Calvin, Commentary on Zephaniah, Part 2
(... continued from part 1)
Lecture One Hundred and Nineteenth
Zephaniah 1:5
And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and
them that worship [and] that swear by the LORD, and that swear by
Malcham;
Zephaniah pursues the subject contained in the verse I
explained yesterday. For as the majority of the people still adhered
to their superstitions, though the pure worship of the law had been
restored by Josiah, the Prophet threatens here, that God would
punish such ingratitude. As then he had spoken in the last verse of
the worshipers of Baal and their sacrifices, so now he proceeds
farther - that the Lord would execute vengeance on the whole people,
who prayed to the host of heaven, or bowed themselves down before
the host of heaven. It is well known that those stars are thus
called in Scripture to which the gentiles ascribed, on account of
their superior lustre, some sort of divinity. Hence it was, that
they worshipped the sun as God, called the moon the queen of heaven,
and also paid adoration to the stars. The people, then, did not only
sin in worshipping Baal, but were also addicted to many
superstitions, as we see to be the case whenever men degenerate from
the genuine doctrine of true religion; they then seek out various
inventions on all sides, so that they observe no limits and keep
within no boundaries.
But he says, that they worshipped the stars on their roofs. It
is probable that they chose this higher place, as interpreters
remind us, because they thought that they were more seen by the
stars the nearer they were to them. For as men are gross in their
ideas they never think God propitious to them except he exhibits
some proof or sign of a bodily presence; in short, they always seek
God according to their own earthly notions. Since, then, the Jews
thought that there were so many Gods as there are stars in heaven,
it is no wonder that they ascended to the roofs of their houses,
that they might be, as it were, in the sight of their gods, and thus
not lose their labour; for the superstitious never think that their
devotion is observed by God, unless they have before their eyes, as
we have just said, some sign of his presence.
We now then see how this verse stands connected with the last.
God declares that he would punish all idolaters; but as the Jews
worshipped Baal, the Prophet first condemned that strange religion;
and now he adds other devices, to which the Jews perversely devoted
themselves; for they worshipped also all the stars, ascribing to
them some sort of divinity. Then he mentions all those who
worshipped and swore by their own king, and swore by Jehovah.
By these last words the Prophet intimates, that the Jews had
not so repudiated the law of God but that they boasted that they
still worshipped the God who had adopted them, and by whom they had
been redeemed, who had commanded the temple to be built for him, and
an altar on mount Sion. They then did not openly reject the worship
of the true God, but formed such a mixture for themselves, that they
joined to the true God their own idols, as we see to be the state of
things at this day under the Papacy. It seems a sufficient excuse to
foolish men that they retain the name of God; and they confidently
boast that the true God is worshipped by them; and yet we see that
they mix together with this worship many of the delusions of Satan;
for under the Papacy there is no end to their inventions. When any
devise some peculiar mode of worship, it is then connected with the
rest; and thus they form such a mixture, that from one God, divided
into many parts, they bring forth a vast troop of deities. As then
at this day the Papists worship God and idols too, so Zephaniah had
to condemn the same wickedness among the Jews.
We here learn that God's name was not then wholly obliterated,
as though the world had openly fallen away from God; for though they
worshipped Jupiter, Mercury, Apollo, and other fictitious gods, they
yet professed to worship the only true and eternal God, the Creator
of heaven and earth. What then was it that the Prophet condemned
that they were not content with what the law simply and plainly
prescribed, but that they devised for themselves various and strange
modes of worship; for when men take to themselves such a liberty as
this, they no longer worship the true God, how much soever they may
pretend to do so, inasmuch as God repudiates all spurious modes of
worship, as he testifies especially in Ezek. 20 - "Go ye," he says,
"worship your idols." He shows that all kinds of worship are
abominable to him whenever men depart in any measure from his pure
word. For we must hold this as the main principle - that obedience
is more valued by God than all sacrifices. Whenever men run after
their own inventions they depart from the true God; for they refuse
to render to him what he principally requires, even obedience.
