Yahweh

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There is almost universal consensus among scholars today that the sacred Tetragrammaton (YHWH) is to be vocalized and pronounced Yahweh. Probably the name means literally “He is.” Some argue, somewhat philosophically or metaphysically, that it presents God as the eternal self-existent One — the absolute, unchanging God (the eternal I AM — Exo 3:13-15; cf Joh 8:58). To them the name connotes the underived and independent existence of God.

Others correctly maintain that such an understanding does not go far enough. They point out that in the OT Yahweh is used as the personal, covenant name of God, and that name is a perpetual testimony to his faithfulness to his promises. Thus in usage it conveys the thought that God is present to save, help, deliver, redeem, bless, and keep covenant. In other words, God’s active existence and presence are primarily in view, not his mere state of being or passive presence. He is the God who personally reveals himself in authoritative word and mighty act.

God himself identifies his name as Yahweh in Exo 3:15; 6:3. Strictly speaking, all other “names” are either generic terms (eg, Elohîm, “God”) or appellative titles or epithets (eg, Adonai, “Lord”). But it is not sufficient to stop with the statement that Yahweh is his name, for the word “name” itself possesses far-reaching implications in Semitic usage. When God speaks of his “name” as Yahweh, he means that Yahweh is his self-disclosure — his revealed character, nature, essence, or being.

In the Hebrew Bible the Jews wrote the consonants of the Tetragrammaton as YHWH, but out of reverence for the sacred name of God (or out of fear of violating Exo 20:7; Lev 24:16), they vocalized and pronounced it as Adonai or occasionally as Elohim. It is unfortunate, then, that the name was transliterated into German and ultimately into English as Jehovah (which is the way the name is represented in the American Standard Version of 1901), for this conflate form represents the vowels of Adonai superimposed on the consonants of Yahweh, and it was never intended by the Jews to be read as Yehowah (or Jehovah).

The meaning assigned to Yahweh above (literally “He is”) reflects an understanding of the name as an earlier form of the Qal imperfect of the Hebrew verb ha¯ya¯h, sometimes written ha¯wa¯h (the actual original root was hwy). However the form has also been analyzed as the Hiphil imperfect of the same verb, meaning “He (who) causes to be,” ie, “He (who) creates” or “He (who) brings into existence.” Exodus 3:14 (“I AM WHO I AM”) may be of some assistance in deciding between these two views. In my opinion this verse is a divine commentary on — or exposition of — the meaning of the name Yahweh (v 15). If this is true, it obviously favors the former view, for when God speaks of himself, he says, “I AM,” and when we speak of him, we say, “He is.”

A problem has been imagined in Exo 6:3 because of the words “by my name the Lord [Yahweh] I did not make myself known to them [ie, the patriarchs].” Yet there are several references to Yahweh in the patriarchal narratives and earlier (eg, Gen 2:4; 4:26; 13:4; 15:7) and in names like Jochebed (Exo 6:20), apparently meaning “The Lord [Yahweh] is glory.” Kidner points the way to one solution: “In Exo 3:14 the divine exposition, ‘I am… ‘ introduces and illuminates the name given in Exo 3:15, and this remains the context for Exo 6:3 as well… The name, in short, was first known, in any full sense of the word, at its first expounding.”

Another approach is to let the emphasis fall on the personal, intimate, experiential sense in which the Hebrew verb for “know” is often used (see, eg, in Exo 6:7; 7:17; 8:10,22; 9:14,29; 10:2; 11:7; 14:4,18; 16:6,8,12; 18:11). (The point being made here is valid whether the verb is to be translated “I did not make myself known” or “I was not known.”) In effect God would be saying: “By my name Yahweh I was not intimately and experientially known to the patriarchs. Their experience of me was largely as El Shaddai (‘God Almighty’). But now, beginning with the Exodus and deliverance from Egypt, I am about to reveal myself fully and personally in the experience of my covenant people Israel in that aspect of my character signified by Yahweh, ie, as the God who is ever present with his people to help and redeem them and to keep covenant with them.” This view seems to be supported by Exo 6:4-8. In particular, the verbs in Exo 6:6 — “bring out,” “free,” “redeem” — stress the true significance of the name Yahweh, who is the Redeemer of his people.

