Zephaniah 3:9-20 - The Great "I will"
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
The Great “I will”
One of the more well known stories in the bible is found in Exodus chapter 3. Here, we see Moses tending to his flock and he notices a bush burning, it was burning yet not being consumed. Moses turns to look at the bush and then God speaks to him and let’s Moses know that he was going to be the one to lead Israel out of slavery to Egypt. If you’re familiar with the story you know that Moses doesn’t exactly say “woohoo, Lord! Let’s do this!” and respond in faith rather Moses asks a series of questions to God that reveal Moses’ doubt. One of which is “If the people of Israel ask who sent me, what do I say”? To which God responds “I AM WHO I AM” or “Tell them “I AM” has sent you.” Imagine a reporter asking Lebron James, “How are you going to win tonight’s game?” and he simply says “I am basketball.” It doesn’t make a lot of sense but he’s trying to communicate that he is confident he is going to win. So how does God do this to Moses, he says “I AM”. God tells him that “he is existence”. It is link back to creation to remind Moses, and all the Israelites, that God created the world in 7 days. He created existence, God is existence.
Our text today shifts from Moses to Zephaniah, a prophet during the days of Josiah, who has a message of judgment and salvation for all peoples. God promises to execute judgment against people with the phrase “I will” but it is not judgment only, it is salvation as well.
Judgment: Zephaniah 1:2
“I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.
Salvation: Zephaniah 2:3
Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the Lord.
Is is not only the great “I AM” he is also the great “I WILL”. Because God keeps his promises the question we will all be faced with is “which side am I on?” If God “will” keep his word regarding judgment and salvation then where do I stand right now in relation to him?
God promised some “I will” statements through Zephaniah and we’ll look at the “salvation” ones this morning.
Setting
What is going on Zephaniah’s day?
Written during the reign of Josiah
Josiah was 8 years old when he became king (2 Kings 22:1) and overall he is dubbed as one who “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord”.
The most notable thing that happened during his reign was the recovery of the “Book of the Law” whilst cleaning out the temple of the Lord. Not only did they find the “Book of the Law” but they read it! And when they read it they started to make changes to nation to conform to the law. Most notably, Josiah was the king who brought back the passover (2 Chronicles 35).
Sermon Outline
“I will” Unite My People (3:9-10)
“I will” Purify My People (3:11-13)
“I will” Exult My People (3:14-20)
Sermon
“I will” Unite My People (3:9-10)
Verse 9
"For at that time" - Day of the Lord
Judgment for all
Salvation for some
“Change the speech”
Reversal of the tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9)
Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.
"serve him with one accord”
accord = translates “shoulder”
Verse 10
"Cush" - Represents the southern extreme of the known world."
my worshipers" - dispersed ones"
Nations are dispersed at Babel (Genesis 11:1-9)
Israel is dispersed due to disobedience (Deuteronomy 28)
“I will” Purify My People (3:11-13)
God will purify his people by
Removing the Proud from the Ranks (v11)
Leaving/making those who are humble (v12-13)
Dual nature of being Holy
Put away (to death) that which is unholy
Be Holy
Colossians 3:5-17
v5 - “put to death therefore what is earthly in you”
v12 - “put on then...”
“I will” Exult My People (3:14-20)
Application
When is the “day of the Lord”?
Salvation 3 phases
justification - “I was saved”
sanctification - “I am being saved”
glorification - “I will be saved”
“Day of the Lord” 3 Phases
“The day of the Lord has come”
The ascension - “the Lord receives his crown.” - Sproul
This is when it clicks for the disciples. (Acts 1)
“The day of the Lord is here”
“The day of the Lord is near”
"day of wrath” - lead us to repentance
Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
We’re put on notice of the “day of the Lord” when we hear the Gospel.
Perpetual “today”
Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
Encouragement for 2021
God “will” do it.
How do we operate as “one shoulder” or “one accord”?
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
State: “in humility”
Action: “count others more significant than yourselves”
What does that look like?
Analyze your state? Are you humble or selfish?
If humble then are you doing things for others?
If not humble, humble yourself lest the Lord humble you. Then serve others. Humble people serve their brothers and sisters in Christ.
If you are serving others, is it out of your interest or theirs?
Do you grumble? The humble don’t grumble.