3:1ffAfter predicting the destruction of the surrounding nations, Zephaniah returned to the problem at hand—sin in Jerusalem. The city of God, and God’s people themselves, had become “polluted”—as sinful as their pagan neighbors. The people pretended to worship and serve God, but in their hearts they had rejected him and continued to be complacent about their sins. They no longer cared about the consequences of turning away from God.
Life Application Study BibleZephaniahChapter 3
Zephaniah 3
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1494, 1495, 1496
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
3Zephaniah 3
1the city of violence and crime!
2No one can tell it anything;it refuses all correction.It does not trust in the LORDor draw near to its God.
3Its leaders are like roaring lionshunting for their victims.Its judges are like ravenous wolves at evening time,who by dawn have left no trace of their prey.
4Its prophets are arrogant liars seeking their own gain.Its priests defile the Temple by disobeying God’s instructions.
5But the LORD is still there in the city,and he does no wrong.Day by day he hands down justice,and he does not fail.But the wicked know no shame.
6“T have wiped out many nations,devastating their fortress walls and towers.Their streets are now deserted;their cities lie in silent ruin.There are no survivors—none at all.
7I thought, ‘Surely they will have reverence for me now!Surely they will listen to my warnings.Then I won't need to strike again,destroying their homes.’But no, they get up earlyto continue their evil deeds.
8Therefore, be patient,” says the LORD.“Soon I will stand and accuse these evil nations.For I have decided to gather the kingdoms of the earthand pour out my fiercest anger and fury on them.All the earth will be devouredby the fire of my jealousy.2. The day of hope
9“Then I will purify the speech of all people, so that everyone can worship the LORD together. 10My scattered people who live beyond the rivers of Ethiopia* will come to present their offerings. 11On that day you will no longer need to be ashamed, for you will no longer be rebels against me. I will remove all proud and arrogant people from among you. There will be no more haughtiness on my holy mountain. 12Those who are left will be the lowly and humble, for it is they who trust in the name of the LORD. 13The remnant of Israel will do no wrong; they will never tell lies or deceive one another. They will eat and sleep in safety, and no one will make them afraid.”
14Sing, O daughter of Zion;shout aloud, O Israel!Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,O daughter of Jerusalem!
15For the LORD will remove his hand of judgmentand will disperse the armies of your enemy.
And the LORD himself, the King of Israel,will live among you!At last your troubles will be over,and you will never again fear disaster.
16On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be,“Cheer up, Zion! Don't be afraid!
17For the LORD your God is living among you.He is a mighty savior.He will take delight in you with gladness.With his love, he will calm all your fears.*He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”
18“I will gather you who mourn for the appointed festivals;you will be disgraced no more.*
19And J will deal severely with all who have oppressed you.I will save the weak and helpless ones;I will bring togetherthose who were chased away.I will give glory and fame to my former exiles,wherever they have been mocked and shamed.
20On that day I will gather you togetherand bring you home again.I will give you a good name, a name of distinction,among all the nations of the earth,as I restore your fortunes before their very eyes.I, the LORD, have spoken!”
Textual footnotes
- 3:10 Hebrew Cush.
- 3:17 Or He will be silent in his love. Greek and Syriac versions read He will renew you with his love.
- 3:18 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
Life Application Notes 13 notes
3:2Do you know people who refuse to listen when someone disagrees with their opinions? Their root problem is pride— inflated self-esteem. God's people had become so proud that they would not even listen to God’s voice. Do you find it difficult to listen to the spiritual counsel of others or God’s words from the Bible? Don’t let pride make you unable or unwilling to let God work in your life. You will be more willing to listen when you consider how weak and sinful you really are compared to God.
3:3,4Leading God’s people is a privilege and a responsibility. Through Zephaniah, God rebuked many different leaders in Jerusalem—judges, prophets, and priests—-because of their callous disobedience, irresponsibility, and sin. If you are a leader in the church, consider yourself in a privileged position, but be careful. God holds you responsible for the purity of your actions, the quality of your example, and the truth of your words.
3:5Jerusalem's citizens, of all people, had no excuse for their sins. Jerusalem, where the Temple was located, was the religious center of the nation. But even though the people didn’t follow God, God was still there in the city, present in the midst of corruption, persecution, and unbelief. No matter how spirituaily desolate the world seems, God is here, and he is at work. Ask yourself, What is he doing now, and how can I be part of his work?
3:7We may wonder how the Israelites could have had such clear warnings and still not turn to God. The problem was that they had allowed sin to so harden them that they no longer cared to follow God. They refused to heed God’s warnings, and they refused to repent. The more God punished them, the more they sinned. If you are {iving in disobedience to God now, your heart may grow hard, and you may lose all desire for God.
3:8In the last days, God will judge ail people according to what they have done (Revelation 20:12). Justice will prevail; evildoers will be punished; and the obedient will be blessed. Don’t try to avenge yourself. Be patient, and God's justice will come.
30:9for other prophecies concerning Ethiopia.)
3:9God will purify speech and unify language so that all his people from all nations will be able to worship him together. {n the new earth, all believers will be able to understand each other; the confusion of languages at the tower of Babel will be reversed (Genesis 11). God will purify our hearts, so that the words coming from our lips will be pure as well.
3:10The “scattered people” refers to Jews dispersed beyond the rivers of Ethiopia. It symbolizes that all Jews, no matter how far they have been scattered, will return to worship God.
3:11,12God will remove the proud people and leave the lowly and humble. God is opposed to the proud and arrogant of every generation. But those who are lowly and humble, both physically and spiritually, will be rewarded because they trust in God. Self-reliance and arrogance have no place among God’s people or in his Kingdom.
3:14-18The LORD himself will remove his hand of judgment, disperse Israel's enemies, and come to live among his people. He will give them gladness. Zephaniah points out that gladness results when we allow God to be with us. We do that by faithfully following him and obeying his commands. Then God rejoices over us with singing. If you want to be happy, draw close to the source of happiness by obeying God.
3:20“Before their very eyes” does not necessarily mean that this promise would be fulfilled during Zephaniah’s generation. Rather, it means that the restoration will be an obvious work of the LORD.
3:20The message of doom in the beginning of the book becomes a message of hope by the end. There will be a new day when God will bless his people. If the leaders in the church today were to hear a message from a prophet of God, the message would probably resemble the book of Zephaniah. Under Josiah’s religious reforms, the people did return to God outwardly, but their hearts were far from him. Zephaniah encouraged the nation to gather together and pray for salvation. We must also ask ourselves: Is our reform merely an outward show, ar is it changing our hearts and lives? We need to gather together and pray, to walk humbly with God, to do what is right, and to hear the message of hope regarding the new world to come.