But our Prophet speaks according to the common notions of men;
for they pretended to be the true worshipers of God, while they
still adhered to their own inventions. They did not, indeed,
properly speaking, worship the true God; but as they thought, and
openly professed to do this, Zephaniah, making this concession, says
- "God will not suffer his own worship to be thus profaned: ye seek
to blend it with that of your idols; this he will not endure. Ye
worship the true God, and ye worship your idols; but he would have
himself to be worshipped alone; and this he deserves. But the
partition which ye make is nothing else than the mangling of true
worship; and God will not have himself to be thus in part
worshipped." We now understand what the Prophet means here; for the
Jews covered their abominations with the pretext that their purpose
was to worship the God of Abraham: the Prophet does not simply deny
this to be done by them, but declares that this worship was useless
and disapproved by God; nay, he proceeds farther, and says that this
worship, made up of various inventions, was an abominable corruption
which God would punish; for he can by no means bear that there
should be such an alliance - that idols should be substituted in his
place, and that a part of his glory should be transferred to the
inventions of men. This is the true meaning.
We hence learn how greatly deceived the Papists are, who think
it enough, provided they depart not wholly from the worship of the
only true God; for God allows and approves of no worship except when
we attend to his voice, and turn not aside either to the left hand
or to the right, but acquiesce only in what he has prescribed.
It is nothing strange that he connects swearing with worship,
for it is a kind of divine worship. Hence the Scripture, stating a
part for the whole, often mentions swearing in this sense, as
including the service due to God. But the Prophet pronounces here
generally a curse on all the superstitious, who worshipped
fictitious gods; and then he adds one kind of worship, and that is
swearing. I shall not here speak at large, nor is it - necessary, on
the subject of swearing. We know that the use of an oath is lawful
when God is appealed to as a witness and a judge, on important
occasions; for God's name may be interposed when a matter requires
proof, and when it is important; but God's name is not to be
introduced thoughtlessly. Hence two things are especially required
in an oath - that all who swear by his name should present
themselves with reverence before his tribunal, and acknowledge him
to be the avenger if they take his name falsely or inconsiderately
This is one thing. Then the matter itself, on account of which we
swear, must be considered; for if men allow themselves to swear by
God's name respecting things which are trifling and frivolous, it is
a shameful profanation, and by no means to be borne. For it is a
singular favor on the part of God, that he allows us to take his
name when there is any controversy among us, and when a confirmation
is necessary. As then we thus receive through kindness the name of
God, it is surely a great favor; for how great is the sanctity of
that name, though it serves even earthly concerns? God then does so
far accommodate himself to us, that it is lawful for us to swear by
his name. Hence a greater seriousness ought to be observed by us in
oaths, so that no one should dare to interpose an oath except when
necessity requires; and we should also especially take heed lest God
be called a witness to what is false. For how great a sacrilege it
is to cover a falsehood with his name, who is the eternal and
immutable truth! They then who swear falsely by his name change God,
as far as they can, into what he is not. We now sufficiently
understand how swearing is a kind of divine worship, because his
honor is thereby given to God; for his majesty is, as it were,
brought before us, and as it is his peculiar office to know and to
discover hidden things, and also to maintain the truth, this his own
work is ascribed to him. Now when any one swears by a mortal, or by
the sun, or by the moon, or by creatures, he deprives God in part of
his own honor.
We hence see that in superstitious oaths there was a clear
proof of idolatry. This is the reason why the Prophet here condemns
those who did swear by Jehovah and by Malkom; that is, who joined
their idols with the true and eternal God when they swore. For it is
a clear precept of God's law, 'By the name of thy God shalt thou
swear.' (Deut. 6: 13.) And when the Prophets speak of the renovation
of the Church, they use this form - 'Ye shall swear by the name of
God;' 'To me shall bend every knee;' 'Every tongue shall swear to
me.' What does all this mean? "The whole world shall acknowledge me
as the true God; and as every knee shall bow to me, so every one
will submit himself to my judgment." We may hence doubtlessly
conclude, that God is deprived of his right, whenever we swear by
the sun, or by the moon, or by the dead, or by any creatures.
