Sermon Tone Analysis

*Zephaniah 4**.*

*Intro – context:* Suppose you were about to enter a room, but you overheard some people talking: “I’ll murder you!” Sinister words!

What do you do?

Call the cops?

Well it depends … you may have heard a sister reacting to her brother who has just sprinkled salt on her wheatbix, you may have overheard John talking to his opponent just before he goes out to play tennis, or you may have heard an underworld criminal – the first means “I’ll get you back.”; the second: “I’ll win convincingly”; and only the third actually means “I’ll kill you”.

The meaning and your response depends on the CONTEXT *[P]*.

With this in mind, let us read: *[P]* [*Zephaniah 2:4-15* /For Gaza will be abandoned and Ashkelon a desolation; Ashdod will be driven out at noon and Ekron will be uprooted.

Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, the nation of the Cherethites!

The word of יְהוָה is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; and I will destroy you so that there will be no inhabitant.

So the seacoast will be pastures, with caves for shepherds and folds for flocks.

And the coast will be for the remnant of the house of Judah, they will pasture on it.

In the houses of Ashkelon they will lie down at evening; for יְהוָה their God will care for them and restore their fortune.

“I have heard the taunting of Moab and the revilings of the sons of Ammon, with which they have taunted My people and become arrogant against their territory.

“Therefore, as I live,” declares יְהוָה of armies, the God of Israel, “Surely Moab will be like Sodom and the sons of Ammon like Gomorrah— a place possessed by nettles and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation.

The remnant of My people will plunder them and the remainder of My nation will inherit them.”

This they will have in return for their pride, because they have taunted and become arrogant against the people of יְהוָה of armies.

יְהוָה will be terrifying to them, for He will starve all the gods of the earth; and all the coastlands of the nations will bow down to Him, everyone from his own place.

“You also, O Ethiopians, will be slain by My sword.”

And He will stretch out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria, and He will make Nineveh a desolation, parched like the wilderness.

Flocks will lie down in her midst, all beasts which range in herds; both the pelican and the hedgehog will lodge in the tops of her pillars; birds will sing in the window, desolation will be on the threshold; for He has laid bare the cedar work.

This is the exultant city which dwells securely, who says in her heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me.”

How she has become a desolation, a resting place for beasts!

Everyone who passes by her will hiss and wave his hand in contempt/.]

Here we go again, more of the same doom and gloom – prophecies of destruction and desolation (4x).

These prophets were a cheery lot!

But look at the context *[P]* – who is the prophecy addressed to?

In chapter 1 Zephaniah was addressing Judah and Jerusalem (Zeph 1:4, 12), in (Zeph 2:1) it is a “nation” singular that is addressed – יְהוָה is speaking to His own people, His own nation.

But from (Zeph 2:4) onward the prophecy is addressed to other nations.

*Judgement of God’s enemies:* The context is important – is it more of the same doom and gloom?

If destruction is prophesied on me, then it’s bad news *[P]*.

But if destruction is promised on my enemies *[P]* – then that is good news for me! *[P]* Here is the nation of Judah *[P]*.

Look who the prophecy is directed against: 1~/ in (Zeph 2:4-7) it is Philistia *[P]* – they were Judah’s direct neighbours to the west.

2~/ in (Zeph 2:8-11) it is Moab *[P]*, directly to the east, across the Dead Sea, and just to the north of Moab, Ammon *[P]* 3~/ Then in (Zeph 2:12) it is Cush *[P]* – here is Judah *[P]* – and here is Cush *[P]* – Ethiopia~/Sudan, a nation to the south of Egypt.

So we have nations that were near to Judah, now we have a nation that is distant.

We have had nations to the west, to the east, now to the south; 4~/ then in (Zeph 2:13-15) we have the mighty empire of Assyria *[P]* – which was to the north, and again distant.

So near and far; on every point of the compass; the small and the mighty – it is encompassing all the nations (Zeph 2:11).

All are enemies of God’s people.

Remember the context is the Day of יְהוָה, the last days – and in that day all the nations will be arraigned against Jerusalem, against God’s people.

Don’t we see the signs of that today in the response to the flotilla sent to Gaza?

These are the enemies of God’s people and in the Day of יְהוָה they too will be judged.

Zephaniah illustrates a principle here: [*1 Peter 4:17-18* /For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner?/]

– Judgement begins with the house of God, יְהוָה’s own people *[P]* – that is what we saw in (Zeph 1:4-2:3).

Judgement begins with the house of God, but it doesn’t stop there.

First we will be judged – then God’s hand in unleashed against our enemies *[P]*.

If we have a tough time, what is it going to be like for them!

The enemies of יְהוָה prosper and prevail but their day is coming too! *[P]*

*Philistia*: (Zeph 2:4-7) *[P]* To the west, towards the coast, are the cities of the Philistines — Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod and Ekron.

It calls them Cherethites – referring to their origin from Crete.

