shrinking from the pains and penalties involved, whilst a still larger number are inquiring concerning him, and are easily accessible to the missionary of the cross.

II. THEIR ULTIMATE RESTORATION .

1 . The fact of their spiritual recovery is here emphatically declared (Verse 10). From the remotest parts they shall come and surrender themselves as an offering unto God. "All Israel shall be saved." They shall be brought in with the fulness of the Gentiles, and "there shall be one flock, one Shepherd" ( John 10:16 ). Their restoration to their own land is a question of comparative unimportance in view of this spiritual recovery which is so frequently declared in the unerring Word of God ( Romans 9:1-6 , Romans 9:8 , Romans 9:9 ; Romans 10:1-4 ; Romans 11:1 , Romans 11:9 , Romans 11:11-15 , Romans 11:23-32 ; 2 Corinthians 3:12-16 ).

2 . It is implied here that this spiritual restoration shall be effected through the agency of the Gentiles. The offering here referred to as to be brought unto the Lord was "the meat offering." The idea expressed here is that, just as the children of Israel presented the meat offering unto God, so the Gentiles themselves, converted to him, should labour for the conversion of the Jews, and, crowned with success in this holy service, should bring these Hebrew converts as a meat offering unto the Lord. And the meaning is still more clear if we remember the signification of the meat offering. It was a sacrifice in which the Jew recognized God's goodness and grace in the bounties of his hand, and acknowledged that these gifts were his by right, and ought to be consecrated unto him. And even so, it is here declared that the Gentiles should recognize God's mercy in bringing home to himself his chosen race, and should present these converts to him as those who were his in virtue of all he had done for them, and who ought to be entirely consecrated to his service. The Church of Christ should ever prove herself a missionary Church, and in these enterprises a conspicuous place should be assigned to work for the spiritual good of God's ancient people, whose "falling away" shall result in "the reconciling of the world," and the restoration of whom shall be "as life from the dead" ( Romans 11:15 ).

Zephaniah 3:11-17 . - Pictorial representation of the Church of God in the latter age.

Dark days were in store for his people when this prophet prophesied. The Captivity was in prospect, and there would soon be occasion for them, by "the rivers of Babylon," to "weep as they remembered Zion." Still, he would have them remember that it would not be ever thus, but that the time should come in which the ransomed of the Lord should return to Zion with songs and with gladness. In these verses he draws a beautiful picture of the Church of the future. How far his description has been realized in the past in the experience of the Hebrew Church in connection with the return from captivity, it would be impossible for us to indicate; certain, however, is it that, for the full realization of this, we must turn to the future, to the Church of God in the latter age. We do well to unite with the good of all past times in looking on by faith to that bright day of God which shall yet dawn upon the world sin has darkened and sorrow blighted, and to anticipate, with expectant hearts, its glorious appearing. Concerning the Church of the future, we are reminded here of —

I. HER PERFECTED CHARACTER . Her members are represented as:

1 . Purified. So pure indeed should they be as that "they should not be ashamed for all their doings wherein they had transgressed against God" ( Zephaniah 3:11 ); i.e. they should have "no more conscience of sin" ( Hebrews 10:2 ). So completely should they be delivered from the old life of sin that even the remembrance of the sinful past should all be obliterated, and should no more rise before them to disturb and distress.

2 . Humble . No longer puffed up with spiritual pride, boasting of themselves as being the favoured of Heaven, and glorying in their special advantages of ancestry and country, "they should no more be haughty because of God's holy mountain" ( Zephaniah 3:11 ), but should be lowly in heart, and clothed with that humility and meekness which is in the sight of God of great price

3 . Trustful. Resting wholly in "the Name of the Lord, which is a strong tower" ( Proverbs 18:10 ). "And they shall trust in the Name of the Lord" ( Zephaniah 3:11 ).

4 . Sincere. They should reach unto the heights of holy obedience, and which is, indeed, the climax. "The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, or speak lies, neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth" ( Zephaniah 3:13 ).

II. HER HIGH PRIVILEGES .

1 . Deliverance from all sorrow. "Thou shalt not see evil any more" ( Zephaniah 3:15 ).

2 . Enrichment with peace and tranquillity. "For they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid" ( Zephaniah 3:13 ).

3 . Safety under God's protecting care. "The King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee;" "Fear thou not" ( Zephaniah 3:15 , Zephaniah 3:16 ).