Exo 6:3, then, does not necessarily mean that the patriarchs were totally ignorant of the name Yahweh (“the Lord”) but it indicates that they did not understand its full implications as the name of the One who would redeem his people… That fact could be comprehended only by the Israelites who were to experience the exodus, and by their descendants.

Although Motyer’s interpretation of Exo 6:3 is somewhat different, his conclusion is similar: “The place of the verse in the scheme of revelation, as we see it, is this: not that now for the first time the name as a sound is declared, but that now for the first time the essential significance of the name is to be made known. The patriarchs called God Yahweh, but knew Him as El Shaddai; their descendants will both call him and know him by His name Yahweh. This is certainly the burden of Exo 6:6,9.

To understand how “Lord” came to be used as a translation of YHWH (Yahweh), we must give some attention to the Greek word kyrios. The latter is properly a Greek adjective meaning “having power or authority”; used as a noun, it means “lord, sovereign, master, owner.” This is the standard word for “Lord” in the LXX (the ancient Greek translation of the OT) and in the NT. Essentially it was the semantic equivalent of the Hebrew Adonai (and to some extent also of the Hebrew ba’al) and was used in the LXX to translate Yahweh because the rabbis read Adonai in place of the personal, divine name. (NT writers applied kyrios to Jesus as a divine title.) English Bible translators have traditionally followed the convention of rendering YHWH (Yahweh) as “Lord” in capital letters to distinguish it from Adonai, for which small letters are used (“Lord”). The NIV translators adopted the same device.

Finally it is instructive to observe that an abbreviated form of Yahweh is preserved in the Hebrew name Joshua and in the Greek name Jesus, both meaning “The Lord [Yahweh] saves.”

YHWH Sabaoth

Another problem faced by the NIV translators was how to render the title “Sabaoth” when applied to Yahweh (“the Lord”).

The Preface to the NIV explains:

Because for most readers today the phrases “the Lord of hosts” and “God of hosts” have little meaning, this version renders them “the Lord Almighty” and “God Almighty.” These renderings convey the sense of the Hebrew, namely, “he who is sovereign over all the ‘hosts’ (powers) in heaven and on earth, especially over the ‘hosts’ (armies) of Israel.” For readers unacquainted with Hebrew this does not make clear the distinction between Sabaoth (“hosts” or “Almighty”) and Shaddai (which can also be translated “Almighty”), but the latter occurs infrequently and is always footnoted.

Similarly, Eichrodt concludes that Sabaoth “does not refer to any particular ‘hosts,’ but to all bodies, multitudes, masses in general, the content of all that exists in heaven and in earth… [a] name expressive of the divine sovereignty.” As “the Lord Almighty,” Yahweh is the controller of history who musters all the powers of heaven and earth to accomplish his will.

Miller considers this epithet as part of the OT divine warrior motif. He isolates the activities of the divine warrior as salvation, judgment, and kingship. The messianic King was also to be a divine warrior or strong ruler (“Mighty God” in Isa 9:6; cf Isa 10:21).

In the same vein, The NIV Study Bible comments on the first occurrence of “Yahweh Sabaoth” in Scripture (1Sa 1:3):

This is the first time in the Bible that God is designated by this title. The Hebrew for “hosts(s)” can refer to (1) human armies (Exo 7:4; Psa 44:9); (2) the celestial bodies such as the sun, moon and stars (Gen 2:1; Deu 4:19; Isa 40:26); or (3) the heavenly creatures such as angels (Jos 5:14; 1Ki 22:19; Psa 148:2). The title, “the Lord of hosts,” is perhaps best understood as a general reference to the sovereignty of God over all powers in the universe (hence the NIV rendering “the Lord Almighty”). In the account of the establishment of kingship in Israel it became particularly appropriate as a reference to God as the God of armies — both of the heavenly army (Deu 33:2; Jos 5:14; Psa 68:17; Hab 3:8) and of the army of Israel (1Sa 17:45).

