Explore: Our great salvation

• The Explore the Bible lesson for March 15 focuses on Zephaniah 3:8-17.

Zephaniah’s oracle in context 

One of the most heart-wrenching subjects of theology we all must deal with involves the role of God in our suffering. For example, many well-intentioned clergy and laypeople visit hospitals in order to pray with loved ones and church members. In these hospital rooms, we usually find saints of God who have effectively raised their families, faithfully served the church and dutifully walked with the Lord for years and years. Yet there they are. They are dealing with cancer. Their minds are being taken away from them. Hearts and lungs are giving out. These situations seem to make little, if any, sense. How involved is God in the pains of our lives? How does God direct history or have control of life?

Fortunately for us, Zephaniah struggled with a similar kind of theological conundrum. He took no great pleasure in announcing the downfall of Nineveh, the wider Assyrian Empire and even Jerusalem. What started out to be a promising monarchy for God’s people under King Josiah ultimately crumbled. Why, then, was God allowing or even directing all of this calamity to happen? 

Zephaniah, by chapter 3 of his oracle, seems to side with the Apostle Paul, who claimed, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). In other words, Zephaniah cannot advocate for a kind of Stoic philosophy that denies God’s direct involvement or presence in even painful life issues. Things obviously will not just “work out” in Zephaniah’s theology. Yet Zephaniah—like Paul—suggests God refuses to exercise his sovereignty in an arbitrary way. For instance, Zephaniah lists a number of habitual sins in 3:2 that brought about God’s righteous indignation. Could it be, then, that Zephaniah recognized God’s antecedent and consequent will?

God’s antecedent will is that which is ideal to God. In fact, Jesus’ weeping over Jerusalem indicates the Father and the Son desired and willed peace for the belabored city (Luke 19:41-44). Accordingly, God’s consequent will equates to what God allows or permits. And God permits us to make choices. In other words, God sometimes allows calamity we either did or did not bring upon ourselves. Yet God is present and powerful in the midst of the pain. God can therefore be trusted in the ups and downs of life. Most importantly, God can be trusted to save us by his grace through faith. Consequently, Zephaniah suggests the people of God celebrate and cling to hope in the midst of pain in three ways.

Wait in faith (Zephaniah 3:8)

The theme of God’s jealousy once again appears, indicating God will stand up for justice and do what is right for his people. Jerusalem, however, now will be included in the list those communities of impending judgment. The Day of the Lord is at hand. Yet the command to “wait” ought to give readers hope a faithful remnant will endure and be given some sort of substantive patience in the midst of great pain and suffering. Zephaniah therefore trusts in the covenant-keeping God. He will work things for good, or the ultimate salvation, of those “who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Call on God (Zephaniah 3:9-13)

Scholars agree this section marks a staggeringly hope-filled transition in Zephaniah’s language. Consequently, Zephaniah saw through the fog of God’s impending wrath to a clearer, sunnier time when the consequences of the Tower of Babel episode will be no more. God will purify the “lips,” or languages, of his people, effectively shoring up a holy people who worship God alongside one another with awe, reverence and right hearts. God is able to remove the effects of our sins and to purify our lives for his service.

Zephaniah then discussed the return of dispersed or scattered obedient worshippers from Cush. Cush likely serves as another name for the ancient nation of Ethiopia, giving us the impression that God’s scattered ones will return to Jerusalem from the ends of the known earth for reconciliation and joyful worship. It is most likely 3:10 was written and/or edited and interpreted from a post-exilic frame of reference.

Next, Zephaniah spoke about the ways in which God would remove the arrogant in Jerusalem in favor of a faithful, peaceable remnant. Zephaniah said God would bring this about “on that day,” or at some point after the impending judgment. Like his other prophetic contemporaries, Zephaniah highlighted here the major responsibilities of God’s obedient ones to take individual responsibility for their sin. Theology and ethics always go together.

Celebrate salvation (Zephaniah 3:14-17)

Zephaniah recognized God’s command for the faithful, repentant ones in the saved Jerusalem to sing and shout for joy “on that day.” The people must rejoice, for the threat of judgment from the external enemies of God will be abated. God’s presence even will allow the people to work and worship in freedom, for God said, “Do not let your hands hang limp.” This statement implies the people would not have to shrink in fear of enemies and other perpetrators of evil.

We can and certainly must read this section with Jesus at the center of our interpretation. 

God has offered hope of forgiveness and redemption through Jesus Christ. The believer, even though life can seem hopelessly bad, still has reason to celebrate, because we too look forward to “that day.” What a day of rejoicing that will be.