CRITICAL NOTES.]
Zephaniah 1:7.] Judgment speedily comes. Hold] A summons to silent submission (Habakkuk 2:20); the reason given, the day near. Sacrifice] of victims of justice (Isaiah 34:6; Jeremiah 46:10); “nations consecrated to war, that they may consume Jacob” (Jeremiah 10:25) [Keil]. Guests] Lit. sanctified those invited (cf. Isaiah 13:3; 1 Samuel 9:13-22; 1 Samuel 16:5).
Zephaniah 1:8. Princes] should have set an example of virtue, but imitated foreign oppressors. Strange] Peculiar vestments belonging to the worship of each idol (2 Kings 10:22); a violation of law (Deuteronomy 22:5).
Zephaniah 1:9. Leap] An idol rite practised in the temple of Dagon (1 Samuel 5:5). Fill] With goods obtained by violence. The servants of the princes were eager to rush out of the palace, seize the property of others to increase their master’s wealth.
HOMILETICS
PRUDENT SILENCE.—Zephaniah 1:7
God’s anger is not easily seen, nor his words laid to heart, by those who are most concerned. Hence warnings are given time after time. Judgments are at hand, and though men will pursue their own folly, yet God has fixed a day of vengeance. Sinners therefore should tremble before the majesty of God, who can destroy the rebellious.
I. Hold thy peace, and do not murmur. Sinners murmur at their lot in life; at the threatening and punishment of God for their sins. They deny his right and his providence over men. The righteous feel condemned in God’s presence (Job 11:4; Psalms 143:2), how much more should the wicked! They are warned, devoid of every plea and excuse. The voice of Divine judgment finds an echo in every heart, “we indeed justly” (Luke 23:41).
II. Hold thy peace, for God is present. He sees our ways, and hears our ingratitude. “Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?” Hush! for if you would not like a friend or a prince to hear your words, why should God be offended with them? If at any time speech is silvern and silence golden, it is in the presence of the Great Judge.
III. Hold thy peace, for the day of decision is at hand. Things which perplex and astonish will soon be cleared up. “The day of the Lord is at hand,” and will speedily come (cf. Habakkuk 2:20; Zechariah 2:13).
“Thought has not colours half so fair,
That she to paint that hour may dare,
In silence best adored” [Keble].
IV. Hold thy peace, and submit. Submission is the most becoming attitude. The praise of silence has its pre-eminent advocate in Carlyle, who writes: “Nay, in thy own mean perplexities, do thou thyself but hold thy tongue for one day: on the morrow, how much clearer are thy purposes and duties; what wreck and rubbish have those mute workmen within thee swept away, when intrusive noises were shut out.” “Thou, whosoever hast been wont to speak against God, as if he had no care about earthly affairs, cease thy murmurs and self-justifications: submit thyself to God, and repent in time” [Calvin].
THE DAY OF JEHOVAH’S SACRIFICE.—Zephaniah 1:7-9
Judgment is described as a sacrifice. The Jewish people are prepared, and the nations whom God has called to war are invited to punish them. It is not a sacrifice of joy but of sorrow.
I. The feast is prepared. “The Lord hath prepared a sacrifice.” Such as set aside the means of grace and despise the regular offerings, only prepare themselves for sacrifice. When men do not repent of sin and offer themselves “a living sacrifice,” they will become victims of their own folly. Blessings are withdrawn, and judgments prepared for them. “The Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea.”
II. The guests are invited. “He hath bid his guests.” The nations whom God has sanctified or set apart are the guests. Nations and individuals, whatever their aims and passions, are called to execute God’s displeasure. There is a kind of awe about “the scourges of God.” They are sanctified sometimes in spite of themselves. The Chaldæans and the Romans, Caiaphas, Herod, and Pilate, are constrained to bear testimony to God. “I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger.”
III. The sacrifices to be offered. The judgments will fall with equal severity upon all ranks.
1. The royal families. “The princes and the king’s children.” Great men often abuse their power, influence the people by their examples, and become chief in provocation. Royalty is not exempt from responsibility, and will be reckoned with for its pride and wickedness.
“A flatter’d prince soon turns the prince of fools” [Ben Jonson].
