Zephaniah 3.2a-The First Two Indictments Against the Citizens of Jerusalem
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday June 14, 2016
Zephaniah: Zephaniah 3:2a-The First Two Indictments Against the Citizens of Jerusalem
Lesson # 61
Zephaniah 3:2 She heeded no voice, she accepted no instruction. She did not trust in the LORD, she did not draw near to her God. (NASB95)
“She heeded no voice” is composed of the following: (1) negative particle lōʾ (לֹא), “no” (2) third person feminine singular qal active perfect form of the verb šāmaʿ (שָׁמַע), “she heeded” (3) preposition b (בְּ), which is not translated (4) masculine singular form of the noun qôl (קוֹל), “voice.”
The writer is using the figure of asyndeton four times here in Zephaniah 3:2.
This means he is not using a connective word between the last statement in Zephaniah 3:1 and the first one here in Zephaniah 3:2.
It also means that he is not using a connective word between each of the remaining three statements here in Zephaniah 3:2.
The purpose of this figure is to emphasize each of these four statements so that the reader would meditate upon them for the purpose of personal application.
The verb šāmaʿ means “to obey” in the sense of submitting to legitimate authority and so do what is asked or required and thus, the word does not simply express the concept of hearing the Word of God but of also obeying it.
The word’s meaning is negated by the negative particle lō(ʾ), which is a marker of a negative proposition.
It is not emphatic because not every single Jew living in the seventh century B.C. was disobedient to God.
Also those living during the seventieth week will not all be disobedient to God.
The third person feminine singular form of this verb is a reference to the city of Jerusalem and specifically the Jews living in this city during the seventh century B.C. and those who will be living in her during the seventieth week.
Therefore, together, these two words indicate that the majority of Jews living in the city of Jerusalem in the seventh century B.C. and those living in this city during the seventieth week “did not obey” God’s servants, the prophets God sent to Israel when she was united and those He sent to the northern and southern kingdoms.
The prophets would of course include Moses as well as the prophets who followed him.
The prophets after Moses were sent by God to call the Jewish people back to obedience to the Mosaic Law.
The majority of Jews did not obey the prophets of Israel in the sense that they did not obey their teaching.
Therefore, these two words express the concept of disobedience to God’s Word.
The noun qôl means “voice” since it pertains to audible, intelligent sounds of a human, group of humans or of God.
Here it refers to the voice of the prophets of Israel who were sent by God to Israel, the northern and southern kingdoms so as to call the Jews to repentance and consequently obedience to the Law.
“She accepted no instruction” is composed of the following: (1) negative particle lōʾ (לֹא), “no” (2) third person feminine singular qal active perfect form of the verb lāqaḥ (לָקַח), “she accepted” (3) masculine singular noun mûsār (מוּסָר), “instruction.”
The verb lāqaḥ means “to accept” since it pertains to believing something and so acting upon it.
Here the object of this word is the noun mûsār which means “instruction” since the word pertains to teaching on a particular subject.
Here the instruction is of course the Word of God and specifically it speaks of the teaching of Moses and the prophets of Israel who followed him.
The meaning of the verb lāqaḥ is negated by the negative particle lō(ʾ), which is a marker of a negative proposition.
It is not emphatic because not every single Jew living in the seventh century B.C. did not accept instruction.
Also those living during the seventieth week will not all refuse instruction from God.
The third person feminine singular form of this verb is a reference to the city of Jerusalem and specifically the Jews living in this city during the seventh century B.C. and those who will be living in her during the seventieth week.
Therefore, together, these two words indicate that the majority of Jews living in the city of Jerusalem in the seventh century B.C. and those living in this city during the seventieth week “did not accept” instruction from Moses and the prophets who followed him.
Zephaniah 3:2 She did not obey a voice. She did not accept instruction. She did not trust in the Lord. She did not draw near to God. (My translation)
This prophecy recorded in Zephaniah 3:1-7 is not only directed at those Jews living in the seventh century B.C. in Zephaniah’s day but also those living in this city during the seventieth week of Daniel.
This is indicated by the fact that the seventieth week contains the final last seven years of God disciplining the nation of Israel and her capital city Jerusalem for their disobedience.
The statements recorded in Zephaniah 3:2 are directed at the city of Jerusalem and in particular the Jewish citizens of this city who lived in her during the seventh century B.C. and those who will be living in her during the seventieth week of Daniel.
These statements serve as an indictment against these unfaithful Jews living during these two distinct time periods.
Each of these statements was not true of each and every Jew living during the seventh century B.C. since Zephaniah 2:3 affirms there were faithful Jews still living in the kingdom of Judah.
Each of these statements will not be true of each and every Jew living during the seventieth week of Daniel since Revelation 7:1-8 reveals that 12,000 Jews from each of the twelve tribes of Israel will believe in Jesus Christ.
In fact, the majority of Jews will trust in Jesus Christ as Savior at His Second Advent.
Therefore, each of these statements is a characterization of the majority of Jews living in Jerusalem.
They are true of the majority of Jews living in Jerusalem during the seventh century B.C. and those living during the seventieth week.
However, the majority of Jews will trust in Jesus at His Second Advent when He comes to deliver them from Satan, Antichrist and the tribulational armies surrounding Jerusalem.
The first two statements describe the relationship of these unfaithful Jews to the Word of God.
Specifically, it describes their bad attitude toward the teaching of Moses and the prophets of Israel and for those living during the seventieth week their bad attitude toward not only the Old Testament but the New Testament and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In relation to the unfaithful Jews living during the seventh century B.C., the first statement asserts that these unfaithful Jews did not obey a voice which means that they did not obey the voice of a prophet from Moses to Zephaniah.
In relation to those unfaithful Jews living during the seventieth week, it asserts that they did not obey the voice of the Old Testament prophets and also the New Testament and thus Jesus Christ and His apostles.
In relation to the unfaithful Jews living during the seventh century B.C., the second statement in Zephaniah 3:2 asserts that these unfaithful Jews did not accept instruction, which means that they did not accept instruction the prophets of Israel, from Moses to Zephaniah.
In relation to those unfaithful Jews living during the seventieth week, it asserts that they did not accept instruction from the Old Testament prophets and also the New Testament and thus Jesus Christ and His apostles.
In relation to the unfaithful Jews living during the seventh century B.C., the second statement in Zephaniah 3:2 asserts that these unfaithful Jews did not accept instruction also means that they did not respond in repentance to God disciplining them.
In relation to those unfaithful Jews living during the seventieth week, it asserts that they did not accept instruction from the Old Testament prophets and also the New Testament and thus Jesus Christ and His apostles.
It also means that they did not respond in repentance to God disciplining them.