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In the old 'All prophecies' thread I only posted verses dealing with end times, however, I approached Zephaniah differently because the book is short and the prophecies of end times are woven in with judgements against Israel and the nations prior to end times. Here's a review of those posts: Thread: All prophecies the bible says will happen in End Times are happening or close to being completed at present (Page 29) (and earlier pages) I left off at Zephaniah with an outline chapter 3 , and verse 3:10: Chapter 3 vv. 1-5 — Judgment on Jerusalem. Judgment is in ratio to her privilege. vv. 6-8 — Judgment on all nations — this is Armageddon, which ends with the return of Christ to the earth. III. Judgments removed; kingdom established, Chapter 3:9-20 v. 9 — This does not mean there will be one language for the entire world, although there may be only one language — perhaps the language on the other side of the Tower of Babel. The thought here is “pure” in the sense of the removal of the filthy, profane, and nasty language. The “four letter words” will disappear. vv. 10-12 — These are kingdom conditions. vv. 13-16 — The remnant of Israel enters the kingdom. Their attitude and speech are changed. Fear is removed. The Lord Jesus Christ reigns over them personally. This refers to the second coming of Christ. v. 17 — This verse is the key of the book. This is the white light in a black background. The purpose of judgment is not vindictive, but to cleanse and purify in order that blessing and goodness might ensue from the ordeal. (See author’s booklet, “The Dark Side of Love.”) vv. 18-20 — This describes kingdom conditions. [ link to www.bible-studys.org] Zephaniah 3:10 "From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, [even] the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering." Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God"; that is, in prayer: and these are the sons and daughters of the Almighty, who are scattered abroad in the several parts of the world, and among the rest here; but as they are gathered together by Christ in redemption, so they are found out and reached by efficacious grace in calling, whether Jews or Gentiles. Some think the Jews are here meant, even the elect of God among them, who were dispersed in several nations, and particularly in Egypt and Ethiopia; who were met with by the Gospel, and converted in the first times of it; to these Peter and James direct their epistles: and of whom, being called by grace, it is said, they: shall bring mine offering........ Revelation 15:4 "Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for [thou] only [art] holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest." Zephianiah Verses 11-13: The Lord will purge the proud and ungodly from among them. (Zech. 13:1-6), leaving a meek and humble people. Material prosperity and peace will accompany them as well, allowing them to enjoy the rich blessings of God undisturbed (Joel 3:18-20; Mica 4:4). Zephaniah 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." "In that day shall thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me": Because these shall not be continued in, but repented of, and forsaken; and, besides, shall be forgiven, blotted out, covered, and remembered no more. "For then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride": The Scribes and Pharisees, and those that adhered to them of the Jewish nation, who rejoiced in those things which that people generally prided themselves in and boasted of. Their descent from Abraham, and their observance of the rites and ceremonies of the law. And the traditions of their elders, and their external legal righteousness. And they rejoiced in their boastings of these things, which rejoicing was evil. And they, in the pride of their hearts, despised Christ and his righteousness, his Gospel, ordinances, and people, which were the things in which they transgressed against the Lord, and for which they were taken away by the sword, famine, and pestilence, at the destruction of Jerusalem. "And thou shall no more be haughty because of mine holy mountain": The temple; or, "in" it; since it should now be destroyed: the Jews gloried in the temple, and behaved proudly and haughtily on the account of it; reckoned themselves secure, because of that; and trusted and gloried in the sacrifices there offered up, and the services there performed (see Jer. 7:4). All Israel shall be turned to the Lord, and they will no longer be a haughty people, believing they are the only children of God. They had thought themselves better than the rest of the world, because they alone, had the law of God. This was all removed in the coming of their Messiah who brought salvation to all the world. Zephaniah 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.""I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people": Of a character just the reverse of the proud and haughty that should be removed from Jerusalem and Judea by death or captivity. These are they that should be preserved from the general calamity, as the Christians were, and were left in the church of God. The followers of Jesus Christ are the humble people of the world. They have to give up all their conceit and arrogance to come to Christ. The power to live the Christian life lies in the ability to trust in the name of Jesus.
Matthew 5:3 "Blessed [are] the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Luke 6:20 “And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed [be ye] poor: for yours is the kingdom of God." Philippians 2:10-11 "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;" "And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Zephaniah 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." " The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity": This is the remnant, according to the election of grace, the few the Lord reserved for himself, left in the land, and in his church, for his own glory; who, being truly convinced of sin, and brought to believe in Christ, should leave and forsake their former course of sinning. Not that they should be without sin, or none be committed by them; but should not live in it, and be workers of it. Make a trade of sinning, and continue therein; or should not commit the sin against the Holy Ghost, as great numbers of the Jews did, in rejecting Jesus as the Messiah, against clear evidence, and the light of their own consciences. [ link to www.bible-studys.org] These are those people who are holy, because He is holy. They are not interested in sin. They are interested in pleasing God. They have all the good habits of Christ, because Christ lives in them. These are speaking of those who have made Christ their Lord. 1 John 3:9 "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."
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