Zephaniah 2:4-15

Judgment of the nations

A motif found through the Bible has been that all of the earth is the Lord's. This chapter will make this as clear as it was made in Exodus 19:5“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;” The starting premise is that all the earth is God's. It's one the prophets never forget. The only one of the minor prophets that doesn't have a judgment speech against foreign nations is Hosea.

Why does the judgment of the other nations matter in a book that isn't written to those other nations but to Israel? There is a good argument against my statement that implied it was only written to Israel, I agree. What else? To show the character of God in his righteous judgment, yes. What about as the reason for how we ended last week? We ended last week with repentance, seek righteousness, seek mercy, you might be hidden from God's wrath. Then we get to this week and we start verse 4 with a connecting word for or we might even say because… let's read it.

Zephaniah 2:4 ESV

For Gaza shall be deserted, and Ashkelon shall become a desolation; Ashdod’s people shall be driven out at noon, and Ekron shall be uprooted.

Repent or you will be like… these condemned places…

Why is it that the youngest child is often resented by the older? They don't seem to be in trouble as often, maybe mom and dad are dotting on them. Why though? because they see the mistakes of their older siblings and do better to avoid making those mistakes. They have learned from those around them. This seems like a clear “hey get a clue from the judgment happening around your that God is Just" sort of message.

Zephaniah 2:5–7 ESV

Woe to you inhabitants of the seacoast, you nation of the Cherethites! The word of the Lord is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; and I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left. And you, O seacoast, shall be pastures, with meadows for shepherds and folds for flocks. The seacoast shall become the possession of the remnant of the house of Judah, on which they shall graze, and in the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening. For the Lord their God will be mindful of them and restore their fortunes.

Woe might be a top word for the minor prophets now that I think of it… These woes give the announcement of doom. This is a rather straightforward passage as was mentioned last week this book is pretty clear on what’s going on. It’s not very cryptic. I will emphasize some points here. In verse 6 to go from a seacoast to pasture and meadows is a change. Look at Gaza now it’s very crowded city type landscape. The Philistines were much more sea faring and had cities along the coastline. This change from city to pasture is what the prophet is talking about. This rich land will then go in verse 7 to bless the house of Judah because it will become theirs, restored to them by God. This type of woe also gets us clued in that the book is written to the people of Judah even if it’s about their neighbors. Because this restoration of land and wealth to the people is promised as part of the other people’s woe.

The next group are picked up in verse 8 - 11

Zephaniah 2:8–11 ESV

“I have heard the taunts of Moab and the revilings of the Ammonites, how they have taunted my people and made boasts against their territory. Therefore, as I live,” declares the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Moab shall become like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomorrah, a land possessed by nettles and salt pits, and a waste forever. The remnant of my people shall plunder them, and the survivors of my nation shall possess them.” This shall be their lot in return for their pride, because they taunted and boasted against the people of the Lord of hosts. The Lord will be awesome against them; for he will famish all the gods of the earth, and to him shall bow down, each in its place, all the lands of the nations.

The taunts of these two groups for the plans to take the land of God’s people would have been yet another thing on a pile of concerns for the people of Judah. They really should have known better though. These groups descend from Lot - Abraham’s Nephew (Gen 19:36-38)

The family stories that would have been passed down should have made clear the need for reverence of God after the things Lot experienced with Abraham. In fact that gets referenced in vs 9. Sodom and Gomorrah.

What was the reason for destroying Sodom and Gomorrah?

Genesis 18:20 ESV

Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave,

Isaiah 3:9 ESV

For the look on their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil on themselves.

Ezekiel 16:49–50 ESV

Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it.

We see what we most think of with Sodom as the actions taken by the men of the town whose clear intention is to rape these newcomers. Genesis 19:5 “And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.””

But the clear rebellion against good with the flood like language in Genesis makes clear they were completely wicked just like those pre-flood people who didn’t listen to Noah the in-laws of Lot, including his wife, did not listen to his warnings thinking he must be joking.

The punishment of God can be seen to have a threefold purpose; Retribution, Restraint, and Reformation.

Certainly the guilty get what they deserve - Retribution Those in the future are clear about the punishment - Restraint The people now should change to be aligned with God - Reformation

God is greater than everything else. He will make gods starve and bow before him, even all the nations.

Zephaniah 2:12 ESV

You also, O Cushites, shall be slain by my sword.

This one seems great, like hey didn’t want you think I left you out but you’re gonna die… and moving on.

Zephaniah 2:13–15 ESV

And he will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria, and he will make Nineveh a desolation, a dry waste like the desert. Herds shall lie down in her midst, all kinds of beasts; even the owl and the hedgehog shall lodge in her capitals; a voice shall hoot in the window; devastation will be on the threshold; for her cedar work will be laid bare. This is the exultant city that lived securely, that said in her heart, “I am, and there is no one else.” What a desolation she has become, a lair for wild beasts! Everyone who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist.

The climax of woe to these other nations has to be of course the biggest baddest of the nations at the time and that was Assyria Whose capital was Nineveh. We’ve covered them over and over for about 3 books in a row so I won’t re-state the same points again. I will just point out that by this time we are really really close to their fall and it’s likely Zeph was still alive to see this prophecy fulfilled. The verses go on to make similar complete destruction fortellings where herds will lay down and even owls and hedgehogs… We have no idea what animals these actually are so it’s awesome that they picked hedgehog… the word does also mean to roll something up and hedgehogs do roll up so it would make a kind of sense…

This climax to the woes of other nations doesn’t mean the woe is done… Next week we’ll include Jerusalem with the Nations in woe.

This week we can remember the purpose of punishment for retribution, restraint, and reform. Pray how that we fear Godly retribution, learn from those a Godly restraint, and in our own lives God would reform our hearts and minds to His will.