Justin Houtz

Zephaniah 3

DateVersionReading Plan
@December 10, 2023ESV (2016)ESV Prophets Plan 2023

Pericopes

  • Judgment on Jerusalem and the Nations
  • The Conversion of the Nations
  • Israel’s Joy and Restoration

Notes/Application

Zephaniah declares a woe over the rebellious city who “listens to no voice” and “accepts no correction” (Zeph. 3:2). She does not trust in the LORD and her leadership is corrupt. But the LORD in her midst is righteous and shows forth His justice each morning. The more God sought the fear and correction of the people, the more eager they were to make their deeds corrupt. Therefore the LORD’s decision is to assemble the nations, pour our His indignation and consume all the earth. At that time, He will change the speech of the people to be pure and they will call upon His name. God will remove the proudly exultant ones and leave a people humble and lowly. The people are to sing and rejoice that the LORD has removed His judgments against them. They are not to fear because the LORD is in their midst. He will deal with their oppressors, gather the outcast and restore their fortunes before their eyes.

Through God’s judgment, He would remove the exultant and haughty from among the people, leaving the humble and lowly. One who determines himself as sovereign has no place in his heart for God, thus it would be those who repented of their pride and self-sufficiency who would seek refuge in the name of the LORD. Important to see here is the inability to claim self-lordship in God’s economy. Either you fully surrender to Christ’s Lordship or you appoint yourself as your own lord. The two are mutually exclusive and the latter will be separated as chaff on the final day. Let us then jettison control of our own lives, being as those to whom God speaks in Is. 66:2b: “this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.“

Commentaries & Resources Used