Study of Zephaniah Chapter 3

Study of Zephaniah
Chapter 3

(Zep 3:1) Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!

When we think of pollution, we usually think about the environmental concerns such as air and water pollution. The pollution here does not refer to that. It refers to spiritual filth and pollution. God's concern is always the spiritual. When the spirit is healed and is seeking God, the other things are taken care of also in time. When our hearts are right with God, it affects the way we live, how we treat our neighbors, and it would even affect our environment. That is why the Lord tells us not to be overly concerned by outward things but to major on the necessary things and the other will be added as needed.

Mat 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

(Zep 3:2) She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God.

Over and over again we see these warnings. How sad to read, "She obeyed not the voice, she received not correction, she trusted not in the Lord."

Since the beginning of creation men and women have continually turned from God unto things that are vain and worthless. The human race has never fully trusted the Lord except for a few faithful people. We are always reminded of Noah and his sons. Such a few were saved in the Ark while the vast majority perished.

God always sends someone with correction and reproof but again, we refuse and trust not in the Lord.

It breaks my heart to see many in my own country refuse the correction of the Lord. They laugh and try to shut up anyone who preaches against sin. The preachers who tickle the ears do not bother them but any who dare to preach holiness or godliness with correction and reproof is mocked. They make movies to mock preachers.

By reading the bible you can tell clearly what it is that brings judgment upon a nation. If God judged Israel, He will judge any nation that do the same things Israel did.

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

Men who rule with cruelty and not fairly are pictured here. Bad leaders destroy a nation. They take bribes, they devour the innocent and persecute those that speak truth.

(Zep 3:4) Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.

They either misinterpret the law, use it for material gain, add to it or change it altogether. Some may even ignore it. This is still happening today. Many use the word of God to deceive and draw followers after self instead of after God. Some preach according to what men want to hear and not God's word. We are not to add to or take away from God's word. If any do not want to be deceived, read and study the bible. There are places you can get bibles free. We do not have to be deceived anymore. There are bibles all over the country.

(Zep 3:5) 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.

Today we have people that work to try to remove guilt from people's lives. The time to worry is when we do not feel guilty when we sin. If we can sin and not feel guilty about it, then know of a surety that God has departed from you. Sin should bring guilt until that sin is repented of and one turns away from that sin. After you continually sin and fail to repent, the sin will not seem wrong anymore but it is still sin. The conscience becomes seared after continual refusals to repent. This is why that verse says that the unjust know no shame. They sinned until their conscience became seared. If you ever feel guilty, repent and let God remove the guilt. Don't ignore the guilt if you are still doing the thing causing the guilt.

(Zep 3:6) 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.

(Zep 3:7) 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.

God sent judgment and they still did not recognize that it was the judgment of God. Not all bad that happens is God's judgment but it doesn't hurt to seek God when bad calamities happen and search our hearts just to see if we sinned in some manner. It is never any harm to ask God if something happened because we sinned and need to change things. However, like in the case of Job, some things may happen because Satan is trying to destroy our testimony before the world. There are trials that happen to those faithful believers in Christ. We need to remember though that there may be another reason why bad happens and things don't turn out right. These things we need to seek God for advice and not close our minds to the fact that we just may have allowed some sin in our lives that is hindering our prayers.

1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Let us seek not to justify ourselves but seek God for His justification. He will cleanse us when we turn from sin and seek Him. So we see sometimes bad happens as a trial to our faith and sometimes it happens because we have let down our guard and allowed some sin in our lives that is hindering the fullness of God to have its way in our lives.

(Zep 3:8) 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.

The faithful will suffer persecution. The bible says that all that is godly shall suffer persecution. When this happens, we are to wait patiently for the Lord's return when vengeance and retribution will be poured out upon the enemies of God.

Always remember though that vengeance is the Lords. We are never to lift a hand against any of those who do not believe. Some have tried in past centuries and have only succeeded in hurting the innocent and bringing reproach upon the name of the Lord. God is the only one that is to execute vengeance in the latter days. We must not try to help God in this manner or else we will hurt the wrong people.

This has happened repeatedly.

The Catholics persecuted the first protestants, the protestants in the Church of England persecuted the Anabaptist, Baptist, Puritans etc.

Some of the Puritans persecuted the Baptist. Some of the mainline denominations and some Baptist persecuted the Pentecostals. You see that it is important for us to let God be the judge in some cases like doctrinal disputes.

We have to have law and order, police, judges, and those that enforce the law but in the matter of conscience, we should preach the word and warn but never use force and threats to get people to obey the rules of conscience. The bible is to be obeyed from the heart and in the love of God. It cannot be forced upon anyone by law. Those that did that in the past failed miserably. God will judge those kind of things at His coming. Lets leave that sort of judgment to Him. Nevertheless we still must preach against sin and warn people to repent and allow God's spirit to convict and bring them to repentance. God will do the judging, all we are supposed to do is spread His word. He enforces it.

(Zep 3:9) 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.

This will happen during the Millennium and it will happen by the power of God, not men. The trouble comes when men and women read these words and get the idea that they have to bring it to pass by their own strength. This only will happen at the coming of Jesus Christ. We cannot try to bring this about in the natural realm, or we will bring reproach and hurt the cause of Christ.

(Zep 3:10) From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.

(Zep 3:11) 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.

Pride and haughtiness are the opposite of what pleases God.

Jam 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

(Zep 3:12) I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.

Those that are poor and have nothing are usually the ones that trust in the Lord more than the ones that have plenty.

(Zep 3:13) 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.

We see here the traits of the faithful who follow the Lord.

1. They do not sin or walk in unrighteousness.
2. Do not lie
3. Do not use a deceitful tongue
4. Do not fear but trust in God

God will always have a remnant or a people that trusts in Him. Even throughout history there has always been a few that still held onto the word of God. The majority follows the world. This has always been the case. If you are prone to follow the crowd, watch out, you could be wrong.

Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

(Zep 3:14) Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

Singing and worshiping in spirit and in truth comes when we walk in the will of God.

(Zep 3:15) 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.

(Zep 3:16) In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.

(Zep 3:17) The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

God's will is for us to walk in love and in joy. This joy comes when we believe in His way of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ and are baptized in the Spirit. Being baptized in the Holy Spirit brings a refreshing, peace and continual joy.

(Zep 3:18) I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.

We should always sorrow and mourn for sin and pray for cleansing. Joy should be delayed until this process takes place. We should never rejoice if we have not turned from sin. Joy comes after we are free from sin and are trusting in Jesus Christ for our salvation.

(Zep 3:19) Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.

(Zep 3:20) At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.

True believers will be gathered together at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

There is no reason why any person reading this message cannot be part of the family of God. There is no reason for any of us to be a slave to sin. Jesus came to give eternal life. Jesus will return for all who have turned from sin and accepted Him as savior. Jesus is returning to a glorious church without spot or wrinkle. He made a way for all mankind to be free from sin and be born again. He loves everyone and wants everyone of us to be saved. It is the will of God for you to inherit eternal life. He does not want you to die and spend eternity in hell. Accept Jesus Christ today. Read what He has to say to you in the bible. Do not delay. Be saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ today.

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