Zephaniah 3:1-5

photo: reverbnation.com

Read Zephaniah 3:1-5.

Imagine the disorientation that the original readers had.  God mentioned His intent concerning Philistine cities (2:4-7), Moab and Ammon (2:8-11), Ethiopia (2:12) and Nineveh/Assyria (2:13-15).  At the end of each section, you can almost hear the readers' assent:  "Yes! Give it to 'em, God!"  

Then comes 3:1.  The reader reads about "the oppressing city" and waits for the name of another pagan city or nation to be judged.  What a shock!  "The oppressing city" is none other than Jerusalem! Can you hear their mental churning?  "Oppressing city . . . what?  Not Jerusalem." God then presents His case as to why He used that description.

1. disobedience (3:2) > "obeys no voice"
2. unteachable spirit (3:2) > "receives no correction"
3. self-reliance (3:2) > "does not trust in the Lord"
4. formality (3:2) > keep a safe, respectable distance from God > "not draw near to her God"
5. consumption (3:3) > selfishness > takers, not givers > "leave nothing until the morning"
6. familiarity (3:4) > treating the holy things (Word of God, worship of God) as common

Verse 5 is God's closing argument:  "Being that you are this guilty, how can I sit by and do nothing?"