The Pulpit Commentary — Zephaniah — Section 64

RESTORATION OF lsnAEL. (Ver. 8.) 1. The time indicated. The day that ,Jehovah risoth up to the prey; i.o. to take for himself as a booty or spoil out of the nations he visits a people who shall desire his salvation and confess his Name. Among those who ehoJI then he captured by Jehovah will be IRrael, or at least a remnant thereof, who shall be brought again to their own land. '!'he time thus indicated began with Persia's overthrow of Babylon, to which doubtless the prophet's language primarily refers, continued till the advent of Christ, in whom Jehovah rose up not merely to bring redemption to the pious remnant of Israel (Luke i. 68), but to take out of the Gentiles a people for his Namfl (Acts xv. 14), and will not terminate till the close of the present era, during which, by the gospel, is being gathered out of all nations and kindreds, peoples and ton~ues, a people for Jehovah, of whom ancient Israel was but a shadow and a type (Matt. viii. 11; Luke xiii. 29; Rev. vii. 9). 2. The instru- mentality declared. A work of judgrnent upon the nations of the earth, which work again commenced with the destruction of Babylon, and will only be finished when Christ appears a second time to execute judgrnent upon all (Jude 15), and in particular to pour out his wrath upon the impenitent and unbelieving (2 Thess. i. 7, 8; Heb. x. 27; Rev. vi. 17). As in Zephaniah's time Jehovah declared it to be his fixed purpose to hold such an a3size of the nations, so has he revealed his intention to hold another and a grander at the end of time (Acts xvii. 31); and as he further main- tained (to adopt another rendering) that the holding of such an assize, with what would inevitably result from it, viz. "the devouring of all the earth with the fire of his jealousy," i.e. the destruction of his enemies by his judgments, and the salvation of his people by his grace, shoulrl be a clear vindication of his righteousness, so does he in respect of the final judgment claim that its decisions will manifest to all the righteous character of himself and his government (Rom. ii. 2, 5; 2 Thess. i. 5; Rev. xvi. 5). 3. The duty prescribed. To wait for Jehovah. Addressed, not to the whole wicked and corrupt nation (Hitzig), but to its pious remnant (Keil and Delitzsch, Pusey, Fausset, Farrar), this counsel was in effect: (1) A warning against apostasy. Though Jehovah's judgments should descend upon the nation, they, the meek of the land (eh. ii. 3), were not to discontinue either believing in Jehovah or practising his religion, but were to steadfastly adhere to both. (2) An intimation of mercy. Since, even before the judgment fell, Jehovah counselled them to wait for him after it had fallen, the sense could only be that he had it in contemplation to interpose in his own time for their deliverance. (3) An encouragement to hope. In the darkest hours of their despondency, when the nation's fortunes should be at the lowest ebb, they should not yield to despair, but look expectantly forward to the good time corning. The duty here prescribed that of God's people collectively and individually at all times, but especially in seasons of calamity and affliction. II. 'l'HE ENLARGEMENT OF IBRAEL. (Vers. 9, 10.) 1. The accession of the Gentiles. (1) The outward occasion of this turning of the nations to Israel. The visible, historical instrumentality by which it should be brought about has been declared to be the pouring out upon them of Jehovah's indignation. When God's judgments are abroad, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness (Isa. xxvi. 9). Nations a.nd communities no less than individuals, and these no less than those, not unfrequently require to be whipped into obedience and chastised into submission. Calamities in the shape of wars and pestilences bring powerful kingdoms and haughty empires to their knees, when nothing else will. Prodigals and profligates need experience of servitude and starvation at the swine's trough, before they will return in penitence to God. (2) The impelling force. Jehovah's grace in turning to them a pure language (literally," lip"). Not imparting to them instruction through his servants the prophets (Luther, Hofmann), but purifying their lips defiled by the worship of idols (Hitzig, Keil, and Delitzsch). This, again, was only possible by first purifying their hearts, o, weaning them from the love of their debasing superstitions. The fountain must be cleansed if the stream running from it is to be pure; the tree must be good if its fruit is to be good (Matt. x:ii. 33). The prime mover in all religious awakenings and reformations is God (Ezek. xxxvi. 27; John iii. 3, 5; vi. 63; Rom. viii. 2; 1 Cor. xv. 10). (3) The formal ex.pression. Calling upon the Name of the Lord. A phrase used to de8ignate the worship of Jehovnh by Abraham (lien. xii. 8), and of Christ by boliovors uuder the gospel (Rom. x:. 13). The Name of Go,i signifies !iis ll)anife~ted 62 THE BOOK OF ZEPHANIAH. [orr. m. 1-20.