Judgment and Glory

1. The waiting for the end (Zephaniah 3:8)

2. The glory that follows (Zephaniah 3:9-20)

Zephaniah 3:8. “Therefore wait for me, saith Jehovah, for the day when I arise for the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, to assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, all my fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.” This verse leads us back to the opening exhortation of this chapter. They are as a nation to wait for Him, till the day comes in which He arises to execute the judgment of the nations. It has been a long waiting. Centuries have come and gone; His earthly people have been the wanderers among the nations of the world, where they have been a byword and a curse, yet witnesses for Him also. Still they are waiting for “that day,” the day which closes the times of the Gentiles, when the stone strikes the great man image and becomes a mountain filling the whole earth Daniel 2:1-49.

Zephaniah 3:9-20. The opening verse of this glory section has been variously interpreted. It has been used by the “Pentecostal-delusion” as being a prophecy concerning their imagined gift of tongues restoration. In the first place it must be noticed that in the Hebrew the word people is in the plural. We read therefore this verse as follows: “For then will I turn to the nations a pure lip, that they may all call upon the name of Jehovah, to serve Him with one shoulder.” Luther paraphrased this verse in the following way: “Then will I cause that nations to be preached to otherwise, with friendly lips, that they may call upon the name of the Lord.” But this interpretation is not sustained by the text. It means that the nations which escaped the judgment-wrath of the day of the Lord will be converted, and as a result of their conversion they will call upon the Lord with pure lips; all idolatry will cease and all serve the Lord as one man.

While the peoples in Zephaniah 3:9 are the Gentiles, the suppliants in Zephaniah 3:10 are Jews brought back from the dispersion. They are brought back by the converted Gentiles as an offering unto the Lord Isaiah 66:20. When that takes place the restored nation will not have need to be ashamed for all their doings, for the Lord in infinite grace will have cleansed them from their iniquity, and now they are no longer proud and haughty, but a remnant humbled, trusting in the Lord. The great chapter in Ezekiel tells us of the conversion of this remnant Ezekiel 36:1-38. They will then be a righteous nation, do no iniquity, nor speak lies. The speaking of lies, the use of deceit, is one of the traits of the Jews today, and has often been responsible for their sufferings among the Gentiles. But when that day comes the deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth. They will feed and lie down and none shall make them afraid. They have become once more “the sheep of His pastures, gathered by the Good Shepherd. The time of singing and rejoicing has come.

Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice With all thy heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem.

Jehovah has removed thy judgments; He has cast out thine enemy; The King of Israel, Jehovah, Is in the midst of thee, Thou wilt see evil no more.

In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear not, Zion, let not thy hands be feeble.

Jehovah, thy God is in the midst of thee, A mighty One who saves; He rejoices over thee with gladness; He rests in His love; He rejoices over thee with singing.

What a glorious day that will be! It will be glory for Him and glory for His people. The great prophetic song recorded by Isaiah (chapter 12) will then be heard in the midst of His redeemed people. The great Psalms of praise and worship will fill Jerusalem. Judgments are forever gone; no enemy will threaten them again. He Himself is in their midst, none other but He whom their fathers delivered once into the hands of the Gentiles, over whom they cried, “His blood be upon us and our children.” He is King. The throne of His father David is now filled. The Mighty One saves, and rejoices over His redeemed people. He has the travail of His soul to the full and is satisfied.

Then He will make them a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth. Thus ends the great message of Zephaniah, the great-great-grandson of the pious King Hezekiah.