Restoration Promised
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Introduction - Promises
Introduction - Promises
How many of us keep every single promise we have made? No one?! How many of us have made promises off the cuff without thinking them through? Everyone?! Our promises are usually made with the best of intentions - we make promises to do something or to not do something, to be somewhere at a specific place or time. No matter how well intentioned we are though events press in and prevent us from fulfilling our promises. We are caught off guard by things outside our control (which is everything).
The LORD is unlike us however when it comes to His promises. You see He is never surprised by events He knows all things and is sovereign in all things. Sovereign enough to be able to fulfill and accomplish His word in spite of giving people free-will. He act around our free-choices and still accomplish what He has proclaimed. This is important for Israel to understand and for us this morning as well. No matter how depressing the message of judgment in the Minor Prophets becomes it is never the final word of God to His people. As we have seen even in the judgments themselves there is offered hope a chance for repentance.
This morning as we close out the book of Zephaniah the words FOR I WILL THEN in verse 9 signifies the pivot in the prophet’s message from God. Tone changes and the content of the message changes. God makes a promise God will restore. Instead of the horrifying threats comforting promises of love, mercy, and restoration. These promises look forward to the Millennium when Christ comes to rule as King ont he earth. God’s promise in light of repeated sin of the nations and of God’s own people, God promised judgment but also RESTORATION is promised. The LORD always has the last word because He is able to fulfill His word and promises.
9 For I will then restore pure speech to the peoples so that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him with a single purpose. 10 From beyond the rivers of Cush my supplicants, my dispersed people, will bring an offering to me.
11 On that day you will not be put to shame because of everything you have done in rebelling against me. For then I will remove from among you your jubilant, arrogant people, and you will never again be haughty on my holy mountain. 12 I will leave a meek and humble people among you, and they will take refuge in the name of the Lord.
13 The remnant of Israel will no longer do wrong or tell lies; a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouths. They will pasture and lie down, with nothing to make them afraid. 14 Sing for joy, Daughter Zion; shout loudly, Israel! Be glad and celebrate with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has removed your punishment; he has turned back your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord, is among you; you need no longer fear harm. 16 On that day it will be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear; Zion, do not let your hands grow weak.
17 The Lord your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will be quiet in his love. He will delight in you with singing.” 18 I will gather those who have been driven from the appointed festivals; they will be a tribute from you and a reproach on her.
19 Yes, at that time I will deal with all who oppress you. I will save the lame and gather the outcasts; I will make those who were disgraced throughout the earth receive praise and fame. 20 At that time I will bring you back, yes, at the time I will gather you. I will give you fame and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes. The Lord has spoken.
Reversing Babel
Reversing Babel
9 For I will then restore pure speech to the peoples so that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him with a single purpose. 10 From beyond the rivers of Cush my supplicants, my dispersed people, will bring an offering to me.
11 On that day you will not be put to shame because of everything you have done in rebelling against me. For then I will remove from among you your jubilant, arrogant people, and you will never again be haughty on my holy mountain. 12 I will leave a meek and humble people among you, and they will take refuge in the name of the Lord.
13 The remnant of Israel will no longer do wrong or tell lies; a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouths. They will pasture and lie down, with nothing to make them afraid.
God promises to restore pure speech. Pure (guiltless and free of sin) speech to the peoples or nations (the peoples of nations). So that all of them - all of the nations may call on the name of the LORD and serve Him with a single purpose. See the promised restored hope for not just the Jews, but for all people and all nations - including us today. It is a promised restoration of speech changing the speech back to a pure speech a unified speech that all people not just the Jews may call on the name of the LORD and serve Him.
This change of speech brings me back to the tower of Babel for this is a reversal of what happened at Babel.
1 The whole earth had the same language and vocabulary. 2 As people migrated from the east, they found a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make oven-fired bricks.” (They used brick for stone and asphalt for mortar.)
4 And they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky. Let’s make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we will be scattered throughout the earth.” 5 Then the Lord came down to look over the city and the tower that the humans were building.
