I. THE NATIONS SPECIFIED.

1. Philistia in the west.

(1) Its situation. "The seacoast," "the region of the sea," or "the track by the sea." Extending along the Mediterranean, from Gaza in the south to Jaffa in the north, and reaching back to the hill country of Judah in the west, it consisted of two parallel strips of land; one "of undulating plains, about twelve miles in breadth, bordering on the seacoast, elevated from fifty to a hundred feet above the sealevel, without distinctive features, and composed of the richest alluvial deposit;" and another "twelve to fifteen miles wide, consisting of a series of hills and spurs from five hundred to eight hundred feet above the sealevel, and broken through by broad valleys" ('Picturesque Palestine,' 3:151).

(2) Its names. "The land of the Philistines," "of the Cherethites," "of Canaan." Of these the first describes it as a land whose inhabitants bad been originally "immigrants," Philistia - in Hebrew Pelesheth, in the Assyrian inscriptions Pilastu, Pilasta, and Palastav - being derived from a root signifying "to wander about." The second depicts these inhabitants from a tribe settled in the southwest of the country, the Cherethites, a race of "Cutters," or "Executioners," who had achieved their settlements by means of the sword (Amos 9:7). Whether they came originally from Crete (Gesenius, Hitzig, Baur in Riehm's 'Handworterbuch'), which must then be identified with Caphtor (Deuteronomy 2:23; Jeremiah 47:5), settling down first on the Egyptian coast (Genesis 10:14), and gradually creeping north towards the Palestinian coast, though extremely probable, is still a matter of debate. The names of Philistine kings preserved in Assyrian inscriptions and bearing a more or less Semitic character suggest that the people must have been of Semitic origin (Schrader, 'Die Keilinschriften,' 2 auf. 167). The third name, Canaan, "Lowland," was probably given to it because that had been its primitive designation, although the appellation afterwards was transferred to the whole country, just as Philistia or Palestine was.

(3) Its chief cities. Four mentioned - Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, and Ekron - in the Assyrian inscriptions Haziti, Iskaluna, Asdudu, and Amkaruna. Their early histories may be learnt from Scripture. Gaza, the modern Guzzeh, originally inhabited by the Avim (Deuteronomy 2:23), and, prior to the conquest of Palestine, by the Caphtorim or Philistines, and a remnant of the Anakim (Joshua 11:22), was the scene of Samson's feats of strength, imprisonment, and destruction, and the site of a temple of Dagon (Judges 16:1-8, 21-30). Ashkelon, situated on the sea (Joshua 13:3), had also been the scene of one of Samson's feats (Judges 14:19). Ashdod possessed a temple of Dagon, in which the captured ark was placed (1 Samuel 5.) Ekron, the most northern of the five chief cities, with a temple of Beelzebub (2 Kings 1:2), was the city from which the ark was sent back to Israel (1 Samuel 5:10).

2. Moab and Ammon in the east. In the Assyrian inscriptions Ma'-ab, Ma'aab, Muaba, and Bit Amman. Here conjoined probably because

(1) of their blood relationship, the Moabites having been descended from Lot's son Moab (Genesis 19:37), and the Ammonites from the same patriarch's son Ben-Ammi (Genesis 19:38);

(2) of their geographical contiguity, their territories lying east of the Jordan, - that of Moab south of the Arnon, and stretching from the Dead Sea to the Syrian desert, and that of the Ammonites a little to the northcast, "in a mountainous district not annexed by Israel" (Conder); and

(3) of their mutual hostility to Israel, having more than once joined forces in an attack upon the latter (Judges 3:13; 2 Chronicles 20:1).

3. Ethiopia in the south. The land of Cush, in Assyrian Kusu, the furthest south territory known to the Hebrews, was probably regarded as embracing Nabian Ethiopia and Arabia (Genesis 2:13; 2 Chronicles 21:16; Esther 1:1; Isaiah 18:1; Ezekiel 29:10; Ezekiel 30:5). Its inhabitants, dark-skinned (Jeremiah 13:23), were of a warlike character (Jeremiah 46:9). Ethiopians composed part of Shishak's army (2 Chronicles 12:3). Zerah their king was defeated by Asa (2 Chronicles 14:9-15; 2 Chronicles 16:8). "They were a race cognate with the Egyptians, but darker in complexion and coarser in feature." (Rawlinson's 'Egypt: Story of the Nations,' p. 315).

4. Assyria in the north. Founded by Asshur (Genesis 10:11), who appears to have given his name first to the city he founded, and then to the empire it began, Assyria had as its capital Nineveh, the modern Koujunjik. (On the history of Nineveh as detailed by the cuneiform inscriptions, see Layard's 'Nineveh;' Sayce's 'Assyria, its Princes, Priests, and People;' and Schroder's 'Keilinschriften'). "The Assyrians were allied in blood and language to the Hebrews, the Aramaeans, and the Arabs;" "were a military people, caring for little else save war and trade;" and "if less luxurious than their Babylonian neighbours, were also less humane" (Sayce). Israel's contact with Assyria began in B.C. 853, with Ahab's contribution of ten thousand infantry and two thousand chariots to assist Benhadad II. of Damascus against Shalmaneser II. of Assyria ('Records of the Past,' 3:99), and ended, with the tall of Nineveh in B.C. 606.

II. THEIR SINS RECORDED.

1. Idolatry. All alike guilty of worshipping false gods - the Philistines of doing homage to Ashtaroth, Dagon, and Beelzebub; the Moabites, to Baalpeor and Chemosh; and the Ammonites, to Moloch; the Ethiopians, most likely to the gods of Egypt, Amen-Ra, Ptah, Osiris, Anubis, Thoth, Isis, Hathor, etc.; and the Assyrians, to the old Babylonian divinities, Bel, Anu, and Ea. Idolatry regarded as a sin not in Israel alone (Exodus 20:3-5), but in heathen peoples as well (Psalm 97:7; Romans 1:25).

