Verse 9
A. The purification of the nations 3:9
"Then" signals a major change in time as well as in the focus of Zephaniah’s prophecy. It is a hinge word that serves as a transition from judgment in the Tribulation to blessing in the Millennium. Then, after these judgments (Zephaniah 1:2 to Zephaniah 3:8), the Lord promised to give the peoples of the world lips that would speak truth and grace rather than lies and defiled speech (cf. Isaiah 6:5-7).
"Lip does not stand for language, but is mentioned as the organ of speech, by which a man expresses the thoughts of his heart, so that purity of the lips involves or presupposes the purification of the heart." [Note: C. F. Keil, "Zephaniah," in The Twelve Minor Prophets, 2:156. Cf. Isaiah 6:5-7.]
Yahweh would effect this change in all the people of the world so they would worship Him (cf. Genesis 4:26) and serve Him as one united family of nations. This event has been seen as a reversal of Babel (Genesis 11:1; Genesis 11:6-7; Genesis 11:9). [Note: Craigie, 2:128.] This revelation indicates that everyone living on the earth at the beginning of the Millennium will be a believer in Jesus Christ (cf. Matthew 25:31-46).
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