III. HER DIVINE RESOURCES . In the seventeenth verse the love of God towards his servants is declared in words of exquisite beauty and tenderness. "The prophet speaks of the eternal love and joy of God towards his people as an exuberant joy, one which boundeth within the inmost self, and again is wholly silent in his love, as the deepest, tenderest, most yearning love broods over the object of its love, yet is held still in silence by the very depth of its love, and then again breaks forth in outward motion, and leaps for joy, and uttereth what it cannot form in words; for truly the love of God in its unspeakable love and joy is past belief, past utterance, past thought" (Pusey). And since he who thus loves is "mighty," the objects of this Divine love need not fear nor grow faint hearted ever, for their resources are infinite and eternal.

IV. HER RAPTUROUS JOY . "Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel," etc. ( Zephaniah 3:14 ). The joy of the redeemed eventually shall be full and all-sufficing, and, in anticipation of entering into this experience at length, all God's servants, even in the dark days, may well lift up their heads, and "in the darkness raise their carols of high praise."

Zephaniah 3:15 . - The abiding presence of God with his Church.

"The King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee." This truth was constantly affirmed in the Old Testament with reference to the Jewish Church; and as the Church of God through all ages is one Church, we may take the promises of God to Israel of old as having their application to his Church still. So may we apply to her today those assurances contained in the Hebrew Scriptures ( Psalms 46:1-11 .; 48.), or that contained in the text, or, turning to the New Testament, we may grasp the gracious promise of the God-Man, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" ( Matthew 28:20 ).

I. INDICATE SOME OF THE WAYS IN WHICH GOD HAS ESTABLISHED THIS TRUTH OF HIS ABIDING PRESENCE WITH HIS CHURCH IN ALL AGES .

1 . By having "a remnant" to his praise even in the darkest times. It is an undoubted fact that, whatever dark clouds of persecution, or indifference, or declension may have arisen, God has had all through the season of darkness a people to show forth his praise. These Hebrew prophets, amidst their emphatic testimony against the iniquity prevailing in their times, constantly recognize with thankfulness "a remnant" as remaining true to God and to righteousness. Elijah at Horeb thought himself to be the only servant of Heaven remaining in his corrupt day; but God removed the veil concealing from his view the secret and hidden Church, and, lo, he beheld "an exceeding great army," where he had supposed himself to be the solitary warrior for the truth. "Yet have I left me seven thousand in Israel," etc. ( 1 Kings 19:18 ). In "the dark ages," when the light of Christian truth had become well nigh extinguished, there were not wanting those who dared to maintain the truth of God in its simplicity and purity. Even within the pale of the Church of Rome in those days there were some who deplored the prevailing corruptions, and who longed for a return to the simplicity in teaching and the purity of life by which the early Christians were characterized; whilst outside her communion were associations of Free Christian societies, as in Lombardy and in the Alps, who were as lights shining in dark places. The Nestorians, "the Protestants of Asia," referred to by Mr. Layard, serve as another illustration, and who, away in the remote valleys of Kurdistan, and entirely separated from intercourse with other Christian communities, have preserved through so many centuries a knowledge of the Christian faith in the purity of its character and the simplicity of its worship. There has ever been "a remnant" true to God, and serving as a clear token of his abiding presence with his Church.

2 . By raising up in her midst, and qualifying, men for special service. Whilst we may not "glory in men," we may magnify God's grace and power in them; and it is intensely interesting to note how he has in every emergency raised up his agents to do his work. Moses and Joshua, in relation to the deliverance of the Israelites and their settlement in Canaan; Ezra and Nehemiah, in connection with the return from the Captivity in Babylon; the faithful prophets raised up to declare the judgments of Heaven against idolatrous nations; Luther, Melancthon, Zwingle, called by him to take part in the work of the Reformation; and Owen, Howe, Bunyan, Baxter, Flavel, and others, following, to wield the pen effectively in support of the truth, and so to confirm and to consolidate the work of their predecessors. And by thus raising up men and endowing them with gifts for special service, God has confirmed to his Church the assurance of his abiding presence.

3 . By frustrating and bringing to nought the evil designs of her enemies. He has repeatedly proved that "no weapon directed against his Church can prosper," and has made manifest the folly of those who have sought to overthrow the kingdom of truth and righteousness. "The wrath of man shall praise him," etc. ( Psalms 76:10 ).

