Calvin, Commentary on Zephaniah, Part 9
(... continued from part 8)
Lecture One hundred and Twenty-sixth.
Zephaniah 3:10
From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, [even] the
daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.
Interpreters agree not as to the meaning of this verse; for
some of the Hebrews connect this with the former, as though the
Prophet was still speaking of the calling of the Gentiles. But
others, with whom I agree, apply this to the dispersed Jews, so that
the Prophet here gives hope of that restoration, of which he had
before spoken. They who understand this of the Gentiles, think that
Atharai and Phorisai are proper names. But in the first place, we
cannot find that any nations were so called; and then, if we receive
what they say, these were not separate nations, but portions of the
Ethiopians; for the Prophet does not state the fact by itself, that
Atharai and Phorisai would be the worshipers of God; but after
having spoken of Ethiopia, he adds these words: hence we conclude,
that the Prophet means this, - that they would return into Judea
from the farthest region of the Ethiopians to offer sacrifices to
God. And as he mentions the daughter of the dispersion, we must
understand this of the Jews, for it cannot be applied to the
Ethiopians. And this promise fits in well with the former verse: for
the Prophet spoke, according to what we observed yesterday, of the
future calling of the Gentiles; and now he adds, the Jews would come
with the Gentiles, that they might unite together, agreeing in the
same faith, in the true and pure worship of the only true God. He
had said, that the kingdom would be enlarged, for the Church was to
be gathered from all nations: he now adds, that the elect people
would be restored, after having been driven away into exile.
Hence he says, "Beyond the rivers of Ethiopia shall be my
suppliants": for "'atar" means to supplicate; but it means also
sometimes to be pacified, or to be propitious; and therefore some
take "'atarim" in a passive sense, "they who shall be reconciled to
God;" as though he had said, "God will at length be propitious to
the miserable exiles, though they have been cast away beyond the
rivers of Ethiopia: they shall yet again be God's people, for he
will be reconciled to them." As David calls Him the God of his
mercy, because he had found him merciful and gracious, (Ps. 59: 18,)
so also in this place they think that the Jews are said to be the
"'ararey", the reconciled of Jehovah, because he would be reconciled
to them. But this exposition is too forced: I therefore retain that
which I have stated, - that some suppliants would come to God from
the utmost parts of Ethiopia, not the Ethiopians themselves, but the
Jews who had been driven there.
To the same purpose is what is added, The daughter of my
dispersed; for "puts" means to scatter or to disperse. Hence by the
daughter of the dispersed he means the gathered assembly of the
miserable exiles, who for a time were considered as having lost
their name, so as not to be counted as the people of Israel. These
then shall again offer to me a gift, that is, they are to be
restored to their country, that they may there worship me after
their usual manner. Now though this prophecy extends to the time of
the Gospel, it is yet no wonder, that the Prophet describes the
worship of God such as it had been, accompanied with the ceremonies
of the Law. We now then perceive what Zephaniah means in this verse,
- that not only the Gentiles would come into the Church of God, but
that the Jews also would return to their country, that they might
together make one body. It follows, -
Zephaniah 3:11
In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein
thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of
the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no
more be haughty because of my holy mountain.
Here the Prophet teaches us, that the Church would be
different, when God removed the dross and gathered to himself a pure
and chosen people: and the Prophet stated this, that the faithful
might not think it hard that God so diminished his Church that
hardly the tenth part remained; for it was a sad and a bitter thing,
that of a vast multitude a very few only remained. It could not then
be, but that the ruin of their brethren greatly affected the Jews,
though they knew them to be reprobate. We indeed see how Paul felt a
sympathy, when he saw that his own nation were alienated from God.
(Rom. 9: 1.) So it was necessary that some consolation should be
given to the faithful, that they might patiently bear the diminution
of the Church, which had been previously predicted. Hence the
Prophet, that he might moderate their grief, says, that this would
be for their good; for in this manner the reproaches were to be
removed, by which the Jewish name had been polluted, and rendered
abominable.
"Thou shalt not be ashamed, he says, for the sins by which I
have been offended". Why? For thou shalt be cleansed; for it is
God's purpose to reserve a few, by whom he will be purely
worshipped. Some think that he does not speak here of the remission
of sins, but on the contrary, of a pure and holy life, which follows
regeneration; as though he had said, "There will be no reason any
more for thee to be ashamed of thy life; for when I shall chasten
you, ye will then fear me, and your correction will be conducive to
a newness of life: since then your life will not be the same as
formerly, and since my glory shall shine forth among you, there will
be no cause why ye should be ashamed. But this is a strained view,
and cannot be accommodated to the words of the Prophet; for he says,
Thou shalt no more be ashamed of the sins by which thou hast
transgressed against me. We hence see that this cannot be otherwise
applied than to the remission of sins. But the last clause has led
interpreters astray, for the Prophet adds, "For I will take away
from the midst of thee those who exult": but the Prophet's design,
as I have stated, was different from what they have supposed; for he
shows that there was no reason for the Jews to lament and deplore
the diminution of the Church because the best compensation was
offered to them, which was, that by this small number God would be
purely served. For when the body of the people was complete, it was,
we know, a mass of iniquity. How then could Israel glory in its vast
number, since they were all like the giants carrying on war against
God? When now God collects a few only, these few would at length
acknowledge that they had been preserved in a wonderful manner, in
order that religion and the true worship of God should not be
extinguished in the earth.
We now perceive the Prophet's design; but I will endeavor to
render this clearer by a comparison: Suppose that in a city
licentiousness of life so prevails that the people may seem to be
irreclaimable; when it happens that the city itself falls away from
its power and pristine state, or is in some other way reformed, not
without loss, and is thus led to improve its morals, this would be a
compensation to the good, and would give courage to the godly and
ease their grief, so that they would patiently submit, though the
city had not the same abundance, nor the same wealth and enjoyments.
How so? because they who remained would form a body of people free
from reproach and disgrace. When disease is removed from the human
body, the body itself is necessarily weakened; and it is sometimes
necessary to amputate a member, that the whole body may be
preserved. In this case there is a grievous diminution, but as there
is no other way of preserving the body, the remedy ought to be
patiently sustained. In a similar manner does the Prophet now speak
of the city Jerusalem: "Thou shalt not be ashamed of the sins by
which thou hast transgressed against me". How so? Because they were
to be separated from the profane and gross despisers of God; for as
long as the good and the evil were mixed together, it was a reproach
common to all. Jerusalem was then a den of robbers; it was, as it
were, a hell on earth; and all were alike exposed to the same
infamy, for the pure part could not be distinguished, as a mass of
evil prevailed everywhere. The Prophet now says, "Thou shalt not be
ashamed of thy former infamy." Why? "Because God will separate the
chaff from the wheat, and will gather the wheat; ye shall be, as it
were, in the storehouse of God; the chosen seed shall alone remain;
there will be such purity, that the glory of the Lord shall shine
forth among you: ye shall not therefore be ashamed of the
disgraceful deeds by which ye are now contaminated."
We now apprehend the meaning of the words. But it may seem
strange that the Prophet should say, that sins should be covered by
oblivion, which the Jews ought indeed to have thought of often and
almost at all times, according to what Ezekiel says, 'Thou wilt then
remember thy ways, and be ashamed,' (Ezek. 36: 61;) that is, when
God shall be pacified. Ezekiel says, that the fruit of repentance
would be, that the faithful, covered with shame, would condemn
themselves. Why so? Because the reprobate proceed in their wicked
courses, as it were, with closed eyes, and as it has been previously
said, they know no shame: though God charges them with their sins,
they yet despise and reject every warning with a shameless front;
yea, they kick against the goads. Since it is so, justly does
Ezekiel say, that shame would be the fruit of true repentance,
according to what Paul also says in the sixth chapter to the Romans,
"Of which ye are now ashamed." He intimates, that when they were
sunk in their unbelief, they were so given to shameful deeds, that
they perceived not their abomination. They began therefore to be
ashamed, when they became illuminated. The Prophet seems now to cut
off this fruit from repentance: but what he says ought to be
otherwise understood, that is, that the Church would be then free
from reproach; for the reprobate would be separated, all the filth
would be taken away, when God gathered only the remnant for himself;
for in this manner, as it has been said, the wheat would be
separated from the chaff. Thou shalt not then be ashamed in that day
of evil deeds; for I will take away from the midst of thee those who
exult. He shows how necessary the diminution would be; for all must
have perished, had not God cut off the putrid members. How severe
soever then and full of pain the remedy would be, it ought yet to be
deemed tolerable; for the Church, that is the body, could not
otherwise be preserved.
But it may be again objected - That the Church is cleansed from
all spots, inasmuch as the reprobate are taken away; for he says,
Thou shalt not be ashamed of the evil deeds by which thou hast
sinned, literally, against me, that is, by which thou hast
transgressed against me. God here addresses, it may be said, the
faithful themselves: He then does not speak of the evil deeds of
those whom the Lord had rejected. But the answer is easy: When he
says, that the Church had sinned, he refers to that mixture, by
which no distinction is made between the wheat and the chaff. We may
say that a city is impious and wicked, when the majority so much
exceeds in number the good, that they do not appear. When therefore
among ten thousand men there are only thirty or even a smaller
number who are anxious for a better state of things, the whole
number will be generally counted wicked on account of the larger
portion, for the others are hid, and, as it were, covered over and
buried. Justly then and correctly does Zephaniah declare, that the
Jews had transgressed against God; for in that mixed multitude the
elect could not have been distinguished from the reprobate. But he
now promises that there would be a distinction, when God took away
the proud, who exulted in vain boasting. For he says, "I will take
away from the midst of thee those who exult in thy pride".
Some render the word in the abstract, "the exultations of thy
pride:" but the term "'alizim" found here, is never in construction
rendered exultations. It is therefore no doubt to be understood of
men. He then names the pride of the people; and yet he addresses the
elect, who were afterwards to be gathered. What does this mean? even
what we have already stated, that before the Church was cleansed
from her pollution and filth, there was a common exultation and
insolence against God; for these words were everywhere heard - "We
are God's holy people, we are a chosen race, we are a royal
priesthood, we are a holy inheritance." (Ez. 19: 6.) Since, then,
these boastings were in the mouth of them all, the Prophet says,
that it was the pride of the whole people. I will then take away, he
says, from the midst of thee those who exult in thy pride.
He afterwards adds, "Thou shalt no more add to take pride in my
holy mountain". Here the Prophet points out the main spring of the
evil, because the Jews had hardened themselves in a perverse
self-confidence, as they thought that all things were lawful for
them, inasmuch as they were God's chosen people. Jeremiah also in a
similar manner represents their boasting as false, when they
pretended to be the temple of God. (Jer. 7: 4.) So our Prophet
condemns this pride, because they concealed their sins under the
shadow of the temple, and thought it a sufficient defense, that God
dwelt on Mount Sion. To show, then, that the people were unhealable,
without being cleansed from this pride, the Prophet says, I will
take away those who exult - How did they exult? in thy pride: and
what was this pride? that they inhabited the holy mount of God,
besides which there was no other sanctuary of God on earth. As then
they imagined that God was thus bound to them, they insolently
despised all admonitions, as though they were exempt from every law
and restraint. Thou shalt not then add to take pride in my holy
mountain.
We now then see how careful we ought to be, lest the favors of
God, which ought by their brightness to guide us to heaven, should
darken our minds. But as we are extremely prone to arrogance and
pride, we ought carefully to seek to conduct ourselves in a meek and
humble manner, when favored with God's singular benefits; for when
we begin falsely to glory in God's name, and to put on an empty mask
to cover our sins, it is all over with us; inasmuch as to our
wickedness, to our contempt of God, and to other evil lusts and
passions, there is added perverseness, for we persevere in our
course, as it were, with an iron and inflexible neck. Thus, indeed,
it happens to all hypocrites, who elate themselves through false
pretenses as to their connection with God. It follows -
Zephaniah 3:12,13
I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people,
and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.
The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither
shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall
feed and lie down, and none shall make [them] afraid.
Here the Prophet pursues the same subject - that God would
provide for the safety of his Church, by cutting off the majority of
the people, and by reserving a few; for his purpose was to gather
for himself a pure and holy Church, as the city had previously been
full of all uncleanness. It ought, then, to have been a compensation
to ease their grief, when the godly saw that God would be propitious
to them, though he had treated them with great severity. And we must
bear in mind what I have before stated - that the Church could not
have been preserved without correcting and subduing that arrogance,
which arose from a false profession as to God. Zephaniah takes it
now as granted, that pride could not be torn away from their hearts,
except they were wholly cast down, and thus made contrite. He then
teaches us, that as long as they remained whole, they were ever
proud, and that hence it was necessary to apply a violent remedy,
that they might learn meekness and humility; which he intimates when
he says, that the residue of the people would be humble and
afflicted; for if they had become willingly teachable, there would
have been no need of so severe a correction. In short, though the
faithful lament that God should thus almost annihilate his Church,
yet in order that they might not murmur, he shows that this was a
necessary remedy. How so? because they would have always conducted
themselves arrogantly against God, had they not been afflicted. It
was, therefore, needful for them to be in a manner broken, because
they could not be bent. I will, then, he says, make the residue an
afflicted and a poor people.
The word, "'ani" means humble; but as he adds the word "dal",
he no doubt shows that the Jews could not be corrected without being
stripped of all the materials of their glorying. They were, indeed,
extremely wedded to their boastings; yea, they were become hardened
in their contempt of God. He therefore says, that this fruit would
at last follow, that they would trust in the Lord, that is, when he
had laid them prostrate.
This verse contains a most useful instruction: for first we are
taught that the Church is subdued by the cross, that she may know
her pride, which is so innate and so fixed in the hearts of men,
that it cannot be removed, except the Lord, so to speak, roots it
out by force. There is then no wonder that the faithful are so much
humbled be the Lord, and that the lot of the Church is so
contemptible; for if they had more vigor, they would soon, as is
often the case, break out into an insolent spirit. That the Lord,
then, may keep his elect under restraint, he subdues and tames them
by poverty. In short, he exercises them under the cross. This is one
thing.
We must also notice the latter clause, when he says, "They
shall trust in the Lord", that is, those who have been reduced to
poverty and want. We hence see for what purpose God deprives us of
all earthly trust, and takes away from us every ground of glorying;
it is, that we may rely only on his favor. This dependence ought
not, indeed, to be extorted from us, for what can be more desirable
than to trust in God? But while men arrogate to themselves more than
what is right, and thus put themselves in the place of God, they
cannot really and sincerely trust in him. They indeed imagine that
they trust in God, when they ascribe to him a part of their
salvation; but except this be done wholly, no trust can be placed in
God. It is hence necessary that they who ascribe to themselves even
the smallest thing, should be reduced to nothing: and this is what
the Prophet means. Let us further know, that men do not profit under
God's scourges, except they wholly deny themselves, and forget their
own power, which they falsely imagine, and recomb on him alone.
But the Prophet speaks of the elect alone; for we see that many
are severely afflicted, and are not softened, nor do they put off
their former hardihood. But the Lord so chastises his people, that
by the spirit of meekness he corrects in them all pride and
haughtiness. But by saying, They shall trust in the name of Jehovah,
he sets this trust in contrast with the pride which he had
previously condemned. They indeed wished to appear to trust in the
name of God, when they boasted of Mount Sion, and haughtily brought
forward the adoption by which they had been separated from heathen
nations; but it was a false boasting, which had no trust in it. To
trust, then, in the name of Jehovah is nothing else than sincerely
to embrace the favor which he offers in his word, and not to make
vain pretenses, but to call on him with a pure heart and with a deep
feeling of penitence.
For the same purpose he adds, "The residue of Israel shall no
more work iniquity nor speak falsehood; nor shall there be found a
deceitful tongue in their mouth". The Prophet continues the same
subject - that the Church is not to be less esteemed when it
consists only of a few men; for in the vast number there was great
filth, which not only polluted the earth by its ill savor, but
infected heaven itself. Since then Jerusalem was full of iniquities,
as long as the people remained entire, the Prophet adduces this
comfort, that there was no reason for sorrow, if from a vast number
as the sand of the sea, and from a great multitude like the stars,
God would only collect a small band; for by this means the Church
would be cleansed. And it was of great importance that the filth
should be cleansed from God's sanctuary; for what could have been
more disgraceful than that the holy place should be made the lodging
of swine, and that the place which God designed to be consecrated to
himself, should be profaned? As then Jerusalem was the sanctuary of
God, ought not true religion to have flourished there? But when it
became polluted with every kind of filth, the Prophet shows that it
ought not to have seemed grievous that the Lord should take away
that vast multitude which falsely boasted that they professed his
name. They shall not then work iniquity.
Under one kind of expression he includes the whole of a
righteous life, when he says, "They shall not speak falsely, nor
will there be found a deceitful tongue". It is indeed sufficient for
the practice of piety or integrity of life to keep the tongue free
from frauds and falsehood; but as it cannot be that any one will
abstain from all frauds and falsehood, except he purely and from the
heart fears God, the Prophet, by including the whole under one
thing, expresses under the word tongue what embraces complete
holiness of life.
It may be now asked, whether this has ever been fulfilled. It
is indeed certain, that though few returned to their own country,
there were yet many hypocrites among that small number; for as soon
as the people reached their own land, every one, as we find, was so
bent on his own advantages, that they polluted themselves with
heathen connections, that they neglected the building of the temple,
and deprived the priests of their tenths, that they became cold in
the worship of God. With these things they were charged by Haggai,
Zechariah, and Malachi. Since these things were so, what means this
promise, that there would be no iniquity when God had cleansed his
Church? The Prophet speaks comparatively; for the Lord would so
cleanse away the spots from his people that their holiness would
then appear more pure. Though then many hypocrites were still mixed
with the good and real children of God, it was yet true that
iniquity was not so prevalent, that frauds and falsehood were not so
rampant among the people as they were before.
He afterwards adds, "For they shall feed and lie down, and
there will be none to terrify them". He mentions another benefit
from God - that he will protect his people from all wrongs when they
had repented. We must ever bear in mind what I have stated - that
the Prophet intended here to heal the sorrow of the godly, which
night have otherwise wholly dejected their minds. That he might then
in some measure alleviate the grief of God's children, he brings
forward this argument - "Though few shall remain, it is yet well
that the Lord will cleanse away the filth of the holy city, that it
may be justly deemed to be God's habitation, which was before the
den of thieves. It is not then a loss to you, that few will dwell in
the holy land, for God will be a faithful guardian of your safety.
What need then is there of a large multitude, except to render you
safe from enemies and from wild beasts? What does it signify, if God
receives you under his protection, under the condition that ye shall
be secure, though not able to resist your enemies? Though one cannot
defend another, yet if God be your protector, and ye be made to live
in peace under the defense which he promises, there is no reason why
ye should say, that you have suffered a great loss, when your great
number was made small. It is then enough for you to live under God's
guardianship; for though the whole world were united against you,
and ye had no strength nor defense yourselves, yet the Lord can
preserve you; there will be no one to terrify you.
And this argument is taken from the law; for it is mentioned
among other blessings, that God would render safe the life of his
people; which is an invaluable blessing, and without which the life
of men, we know, must be miserable; for nothing is more distressing
than constant fear, and nothing is more conducive to happiness than
a quiet life: and hence to live in quietness and free from all fear,
is what the Lord promises as a chief blessing to his people.
Prayer.
Grant, Almighty God, that since the depravity of our nature is so
great, that we cannot bear prosperity without some wantonness of the
flesh immediately raging in us, and without becoming even arrogant
against thee, - O grant, that we may profit under the trials of the
cross; and when thou have blest us, may we with lowly hearts,
renouncing our perverseness, submit ourselves to thee, and not only
bear thy yoke submissively, but proceed in this obedience all our
life, and so contend against all temptations as never to glory in
ourselves, and feel also convinced, that all true and real glory is
laid up for us in thee, until we shall enjoy it in thy celestial
kingdom, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Calvin's Commentary on Zephaniah, Part 9
(continued in part 10...)
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