This evil has been common in all ages; and it prevails still at
this day under the Papacy. They swear by the Virgin, by angels, and
by the dead. They do not think that they thus take away anything
from the sovereignty of the only true God; but we see what he
declares respecting them. The Papists therefore foolishly excuse
themselves, when they swear by their saints: for they cannot elude
the charge of sacrilege, which the Holy Spirit has stamped with
perpetual infamy, since he has said, that all those are abominable
in the sight of God who swear by any other name than his own: and
the reason is evident, for the sun, moon, and stars, and also dead
or living men, are honored with the name of God, when they are set
up as judges. For they who swear by the sun, do the same as though
they said - "The sun is my witness and judge;" that is, "The sun is
my God." They who swear by the name of a king, or as profane men
swore formerly, "By the genius of their king," ascribe to a mortal
what is peculiar to the true God alone. But when any one swears by
heaven or the temple, and does not think that there is any divinity
in the heavens or in the temple, it is the same as though he swore
by God himself, as it appears from Matt. 23: 20-22; and Christ, when
he forbade us to swear by heaven or by the earth, did not condemn
such modes of swearing as inconsistent with his word, but as only
useless and vain. At the same time he showed that God's name is
profaned by such expressions: 'They who swear by heaven, swear also
by him who inhabits heaven; they who swear by the temple, swear also
by him who is worshipped in the temple, and to whom sacrifices are
offered.' When one swears by his head or by his life, it is a
protestation, as though he said - "As my life is dear to me." But
they who swear by the saints, either living or dead, ascribe to
mortals what is due to God. They who swear by the sun, place a dead
created thing on the throne of God himself.
As to the term "malkam", it may be properly rendered, their
king; for "melech", as it is well known, means a king; but it is
here put in construction, "malkam", their king; they swear by their
own, king. The Prophet, I doubt not, alludes to the word "Moloch",
which is derived from the verb, to reign: for though that word was
commonly used by all as a proper name, it is yet certain that that
false god was so called, as though he was a king: and the Prophet
increases the indignity by saying - They swear by Malkom. He might
have simply said, "They swear by Moloch;" but he says, They swear by
Malkom; that is, "They forget that I am their king, and transfer my
sovereignty to a dead and empty image." God then does here, by an
implied contrast, exaggerate the sin of the Jews, as they sought
another king for themselves, when they knew that under his
protection they always enjoyed a sure and real safety. Let us now
proceed -
Zephaniah 1:6
And them that are turned back from the LORD; and [those] that have
not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.
The Prophet seems here to include, as it were, in one bundle,
the proud despisers of God, as well as those idolaters of whom he
had spoken. It may yet be, that he describes the same persons in
different words, and that he means that they were addicted to their
own superstitions, because they were unwilling to serve God
sincerely and from the heart, and even shunned everything that might
lead their attention to true religion. And this view I mostly
approve; for what some imagine, that their gross contempt of God is
here pointed out, is not sufficiently supported. I therefore rather
think that the idolaters are here reproved, that they might not
suppose that they could by subterfuges wash away their guilt; for
they were wont to cover themselves with the shield of ignorance,
when they were overcome, and their impiety was fully proved: "I did
not think so; but, on the contrary, my purpose was to worship God."
Since, then, the superstitious are wont to hide themselves under the
covering of ignorance, the Prophet here defines the idolatry of the
people, and briefly shows that it was connected with obstinacy and
wickedness.
