Zephaniah 3:1-5 - Homilies By D. Thomas

"Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God," etc. "To give still greater emphasis to his exhortation to repentance, the prophet turns to Jerusalem again, that he may once more hold up before the hardened sinners the abominations of this city in which Jehovah daily proclaims his right, and shows the necessity for the judgment, as the only way that is left by which to secure salvation for Israel and for the whole world" (Keil). We have two things here to look at.

I. A PROFESSEDLY RELIGIOUS CITY TERRIBLY DEGENERATED . Jerusalem is distinguished not so much for the beauty of its architecture, the extent of its population, the measure of its trade and resources, as by its being religious. There the one temple stood; there the worship, with its imposing ritual, was daily performed; there the priests lived and God was specially manifested. But how morally degenerate it became I She is here represented as "filthy," "polluted" and "oppressing." "She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God." In this degeneracy all classes of the community seamed to be involved.

1 . The " princes " are mentioned. "Her princes within her are the roaring lions." Like rapacious beasts, they preyed on all about them, they lived on people, they devoured their property. As a rule, "princes" have too often lived upon the people; they are devourers of their means; they consume everything, and produce nothing.

2 . The " judges " are mentioned . "Her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones, till, the morrow." Or, as Henderson renders it, "they gnaw no bones till the morning." So insatiable are they, that they leave not a single bone till the morning, of the prey that they have caught in the evening.

3 . The " prophets " are mentioned. These "prophets are light and treacherous persons." In their life and teaching there was no truth, gravity, or steadfastness. They were "treacherous," false to man, and false to God ( Jeremiah 23:32 ; Ezekiel 22:28 ).

4 . The " priests " are mentioned. These "polluted the sanctuary" by desecrating the sacred place, and outraged the "Law" by distorting its meaning and misrepresenting its genius and aim. Like Hophni and Phinehas, their wicked lives made the sacrifices of the Lord to be abhorred. Such was the degenerate condition into which this holy city is represented as having fallen. How many modern cities today, which call themselves Christian, have sunk into a similar degeneracy! London, Paris, Rome, St. Petersburg, etc; are all highly religious in profession, and have religious means in abundance. What is the moral conditions not only of their masses, but of their "princes," their "judges," their "prophets," and their "priests"? Ah me! under the cover of religion there rolls the sea of putrescent depravity. Morally, how much better is London than Bombay, Pekin, or Jeddo?

II. A PROFESSEDLY RELIGIOUS CITY TERRIBLY DEGENERATED , ALTHOUGH GOD WAS SPECIALLY WORKING IN ITS MIDST . "The just Lord is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame." In every city, and amongst every people, the just Lord, the righteous Jehovah, is and works — works by the operations of material nature, by the events of human life, by the suggestions of human reason, and the dictates of human conscience. But in Jerusalem he was in a more especial sense, and he wrought in special ways. The temple was his dwelling place, and the gleaming Shechinah was the symbol of his presence; and specially did he reveal himself to some of its noblest men. And yet, notwithstanding all, Jerusalem sank; with God amongst them working to raise them, they fell lower and lower. What does this teach?

1 . The wonderful freedom which the Almighty allows to wicked men on the earth. Though he strives to improve them, he does not coerce them. He makes no invasion of their moral agency.

2 . The tremendous force of human depravity. What a power sin gains over man! It binds him in chains often stronger than adamant. It loads him with a weight which he cannot shake off, but which sinks him deeper and deeper into the abysses of wickedness.

CONCLUSION .

1 . Do not hinder Christian propagandism from entering a city because it is nominally Christian. The gospel is wanted there, perhaps, more than anywhere else, more even than in pagan populations.

2 . Do not expect that the world will be morally renovated by miraculous agency. Almighty Goodness does not coerce. There is no way by which mere force can travel to a man's soul. — D.T.

Zephaniah 3:6-8 . - Terrible calamities it, human history.

"I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant. I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction," etc. 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 three great truths of universal importance, claiming the attention of men wherever they exist.