Yahweh Sabaoth

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The Hebrew for “hosts” (sabaoth) can refer to:

human armies (Exo 7:4; Psa 44:9),
the celestial bodies such as the sun, moon, and stars (Gen 2:1; Deu 4:19; Isa 40:26), or
the angels (Jos 5:14; 1Ki 22:19; Psa 148:2).

The title, “Lord of hosts”, or “Lord Almighty”, “Yahweh sabaoth”, is perhaps best understood as a general ref to the sovereignty of God over all powers in the universe. In the account of establishment of kingship in Israel it became particularly appropriate as a ref to God as the God of armies — both of the heavenly army (Deu 33:2; Jos 5:14; Psa 68:17; Hab 3:8) and of the army of Israel (1Sa 17:45).

In the NT, “Almighty” translates “pantokrator” (the ruler of all things) in 2Co 6:18; Rev 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7,14; 19:6,15; 21:22.

Your kingdom shall not continue

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In this sad incident, King Saul is rebuked by Samuel for his presumption in offering sacrifice in Gilgal. The punishment is stern indeed, for Saul has shown himself to be inconsiderate of the holiness of Yahweh, and indifferent of the precision with which He must be approached: “For now (if you had been faithful in this one instance) Yahweh would have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever… But now thy kingdom shall not continue…” (1Sa 13:13,14).

By Samuel’s pronouncement, Saul remains king, but his kingdom is not to continue — that is, his descendants will not rule over Israel. (In a later sentence, because of a further sin, even Saul himself is rejected as the anointed king — 1Sa 15:23,26.)

These verses present a difficulty, which may be stated thus: Seeing that the kingship of the twelve tribes was prophetically given already to Judah (Gen 49:10), how could Saul of Benjamin be promised a continuing dynasty? To assert that God knew the end from the beginning, and therefore would deliberately promise something which His own previous pronouncements had made an impossibility, is not a sufficient answer. Even admitting that the Almighty foreknew Saul’s failure and rejection, it is not in keeping with His character of justice that He would make even a conditional promise that He could not possibly fulfill. Doing this would in effect nullify the promise even as it was given, putting the burden of certain failure upon any person with the least discernment.

However, there is at least one way in which, had he been faithful, Saul’s kingdom might have continued and Judah might have ruled over his brethren also: Remember that David of Judah, after his conquest of Goliath, was virtually “adopted” into the family of Saul, and promised the hand in marriage of his eldest daughter Merab (1Sa 17:25; 18:17). For some reason (probably jealousy of David) Saul was to give Merab to another man (18:19), but David still became the son-in-law of the king in marrying the younger Michal (v 27). And Jonathan, in one of the most selfless acts ever recorded anywhere, transferred his garments (the tokens of royalty?) to David (v 4), thereby acknowledging his “brother’s” right to the throne.

It is easy, therefore, to imagine that, had Saul been faithful (or even had he at long last repented wholeheartedly of his sins), his kingdom and lineage might still have been established forever in the royal union of David and Michal. Then the grandsons of Saul and all their later generations would have been as much Saul’s seed as Christ was in days to come the seed of David — that is, through his mother!

But, significantly, the jealous and proud Michal — always her father’s daughter — “had no child unto the day of her death” (2Sa 6:23): like Saul, a complete failure! Of both father and daughter it may be said, with justice and propriety, as of others:

“Write them childless… for no man of their seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah” (Jer 22:30).

Zec 3 and Enoch

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“Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee” (Jud 1:9).

Why is Zec 3 used here? Because, of all the references to satans or Satan in the OT, only in Zec 3 is wording that may be used to support the idea of a fallen angel. Job 1 could not have been used as proof by the Enochites that Satan was a disobedient angel. As with the book of Mormon, the believers in the Book of Enoch would have searched desperately for authority from the OT. Zec 3 was the Enochite’s best shot at OT evidence. None of the other OT references to Satan would support the Book of Enoch’s teaching, but rather detract from it.