4 . By opening up new fields for the extension of her influence. India has been placed under British rule, and the opportunity given of making known to its teeming millions "the unsearchable riches of Christ." The exclusiveness chat prevented access to the empire of China has passed away, so that the missionary may go through the length and breadth of the land. The heart of Africa has been penetrated, and there is now the prospect of her sable tribes becoming elevated and blessed through Christian influence. And in thus opening up the world for Christian enterprise to bestow upon it all its energy and zeal, God has shown himself as being still with his Church. "The King of Israel," etc. (Verse 15).

II. THE ENCOURAGEMENT THIS THOUGHT OF GOD 'S ABIDING PRESENCE WITH HIS PEOPLE IS CALCULATED TO AFFORD TO THEIR HEARTS ,

1 . In view of the character of the age in which we live, as related to Christian truth. Many are seeking to restore that papal supremacy which has proved such a blight in ages that are past; many are cherishing the spirit of scepticism, and would have us even banish God himself from his universe; and there is also a widespread spirit of indifference abroad in relation to the highest spiritual realities. Yet still we will not despond, for "the Lord of hosts is with us," and as he caused the light to burn and to prevail even in the darkest ages, so he will still work until the light shall shine in every land, and all flesh see together the revealed glory of the Lord.

2 . In view of apathy, coldness, and declension in holy service. Such seasons do occur, and such lifelessness and deadness at times falls upon the Church of God and upon Christian communities. Yet God does not forsake us even when we thus grow lukewarm in his service. He is with us still, and will grant us renewal and revival if we will but turn to him with all our hearts.

3 . In view of the losses the Church of God is called upon to sustain through the ravages of death. The last foe is ever active. Beneath his unsparing hand the useful as well as the useless fall — the true-hearted worker for God as well as the idler whose life is altogether barren of good. But amidst these changes the chief Shepherd liveth; all holy gifts and heavenly graces are his bestowments, and he will not fail his Church, but will raise up a bright succession of devoted servants to do his bidding and to help on the grand consummation. Hence we will not despair; for "God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early" ( Psalms 46:4 ).

Zephaniah 3:18-20 . - Words of help and hope to the exiled and banished.

The closing words of this prophecy, contained in these verses, are amply sufficient to indicate that although the writer was a messenger of judgment, and as such addressed burning words of denunciation to evil doers, he was also a man full of tenderness — a Barnabas as well as a Boanerges. Whilst, being commissioned by God to reprove the ungodly, he did not spare such, yet he also knew how to speak words of help and hope to the sorrowful and distressed; indeed, we find him here anticipating sorrow, being beforehand with consolation, and providing the balm for wounds yet to be inflicted.

I. THE CASE SUPPOSED . The prophet had spoken of captivity; yet he was conscious that God would restore his people at the close, and bring them from Babylon to their own land. But, whilst confident as to this, he knew that, in the very nature of the circumstances, only a portion of God's people weird be privileged thus to return, and that many of them would be dispersed among the heathen in various places, and would be unable to come back with those who should be restored "when the Lord should turn again the captivity of his people." And he also knew that, amongst these scattered ones, there would be those who, in their remote exile, would mourn for the solemn assembly, and whoso hearts would be burdened in view of their banishment ( Zephaniah 3:18 ).

II. THE WORDS OF HELP AND HOPE ADDRESSED BY THE PROPHET TO THOSE THUS CIRCUMSTANCED .

1 . He assured them that the Lord their God would bring to nought their oppressors. "I will undo all that afflict thee" ( Zephaniah 3:19 ).

2 . That the Shepherd of Israel would in his own time regather every member of his flock, however scattered they were, and however feeble some of them might be. "And I will save her that halteth, and gather," etc. ( Zephaniah 3:19 ).

3 . And that in the very lands where they would be put to shame he would eventually secure to them lasting honour and imperishable renown ( Zephaniah 3:19 , Zephaniah 3:20 ).

III. THE PROPHET AN EXAMPLE TO TEACHERS OF RELIGION IN EVERY AGE . There must be the bold denunciation of wrong, but there should ever accompany this tenderness of spirit, revealing itself in the endeavour to comfort and cheer troubled hearts. And in proportion as this spirit is cherished by us do we resemble the great Prophet of the Church, who was "anointed to comfort those that mourn," etc. ( Isaiah 61:1-3 ).