I. THAT THERE IS A SENSE IN WHICH THE MOST TERRIBLE CALAMITIES IN HUMAN HISTORY MAY BE ASCRIBED TO GOD . Here he is represented as cutting off the nations, destroying their "towers," making their "streets waste," so that "there is no man," and "none inhabitant." What particular nation is here referred to cannot be determined with certainty. We know that he did destroy nations — the Canaanitish nations, also Assyria and Babylon. These calamities are here ascribed to God. In Bible language he is frequently represented as doing that which he only permits. Nations destroy each other, he allows them to do so. Though he does not give them the disposition for the work, he imparts the power and the opportunities.

II. THAT THE GRAND DESIGN OF SUCH CALAMITIES IS THE PROMOTION OF MORAL IMPROVEMENT AMONGST MANKIND . Why did he permit the wreck and ruin of those nations, and all the dire desolations here recorded? Here is the answer, "I said, Surely thou. wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction." The grand end of all his dispensations with men is to generate within them the right state of mind in relation to himself; in other words, to make them "meet for the inheritance of the saints in light." "Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, to bring back his soul from the pit, to enlighten him with the light of the living" ( Job 33:29 , Job 33:30 ). As the storms, the snows, the frosts, and the cutting winds of winter help to bring on the luxuriant spring, so the calamities in human life contribute to the moral regeneration of mankind.

III. THAT THE NON - REALIZATION OF THIS DESIGN AMONGST A PEOPLE EXPOSES THEM TO TERRIBLE RETRIBUTION . "But they rose early, and corrupted all their doings." The men of Jerusalem, instead of becoming better for these terrible calamities, grew worse. They "corrupted all their doings." This they did with assiduity. They "rose early." They began their morning with it. "Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy." Or, as Keil renders it, "Therefore wait for me, is the saying of Jehovah, for the day when I rise up to the prey; for it is my right to gather nations together, to bring kingdoms in crowds, to heap upon them my fury, all the burning of my wrath; for in the fire of my zeal will the whole earth be devoured." The Almighty here speaks after the manner of men, as he does almost everywhere in the Bible, in condescension to human infirmities. He speaks as if he were disappointed in the moral results of the calamities which he had sent, and as if his nature now glowed with the fires of his indignation. There is, of course, really no disappointment for him, for he knows the future, and "fury" is not in him. — D.T.

Zephaniah 3:9 , Zephaniah 3:10 . - The good time coming.

"For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering." Henderson supposes that the poem from this verse to the end of the book relates to Messianic times; that the prophet points to that dispensation of remedial mercy under which we live, and which commenced more than eighteen hundred years ago. We may therefore regard these words as pointing to at least two of the great characteristic blessings that will come to the world during the continuance of the gospel age; and these two are moral purity of language and spiritual unity of worship.

I. MORAL PURITY OF LANGUAGE . "Then will I turn to the people a pure language." Or, as Keil renders it, "a pure lip." Human language is looked upon in different aspects by different men. Some look upon it grammatically, trace its etymology, and arrange its words and sentences according to tile conventional rules of speech; some look at it logically, study it in its relation to the law of human reasoning; some look upon it philosophically, view it in relation to the nature of the things it is intended to represent; and some look upon it morally, contemplate it in its relation to the law of conscience and God. Grammatical language is mere conformity to acknowledged rules of speech; logical language, conformity to recognized principles of reasoning; philosophical language is conformity to the order of nature; moral language is conformity to the moral law of God. There is a regular gradation in the importance of these aspects of language. The first is of the least importance; the second and third come next; and the last is the most important of all. It is strange and sad to see that the amount of attention which men pay to these aspects is in the inverse ratio of their importance. The first, the least important, is the most attended to; the second, next; the third, next; and the last, the most important of all, almost entirely neglected. In the department of speech we have more grammarians than logicians, more logicians than philosophers, more philosophers than honest saints. It is moral purity of language that is wanted in the world, and that is here promised. Language that shall be used, not without meaning, as it is oftentimes used now, nor to misrepresent meaning, as is often the case. A "pure" moral language implies two things.

1 . That the state of the heart should be in accord with Divine reality.

2 . That the words of the lip should be in accord with the state of the heart. In other words, purity of soul and veracity of expression.

