Sofonias 3

Sofonias 3

Morgan - Therefore wait ye for Me, saith the Lord. Zeph. 3.8 That is the sentence in which the theme of the severity of God merges into that of His goodness. It is most significant, when the force of the "therefore" is considered. Observe the immediately pre-ceding words: "They rose early and corrupted all their doings." "Therefore?" because there is no hope of recovery in the people themselves, "wait ye for Me saith Jehovah." When the case is most hopeless, as to man's corruption, then Jehovah acts, and He does so in "indignation," in "fierce anger," in "the fire of His jealousy"; but all that in order to the ending of corruption and the restoration of the sinning people. From that point the prophetic message is one of hope; it becomes a song of love, and there is none more full of exquisite beauty in the Bible. It is a celebration of the Motherhood of God, in which the prophet described Him rejoicing over His people, silent in His love, and then breaking the silence with a song of love. That victory is the victory of love. That is to say that it can only issue from the action of the God of love. There is no hope 'in human effort. The only thing that man can do is to wait for God. But that waiting is a responsibility. To wait for God is to be at the end of self; it is to be submissive to His way of judgment; it is to return to Him with complete surrender, the surrender of utter hopelessness in any other than Himself, the surrender of acknowledged and yielding weakness. Wherever there is such waiting, in love He chastises to purification; and then in love rejoices as His purposes are fulfilled in the restoration of those upon whom His love is set. Zephaniah 3:9 "For then I will give to the peoples purified lips, that all of them may call on the Name of the LORD, to serve Him shoulder to shoulder. BGT ὅτι τότε μεταστρέψω ἐπὶ λαοὺς γλῶσσαν εἰς γενεὰν αὐτῆς τοῦ ἐπικαλεῖσθαι πάντας τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου τοῦ δουλεύειν αὐτῷ ὑπὸ ζυγὸν ἕνα LXE For then will I turn to the peoples a tongue for her generation, that all may call on the name of the Lord, to serve him under one yoke. KJV For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent. NET Know for sure that I will then enable the nations to give me acceptable praise. All of them will invoke the LORD's name when they pray, and will worship him in unison. CSB For I will then restore pure speech to the peoples so that all of them may call on the name of Yahweh and serve Him with a single purpose. 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. NIV "Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder. NLT "Then I will purify the speech of all people, so that everyone can worship the LORD together. NRS At that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him with one accord. NJB Yes, then I shall purge the lips of the peoples, so that all may invoke the name of Yahweh and serve him shoulder to shoulder. NAB For then I will change and purify the lips of the peoples, That they all may call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one accord; YLT For then do I turn unto peoples a pure lip, To call all of them by the name of Jehovah, To serve Him with one shoulder. RSV "Yea, at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him with one accord. NKJ "For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, That they all may call on the name of the LORD, To serve Him with one accord. ASV For then will I turn to the peoples of a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of Jehovah, to serve him with one consent. DBY For then will I turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of Jehovah, to serve him with one consent. GWN "Then I will give all people pure lips to worship the LORD and to serve him with one purpose. will - Isaiah 19:18; Matthew 12:35; Ephesians 4:29; purified lips: Genesis 11:1; that (expresses purpose - always ask "What purpose?"): 1Kings 8:41-43; Ps 22:27; 86:9,10; 113:3; Jer 16:19; Hab 2:14; Zech 2:11; Zech 8:20-23; 14:9; Acts 2:4-13; Ro 15:6-11; Rev 11:15 DIVINE RESTORATION For (term of explanation) then: Note the conjunction "then" which is a strategic expression of time -- always be alert to this word asking "What happens then?," or "When is then?", etc, especially in prophetic passages. Then often (usually) marks some event next in the order of time and thus helps establish sequence of prophetic events. In this case, the dark times of God's judgment (Zeph 3:8), will give way to a new day, a new age for mankind, as Jehovah promises a great conversion at His Second Coming. The peoples - The phrase the peoples describes the believing "remnant" of Gentiles (cf "peoples" in Zeph 3:20) who will be blessed during this time of restoration. So even though Zeph 1:2-3 says the wicked of the world would be cut off, not all be cut off. While Zephaniah is primarily addressing the Chosen People, the Gentiles are in no way excluded from this glorious time of restoration which will ultimately be consummated in the Millennial Reign of the Messiah on earth. A C Gaebelein explains this verse "means that the nations which escaped the judgment-wrath of the day of the Lord will be converted, and as a result of their conversion they will call upon the Lord with pure lips; all idolatry will cease and all serve the Lord as one man." (Annotated Bible Commentary) Moody Bible Commentary - The God of Israel is the God of all the earth. Thus, He promised that after He gathers the nations for judgment, those who call on His name will be transformed (cf Joel 2:32+) and He will give to the peoples purified lips (Zeph 3:9). Words are a reflection of the inner person (Mt 12:33–37), hence the image of purification of speech (Is 6:5–7+). ESV Study Bible - God the judge is also God the gracious. He intends that the nations (Ed: The Gentiles) should turn to him (Zeph 3:9–10), as well as His own people (Ed: Referring to those in Israel who turn to Him) (Zeph 3:11–13). (Borrow ESV Study Bible)