Sermon Tone Analysis

Scripture

Introduction/Background

We have discussed that prophets brought a specific word, to a specific group, during a specific time or course of events.

Z is no different.

We don’t know much about him outside of this short book of 9 oracles.

From this we learn that Z might have been Ethiopian or of Ethiopian descent because of his father’s name Cushi which is a form of Cush the word for Africa.

Secondly, he has quite a pedigree having descended from King Hezikiah, Z was royalty.

And, he did carry the qualification as prophet because, “the word of the lord” came to him.

We also learn here that he wrote during the time of Josiah.

Josiah is regarded ad the greatest King outside of David!

Josiah was the great religious reformer and most folks believe Z was writing a the beginning of his reforms.

His religious reforms were comprehensive and the story behind them would take too long to go into.

Zephaniah 1:1

Also, you need to know that the Egypt and Assyrian empires, both of whom extorted vast sums of tribute from the vassal Judah, had decline to the point that Judah had once again become totally independent.

Josiah’s Father Amon was an idol worshipper was assassinated after a 2 year reign and Josiah took the throne at 8 years old and reigned 31 years and was killed leading his troops into battle with the Egyptians.

But while he was a child King Judah degenerated.

However, by the time he was 18 he began reforms.

But here is what Z says was going on:

Zephanaih 1:9

You can read into that whatever you want, bottom line the law had been abandoned along with the covenant

Zephaniah 1

Exegesis

So, there are 8 oracles of doom and destruction until we get to the end of the book, and these beautiful verses that well, Z told us about at the beginning of the sermon.

Z says, God says, the time is coming for Judah to rejoice!

Literally to shout for joy!

As you noticed todays candle was the joy or the hope candle.

This is the day that the Judahites were to rejoice because God has taken away their punishments, namely the oppression of Assyria and Egypt!

The prophet saw these as punishments for their violence and fraud.

The Lord has turned away your enemies, he says.

Do not fear, he says because the Lord has returned.

This is a common prophetical motif that when the people abandon the covenant, God leaves them to their own devices.

We saw this last week when Ezekiel has the vision of God leaving the temple and Malachi sees God returning.

Z is similar here, although this is some years before the problems with Babylon.

We see the same theology.

Now that the people are returning to YHWH after the apostate years of King Mannaseh and Amon, idol worshippers, God is returning to the covenant honoring people of YHWH! God is goin to restore their fortunes and the warrior YHWH will defend them, even goin on the offensive!

YHWH is a warrior who brings victory over the evil (disaster) that they have experienced.

In fact the peoples joy will be so great that they will dance in the streets!

The lame and outcast who have been deal with oppressively in the past will be honored.

The exiles will be gathered in and brought home (explain)

Application

Now, what does all this mean for us in the 21st century?

Well, let’s zero in on this verse:

The Lord God among us is Jesus.

The prophet is talking incarnation in the old school.

Listen to Isaiah:

Isaiah 7:14

Immanuel means “God is with us.”

Listen to this old church father Theoderet of Cyr

t of

But you can find a more exact outcome after the incarnation of our Savior: then it was that he healed the oppressed in heart in the washing of regeneration, then it was that he renewed human nature, loving us so much as to give his life for us.

After all, “greater love than this no one can show than for one to lay down one’s life for one’s friend,” and again, “God so loved the world as to give his only-begotten Son so that everyone believing in him might not be lost but have eternal life.”

God is with us, what do we have to fear?

Well you know we live pretty comfortable lives.

We don’t know the fear of oppression, of foreign governments imposing their will upon us or a culture that oppresses us.

But those people exist and continue to exist let’s take a look at this we might understand what this great message of incarnation, of God with us really means:

(video)

But, look, God did do exactly what he promised:

Zephaniah 3:14-20

One more story and we will end.

I found this a few years ago in the Yale Divinity Review.

The day I realized that the God found in the manger can also be found in failures and funerals, I found God in this world - in the recitation of Holocaust victims' names outside of Sterling on Yom Hashoah, in portions of the AIDS quilt that hang in the Divinity School each fall, in the chocolate-chip cookie shared by a child or the long, strong hug of a friend.

I don't think this makes God any less glorious.

In fact, I think it's just the opposite, because it gives hope to our own lives.

After all, that's what the baby in the manger is all about: the idea that the most helpless and vulnerable among us can bring incredible joy and expectation to our suffering world.

This realization doesn't make my melancholy dissipate any sooner; it's impossible to regain the blissful naivete of years past.

I just have to wait it out along with the other folks who cringe when they hear Frank Sinatra crooning "I'll be Home for Christmas" or accidentally happen upon the Christmas tree light display at Walgreen's.

But I do find hope in the knowledge that around eight maids a-milking, I can expect some relief, and that next year - God willing - it might be better.

The day I realized that the God found in the manger can also be found in failures and funerals, I found God in this world - in the recitation of Holocaust victims' names outside of Sterling on Yom Hashoah, in portions of the AIDS quilt that hang in the Divinity School each fall, in the chocolate-chip cookie shared by a child or the long, strong hug of a friend.

I don't think this makes God any less glorious.

In fact, I think it's just the opposite, because it gives hope to our own lives.

After all, that's what the baby in the manger is all about: the idea that the most helpless and vulnerable among us can bring incredible joy and expectation to our suffering world.

This realization doesn't make my melancholy dissipate any sooner; it's impossible to regain the blissful naivete of years past.

I just have to wait it out along with the other folks who cringe when they hear Frank Sinatra crooning "I'll be Home for Christmas" or accidentally happen upon the Christmas tree light display at Walgreen's.

But I do find hope in the knowledge that around eight maids a-milking, I can expect some relief, and that next year - God willing - it might be better.

And it will and we will sing and dance as if on a day of festival, and God will delight in us and sing and dance with us.

Zephaniah 3:17

The Lord dances with us and rejoices over us and sings with us.

Who knew.

Give me that old school incarnation