042. II. Sermons Concerning The Coming Judgment
II SERMONS CONCERNING THE COMING JUDGMENT 1. The Day of Jehovah a Peculiarly Distressful Day for Judah (Zephaniah 1:2 to Zephaniah 2:3)
Jehovah’s wrath against all created things (Zephaniah 1:2-3). Jehovah, the righteous One, supreme Ruler of the universe, is forced to announce a message of judgment against all who oppose his will or his ways. “I will sweep away,” he declares, “everything on the face of the earth, man or beast, fowl or fish, that contributes to the spread of wickedness in the earth. Its manifestation in Jerusalem (Zephaniah 1:4-6). “Especially in my city, Jerusalem, will I stretch out my hand to smite. I will cut off every vestige of Baal worship. I will purge from the official roll both the idolatrous priests and the unfaithful priests of my sanctuary. I will cut off all those who worship the heavenly bodies, as well as those who pretend to worship Jehovah, while they continue to render homage to cruel Moloch. The same judgment will overtake those who have openly renounced allegiance to me.”
Jehovah’s sacrificial feast (Zephaniah 1:7). Hush! it is Jehovah’s judgment day. He draweth near to offer Judah as a sacrifice. His guests for the sacrificial feast—those dreaded, unknown foes from the north—he hath already purified, and they await his bidding. The victims will be the nobles and princes (Zephaniah 1:8-9). When the sacrifice is ready, I, the Lord Jehovah, will seek out for punishment all those who are responsible for Judah’s wickedness. I will visit retribution upon those nobles and princes who encourage all manner of extravagance, clothing themselves in costly foreign apparel, and upon the officials that use their nearness to the king as a license for violence and spoil, dishonoring the name of their royal master. The merchants (Zephaniah 1:10-11). On that fatal day, when the guests come to the banquet, a great wail of despair and terror shall come from the fish-gate in the northern wall, where they will enter, and from the newly built quarter of the city, where the wealthy live; and shrieks of alarm shall come from the heights. Howl, O dwellers in the merchant quarter, for when the foe appears your treasures and goods will be the first to be seized. The disheartened and skeptical “believers” (Zephaniah 1:12-13). On that day, saith Jehovah, I will search Jerusalem through and through. None shall escape, for all the dark retreats shall be carefully searched. I will lay hold of those who have lost their zeal, who are listless, self-indulgent, skeptical of all achievement, and indifferent about God. Their wealth others shall take; their houses shall be despoiled; whatever they have planned for their selfish and cowardly ease they shall lose. The characteristics of Jehovah’s day (Zephaniah 1:14-18). This fateful day of Jehovah comes speedily. It is almost at hand. Listen! It shall be a day when even the hardened warrior will weep, for then the wrath of God against evil shall be outpoured, bringing distress and hardship, devastation and destruction, a day when all nature in sympathy shall be shrouded in clouds. On that day will be heard the blast of the war-trumpet and the warriors’ battle-cry; for the army which Jehovah has invited to the feast shall capture the fortresses and strong cities. Jehovah will bring men from distress to helpless perplexity. They have sinned beyond forgiveness, and shall be punished without pity. Nothing can deliver them from the judgment. It is to be world-wide and complete. A warning to repentance and zeal (Zephaniah 2:1-3). Therefore, O nation which has too long been indifferent to Jehovah, take this opportunity to repent sincerely and serve him, before his anger bursts forth in fury and scatters you like chaff.[63] Seek him also, you that are humble and obedient. Strive earnestly to excel in righteousness and meekness, that you may be secure in that fearful day.
2. The Day of Jehovah, a Day of Judgment against Nations[64] (Zephaniah 2:4-15)
Against Philistia (Zephaniah 2:4-7). In the day of Jehovah his judgment will be carried out against the nations, who have deserved his wrath, and first upon Philistia, near the sea. Gaza, the busy city of traffic, and Ashkelon, shall each become an utter desolation.[65]Ekron and Ashdod shall be taken by storm, and completely ravaged. The Philistines shall cease to be a nation. Their fertile land shall be turned into pasturage, a resort for the shepherds of Judah, when Jehovah brings back his own people from captivity to dwell in the land.
Against the spiteful and arrogant children of Moab and Amnion (Zephaniah 2:8-11). Jehovah[66] has been listening all this while to the bitter insults of the people of Moab and Ammon against Judah, and he has seen their seizure of her territory. Wherefore he will destroy them as completely as Sodom or Gomorrah of old, turning over their fertile territory to nettles and barren salt-pits. When the men of Judah are restored to their native land, they shall also possess these countries. Jehovah will do this because of the pride and arrogance of these heathen peoples. By such deeds he makes himself known to the nations. They will thus see how impotent are their gods, and will worship him alone.
Against Ethiopia (Zephaniah 2:12). O people of distant Ethiopia, you also shall be the victims of the avenging sword which Jehovah will order to be drawn from its sheath.
Against haughty Nineveh (Zephaniah 2:13-15). Especially will he reckon with the haughty mistress of nations, Assyria. He will extend his hand to smite her, and make her an utter desolation. Behold, then, the light-hearted city, Nineveh, so confident of her strength, so superior in resources, so incomparable, How hath she become a desolation, A lair of wild beasts!
Every one passing by her hisseth, Shaking his hand.
3. The Day of Jehovah, a Means of Redemption for Jerusalern (Zephaniah 3:1-13)
Jerusalem deserves a judgment (Zephaniah 3:1-2). Woe to Jerusalem, rebellious against Jehovah, polluted by bloodshed and iniquity, filled with outrage and oppression! She is disobedient; she refuses instruction; she has no faith in God; she draws not near to him. Her leaders utterly corrupt (Zephaniah 3:3-4). What wonder that she is so, when we consider her leaders! Her princes are as ravenous as lions, her judges as voracious and insatiable as wolves of evening, her prophets are arrogant boasters and men of immoral conduct; her priests, instead of guarding the sanctuary, profane all things holy, and, instead of maintaining the pure interpretation of the law, do violence to it.
She is insensible to the evidences of Jehovah’s character and purpose (Zephaniah 3:5-7). Jehovah makes Jerusalem his dwelling-place. He repeatedly exhibits his righteousness through his word and works, but the wicked man sees nothing of all this, and is unaffected by it. Repeatedly he claims, “I have executed judgment on other nations from which Judah might have taken warning. I thought that she would humble herself, and receive instruction, and keep in mind henceforth my commands, but only the more zealously did her people do evil.” The day of universal judgment coming (Zephaniah 3:8). Therefore, wait until the great day of Jehovah’s manifestation, when he comes to bear witness of what he has seen. On that day there will be a universal judgment of all nations; for it is his fixed purpose to execute upon them that penalty which they richly deserve.
Causing the nations to be converted (Zephaniah 3:9-10). [“Then,” Jehovah declares, “will I purify the peoples, that they may be worthy to invoke my name, and may serve me whole-heartedly. Even from far distant Ethiopia shall my people come with offerings.”]
Judah, reduced to a remnant, shall serve’ Jehovah (Zephaniah 3:11-13). On that day, O chosen people, so completely will you forgo evil deeds that no recollection of them will call up a blush of shame; for all your self-confident and haughty ones shall be removed, and those who are left, though few in number, and lowly and poor, shall be trustful, honorable, truthful, peaceful, and happy.