They did "not seek Jehovah"; but, on the contrary, they turned
willfully away from him, and sought, as it were designedly, to
extinguish true religion. Nor was it to be wondered at, that so
grievous and severe a sentence was pronounced on them; for they had
been taught by the law how God was to be served. How was it, then,
that errors so gross had crept in? Doubtless, God had kindled the
light of celestial truth, which clearly showed the way of true
religion; but as men ever seek to perform some frivolous trifles,
the Israelites and the Jews, when they felt ashamed openly and
manifestly to reject the true God, labored at the same time to add
many ceremonies, that their impiety might be thus concealed. This is
the reason why the Prophet says that they turned back; that is, that
they could not be excused on the ground of ignorance, but that they
were perfidious and apostates, who had preferred their own idols to
the true God; though they knew that he could not be rightly
worshipped, but according to the rule prescribed in the law, they
yet neglected this, and heaped together many superstitions.
And, doubtless, we shall find that the fountain of all false
worship is this - that men are unwilling truly and from the heart to
serve God; and, at the same time, they wish to retain some
appearance of religion. For there is nothing omitted in the law that
is needful for the perfect worship of God: but as God requires in
the law a spiritual worship, hence it is that men seek
hiding-places, and devise for themselves many ceremonies, that they
may turn back from God, and yet pretend that they come to him. While
they sedulously labour in their own ceremonies, it is indeed true
that the worship of God and religion are continually on their lips:
but, as I have said, it is all hypocrisy and deception; for they
accumulate ceremonies, that there might be something intervening
between God and them. It is not, therefore, without reason that the
Prophet here accuses the Jews that they "turned back from Jehovah,
and that they sought him not". How so? For there was no need of a
long, or of a difficult, or of a perplexed enquiry; for the Lord had
freely offered himself to them. How, then, was it that they were
blind in the midst of light, except that they knowingly and
willfully followed their own inventions?
The same is the case at this day with the Papists: for though
they may glamour a hundred times that they seek to worship God, it
is quite evident that they willfully go astray; inasmuch as they so
delight themselves with their own inventions, that they do not
purely and from the heart devote and consecrate themselves to God.
We now, then, see that this verse was added, as an explanation,
by the Prophet, that he might deprive the Jews of their false plea
of ignorance, and show that they sinned willfully; for they would
have been sufficiently taught by the law, had they not adopted their
own inventions, which dazzled their eyes and all their senses. It
follows -
Zephaniah 1:7-9
7 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the
LORD [is] at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath
bid his guests.
8 And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD's sacrifice, that
I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as
are clothed with strange apparel.
9 In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the
threshold, which fill their masters' houses with violence and
deceit.
The Prophet confirms here what he has previously taught, when
he bids all to be silent before God; for this mode of speaking is
the same as though he had said, that he did not terrify the Jews in
vain, but seriously set before them God's judgment, which they would
find by experience to be even more than terrible. He also records
some of their sins, that the Jews might know that he did not
threaten them for nothing, but that there were just causes why God
declared that he would punish them. This is the substance of the
whole.
Let us first see what the Prophet means by the word, silence.
Something has been said of this on the second chapter of Habakkuk.
We said then that by silence is meant submission; and to make the
thing more clear, we said that we were to notice the contrast
between the silence to which men calmly submit, and the contumacy,
which is ever clamorous: for when men seek to be wise of themselves,
and acquiesce not in God's word, it is then said, that they are not
silent, for they refuse to give a hearing to his word; and when men
give loose reins to their own will, they observe no bounds. Until
God then obtains authority in the world, all places are full of
clamour, and the whole life of men is in a state of confusion, for
they run to and fro in their wanderings; and there is no restraint
where God is not heard. It is for the same reason that the Prophet
now demands silence: but the expression is accommodated to the
subject which he handles. To be silent at the presence of God, it is
true, is to submit to God's authority; but the connection is to be
considered; for Zephaniah saw then that God's judgment was despised
and regarded as nothing; and he intimates here that God had so
spoken, that the execution was nigh at hand. Hence he says, "Be
silent", that is, "Know ye, that I have not spoken merely for the
purpose of terrifying you; but as God is prepared to execute
vengeance, of this he now reminds you, that if there be any hope of
repentance, ye may in time seek to return into favor with him; if
not, that ye may be without excuse."