The other good thing about Zec 3 from the Enochite point of view was that the LXX showed “Jesus the Priest” powerless between the Angel of the Lord (Michael) and The Diabolos (Satan). As such it was possibly understood as a prophecy relating to “Jesus the Priest” or “Jesus the Prophet”, which would place Jesus “below the angels” (same problem as Hebrews).

Origen (185-254) refers to a document called the “Assumption of Moses” and quotes, “Moses having died in the mount, the Archangel Michael was sent to remove the body. The Devil therefore wishing to cheat him withstood him, saying, ‘the body is mine as lord of all material things’ or because of his slaying of the Egyptian blaspheming against the Holy One and proclaiming him a murderer. The angel not enduring this blasphemy against the Holy One, said to the Devil ‘God rebuke thee!’. ”

But this appears to be quoted secondhand because the writer cannot decide which of two reasons the Devil argued. In other words it appears to have already been lost in the days of the earliest reference to it. While a Latin “Assumption of Moses” does exist today, it does not contain the story above. Perhaps the only question here is who made this up — Enochites to explain Zechariah? or early Christians to explain Jude? Either way it is another “cunningly designed fable”, or “Jewish myth”, as Paul describes it in Tit 1:14. Note that Moses, and not Christ, is the Holy One.

Note also that in the Assumption of Moses it is not “before the Lord”. God is not mentioned. In Zec 3 it is “before the Lord”.

It has also been suggested that “Body of Moses” meant either Ezra and the people, or Joshua the Priest, or Jesus (the “prophet like unto Moses”; but that is not proven. Whatever it meant to Jude’s readers the phrase “the Body of Moses” is certainly not a scriptural term (it has no basis in the LXX or NT); so the phrase very likely came from those who “denied the Lord that bought them”.

To conclude: whatever extra legends relating to Zec 3 may then have been taught by these false teachers, Jude’s point was simply that the angel of Israel in prophecy (named “Michael” in the prophetic language of Daniel) did not behave in the manner the Enochites did in accusing angels of sin. Likewise neither did Ezra (Ezr 4:6) to the accusation against Joshua the servant of Moses.

The accusers of Ezra 4:6, Rehum and Shimshai who wrote the letter to Xerses, are not called “Diabolos” in the LXX as for example was Haman, but note that Jude’s “railing accusation” is quoted from “railing accusation against them” in 2Pe 2:11 — so Jude’s “diabolos” is plural. Rehum and Shimshai were just as much “diaboloi” to Ezra and Joshua, as Haman was to Mordecai.

“And others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh” (Jud 1:23). Jude’s point is that if his readers must make reference to Zec 3 and Ezra 4:6, then they should learn all the positive lessons — the clean garments of Joshua the Priest should be theirs not through Enoch, Moses or the angels, but through the Greater Joshua, Jesus our High Priest, raised above all principalities and powers. (JB)

Zec, overview

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Time: 520 – 490 BC.

The title of this book comes from its traditional writer, as is true of all the prophetic books of the Old Testament. The name “Zechariah” (lit “Yahweh remembers”) was a common one among the Israelites identifying as many as 27 different individuals in the OT. It was an appropriate name for the writer of this book because it explains that Yahweh remembers His chosen people and His promises and will be faithful to them. This Zechariah was the son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo (Zec 1:1,7; cf Ezra 5:1; 6:14; Neh 12:4,16).

Zechariah, like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, was both a prophet and a priest. He was obviously familiar with priestly things (cf Zec 3; 6:9-15; 9:8,15; 14:16,20,21). Since he was a young man when he began prophesying (Zec 2:4), he was probably born in Babylonian captivity and returned to Palestine in 536 BC with Zerubbabel and Joshua. He became a leading priest in the restoration community succeeding his grandfather, Iddo, who also returned from captivity in 536 BC, as the leader of his priestly family (Neh 12:4,16). His father, Berekiah (Zec 1:1,7) evidently never became prominent.

