Peter Barnes: Zephaniah 2:4:15
(12 November 2017)
SERMON NOTES: JUDGMENT ON THE NATIONS (Zephaniah 2:4-15)
God speaks of His judgment against Israel’s enemies: the Philistine cities to the west (2:4-7); Moab and Ammon to the east (2:8-11); the Cushites (NIV, ESV) or Ethiopians (NKJV) or even the Sudan to the south (2:12); and the Assyrians to the north (2:13-15).
1. God has written His law upon every heart.
– John 1:9; Rom.2:12-16. We are living in times where there is more immorality but more moral outrage. So White Ribbon (set up to prevent violence against women) supports abortion and BeyondBlue (set up to combat depression) supports euthanasia.
– the Philistines seem to have attacked Israel; the Moabites and Ammonites taunted Israel – 2:8. The sins of the Cushites are not specified (2:12), but the Assyrians are full of pride and arrogance – 2:15. God is self-sufficient – Isa.45:5-6. But no one else is.
– pride precludes any possibility of repentance or faith – Isa.14:12-15.
2. All shall be judged.
– not referring so much to the last judgment, to the final day of the Lord; but to judgments in history, to various days of the Lord e.g. 2:5, 9, 12, 14. Nineveh was perhaps the largest city in the world at this time, but it would be left desolate. In 612 B.C., Nineveh was destroyed by the Chaldeans, and was never rebuilt.
3. Victory will go to the remnant.
– 2:7, 9, 11. This seems universal.
– The remnant may be mocked by the world, but they are received into the kingdom which shall never fail. Judgment on all nations will mean victory for God’s remnant.