Zephaniah 3

Notes

Ver. 1-4. Dreadful miseries await Jerusalem, which is quite filled with wickedness, violence, and oppression. Most of the inhabitants pay no regard to God's laws, warnings, or corrections: they trust not in him, but in their heathen allies and idols: and regardless of his spiritual relation to them, they neither pray to nor worship him. Their princes and judges are rapacious and cruel oppressors. Their prophets are light, frothy, and treacherous to God and men. Their priests profane the sanctuary, and pervert the law, by their false glosses or bad examples. 5-7. Though I, who in infinite righteousness am a hater of all iniquity, am among them in mine ordinances to observe their conduct: and though I have long and repeatedly warned them by my prophets, and by making examples of impenitent sinners, yet still they continue impudent and obstinate in their sin: and though, for their warning, I have executed my desolating judgments on other nations, that so I might not be obliged to destroy them, yet, instead of repenting, they have become more wicked. 8-13. Nevertheless, wait ye on me, till by desolating judgments I have destroyed the wicked from among you, and have even destroyed the wicked nations from the world; for after that I will, by my grace, effectually renew your heart and life, and make you unanimously concur in worshipping me. Gathered from the most distant countries, ye shall humbly present to me your thanksgivings; and, returned to your own land, no more shall ye undergo the reproach and punishment of your former sins. They that prided themselves in their peculiar relation to God, and their outward privileges and ordinances, shall be cut off; and, in their stead, I will raise up a generation of persons, meek and humble under their troubles, who shall trust in my promises, believe on my Son, and, being renewed in their hearts, shall detest falsehood and all other wickedness, and shall be encouraged to an upright and holy conversation by the protection which I will afford them. 14-19. Rejoice greatly, O Jews, take courage, and abound in piety, for I the Lord will remove your troubles, and destroy your Chaldean and other enemies. I will, as your God and King, take pleasure in saving and perpetually showing favours to you. I will bring you, who were burdened with the want of my solemn ordinances, and with the scoffing of the Chaldeans at them, to your own land, notwithstanding your weakness and want of courage; and by glorious appearances for your preservation and deliverance, will render you famous and honoured in all the countries where you have lived in disgrace.—But these promises chiefly relate to the conversion of multitudes of Jews and Gentiles, and their noted harmony, purity, comfort, peace, and honour in the gospel church, especially in the coming age. [See Introduction, ch. iv. sect. xvii.-xix.]

Ver. 9-20. This prophecy is still future, and describes the period of that glorious restoration of Israel, and final outpouring of the Spirit upon all flesh, which it is one of the chief objects of all the prophets to describe for our comfort and growth in grace. C.

Reflections.—Alas! what terrible wickedness against God and men abounds among apostate professors! And it is truly lamentable when they who ought to have been the principal patterns of and encouragers to piety, become the most obstinate ringleaders in wickedness of every kind. Churches and nations, obdurate in guilt, must be made monuments of wrath. But where sin has abounded, how grace much more abounds! An almighty God can easily pardon and reform his people, and cut off their enemies. And when taught and drawn by him, how pleasantly they flock to Jesus Christ and his church: and their very troubles contribute to engage their hearts. In his times of promise and days of power, God graciously puts an end to his people's troubles, bestows the tokens of his presence, delights in them to do them good, comforts their mourners, recovers their weakest captives, and restores with advantage their wonted honours.

Concluding Remarks on the Book of Zephaniah.

Zephaniah, like most of the other prophets, was raised up in a time of general corruption and disorder. These he reproves with great plainness of speech, proclaiming against them the wrath of an offended God. And there is good reason to believe that his warnings were not in vain; but that, on the contrary, they contributed largely to that reformation and revival that took place in the days of Josiah,—thus affording an encouragement, in the worst of times, to be 'always abounding in the work of the Lord;' persuaded 'that our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.' C.