‏ Zephaniah 1

** Zephaniah excites to repentance, foretells the destruction of

the enemies of the Jews, and comforts the pious among them with

promises of future blessings, the restoration of their nation,

and the prosperity of the church in the latter days.

* Threatenings against sinners. (1-6) More threatenings. (7-13)

Distress from the approaching judgments. (14-18)

1-6 Ruin is coming, utter ruin; destruction from the Almighty.

The servants of God all proclaim, There is no peace for the

wicked. The expressions are figurative, speaking every where

desolation; the land shall be left without inhabitants. The

sinners to be consumed are, the professed idolaters, and those

that worship Jehovah and idols, or swear to the Lord, and to

Malcham. Those that think to divide their affections and worship

between God and idols, will come short of acceptance with God;

for what communion can there be between light and darkness? If

Satan have half, he will have all; if the Lord have but half, he

will have none. Neglect of God shows impiety and contempt. May

none of us be among those who draw back unto perdition, but of

those who believe to the saving of the soul. 7-13 God's day is at hand; the punishment of presumptuous

sinners is a sacrifice to the justice of God. The Jewish royal

family shall be reckoned with for their pride and vanity; and

those that leap on the threshold, invading their neighbours'

rights, and seizing their possessions. The trading people and

the rich merchants are called to account. Secure and careless

people are reckoned with. They are secure and easy; they say in

their heart, the Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil;

that is, they deny his dispensing rewards and punishments. But

in the day of the Lord's judgment, it will clearly appear that

those who perish, fall a sacrifice to Divine justice for

breaking God's law, and because they have no interest by faith

in the Redeemer's atoning sacrifice. 14-18 This warning of approaching destruction, is enough to

make the sinners in Zion tremble; it refers to the great day of

the Lord, the day in which he will show himself by taking

vengeance on them. This day of the Lord is very near; it is a

day of God's wrath, wrath to the utmost. It will be a day of

trouble and distress to sinners. Let them not be laid asleep by

the patience of God. What is a man profited if he gain the whole

world, and lose his own soul? And what shall a man give in

exchange for his soul? Let us flee from the wrath to come, and

choose the good part that shall never be taken from us; then we

shall be prepared for every event; nothing shall separate us

from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.