Review of Zephaniah

We will do a quick review of Zephaniah.  First, as with all prophets, it was made clear that this was God's word that was being proclaimed.  As Christians today, it is our responsibility to proclaim the gospel, God's plan for redemption, and to call people to faith in Jesus Christ and to obedience to God's word.  We also see that if a person or a nation who profess to be God's people turn away from Him that they will face His judgment instead of receiving His blessings.  God had richly blessed the people of Jerusalem and Judah, but because He had blessed them so much, they decided that they did not need Him and started worshipping false gods.  We cannot begin to believe as an individual or as a nation that God is going to bless us no matter what and start believing that we can follow other gods, whatever they may be.  We then see God's warning to the neighbors of Jerusalem and Judah who were intent on destroying her.  God may allow the enemies of His people to be victorious over them for a while, but His judgment has already been pronounced on them, because they refuse to accept Him as the only true God.  Finally, we see God's promise to the remnant of Israel, those who remained faithful to Him or returned to faithfulness in Him.  No matter how bad things got in the world, these were the people who continued to live by faith in God.  As Christians today we are a part of that remnant.  We are all a pert of God's everlasting kingdom.  The people of God in the Old Testament and the people of God In the New Testament times and since are all part of the same family, and we are all to live in accordance with His will. 

Zephaniah 3:14

Zephaniah 3:14 says, Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.  God called on the people of Israel to rejoice.  This was a call to those who truly trusted in God.  We, as followers of Christ should daily rejoice in the Lord with all our heart.  Verse fifteen adds, The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.  God told the people of Israel why they should rejoice.  He had taken away His judgment against them, and He was their King living in the midst of them.  This is what happened when Jesus Christ came and died for our sins, and the Holy Spirit came to dwell in every believer.  We will no longer see evil one day when God establishes His everlasting kingdom.  Still, it is not a free pass on sin, but total forgiveness through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.  Verse sixteen continues, In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. God said that those who put their faith in Him would no longer need to live in fear of anything that might happen to them in this world.  This is still true for Christians today.  Verse seventeen concludes, The LORD thy God in the midst of 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.  God said once again that He would be in the midst of those who were truly His people, and that He would rejoice over them.  He would save them, and they would rejoice in His love.  We today as followers of Christ are saved by God and should rest in His love as well.  Verse eighteen declares, I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.  God said that He would gather those who were sorrowful and reproached by the world because of their faith in Him.  They were saddened by the lack of true worship and were scattered, but God would gather them again.  We should be saddened today by the lack of the worship of God in the world, but if we are His followers, even if the world reproaches us, He will gather us to Himself one day.  Verse nineteen adds, 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; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.  God said that when He gathered His people together that He would get them fame and praise and that those who had reproved them would be put to shame.  One day, every person who ever lived or ever will live will acknowledge God and those who are His, not to glorify them, but to glorify Him.  Verse twenty concludes, At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.  God promised to restore His people, those who put their faith in Him.  This is the promise to Christians today.  No matter what happens in this world, we have an everlasting victory through our faith in Jesus Christ. 

Zephaniah 3:8

Zephaniah 3:8 says, 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.  God told the people of Jerusalem to wait on Him, even in the midst of all the sin and idolatry.  God was still at work.  He was not going to just destroy everything without a way to salvation.  Matthew Henry says that since the law had failed that God would implement the plan that He knew from the time of creation would be necessary, and that was salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone.  Just as the people then had to wait in faith for the coming of Jesus Christ, we who are His followers today have to wait in faith for His return.  No matter how bad things may get in the world, we are to wait patiently on God.  Verse nine adds, 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.  God said that when He sent His Son for the salvation of the world that all who believed in Him would speak the pure language of God so that they might call on Him.  Matthew Henry says that those who are followers of Christ refine their language not by witty phrases but by having the substance of the wise in what they say.  We will not reach the lost of the world today with cute sayings but can only reach them with the truth of the gospel.  Verse ten continues, From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.  God said that those who had rejected Him, which would be everyone at one time, would return to Him in supplication and would be restored to Him.  The only way to come to God is in humble supplication to Jesus Christ.  It doesn't matter where we are physically in the world today, because God stands ready to receive anyone anywhere, they may be.  Then, when we accept God's salvation, we should bring Him pure offerings.  Verse eleven states, 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. God said that the people who truly put their faith in Him would not be ashamed of it.  God also said that He would remove from their midst those who were filled with self-pride instead of being humbled before Him.  There is no room for self- righteousness in Christians.  We must humbly come to God by faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse twelve adds, I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.  God didn't say that He was going to leave rich and powerful people in their midst, but an afflicted and poor people.  Those who were left of the people of God would no longer be a powerful nation, but the remnant would be afflicted and poor.  God does not call us to material riches, but to a faithful relationship with Him.  Verse thirteen continues, The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid. God said the remnant of Israel would no longer do sinful things or speak deceitful things, but instead they would eat and sleep secure in their faith in Him.  This applies to everyone who ever has or ever will come to God by faith. 

