Zephaniah 3
Notes
Transcript
Jerusalem Woe
Jerusalem Woe
So we did finish Woe to the nations last week in chapter 2… but like I said then it was no the end of woe…
Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled,
the oppressing city!
She listens to no voice;
she accepts no correction.
She does not trust in the Lord;
she does not draw near to her God.
Her officials within her
are roaring lions;
her judges are evening wolves
that leave nothing till the morning.
Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men;
her priests profane what is holy;
they do violence to the law.
What city are we talking about? Yes this is Jerusalem… What a shock how could this be? That might have struck many people yet for other who were wronged with injustice it was a blessing to hear that God will judge those who have wronged you.
Back in Nahum the city of Nineveh was called the city of blood, it seems Jerusalem has gotten bad enough they get called the city of oppression.
At first we might read and still wonder who we’re talking about, surely this isn’t the beloved city of Jerusalem right? but then by the time we’ve gotten to verse 4 it’s obvious because what other cities are to be held to account for their priests following the Mosaic law? So yes this is Jerusalem. I like the order things set us up for too. Rebellion comes first - it defiles us - in our defiled rebellious state we become oppressors. The next 3 verses after verse one seem to play that out - rebellion in verse 2 defilement in 3 and oppression in 4.
The Lord within her is righteous;
he does no injustice;
every morning he shows forth his justice;
each dawn he does not fail;
but the unjust knows no shame.
We start this next section with an obvious contrast. Yahweh is just and doesn’t fail to be just… ever…
This is a core character trait of God.
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
Unlike mankind that has failed over and over again the Lord remains faithful and good. This contrast, or pointing out God’s goodness and faithfulness might be the easy way for the people to be directed to meditate on their own behaviour. The rest of this section we just read points to how they should already be aware of God’s goodness.
“I have cut off nations;
their battlements are in ruins;
I have laid waste their streets
so that no one walks in them;
their cities have been made desolate,
without a man, without an inhabitant.
I said, ‘Surely you will fear me;
you will accept correction.
Then your dwelling would not be cut off
according to all that I have appointed against you.’
But all the more they were eager
to make all their deeds corrupt.
If they had followed the law, if they had done as the Lord commanded they would have remained secure and protected by the Lord. Unfortunately like verse 5 points out the unjust know no shame.
The things pointed out here should have been that warning, should have been the thing that kept His people on track. Jeremiah who is generally around in this same time period through a little later points to warnings of the judgment of nations around them as well. So what is the response at this point. It’s clear at this point they will be judged.
“Therefore wait for me,” declares the Lord,
“for the day when I rise up to seize the prey.
For my decision is to gather nations,
to assemble kingdoms,
to pour out upon them my indignation,
all my burning anger;
for in the fire of my jealousy
all the earth shall be consumed.
Wait for the Lord. Waiting is not an idle do nothing task. Waiting is being prepared and ready like the brides in
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
This seems to be directed to the faithful minority of the city. We also have this future judgment indication of the entire earth’s destruction that points to more than the Babylonian captivity that’s happening very soon. This certainly fits, as we would expect, with the rest of apocalyptic literature we find in the old and new testament about a world wide destruction, nation gathering and judgment.
With this worldwide judgment is hope, because hope and certain judgment do co-exist.
“For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples
to a pure speech,
that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord
and serve him with one accord.
This seems to be an undoing of the tower of Babel. It’s purpose like all purpose and meaning will point back to the Glory of the Lord.
From beyond the rivers of Cush
my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones,
shall bring my offering.
Beyond the rivers of Cush is like us saying all the way from Timbuktu just another way to say from way out far off. This pairs with the last chapter’s section where judgment when everywhere along the sea coast and all around, so too will the redemption by God go out all over, and they will come in and worship.
We move to a trigger phrase for us to reflect on. “On that day” should take us to meditating on the day of the Lord.
“On that day you shall not be put to shame
because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me;
for then I will remove from your midst
your proudly exultant ones,
and you shall no longer be haughty
in my holy mountain.
In the final judgment the proud and haughty won’t reside in the kingdom.
BUT who will the people left in Jerusalem be?
But I will leave in your midst
a people humble and lowly.
They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord,
those who are left in Israel;
they shall do no injustice
and speak no lies,
nor shall there be found in their mouth
a deceitful tongue.
For they shall graze and lie down,
and none shall make them afraid.”
People in need are most likely to recognize their own needs of God. Wealth and power can be hard to overcome in understanding that we need God to reconcile our failure to be perfect before Him. God will glorify His people and they will no longer sin.
What is the response expected for this whole word given to the people by our buddy Zeph?
Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
It seems like we had a lot of judgment bad news, hey the oppressed should be happy but they still have to endure and wait for the Lord. We get told to rejoice though. So what are the reasons to rejoice to this whole message? verse 15
The Lord has taken away the judgments against you;
he has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall never again fear evil.
First, God has removed your enemies and declared you righteous.
Second, God will be King in your midst.
What will that be like? Oh so glad you asked.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Fear not, O Zion;
let not your hands grow weak.
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival,
so that you will no longer suffer reproach.
This moves us out of the fear of coming judgment and into the joy of redemption.
In the last 3 verses the Lord speaks directly in the first person.
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival,
so that you will no longer suffer reproach.
Behold, at that time I will deal
with all your oppressors.
And I will save the lame
and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
and renown in all the earth.
At that time I will bring you in,
at the time when I gather you together;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes,” says the Lord.
God delights in our salvation, and God is the one that ensures our salvation. He won’t leave any lame laying by the roadside unable to make it to him. He will go and restore them. The outcasts he will draw in. The oppressed become the renowned and praised people across the earth. God has a promise to restore us from our destitution.