Those Whom the Lord Preserves

If you ever get frustrated with the sort of people who claim to be Christians and clearly are not by their lifestyle and beliefs, which they promote and practice, do not be alarmed. Zephaniah makes clear that many in his day believed they were God's people, but the day of judgment separated the remnant from among them. 

The prophet begins chapter three, condemning the "holy" city. 

Zephaniah 3:1–2 (ESV) Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city! 2 She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the LORD; she does not draw near to her God.

Jerusalem was a shell of religious pretense. She looked pious, but inwardly was far removed from pure devotion to God. 

Zephaniah 3:3–4 (ESV) Her officials within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave nothing till the morning. 4 Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men; her priests profane what is holy; they do violence to the law.

Notably, and again emphasized by the prophets, is the corruption at the top - those who should be administering justice and righteousness for the nation are rather abusing the people, devouring the weak, and violating the temple. Yet, the spiritual depravity of God's city does not besmirch God's own character. 

Zephaniah 3:5 (ESV) The LORD within her is righteous; he does no injustice; every morning he shows forth his justice; each dawn he does not fail; but the unjust knows no shame.

Though at times those who speak for God are the furthest thing from an accurate representative of Him, it doesn't mean God is any less holy, any less faithful, nor any less just. No man can undermine His infinite and holy character. 

God makes plain in verse 7 that all of His words have been ignored.
Zephaniah 3:7 (ESV) I said, ‘Surely you will fear me; you will accept correction. Then your dwelling would not be cut off according to all that I have appointed against you.’ But all the more they were eager to make all their deeds corrupt.

Now, if you were a faithful Israelite in the city of Jerusalem, surrounded by utter corruption in what should be a holy place in which God dwells among His people, you'd rightly be discouraged, and many prophets were, according to their own words in scripture. But verse 8 of this chapter is a SUDDEN TURN. God announces to the faithful one simple phrase: WAIT FOR ME.

Zephaniah 3:8 (ESV) “Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD, “for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed.

God announces His worldwide plan to transform a people for Himself. 
Zephaniah 3:9 (ESV) “For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the LORD and serve him with one accord.

Notice God specifies a new speech, a pure speech. The Lord's people will not be defined by ancestral heritage but by a new heart producing new fruit in their words - praise to the Almighty!

The Lord further promises that a holy remnant will be preserved while the proud will be removed.
Zephaniah 3:11–12 (ESV) “On that day you shall not be put to shame because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me; for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain. 12 But I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the LORD,

Do not miss the purpose of this purge. That a people will be left in the holy city to seek refuge in the name of the Lord. And...
Zephaniah 3:13 (ESV) those who are left in Israel; they shall do no injustice and speak no lies, nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue. For they shall graze and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.”

The testimony of the Bible is simply this: that God always has a people, humbled, hungry for Him, and shaped by His Word. They will form the sort of kingdom He desires, where no man treats another as an object on which to tramble but a brother to serve. 



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