Zephaniah 3:8–17

Explore the Bible 
Assistant Professor of Christian Ministries, University of Mobile

Our Great Salvation

Zephaniah 3:8–17

Wait in Faith (8)

In Zephaniah 3, God is warning the Israelites, in particular the city of Jerusalem, that the attitudes of its inhabitants were unacceptable and that they would face judgment. 

Even though Israel was God’s chosen nation and the Israelites were God’s chosen people they did not have a license to live and act as they wanted.

God is a God of justice and He will judge unrighteousness. God’s judgment was evident especially in the Babylonian captivity in 586 B.C. when Jerusalem fell and many of its people were taken away.

This is not an indication that God was powerless to save His people. Rather it was a demonstration of God’s discipline to get the Israelites to change their bad behavior and leave behind their idolatry.

However, God’s judgment would not only fall upon Israel for their idolatry and sinful behavior. God’s judgment is going to fall on all nations for their wickedness and refusal to acknowledge the one true God. 

This is a reference to the last times, the final judgment when Christ returns and God’s wrath is meted out on the nations and peoples of the earth.

God’s coming judgment should fill believers with both joy and a sense of urgency. We should be joyful knowing God will judge His enemies and that justice will be done.

In our modern world gross injustices abound. Knowing that God will punish those wicked people who perpetrate sinful actions such as human trafficking, murder, etc., should strengthen us to press on in the midst of trials we face in life due to injustice. 

Furthermore it should make us want to tell others about Christ and about the coming judgment so they can accept Him and be free from eternal punishment.

Call on God (9–13)

Even though Zephaniah prophesied doom and judgment upon Israel, this was not the end of the prophecy. God’s desire is for repentance. His warnings to Israel are signs of love. If God did not love Israel, He wouldn’t care enough about them to discipline them. Conversely God shows His love by convicting the Israelites of their sin.

In the midst of the prophecies of judgment God included a section concerning the remnant, those who love the Lord and obey Him. From all the nations there will be people who love the Lord and repent of sin. It is important to point out that the Old Testament indicates God loves all the nations, not just Israel.

By the time of Jesus many Jews believed God’s love was only for them. However, the entire Bible shows that God desires all people to repent and worship Him. 

Furthermore these verses clearly reflect the fact that when Christ returns there will be people from all nations who come to worship the one true God.

Celebrate Salvation (14–17)

Since God loves the nations and since we know God listens to those who call out to Him and repent, it should motivate us to tell others about God and His love for all people seen in Christ and His death for us (Rom. 5:8). The message of God, the gospel, should not be kept hidden.

Like the Jews of Jesus’ time many Christians seem to believe God’s love is only for them. They believe their faith is something that is supposed to be hidden away and the gospel need not be proclaimed.

But we need to understand that if we do not present God’s Word to people we are hiding the greatest gift ever given. 

If we love God, our love should be visible in our lives and it should naturally overflow into conversations we have with others and in how we demonstrate love toward our neighbors.