They are strong communities, thriving on trade.

But Zephaniah warns that God will destroy them, leaving them deserted and in ruins.

The coastal plain will become pasture for the sheep of Judah — a glimpse of a future for God’s people after the coming crisis.

Total destruction is prophesied, the picture is that of invasion by an army – leaving the major cities abandoned, desolate, the inhabitants driven away, uprooted.

It speaks of the sudden expulsion from the land.

From having thriving cities the land will become empty.

The Palestinians, today, claim to have Philistine heritage (Philistine~/Palestine) and live in the Gaza strip along the coast.

They have taken יְהוָה’s land from His people but יְהוָה decrees otherwise – the word of יְהוָה is against them!

*[P]* (Zeph 2:5) – they will not stay in the land, they will be expelled.

Man, despite his plots, his plans, his violence, his politicking, despite public opinion and international consensus - the Palestinians will not dwell in the land - there will be "NO INHABITANTS" - יְהוָה has spoken!

He has said "*/I will/* destroy you!" Oh foolish Palestinians to oppose the will of יְהוָה.

*/Woe/* to you!

The word of יְהוָה is /against /you!

How can you succeed in your way when you oppose the will of יְהוָה Himself?!

They have determined to dwell in יְהוָה’s land; He has thus determined that they will be DESTROYED!

יְהוָה is against the Canaanite (Zeph 2:5) - the merchant, the one who gets rich as the middle-man, buying and selling – they will be destroyed personally by יְהוָה Himself!

When יְהוָה destroys, He does so thoroughly and completely – when He destroys, there is no inhabitant, no survivor, no remnant.

This is the fate of the Palestinian who has set his will in opposition to יְהוָה’s word.

What a terrible position to be in - for יְהוָה’s word to be against you!

If you oppose יְהוָה, you will not succeed!

* Moab and Ammon*: (Zeph 2:8-11) *[P]* – Ammon and Moab often occur together – they are both descended from Lot through his two daughters who seduced him.

The Moabites refused to let Israel pass through their country on their way to the Promised Land, along with Midian, they sent for Balaam to curse them (Num 22-24).

Subsequently, Israel was enticed into idolatry and intermarried with them.

They were always hostile to Israel until king Saul subdued them (1 Sam 14:47) and they were later tributary to David and succeeding Jewish kings (2 Sam 8:2, 11; 2 Kings 3:4) but Solomon intermarried with them and introduced their idols to Israel (1 Kings 11:1-5).

Finally they joined Babylon against Judah (2 Kings 24:2).

The Ammonites were a cruel, covetous, proud, vindictive and idolatrous nation.

These two nations have long despised Judah, and God has been particularly offended by their arrogance and paganism.

יְהוָה has seen and heard what Moab and Ammon have done against His people – they have stored up for themselves wrath – יְהוָה’s wrath will be directed against them on the Day of the LORD.

They spoke, and יְהוָה has heard (Zeph 2:8), now He declares (Zeph 2:9)!

The LORD of armies, the Almighty warrior decrees judgement – destruction and desolation.

He swears by Himself, by His most essential, eternal, unique quality – His */LIFE!/*

He goes on oath in decreeing their fate – it is certain and unavoidable!

Moab will be like Sodom, Ammon will become like Gomorrah – the epitome of judgement, complete destruction, Divine supernatural annihilation of evil — inflicting on them, the judgment that Lot escaped.

Their land will be waste and deserted – nettles and salt pits – destroyed, desolation forever!

יְהוָה is totally unsparing.

Is this your concept of God? Utterly ruthless against His enemies; but eternally faithful to His chosen people.

* Cush*: (Zeph 2:12) *[P]* יְהוָה issues judgement against the Ethiopians – a mighty nation, briefly dismissed in one verse.

They also will be slain in יְהוָה’s day of judgement.

They will die in war – יְהוָה’s own sword will kill them.

Ethiopia, or Cush, was the most distant nation south – it is used to refer to the far-reaching extent of יְהוָה’s judgement.

*Assyria*: (Zeph 2:13-15) *[P]* Lastly, Zephaniah declares the fate of Assyria and her capital Nineveh.

As he speaks, she dominates the international scene with invincible power and legendary cruelty.

For half a century she has demanded and received tribute from Judah as the price of peace.

She thinks she is God (“I am and there is no one beside me!”) – What blasphemous arrogance!

But that is the attitude around today.

Man thinks that he is the centre, that he can do anything, that he has all the answers, knows how the universe came into being, can sort out any problem, that he is answerable to no one!

Assyria thinks she is God, but Zephaniah proclaims her destruction.

The judgement of the Day of the LORD extends to all the nations – even the mightiest of empires will be brought to nothing!

They will cease to be, under the hand of יְהוָה’s wrath!

Assyria was the mighty empire that ruled the world, the military power that conquered all before it – invincible – but not before יְהוָה!

The one that destroyed so many would herself be destroyed.