Zephaniah 3:1

Zephaniah 3:1 says, Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!  God pronounced woe on Jerusalem, which instead of being truly the city of God had become spiritually filthy and polluted.  If we are to truly be a Christian nation, then we cannot allow ourselves to become spiritually filthy and polluted, and if we do, then we should expect God to pronounce His woe on us.  Jerusalem was supposed to be guided by God's law, but the people there had turned away from it.  Verse two adds, She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God.  God gave a very bad assessment of the people of Jerusalem.   They did not obey His voice, would not receive correction and did not trust in the LORD.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we must also make Him Lord of our life, which means we must obey His voice, which comes from the Holy Spirit indwelling us, receive His correction and put our trust in Him.  I believe that when we fully put our trust in God that we will never live in fear and doubt.  Verse three continues, Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow. God said that those in power in Jerusalem were like roaring lions and wolves.  They were ready to destroy anyone who did not give them what they wanted or who just had something that they desired.  These princes, or rulers, used their power for the destruction of the people instead of for their edification.  God calls on us as followers of Christ to present His word to the people of the world to edify them, and never to us our status as His people to attempt to destroy others.  Verse four concludes, Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.  God had nothing good to say about the prophets and priests of Jerusalem.  The prophets only prophesied about what would make them look good to the people and not the hard truths of God.  Likewise, the priests had polluted God's sanctuary by bringing in the worship of idols and claiming that this was okay with God.  We today need preachers and teachers who proclaim the truth of God's word, no matter how hard it may be to hear.  Verse five states, 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.  God said that He was in their midst, which was what made them a special nation.  God was to be their God and they were to be His people, and God had never left or failed them.  It was the sins of the people that separated them from God.  As Christians, we should never allow the things of this world to come between God and us.  He is not some far away God, but He is in our midst, so much so that the Holy Spirit dwells within us.  Verse six adds, 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.  God said that they had the example of what He had done to the wicked nations around them.  He had cut them off and made them desolate.  Whatever success the people of Jerusalem had was due to God giving them victory over their enemies, but this did not mean that they could ignore His leadership and still be victorious.   We are victorious over sin because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, and if we begin to stray away from His leadership, we will allow sin to have power over us once more.  Verse seven concludes, I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.  God said that He thought for sure that those who were called His people would receive His instruction, but instead they rose up early and corrupted all that they did.  If we turn away from God's guidance, everything we do will tend to become corrupted. 

Zephaniah 2:8

Zephaniah 2:8 says, I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.  God now spoke about Moab and Ammon and how the people there had reproached the people of Israel.  They basically mocked the people of Israel for their worship of God out of pride in their strength.  People who do not believe in God today often reproach, or ridicule, those who do.  God knows when this happens, and one day those who do this will be held accountable.  Verse nine adds, Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.  God said that Moab would be as Sodom and Ammon as Gomorrah, which meant that they were to be utterly destroyed.  This was not to be done by fire from heaven though, but by the remnant of the people of Israel.  God does not always accomplish His purpose in the same way, but when it comes to defeating sin and sinful people He will always be successful.  The ultimate defeat was obtained by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Verse ten continues, This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.  The underlying reason for God's condemnation of the people of Moab and Ammon was their self pride.  They felt that they were greater than Israel and that their gods were greater than the God of Israel.  Self-pride often keeps people from surrendering their life to Christ and they often put down those who do accept Him.  Verse eleven concludes, The LORD will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.  Zephaniah said God would be terrible to those who refused to believe in Him and who ridiculed those who did.  All the false gods would be destroyed, and when God comes in judgment one day, this will be true for all time.  Verse twelve states, Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.  God said that the people of Ethiopia would be destroyed by the sword.  God does not just judge some people who defy Him, but He condemns all who do.  Verse thirteen adds, And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.  God also said that He was going to destroy Assyria and Nineveh.  The people of Nineveh may have been spared in Jonah's day, but evidently they had once more turned away from God.  Just because a nation has been following God at one time does not mean that they always will. Verse fourteen continues, And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he shall uncover the cedar work.  God said that Nineveh would become the home of wild birds.  Verse fifteen concludes, This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand. God said that the people of Nineveh had been filled with self-pride, but that they would become a source of derision to all who passed by after their destruction.  People today who are filled with self-pride and refuse to acknowledge God will one day meet the same fate.