We now then understand why the Prophet bids them to be silent
before the Lord Jehovah: and the context is a confirmation of the
same view; for the reason is added, Because the day of Jehovah is
nigh. For profane men ever promise to themselves some respite, and
think that they gain much by delay: the Prophet, on the contrary,
does now expose to scorn this self-security, and says, that the day
of Jehovah was nigh at hand. It is then the same thing as though he
had said, that his judgment ought to have been quickly anticipated,
and even with fear and trembling.
He afterwards employs a metaphor to set forth what he taught, -
that God had prepared a sacrifice, yea, that he had already
appointed and set apart his guests. By the word, sacrifice, the
Prophet reminded them, that the punishment of which he had spoken
would be just, and that the glory of God would thereby shine forth.
We indeed know how ready the world is to make complaints; when it is
pressed by God's hand, it expostulates on account of too much rigor;
and many in an open manner give utterance to their blasphemies. As
then they own not God's justice in his punishment, the Prophet calls
it a sacrifice; and sacrifices, we know, are evidences of divine
worship, and he who offers a sacrifice to God, owns him to be just.
So also by this kind of speaking Zephaniah intimates that God would
not act a cruel part in cutting off the city Jerusalem and its
inhabitants; for this would be a sacrifice, according to the
language often employed by the Prophets, and especially by Isaiah,
who says of Bozrah, 'A sacrifice is prepared in Bozrah,' (Is. 34:
6;) and who says also of Jerusalem itself, 'Oh! Ariel! Ariel! ' (Is.
29: 1.) where Jerusalem itself is represented as the altar; as
though he had said, "In all the streets, in the open places, there
shall be altars to me; for I will collect together great masses of
men, whom I shall slay as a sacrifice to me." For all who were not
willing to render worship to God, and who did not freely offer
themselves as spiritual victims to him, were to be drawn to the
slaughter, and were at the same time called sacrifices. So the
executions on the gallows, when the wicked suffer, may be said to be
sacrifices to God: for the Lord arms the magistrate with the sword
to restrain wickedness, that the wicked may not have such liberty as
to banish all equity from the world. The cities also, which, being
forcibly taken, are subject to a slaughter, and the fields, where
armies are slain, become altars, for God makes the rebellious a
sacrifice, because they refuse willingly to offer themselves.
So also in this place the Prophet says, "Jehovah has prepared
for himself a sacrifice", - Where? At Jerusalem, through the whole
city, as it has appeared from the quotation from Isaiah; for as they
had not rightly sacrificed to God on Mount Sion, but vitiated his
whole worship, God himself declares, that he would become a priest,
that he might slay, as he thought right, those beasts, who had
obstinately refused his yoke: And he has prepared his guests. But I
cannot finish to-day.
Prayer.
Grant, Almighty God, that as we continue in so many ways to provoke
against us thy wrath, we may patiently bear the punishment, by which
thou wouldest correct our faults, and also anticipate thy judgment:
and since thou art pleased to recall us in due time to thyself, let
us not turn deaf ears to thy counsels, but so obey and submit
ourselves to thee, that we may become partakers of that mercy, which
thou offerest to us, provided we seek to be reconciled to thee, and
so proceed in thy service, that under the government of Christ thy
Son, whom thou hast appointed to be our supreme and only king, we
may so strive to be wholly devoted to thee that thou mayest be
glorified through our whole life, until we become at length
partakers of that celestial glory, which has been procured for us by
the blood of thy only-begotten Son. Amen
Calvin's Commentary on Zephaniah, Part 2
(continued in part 3...)
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