Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20091025.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Zephaniah: God's Message To The Spiritually Complacent
Part IV: God's Promised Blessing To His Tried and Devoted, Humble People
(Zephaniah 3:9-20)
  1. Introduction
    1. At times, trials can so steeply mount up for God's people, they wonder what He seeks to achieve in them!
    2. Zephaniah 3:9-20 deals with the blessing God will pour out on His people following the coming terrible trials of the Great Tribulation, and God's answer is provided in this passage with great application for us:
  2. God's Promised Blessing To His Tried and Devoted, Humble People, Zephaniah 3:9-20.
    1. Zephaniah 3:9-20 predicted the future Messianic Kingdom blessings God will pour out on His people after the coming traumatic Great Tribulation predicted in Zephaniah 3:8. (See our last lesson.)
    2. As such, Zephaniah 3:9-20 explains the finished spiritual uprightness God will achieve in His people due to the trials they experienced during the previous horrible Great Tribulation Period (as follows):
      1. After the Zephaniah 3:8 Great Tribulation when God will have poured out His wrath on the world, Zephaniah 3:9 predicts He will change the speech of the nations from blasphemy used in idolatry to the pure speech of a pure worship of the Lord; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978 ed., ftn. to Zephaniah 3:9-20.
      2. Even the most distant lands known to Israel in Zephaniah's day, lands beyond the rivers of Cush (southern Egypt, Sudan and northern Ethiopia) will bring offerings to the Lord in Jerusalem, along with dispersed Jews who had lived in their regions, Zephaniah 3:10; Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 1533.
      3. Such blessings will result from a great change in heart due to the Tribulation trials, Zephaniah 3:11-13:
        1. God revealed that in this coming Messianic Kingdom, the people of Israel will not be put to shame because of the deeds of their past when they rebelled against the Lord, Zephaniah 3:11a.
        2. This will occur since God will have removed from Israel's midst her "proudly exultant" ones so the rest of the nation would not be influenced to be haughty in their worship at Zion, Zeph. 3:11b ESV.
        3. Through the trials of the past horrific Great Tribulation Period, God will have produced "humble and lowly" folk, people who will "seek refuge in the name of the Lord," Zephaniah 3:12 ESV.
        4. Consequently, these humbled folk will "do no injustice" and "speak no lies" or have in them a "deceitful tongue" in their way of life, Zephaniah 3:13a.
        5. Rather, in their humble and meek faith in God and their resulting departure from injustice and falsehood in their lives, God will bless them as His flock that will figuratively graze and lie down with no Gentile attacking nations to make them afraid, Zephaniah 3:13b ESV.
      4. Accordingly, Zephaniah 3:14-20 itemizes God's great Messianic Kingdom blessings on this flock:
        1. God's flock will be called to sing aloud and shout exultantly and joyfully with all their heart since God will have taken away His judgments in the form of her Gentile enemies, Zephaniah 3:14-15a.
        2. Indeed, God will be seen to be in Israel's midst so she will never again need to fear calamity, 3:15b!
        3. Israel will be told not to fear and so not let her hands grow weak in her works, for the Lord her God was in her midst, a Mighty God to rescue her, to rejoice over her with gladness, to quiet her with His love and to exult over her with loud singing, Zephaniah 3:16-17.
        4. Regarding Israel's past painful trials, God will gather those who had mourned for the appointed feasts they could not attend since they were scattered from Israel so they would no longer suffer such painful reproach from their enemies, Zephaniah 3:18; Ibid., Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 1534.
        5. God will then oppose Israel's foes, saving even Israel's lame and gathering her outcast as He brings them back into the land of Israel from which they had been scattered in divine judgment, changing the shame of their past sinful failure to praise and fame throughout the world, Zeph. 3:19-20; Ibid.
Lesson: In the Great Tribulation Period, Israel's horrible trials will purge her from a haughty spirit that has fueled her rebellion and idolatry against God, leaving her meek, humble and trusting in Him. Thus, the Lord will pour out great blessings on this His trial-refined flock in the ensuing Kingdom.

Application: (1) If we face many great trials, understand that God is using them to purge us of idolatrous, rebellious, unjust or deceit that we might be meek, humble and trust in Him! (2) So, if facing great trials, may we YIELD to God's refining work and WAIT on Him to BLESS us in the END!