The Pulpit Commentary — Zephaniah — Section 40

nation for communities as well as for private persons.-T. W. Ver. 3.-An ,r;,;lwrtation to the meek, addressed to the believing remnant of Judah. I. A CHEERING TESTIMONY. 1. To the existence of a believing remnant. Dark as the outlook for Judah was, degenerate as the mass of her people had become, there were yet those belonging to her community who either had not apostatized from Jehovah or had reverted to their allegiance (see 2 Kings xxii., xxiii.; 2 Chron. xxxiv., xxxv.). Since "the days that were before the Flood" (Gen. vi. 5-7, 12, 13), God bas never wanted a seed to serve him, though oftentimes it bas been small, and as in the days of Elijah (1 Kings xix. 10, 18) scarcely perceptible, at least by man. Compare thP. times after the exile (Mai. iii. 16) and those preceding the birth of Christ (Luke ii. 25). " Even so at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace " (Rom. xi. 5). However discouraging in some respects the present aspect of society may be-what with infidelity in the upper and learned classes, indifference toward~ religion among the masses, and lukewarmness on the one hand with fanaticism on Lhe other in the Church itself-there are, nevertheless, those who fear God and think upon his Name, who believe in Christ and seek to follow in his steps, who sigh and cry for the irreligion of the age, mourn over the deadness and divisions of the Church, and pray for the coming of that happy era when "the earth shall be filled with the know- ledge of the Lord," etc. <,Isa. xi. 9). 2. To the beauty of their characters. Designated "the meek of the earth. ' Indicating (1) their patience in enduring the disesteem, scorn, ridicule, and perhaps also oppression, spoliation, and persecution heaped upon them for their nonconformity to general custom in the matter of religion, and for venturing to dissent from common practice in serving Baal ; and (2) their humility in maintaining intercourse with others, but especially in communing with God. Such virtues of patience and humility lie at the root of all religion (Matt. v. 3, 5), were, exemplified by Jesus Christ (Matt. xi. 29; xxvii. 12; 2 Car. x. 1; 1 Pet. ii. 23), a•.d are demanded of all bis followers (Eph. iv. 2; Col. iii. 12; 1 Pet. ii. 21). 3. To the piety of their lives. '.rhey bad "wrought J ehovah's judgment,'' i.e. had honestly endeavoured to carry out what Jehovah had prescribed as the right thing to do in the matter of worship and duty. This, after all, the ultimate test of sincerity in religion, which signifies not the mere acceptance of certain propositions relating to God, his worship, and his commandment, but the carrying out of God's will in respect of both. Compare what Samuel said to Saul (1 Sam. xv. 22), what Christ expla.ined to bis followers (John xiv. 15; xv. 14), and what Paul wrote to the Corinthians (2 Cor. x. 5). II. AN URGENT ADMONITION. 1. Its import. Explained by two clauses: "Seek righteousness, seek meekness," Only in these ways could Jehovah be sought-neither by coveting the material and temporal tokens of his favour, such as health, comfort, protection, prosperity, nor by maintaining the external forms of his worship. hGwever elaborate or costly, but by aspiring after inward and outward, spiritual and mora.l conformity to his Law (righteousness) and character (meekness). The same sense attaches to the phrase when addressed to Christians, who are exhorted to follow after righteousness and meekness (1 'l'im. vi. 11), and to seek both in Christ (MRtt. xi. 29; Rom. x. 4). 2. Its incidence. Declared by the words, "all ye meek." Addressed. to the humble-hearted, first in Judah, and then in the whole world. The obligation to seek Jehovah grounded for both on (1) their relations to Jehovah as his creatures and servants; (2) their own free choice of him as their Lord and King; (3) the nature of religion, which is not an act to he performed once for all, but a habit of soul to be m11intuined throughout lifo; and (4) the necessity of attending to their own safety,  38 THE BOOK OF ZE-PHANIAH, [011. u. 1-15.