In the third chapter of the prophecy commences with a pronouncement of woe upon the Holy City of Jerusalem whose inhabitants had not been holy and who therefore merited divine admonition. Jerusalem was “filthy,” that is, unclean in the sight of God and rebellious against Him. It was an “oppressing city” in that it oppressed unjustly the weak and the poor. Further, she obeyed not the voice of God nor accepted His instruction; she trusted not in the Lord but always in man, making alliances with surrounding pagan nations.1 Neither did she draw near to God, but neglected prayerful contact with the Almighty. The third verse identifies the chief offenders. The princes as roaring lions were ravenous and cruel. The judges, as evening wolves were greedy and rapacious; “they gnaw not the bones till the morrow,” or as better translated in the Revised Version, “they leave nothing till the morrow,” because they are so insatiably ravenous. The prophets were shallow and unreliable and the priests polluted the sanctuary, dishonouring the Law and the Holy Temple. “The just Lord” in His omnipotence and omniscience was aware of these transgressions, and His judgements meted out upon the nations around afforded evidence of His righteousness and justice,2 In the sight of the people of Judah and Jerusalem, God had “cut off the nations”—the Canaanites before the advancing Israelites, the Assyrians to the extent of one hundred and eighty-five thousand in a single night. Their towers in which they trusted for defence, He made desolate. Their cities He destroyed so that there was no inhabitant. Having seen these miraculous performances, the men of Judah and Jerusalem ought to have profited thereby, learning to repent and improve their ways in the sight of God, Who says, “Surely thou wilt fear Me, thou wilt receive instruction; so thy dwelling should not be cut off;”3 but punishment was inevitable because “they rose early, and corrupted all their doings,” that is, they more ardently adopted sinful ways and became utterly corrupt. The first phrase of verse eight, “Wait ye upon Me,” is in the nature of an exhortation to worship and obey the God of Heaven and implies the idea of earnestly waiting upon the Almighty; and it would appear that here God is addressing chiefly the class previously mentioned4: “Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth,” for they are the ones who will “be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.” They are therefore urged not to despair, but to realise the certainty of divine action at a future fixed time—in the day when He rises up to the prey, as Zephaniah terms it; the day God has in mind and which He styles “the set time to favour Zion;” the day when “the Lord cometh forth out of His place to tread upon the high places of the earth; the day of the Lord’s anger against the wicked nations of the earth; the day when He gathers the nations and assembles the kingdoms to pour upon them His indignation, even all His fierce anger.” Truly the day of the Lord will witness stupendous events. The expression, “the fire of My jealousy,” occurs twice in Zephaniah’s writings.5 In the first instance, it is stated that God will make a speedy riddance of all in the land who, in His eyes are undesirable; and similar intentions are expressed again here. A time still future is here indicated; a time when the devouring of the earth with God’s jealousy will result in the fulfilment of Habakkuk’s prediction, “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” “For then will I turn to the people a pure language”—probably Hebrew—“that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one consent.” Here God is speaking through Zephaniah, of His own people, the “remnant of Israel” mentioned later in verse thirteen, and of the “daughter of Zion, Israel, the daughter of Jerusalem,” in the fourteenth verse. He speaks too, of the regathering of His dispersed people from lands as far distant as Ethiopia whence His offering shall be brought, or, as the Revised Version gives it, “From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia shall they bring My suppliants, even the daughter of My dispersed, for an offering unto Me.” “In that day,” when God restores again the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, when they call upon the name of the Lord and serve Him with one consent, her iniquities will be pardoned and God will take from the midst of her “them that rejoice in thy pride;”6 those who have proudly triumphed and exulted over His people. “And thou shalt no more be haughty in My holy mountain.” God’s people, the redeemed remnant of Israel will no longer have a boastful confidence because of any privileges they possess; for now they are the meek of the earth whom God will at this time beautify with salvation, making them partakers of the divine nature, and therefore, “The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity.”7 They are the redeemed of the Lord, the Israel of Deity, the flock of Bozrah, the one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed servants of God, immortal, incorruptible, purified and glorified. “They shall feed and lie down and none shall make them afraid,” for “the King of Israel is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil anymore.”8 Then will the Great Shepherd feed his flock; “He shall gather the lambs with his arms and carry them in his bosom.” Divine omnipotence and Divine action are the main features of Zephaniah’s writings; this intervention on behalf of Israel is to take place at a fixed time spoken of as “that day” and “that time.” This can be no other day and no other time but the “day of the Lord” and the “time of the end,” the “day of vengeance of our God” and the “time of the dead that they should be judged.” Zephaniah fixes this “day” and this “time” from the chronological point of view by his enumeration of incidents yet ‘to take place; the Divine gathering of the nations, when all the earth is devoured by the fire of God’s jealousy; the turning of the people to a pure language; the regathering of Israel from distant lands; the total absence of iniquity amongst the “remnant of Israel;” the routing of Israel’s foes; the undoing of all who afflict Israel; the getting of fame for the “remnant of Israel” in every land and amongst “all peoples of the earth.” There will then be just cause for the prophet to declare, “Sing, Ο daughter of Zion! Shout, Ο Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all the heart, Ο daughter of Jerusalem,” because “the Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy, He will joy over thee with singing.”
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Author: A. Akeroyd
Keywords: Zephaniah, Prophet Zephaniah, Book of Zephaniah
Bible reference(s): Zephaniah 3
Source: “The Prophecy of Zechariah,” The Testimony, Vol. 32, No. 383, December 1962, pp. 403-4,
Page indexed by: inWORD Bible Software.