Zephaniah 3

Holiness Above

Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!

2 She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God.

3 Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.

4 Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.

5 The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.

This hearkens back to the Lord accused of doing neither good nor evil in the first part of the text. It seems at such a time as this really that our God is in the habit of doing good to his people. It's not as though he is a bad father that some have known or even a leader who cares not about it. With our God being holy at such a time as this truly, it stands to reason that he must first cleanse his people. That being said there's not a mountain too high nor valley too deep for his grace to not rescue you from. The city set on a hill though and the city of the Great King aren't the same as a people who've sought God with their whole hearts and received a reward of him also. Thus in order to make it through one state of the text, you also must go through the next. Thus, his people which are called by his name, must humble themselves and pray. It's the only cure for the disorder in the house whether of filth or pollution or anything else. Still our God is returning for cleansing In need. How often are all our sins and our works and our best righteousness even as filthy rags in his sight. It's a picture almost like that of the man without a wedding garment at the Master's home up above. Receiving correction then and trusting the Lord are natural progressions or cures for the issue that so as is visible. For drawing near unto the Lord implies first of all a seeking of him then instead. Though there's many aren't there in need of him truly as the text would've said from the persons with treacherous minds to the pollution and violence within. Certainly though as with the light set on a hill and the city which cannot be hid, our God is in the midst of them just as he said. With his correction he'll soon drive out the darkness and safeguard the high places of our own hearts and our lives. That way when we're seen once again it's only as unto him. Indeed, his mercies are new every morning just as he said. He's the judge of all the earth and won't he do right in the midst. So too there's righteousness and holiness with him that we might be not despised and the rod of correction to our benefit just as his holiness would purge out the temple.

Purity of Love

6 I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.

7 I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.

8 Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.

10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.

Just as Isaiah did whose lips echoed his sin, our God's returning at such a time as this and when we don't understand to heal all the sin and purge all the land. It's our sin isn't it that's affected it thus, just as with Cain and Abel whose blood having been spilled cried out above. We'd need his mercy and grace and then too him taking his place. It's God high and lifted up that allows us to see anything thus. Though some of us would rather not listen or heed not correction. Consider this if you will a God who deals lon with his people. He's gotten the nations lined up for destruction and emptied out truly with his arms outstretched ready and waiting to receive all his people. Though it seems there's nothing that's hid that won't be made known. Our God you see isn't just a do nothing Father that some have once known. Nor is he the senseless and destructor of men. Could it be that some of us not seeing him rightly haven't understood the Word or the Lord. Without knowing him then comes a few different issues as that of our bodies and lives. How well he knows his people though when we don't know or even consider. Indeed, when we were yet dead in trespasses and sins our God called us a mighty long way unto him. So too his blood do we plead, having availed when we knew not as unto him. Consider the God if you will who atoned for his people. It's an image of one who did without announcing while the world was alive. There's a whole different story here of rewriting his grace and turning it into his glory. Look how our Lord is complaining what once was desolate is filled up again even with wrath at the hand of the Lord. So that his determination is to wait upon him there our God who'd cleanse out the house to make it his once again. The waiting perhaps isn't so that we'd turn back to him though just to allow some others to come on back in. Being the God who'd save all our hearts and our lives, he's allowed some time till the gathering be back to Shiloh, the lawgiver, and him who holds our hearts and our lives. If there's some jealousy to be seen with him it's just that we don't understand it for then. Consider though the coal from the altar with cleansing instead should it fall ever so carelessly down to this world and spark a fire as unto him. Then too know and consider that our God is ever so involved with his children. Look now, from beyond the rivers of Ethopia there's hope springing up once again. He's not a do nothing God is he but a God who judges righteously, a God who makes all our days praise his name, a God who is very much invovled in our hearts and our lives. A God who brings holiness forth in the earth, a lifter of the head of the poor, a sweet smelling savor as this world is his throne. Might be but a footstool now for the moment, though when he's done with all that we'd see or have heard there's that of Jerusalem, the city of the Great King that we'd known. So that if there's titghes coming into his storehouse it's only of him for his power to have done any way thus that we might know also and consider all the ways of the Lord. With the pure language then is there a ceasing from sin and a truning as unto the Lord who'd brought a mighty big sword and also called his people unto himself and cleansed all the temple. He's the saving God isn't he to all of his people though we haven't known or even considered.

Surety with Him

11 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.

12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.

13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

15 The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.

16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.

Though we'd not known or considered his people, still his power makes it all visible. Only our God, you see, can call everyone forth as unto him. He's the only one who knows what we'd done from where we'd end up and makes all our days but as praise to his name. Though when it comes to not having known the ways of the Lord perhaps as we should, some would doubtless feel shame in his presence for this. Though when you know the Lord he removes all the sins and takes them as far away as the east is from the west, from the deepest sea to the highest mountain having been far removed in his love. Certainly it's an end for the people of God that fear him and trust in his name. Though considering the end as this of all them that trust in themselves and do everything as unto men, that the expectation of the wicked will be cut off but that of the righteous will flourish instead. Hereunto is a leaving after as unto the Lord. There'll be people left in the midst that are in need of his care and providing for thus. So that if there's much affliction in his holy mountain, it's so that the whole earth might instead be returned to the Lord for this is the heritage of God and his saints. It's our God isn't it that rights all our wrongs and pleads all our cause. So too do we lie down and trust in just the name of the Lord. It's a cessation of activity isn't it, this lying down states, though perhaps not of his rest but that of the blessed for surely the God who made our hearts and our lives has one thing in this only. It's that of a heart and a life surrendered to him fully and in his control once again. So that if there's ought to be seen it's just a hope and a trust in the Lord. The expectation see, is of the righteous at hand for as the text says they shall feed in his presence. Our God's got this whole thing handled then with his own mighty power and outstretched hand. It's a lying down that comes because our Lord's in the midst of them and he changes all things. Then none will make them afraid because that's just who he is. Only he can do this thing that you see with the judgements taken and utterly gone and new life to be found with him then. It's very much a trusting in him of this then we plea. Perhaps some of us though are too caught up in seeking the blessings and stuff that comes only from men that we'd forget who all we're doing it for. When God's in your midst, let me tell you, won't nobody do then just as he can as unto him.