6 The Lord said, “If they have begun to do this as one people all having the same language, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let’s go down there and confuse their language so that they will not understand one another’s speech.”
Genesis 11:8–9 (CSB)
8 So from there the Lord scattered them throughout the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 Therefore it is called Babel or Babylon, for there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth, and from there the Lord scattered them throughout the earth.
The people thought building a tower to heaven would make a name for themselves - make them famous or well known in all the earth. Their desire was to have god-like status. God responded to their pride and their unification in this prideful and arrogant goal by confusing their language. They went from a single language to many and could no longer communicate with one another. They went their own way and thus were scattered throughout the earth and no longer built the city or the tower.
Zephaniah here gives the promise from God for reversing Babel and restoring their speech. This new speech here being pure is key because the Bible teaches that is what comes out of our mouth that reveals the condition of our heart.
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit will be good, or make the tree bad and its fruit will be bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.
35 A good person produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil person produces evil things from his storeroom of evil. 36 I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Or Luke puts it this way
43 “A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit. 44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs aren’t gathered from thornbushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.
An impure heart produces impure speech - it cant help it. God’s promise is to give the people pure hearts. God will give pure hearts by removing the heart of stone and replacing it with a new heart.
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will place my Spirit within you and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances.
The people will be united to serve the LORD with a single purpose. Beyond the rivers of Cush my supplicants and my dispersed people will bring an offering to me.
When Israel became a nation in 1948 - Jews from all over were brought into the land to dwell. Among those who returned were a people from Ethiopia called Falashas. Although they wore prayer shawls, carried the Torah, and celebrated the three major feasts of Judaism the Falashas were a mystery. Falasha tradition says when Queen of Sheba returned from her visit with Solomon - along with the gifts bestowed she also brought back Judaism. Unknown among the world for centuries a group of people living in Ethiopia were observant and practicing Jews.
God promises ON THAT Day you - His people - the people of God will not be put to shame because of their actions or their rebellion. God promises to remove the arrogant and haughty and leave behind the meek and humble and they will take refuge in the name of the LORD. This remnant of the restored - like the nations will be returned to pure speech - no longer telling lies or doing wrong and a deceitful tongue will not be found in them. Though national judgment is assured, God will not abandon His people - He is the covenant keeping Sovereign God.
6 Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For the Lord your God is the one who will go with you; he will not leave you or abandon you.”
8 The Lord is the one who will go before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”
Singing the Song of Salvation
Singing the Song of Salvation
14 Sing for joy, Daughter Zion; shout loudly, Israel! Be glad and celebrate with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! 15 The Lord has removed your punishment; he has turned back your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord, is among you; you need no longer fear harm.
16 On that day it will be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear; Zion, do not let your hands grow weak. 17 The Lord your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will be quiet in his love. He will delight in you with singing.”
Zephaniah calls on the people to sing for joy. God’s restored and purified people sing - they praise and they worship. They are called on to celebrate with all their heart. Think of all the ways people celebrate everything else that pales in comparison to God’s works for His people. Celebrate with all your heart - for God has removed your punishment, He has turned back your enemy and now stands among you. Sing a song of praise for He has given you the victory and is now ruling in your midst. Not only are we to praise Him for what He has done but we are called to praise Him for things yet to come.
14 The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. 15 There are shouts of joy and victory in the tents of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!
1 On that day you will say: “I will give thanks to you, Lord, although you were angry with me. Your anger has turned away, and you have comforted me. 2 Indeed, God is my salvation; I will trust him and not be afraid, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my song. He has become my salvation.” 3 You will joyfully draw water from the springs of salvation,
4 and on that day you will say, “Give thanks to the Lord; proclaim his name! Make his works known among the peoples. Declare that his name is exalted. 5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things. Let this be known throughout the earth. 6 Cry out and sing, citizen of Zion, for the Holy One of Israel is among you in his greatness.”
Israel was called to sing praises for the salvation from God, not only the temporary at the end of the exile but also in the future when her King comes to stand and rule in her midst. No longer fearing harm. Israel will not lack for reason to sing. But they will not be the only ones who sing for joy in that day. Israel is promised that the LORD God will be among them as a warrior who saves - but also as one who will rejoice and sing over them.