2. Enmity against Israel. In this also all had been partakers - the Philistines from the days of the judges (Judges 10:7); the Moabites and Ammonites from the same period (Judges 3:13); the Ethiopians in the times of Rehoboam and Asa (2 Chronicles 12:3; 2 Chronicles 14:9); and the Assyrians under Tiglath-Pileser II., who first invaded the northern kingdom in the reign of Menahem (2 Kings 4:19). In particular the Philistines of Gaza, in the days of Jeroboam II., had sold captive Israelites to Edom (Amos 1:6); the Moabites under Mesha the sheepmaster, in the days of Jehoram, son of Ahab, not only revolted against Israel (2 Kings 3:5), but carried the torch of war into Israelitish territory, defeating the Israelitish king and making many prisoners ('Records of the Past,' 2nd series, 2:200); while the Assyrians invaded Judah so late as the days of Manasseh, and even deported that king to Babylon (2 Chronicles 33:11).

3. Pride. This more especially the sin of Moab (ver. 10) and of Assyria (ver. 15), of whom the former despised and magnified herself against Israel, and the latter exulted in her own fancied security and superlative greatness.

III. THEIR JUDGMENTS PRONOUNCED.

1. In character equally severe.

(1) Deportation of their inhabitants. The Philistine cities will be overtaken by this late (ver. 4). Moab and Ammon shall be involved in a like doom. The former "shall be as Sodom," and the latter "as Gomorrah" (ver. 9). Ethiopia shall not escape, but her people shall be "slain by Jehovah's sword" (ver. 12). Assyria shall suffer similar calamity. Nineveh will become a desolation, etc. (vers. 13, 14).

(2) Desolation of their lands. The land of the Philistines, the tract by the sea, shall be pastures with caves for shepherds' huts, and folds for flocks (ver. 6). The territories of Moab and Ammon shall become a possession of nettles and salt pits and a perpetual desolation (ver. 9). Nineveh will become dry like a wilderness (ver. 13), and desolation shall be in her thresholds (ver. 14).

(3) Occupation of their deserted lands by Israel. "The Philistine coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah" (ver. 7). Of Moab and Ammon it is written, "The remnant of my nation shall inherit them" (ver. 9).

2. In incidence equally certain. All rested on a common ground, and were pronounced by a common voice, that of Jehovah. "The word of Jehovah was against the]and of the Philistines" (ver. 5). Unto Moab and Ammon Jehovah had undertaken to be terrible (ver. 11). Jehovah's sword was to slay the Ethiopians (ver. 12). He should also stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria (ver. 13). What God directly by his own voice, or indirectly through the voice of another, undertakes to do is as good as done.

3. In result equally good. In threatening to destroy the above-mentioned nations - from their number and situation obviously designed to represent the whole heathen world - Jehovah practically engaged that the issue of his judgments would be to famish all the gods of the earth (ver. 11), i.e. cut off their worshipper's, and so starve or make them lean, and in this way cause them to vanish from the face of the earth. Thus the ultimate result of his punishing the heathen would be

(1) to reveal the nothingness of idols, whose inability to protect their worshippers would thereby be revealed;

(2) to extinguish idolatry, since men would no longer serve divinities that were powerless to save them; and

(3) to hasten the conversion of the world, since "all the isles of the nations" would be induced by what they saw to worship Jehovah "every one from his place." Learn:

1. That God sees and notes the attitudes of nations towards himself and his kingdom.

2. That God is as much against nations that do wickedly as he is against individuals that sin.

3. That the strongest and most flourishing empires can be easily overthrown when God becomes their assailant.

4. That social and political convulsions are all hastening on the era when "the meek shall inherit the earth."

5. That national judgments are a prelude and premonition of the judgments of the great day When "before him shall be gathered all nations." - T.W.

1. With nations.

2. With individuals.This shows —(1) The social connection between man and man. No man can live unto himself. Each man is a link in the great chain of human life; and he cannot move without influencing others. Each man is a limb in the great human body; and if one suffers, all suffer.(2) The duty of man to look well after his own conduct. A sinner has no right to say he will do what he likes, and that no one has a right to interfere with him.

II. THAT THE LOT OF MAN IS AT THE DISPOSAL OF ALMIGHTY GOD. "And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the Lord their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity." Here the Almighty is represented as arranging the future home and circumstances of the remnant of the house of Judah. Though we are free, and are conscious of our freedom, we are at the disposal of One above us. He has appointed —

1. Our place in the world. He has set bounds to our habitation "that we cannot pass."

2. Our period in the world. "My times are in Thy hand." We are often tempted to imagine that chance rules us. But amidst all this feeling of con. tingency and over all there is the ruling plan of the Beneficent God.

(Homilist.)

     4933   evening

Zephaniah 2:7-10

     7145   remnant

The Indwelling and Outgoing Works of God.
"And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth."--Psalm xxxiii. 6. The thorough and clear-headed theologians of the most flourishing periods of the Church used to distinguish between the indwelling and outgoing works of God. The same distinction exists to some extent in nature. The lion watching his prey differs widely from the lion resting among his whelps. See the blazing eye, the lifted head, the strained muscles and panting breath. One can see that the crouching lion is laboring intensely. …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Of the Decrees of God.
Eph. i. 11.--"Who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will."--Job xxiii. 13. "He is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth." Having spoken something before of God, in his nature and being and properties, we come, in the next place, to consider his glorious majesty, as he stands in some nearer relation to his creatures, the work of his hands. For we must conceive the first rise of all things in the world to be in this self-being, the first conception …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning