Sermon Tone Analysis

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.

Reversing Babel

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.

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.

Or Luke puts it this way

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.

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.

Singing the Song of Salvation

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.

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.

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

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.

Many of the book in the Bible end in such depressing ways.

The Bible as a whole however ends

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.