II. SPIRITUAL UNITY OF WORSHIP . "That they may all call upon the Name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent." "That they may serve him with one accord" (Henderson). Who are to serve him with one accord? The nations, partially specified in the tenth verse. "From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia [Cush] my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering." The glorious point to be observed is not that all nations shall worship, for worship will ever belong to the race; but that all nations will worship with one accord. There is a oneness in their worship. Unity of worship does not necessarily mean unity of theological opinion or of ritualistic observances; but unity of object, the same God in the same spirit — reverence, gratitude, adoration.

CONCLUSION . What a glorious future awaits the world! All men morally pure in speech, all men heartily one in worship. Thrice hail the day! — D.T.

Zephaniah 3:11-13 . - A sketch of a morally regenerated city.

"In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain," etc. "These verses," says Henderson, "contain a description of restored and regenerated Israel. The being not ashamed of their sinful practices does not mean their not feeling a compunctious sense of their intrinsic odiousness and demerits, but is expressive of the great change that should take place in the outward condition of the Jews. That condition, into which they have been brought by their obstinate rebellion against Jehovah and his Messiah, is one of disgrace. When recovered out of it, all the marks of shame and infamy shall be removed. The Pharisaic spirit of pride, and the vain confidence in the temple and the temple worship, which proved the ruin of the nation, shall be taken away. The converted residue shall be a people humble and poor in spirit ( Matthew 5:3 ; Matthew 11:5 ), and of a truly righteous and upright character; and, having fled for refuge to the hope set before them in the gospel, they shall be safe under the protecting care of their heavenly Father." These verses may be regarded as giving a sketch of a morally regenerated city. It is marked by —

I. THE UTTER ABSENCE OF THE 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,

Whilst regenerated souls will perhaps ever remember their past iniquities, the memories will not be associated with pain, they will awaken no moral shame. So flooded will the soul be with new loves, hopes, and purposes, that everything painful in connection with the past will be buried in comparative forgetfulness. Departed saints cannot but remember their old sins, but, in view of pardon and purification, the remembrance of them is associated with pleasure, not pain.

2 . Wicked citizens. "I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride," or, "thy proud triumphers." In a thoroughly regenerated city there will be no proud vaunters, no blustering pretenders, no arrogant worldlings. The voices of such men will not be heard; they will not be seen in the streets, in the marts of commerce, the chambers of legislation, or the scenes of recreation.

3 . All crimes. "The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth." No wrong committed, no lies spoken, no deceit practised. The whole atmosphere of the city cleared of such moral impurities.

II. THE BLESSED PRESENCE OF THE GOOD . "I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord." Who will be the citizens?

1 . Men of humility. Delitzsch translates the word "afflicted," "bowed down;" and Henderson, "humble." Humility is evidently the idea. There will be men who are "poor in spirit." Moral humility is moral nobility. The humbler a man is, the nobler and the happier too. "Blessed are the poor in spirit."

2 . Men of piety . "They shall trust in the Name of the Lord." Their chief confidence will be placed, not in their strength, their wealth, or their wisdom, but in God. They will centre their trust, not in the creature, but in the Creator.

3 . Men of concord. "They shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid." There will be amongst them no acrimonious disputations, no commercial rivalries, no social jealousies or envyings, no painful divisions of any kind. They will be united as brethren, one in leading thoughts, loves, and aims.

CONCLUSION . This is indeed a model city. What a city this! When shall such a city appear on this earth? Ah! when? It is in the distant future, but it has been gradually rearing from the dawn of the Christian era to this hour. It will, I believe, be one day completed, the "topstone" will be put on with shoutings of triumph. — D.T.

Zephaniah 3:14-17 . - Joy, human and Divine.

"Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgements, he hath cast out thine enemy," etc. Here is a call to the regenerated inhabitants of Jerusalem to exult in the mercy of God, who has wrought their deliverance, at the same time, a beautiful description of the sublime delight with which Jehovah will regard them in the future. The words bring under our notice joy, human and Divine.

I. THE JOY OF THE REGENERATED MAN . "Sing, O daughter of Zion; shoat, O Israel; be glad and rejoice." What is the joy?

1 . The joy of gratitude for the deliverance ,from evil. "The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath east out thine enemy." What is the joy of the slave in the hour of his emancipation, of the prisoner on leaving his cell, of the long suffering invalid on his restoration to full health? Far more is the joy of the man who feels himself morally delivered — delivered from the power of sin, and brought into the "glorious liberty of the children of God." Gratitude is always an element of joy.