When it comes to God saving we cant help but sing and rejoice. We are to have joy in God, but did you know that God promises to have joy in you? Imagine that God rejoicing over you - it is said that there is more rejoicing in heaven over one convert.
7 I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.
God will rejoice over you and delight in you with singing - He will be singing His own song of salvation to us. We often underestimate the joy God has in His people and instead think of God as annoyed or irritated with us.
“Faulty as the church is, the LORD rejoices in her. While we mourn, as well we may, yet we do not sorrow as those that are without hope; for God does not sorrow, His heart is glad, and He is said to rejoice with joy — a highly emphatic expression.” Spurgeon
God promises to be quiet in His love - other manuscripts (Syrian) say that He will renew you in His love.
Gathering For Restoration
Gathering For Restoration
18 I will gather those who have been driven from the appointed festivals; they will be a tribute from you and a reproach on her. 19 Yes, at that time I will deal with all who oppress you. I will save the lame and gather the outcasts; I will make those who were disgraced throughout the earth receive praise and fame.
20 At that time I will bring you back, yes, at the time I will gather you. I will give you fame and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes. The Lord has spoken.
Now seven times through Zephaniah God says “I WILL”. To speak a strong hope before the believing remnant in Zephaniah’s day - in the face of His imminent judgment and His remote far off restoration mercies God spoke through the prophet to let the remnant grasp firmly the promises of God for comfort and strength.
I will gather those who have been driven (I will gather back from exile)
I will deal with all who oppress you
I will save the lame and gather outcasts
I will make those who were disgraced - to receive praise and fame
I will bring you back
I will gather you
I will give you fame and praise among all the peoples when I restore your fortunes.
Summarizing Israel’s yet-future blessings: regathering in the Promised Land (home), a favorable reputation (honor and praise) among all the nations, and a restoring of her fortunes (or a bringing back of her captives). This will all happen before her very eyes. In the Millennium, Israel will possess her land as God has promised, and the Messiah, Israel’s King, will establish His kingdom and will reign.
The assurance of these things is found in the final words - the LORD has spoken. With the emphasis on His divine authority and ultimate sovereignty as well as the certainty of these things Zephaniah ends with the LORD has spoken.
The message of judgment so pervasive in the Bible that some scholars doubt the accepted authorship of some of them due to the fact that they end on a positive note pointing towards a future hope.
15 I will plant them on their land, and they will never again be uprooted from the land I have given them. The Lord your God has spoken.
Many of the book in the Bible end in such depressing ways.
26 Joseph died at the age of 110. They embalmed him and placed him in a coffin in Egypt.
6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.”
The Bible as a whole however ends
20 He who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with everyone. Amen.
Conclusion
Conclusion
If this book were merely a work of man, it would never end this way. Or if it did, its note of optimism would ring false. Nothing in life encourages us to think that all will turn out well in the end and that the judgments of history will not be the final word. The truth is that this isnt merely a work of man - but a book written by man through the inspiration of the Spirit of God. Consequently, the promise of restoration rings true and is believable for the simple reason that the sovereign and gracious God has spoken it.
What a joy that is! Sin will not have the final word. Evil will not triumph. The devil will be judged. It is an encouraging word for our depressed and despairing world
The higher our view of salvation — our realization of what God’s done for us in rescuing us and saving us from our enemies — the higher our praise will be. Our praise will never rise above our view of salvation. What does your praise say about your view of your salvation? Not just your salvation — but God’s saving work among all the nations does it cause you to rejoice and praise the God who saves?
When will the ultimate deliverance of the LORD take place? Not until after the specified time when judgment is poured out. Zephaniah’s appeal is to seek the LORD! Before that great and terrible day known as the Day of the LORD comes. All nations will be judged but all who believe will be saved. Israel will experience the direct promises of God to act on her behalf against her enemies, and the Jews will be restored to their land.
Communion
Communion
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.