Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.

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Zephaniah 3:

The Wickedness of Jerusalem

Zephaniah 3:¹ Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted,
To the oppressing city (Jerusalem)!

• The city of Jerusalem is called Egypt, Sodom, and Babylon for her worldliness, debauchery and idolatry. [cite]
  • Revelation 11:8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
  • Isaiah 47:1 “Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon;

Zephaniah 3:² She has not obeyed His voice,
She has not received correction;
She has not trusted in the Lord,
She has not drawn near to her God.

Zephaniah 3:³ Her princes (leaders) in her midst are roaring lions;
Her judges are evening wolves
That leave not a bone till morning.

Zephaniah 3:⁴ Her prophets are insolent, treacherous people;
Her priests have polluted (Or profaned) the sanctuary,
They have done violence to the law.

Zephaniah 3:⁵ The Lord is righteous in her midst,
He will do no unrighteousness.

Every morning (Lit. Morning by morning) He brings His justice to light;
He never fails,
But the unjust knows no shame.

Zephaniah 3:⁶ “I have cut off nations,
Their fortresses are devastated;
I have made their streets desolate,
With none passing by.
Their cities are destroyed;
There is no one, no inhabitant.

Zephaniah 3:⁷ I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me,
You will receive instruction’—
So that her dwelling would not be cut off,
Despite everything for which I punished her.
But they rose early (They were eager) and corrupted all their deeds.

A Faithful Remnant

Zephaniah 3:⁸ “Therefore wait for Me,” says the Lord,

• Wait for Jesus’ Return:

• Isaiah 25:9 And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”
• Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
• Isaiah 64:4 For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.

“Until the day I rise up (resurrect) for plunder (vengeance)

• (Other translations: For witness-for the day of My revelation for judgment-for the day of My resurrection that is to come);

• Wait for God’s agenda: He will rise up on the day of His resurrection, and He will repay evil in His indignation.

Zephaniah 3:⁸ My determination is to gather the nations
To My assembly of kingdoms,
To pour on them My indignation,
All My fierce anger;
All the earth shall be devoured
With the fire of My jealousy.

• Armageddon – when Jesus returns to earth to set up His kingdom and reigns for 1,000 years.
• Armageddon – when Jesus has a controversy with the nations who have gone against the Jews and the Jewish nation.
• Armageddon – when Jesus with His angels and saints chase the Antichrist (indwelt by Satan) down the valley and capture him.

• The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations – Matthew 25:³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. ³² All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. ³³ And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

BELOW: The Millennium

Zephaniah 3:⁹ “For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language (Lit. lip),
That they all may call on the name of the Lord,
To serve Him with one accord.

• A pure language has no deceit
• Secondarily, prophetically, Hebrew will be restored. This prophecy has already been fulfilled.
  

Zephaniah 3:¹⁰ From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia
My worshipers,
The daughter of My dispersed ones (the Jews),
Shall bring My offering.

Zephaniah 3:¹¹ In that day you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds
In which you transgress against Me;
For then I will take away from your midst
Those who rejoice in your pride,
And you shall no longer be haughty
In My holy mountain (Zion).

Zephaniah 3:¹² I will leave in your midst
A meek and humble people,
And they shall trust in the name of the Lord.

• Psalm 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
• Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.

Zephaniah 3:¹³ The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness
And speak no lies,
Nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth;
For they shall feed their flocks and lie down,
And no one shall make them afraid.”

Joy in God’s Faithfulness

Zephaniah 3:¹⁴ Sing, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!

Zephaniah 3:¹⁵ The Lord has taken away your judgments,
He has cast out your enemy.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
You shall see (fear) disaster no more.

• John 12:13 Took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!”

• When Jesus returns at the end of the seven years of tribulation He will set up His kingdom on earth.

Zephaniah 3:¹⁶ In that day (the Millennium) it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Do not fear;
Zion, let not your hands be weak.

Zephaniah 3:¹⁷ The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Zephaniah 3:¹⁸ “I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly,
Who are among you,
To whom its reproach is a burden.

Zephaniah 3:¹⁹ Behold, at that time I will deal with all who afflict you;

• The seven year tribulation is called the day of affliction.
• Hosea 5:15 I will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”
• Psalm 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.
• Isaiah 60:14 Also the sons of those who afflicted you Shall come bowing to you, And all those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of your feet; And they shall call you The City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
• Micah 4:6 Zion’s Future Triumph – “In that day,” says the Lord, “I will assemble the lame, I will gather the outcast And those whom I have afflicted;

I will save the lame,
And gather those who were driven out;
I will appoint them for praise and fame
In every land where they were put to shame.

Zephaniah 3:²⁰ At that time I will bring you back,
Even at the time I gather you;
For I will give you fame (Lit. a name) and praise
Among all the peoples of the earth,
When I return your captives before your eyes,”
Says the Lord.

• The last regathering.