2. The noble servants. “All such as are clothed with strange apparel.” Apostate nobles and princes imitated royal families; mimicked the manners of the heathen, and adopted their costumes. “Their apparel indicated their treasonable leanings, their servility to alien monarchs, their addiction to heathen vices and superstitions.”
3. The servile retainers. These were more licentious and cruel than the masters they served, lived by plunder and extortion, and leaped out of their own stronghold to invade that of others. Great men often think that their will should be law, and employ servants to support their prodigality by fraud and violence. But the obligations to God are greater than the claims of any master.
THE LORD’S SACRIFICE.—Zephaniah 1:7
I. The sacrifice which the Lord hath prepared. The sacrifice of Christ a subject at all times interesting. It is the believer’s feast and the sinner’s hope. It demonstrates the love of God. Man has sinned, the curse was upon him. A victim demanded, and must suffer to expiate sin. This sacrifice could not be provided by the wealth of kingdoms and the wisdom of schools. Angels could not prepare it. Must then man suffer? Silence all around, but the Eternal cries, “Deliver him from going down” (Job 33:24). Christ is the sacrifice offered to the world (Hebrews 9:26).
II. The guests whom God has invited to partake of his sacrifice. We are not left to conjecture who these are. Our Lord’s parable (Matthew 22:1-10) and Peter’s vision inform us (Acts 10:11-15; Acts 10:34).
1. The Jews. God’s chosen people, favoured with his will. They had a variety of sacrifices, which set forth and typified Christ, pointed out their guilt and expiation of it by blood. They had messengers in succession to call them to repentance; but when Christ came they rejected, persecuted, and crucified him. Yet after all this enmity they were invited to the sacrifice (Luke 24:47).
2. The Gentiles. This sacrifice prepared for Jews and Gentiles, nations afar off, perishing for lack of knowledge. All mankind invited to the gospel feast (Isaiah 25:6-7; Luke 14:21-23). Christ gave himself for all people (Luke 2:10); was a propitiation for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). The gospel must be preached to the world, that all may be saved (Mark 15:15). Application.
1. All have sinned, need a sacrifice, mediator, and Saviour.
2. Such a Saviour is provided.
3. Pardon, holiness, and happiness may be obtained by all who rightly seek. Are you partakers of this great sacrifice? Come, sit with the guests, and take your place at the sacramental table. Do not waver nor doubt. If strangers, you are perishing. Feel your need, and apply now. Woe be unto you if you make light of it! “If he that despised Moses’ law,” &c. [Rev. Thos. Jackson].
HOMILETIC HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS
Zephaniah 1:8. The strange apparel contrasted with the true garment, “the fine linen, clean and white,” granted unto the Church, which is “the righteousness of the saints” in Christ (Revelation 19:8).
The dress may be taken as a witness to—
1. The care for externals.
2. The power of fashion.
3. The state of the mind.
4. The danger of luxury. Seneca complained that many in his time were more careful about attire than the welfare of the state. It is extreme folly to be too anxious about either material or fashion of dress, to sacrifice comfort for appearance, and necessities for luxuries.
“Care no more to clothe and eat” [Shakspears].
Zephaniah 1:9. Those that leap. Those who serve their earthly masters with—
1. eagerness;
2. insolence; and
3. violence. Wealth thus gained is—
1. unlawful;
2. uncertain; and
3. Divinely cursed. “Here again all which remains is the sin. They enriched, as they thought, their masters, by art or by force: they schemed, plotted, robbed; they succeeded to their heart’s wish; but ‘ill-gotten, ill-spent.’ They filled their masters’ houses quite full; but wherewith?—with violence and deceit, which witnessed against them, and brought down the judgments of God upon them” [Pusey].
ILLUSTRATIONS TO CHAPTER 1
Zephaniah 1:7-9. Sacrifice. The image was probably suggested by Isaiah’s words (Isaiah 34:6). Jeremiah subsequently uses it of the overthrow of Pharaoh at the Euphrates (Jeremiah 46:10). Sanctified ones. By giving this title to God’s instruments against Judah, declares that themselves, having become in deeds like the heathen, were as heathen to him. Jeremiah reports the saying (Jeremiah 22:6-7). That is, so far, a holy war in the purpose of God, who fulfils his will; hence Nebuchadnezzar was his servant (Jeremiah 25:9), avenging his wrongs (cf. Joel 3:9; Micah 3:5) [Pusey].