Zephaniah 2:1

Zephaniah 2:1 says, Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;  God begins by calling on the people of Israel to repent and return to Him. It was not God's desire to punish the people of Israel then, nor is it His desire to punish people today.  We, as followers of Christ, like the people of Israel then, should never be in the position where God has to call on us to gather ourselves together in our relationship to Him, but if He does, it will not be because He desires to punish us.  God always calls people to repentance and restoration with Him.  God's punishment only comes if people refuse His grace and mercy.  Verse two adds, Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’s anger come upon you. The people of Israel, God's chosen people, were called on to return to Him before He sent His punishment on them.  They were a nation not desired now, because they had strayed away from God.  We today in America call ourselves a Christian nation, but like Israel then, we need to return to God, otherwise we like them may face God's judgment.  We cannot just claim to be a Christian nation to secure God's protection, but we must truly follow God's laws and spread His word in order to be so.  We cannot just keep the laws of God that suit us and ignore the rest.  Verse three concludes, Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’s anger.  The people of Israel were called on to seek righteousness and meekness.  God does not expect His people to be arrogant in their relationship to other people, but He does expect them to be righteous because of their relationship to Him.  This is not self-righteousness, but righteousness because of obedience to God.  Verse four states, For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.  God then speaks of the destruction of those who were enemies of Israel, beginning with the Philistines, first with those along the coast Matthew Henry says.  The enemies of the people of Israel were enemies of God as well, and even though they were powerful, God was going to defeat them.  Verse five adds, Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.  As just stated, God's warning was to the Philistines along the coast.  It was a clear warning, that God was against them and He would destroy them.  It may seem that as followers of Christ the whole world is against us and being victorious, but God is still in charge, and as long as we live by faith in Him, He will one day destroy all our enemies.  Verse six continues, And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.  God said that the coast would once again be the dwelling place for shepherds.  These would be the people of Israel who were faithful to God.  Verse seven concludes, And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.  This states very clearly that God was going to restore this area to the remnant of Israel, those who had remained faithful to Him.  God has prepared a place for His people, and if we as Christians remain true to Him, then no matter what happens in the world today, He will bring us safely to that promised heavenly home.  Those who are the enemies of God and His people will be destroyed. 

Zephaniah 1:10

Zephaniah 1:10 says, And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.  God said that the sound of defeat would be heard from gate to gate in Jerusalem when He sent His judgment.  The sound of the coming army would be heard in the hills and all around.  There is no safe place to escape the judgment of God when it comes.  Verse eleven adds, Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off.  Even the closest inhabitants of the part of the city that was supposed to be the safest would be howling in distress and defeat.  Verse twelve continues, And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.  God said that He would search out the city and find those who said basically that He could or would not do anything, either good or bad.  They were saying in effect that God was not in charge or that He did not exist.  There are many people today who claim the same thing, but just like the people of Israel and Jerusalem, one day they will find out how wrong they are.  Verse thirteen declares, Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.  God said that all of their work was to be of no use to them.  The people of Judah and Jerusalem would not live in the houses that they built nor drink the wine from the vineyards that they planted.  We may gain enormous wealth in life today, but even if we just work to meet our everyday needs, if we do not accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord it will be useless when we face God in judgment.  Verse fourteen adds, The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.  The people were warned that God's judgment was near and that the mighty men would cry bitterly.  People may think that they are mighty in the world today, but when they face God's judgment without a relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, they will be crying bitterly.  Verse fifteen continues, That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,  Just as God said that the day of judgment on the people then would be a day of desolation and darkness, so wil God's final judgment be for the lost people of the world.  Verse sixteen says, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.  God said that the trumpets would sound the alarm, but it would already be to late.  When God's judgment comes, whether it be by death or the return of Christ, it will be too late to sound the alarm.  Verse seventeen adds, And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.  God said that the people of Judah and Jerusalem would be like blind men and their blood would be poured out, because they had sinned against Him.  God cannot simply ignore sin, but He does make salvation possible for those who put their faith in Jesus Christ.  Those who refuse to are spiritually blind and will suffer the punishment of God one day.  Verse eighteen continues, Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.  God said that none of the riches of this world could save them, and neither can they today.