Peter Barnes: Zephaniah 3:9-13
(26 November 2017)
SERMON NOTES: GOD CONVERTS THE REMNANT (Zephaniah 3:9-13)
Judgment is universal, but there will be a remnant that know the grace of God.
1. God calls a remnant.
– 3:11-13; see Matt.7:13-14; Luke 12:32.
2. Jews and Gentiles are part of the remnant.
– 3:9-10. The Living Bible has ‘pure Hebrew’, but the text only speaks of a pure speech.
– compare Cush in 2:12 and in 3:10.
– Psalm 22:27; 72:10-11; Malachi 1:11.
3. The attributes of the remnant.
(a) the remnant will offer purified praise – 3:9-10. The Tower of Babel may be behind this statement. It is the privilege and practice of Christians to call upon God with purified lips.
(b) the remnant will consist of the humble – 3:11-12. Thomas Manton: ‘The way to rise is to fall.’
(c) the remnant will be people of truth – 3:13a.
(d) the remnant will know the peace of God – 3:13b. Calvin: ‘nothing is more distressing than constant fear’.
– Isa.40:11.
A remnant will be called, from all national backgrounds, Jews and Gentiles, and they will be new Israel – offering purified praise on their lips, the humble, the ones committed to truth, the ones knowing the peace of God. All this is ours in Christ.