2 . The joy of conscious security. "Even the Lord is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more." What joy breaks forth in the apostolic challenge, "Who shall separate us from the love of God?" etc.! Here is the joy of regenerated humanity, the joy of gratitude for the greatest deliverance, the joy of conscious security from all possible dangers.

II. THE JOY OF THE REGENERATING GOD . "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee [within thee] is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing." What is the joy of God? It is the joy of infinite benevolence. What is the joy of the genuine patriot when he has delivered his country from a power that threatened its utter destruction? What is the joy of a loving physician when he has rescued his patient from the very jaws of death? What is the joy of a loving parent who has rescued his child from ruin? Some such joy as this — infinitely superior — is the joy of God over regenerated humanity. In this joy the redeemed will participate; indeed, it will be their heaven. "Enter into the joy of thy Lord." "Rejoice over thee with singing." Does God sing? Yes; in all the happy voices of the universe, especially in the shouts of the redeemed. — D.T.

Zephaniah 3:18-20 . - The moral restoration of mankind.

"I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee," etc. "The salvation held up in prospect before the remnant of Israel, which has bee, refined by the judgments and delivered, was at a very remote distance in Zephaniah's time. The first thing that awaited the nation was the judgment through which it was to be dispersed among the heathen, according to the testimony of Moses and all the prophets, and to be refined in the furnace of affliction. The ten tribes were already carried away into exile, and Judah was to share the same fate immediately afterwards. In order, therefore, to offer to the pious a firm consolation of hope in the period of suffering that awaited them, and one on which their faith could rest in the midst of tribulation, Zephaniah mentions, in conclusion, the gathering together of all who pine in misery at a distance from Zion, and who are scattered far and wide, to assure even these of their future participation in the promised salvation" (Delitzsch). These verses may be taken to illustrate the moral restoration of mankind. Taking them for this purpose, we have the restoration and the Restorer. We have here —

I. THE RESTORATION . What is the restoration?

1 . From the deprivation of religious privileges to their enjoyment. The Jews, who were in a state that rendered it impossible to celebrate their religious festivals at Jerusalem, are here represented as filled with sorrow or grief when they reflected on the privileges of their ancestors. "By the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept," etc. Though unregenerate men may live amidst religious privileges, they are really deprived of them, for they do not possess and enjoy them. Their moral restoration brings them into that happy enjoyment. Though the ungodly man holds the gospel in his hand, he is morally exiled from it. It is more distant from him than was the temple from the Jew in Babylon.

2 . From the sufferings of oppression to the happiness of deliverance. "Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out." The literal reference is here, of course, to Babylonian tyrants. By the providence of God these were overcome. Their power was broken, their counsels confounded, so that they were forced to surrender their prey. "I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out." The Hebrew captives were delivered, and brought back to their own country and city. In moral restoration the power of the oppressor is broken, the soul is delivered from the power of Satan and the bondage of corruption. "Being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." What was the tyranny of Babylon to the Jews, compared to the tyranny of evil over the soul?

3 . From the condition of reproach to that of true honour. "I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame." High above all nations was Israel at one time. The "reproach" brought on them was one of their sorest grievances; that reproach has been partially wiped away, the Jewish people are the most distinguished of the races of the earth, for of them Christ came, who is the glory of his people Israel. When a man is morally restored, he becomes truly honourable, not before. Goodness is moral majesty. There is no true royalty which has not its foundation in moral excellence.

II. THE RESTORER . All the restoration sketched in these verses was effected by whom? Not by Cyrus and his battalions: they were but instruments. It was Jehovah. "I will gather;" "I will save;" "I will get them praise;" "I bring you again;" "I will make you a name;" "I turn back your captivity." So in moral restoration. No one can restore a soul but God. It is his work.

1 . A work which he does by moral means. By the gospel.

2 . A work which, from the nature of the case, must proceed gradually.

3 . A work which will one day be consummated — D.T.