Summary: Zechariah was a younger contemporary of Haggai. He also encouraged the people to rebuild the Temple. Like Daniel and Revelation, this book contains apocalyptic visions, and detailed references to the coming Messiah. The book concludes with descriptions of the enemies of Jerusalem being judged and of the future glory of God’s kingdom.

Key verse: “Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zec 9:9).

Outline

1.	Introduction: The call to repent: Zec 1:1-6

2.	The night visions: Zec 1:7-6:8
	a)	Vision of the horses: Zec 1:7-17
	b)	Vision of the horns and craftsmen: Zec 1:18-21
	c)	Vision of the surveyor: Zec 2:1-13
	d)	Vision of Joshua the high priest: Zec 3:1-10
	e)	Vision of the golden lampstand and two olive trees: Zec 4:1-14
	f)	Vision of the flying scroll: Zec 5:1-4
	g)	Vision of the woman in a basket: Zec 5:5-11
	h)	Vision of the four chariots: Zec 6:1-8

3.	The crowning of Joshua: Zec 6:9-15

4.	Questions concerning fasting: Zec 7:1-8:23
	a)	The question: Zec 7:1-3
	b)	The lesson from history: Zec 7:4-14
	c)	God’s purpose of blessing for Israel: Zec 8:1-23

5.	The future of the nations, Israel and Messiah’s kingdom: Zec 9:1 – 14:21
	a)	The first oracle: Zec 9:1-11:17
	b)	The second oracle: Zec 12:1-14:21

Zeph, overview

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Time: 635 – 615 BC.

Summary: Zephaniah prophesied during King Josiah’s reign. He was responsible for a great religious reform. This reform followed the wicked reigns of Manasseh and Amon, who led the nation into various forms of idolatry. Zephaniah pronounces inescapable judgments against Jerusalem for their sins and exhorts national repentance. He further speaks of the “day of the Lord” when God will intervene to judge sin.

“Zephaniah can hardly be considered great as a poet. He does not rank with Isaiah, nor even with Hosea in this particular… He had an imperative message to deliver and proceeded in the most direct and forceful way to discharge his responsibility. What he lacked in grace and charm, he in some measure atoned for by the vigour and clarity of his speech. He realised the approaching terror so keenly that he was able to present it vividly and convincingly to his hearers. No prophet has made the picture of the day of Yahweh more real” (JMP Smith).

Key verse: “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger” (Zep 2:3).

Outline

1.	God’s judgments upon Israel: Zep 1:1 — 2:3
	a)	Announcement of total judgment: Zep 1:1-3
	b)	Judgment on idolaters in Judah: Zep 1:4-9
	c)	Wailing through Jerusalem: Zep 1:10-13
	d)	The inescapable day of the Lord’s wrath: Zep 1:14-18; 2:1-3

2.	God’s judgments on the nations: Zep 2:1-15
	a)	Judgment on Philistia: Zep 2:4-7
	b)	Judgment on Moab and Ammon: Zep 2:8-11
	c)	Judgment on Cush: Zep 2:12
	d)	Judgment on Assyria: 2:13-15

3.	God’s future kingdom, after His judgments are finished: Zep 3:1-20
	a)	Judgment on Jerusalem: Zep 3:1-5
	b)	Jerusalem’s refusal to repent: Zep 3:6-8
	c)	The nations purified, the remnant restored, Jerusalem purged: Zep 3:9-13
	d)	Rejoicing in the city: Zep 3:14-17
	e)	The nation restored: Zep 3:18-20

Zeph, summary book of prophecy

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THE SUMMARY BOOK OF ALL PROPHECY (ZEPHANIAH)

The writer was requested some time ago to speak on the subject: “The Prophets and their Message”. Upon reflection, this began to take on the dimensions of a lifetime study instead of a 45-minute talk. How does one go about condensing such a vast collection of material into manageable limits? (By actual volume, the “prophets” — including the Apocalypse of John — comprise 21% of the whole Bible.)

And, furthermore, in the welter of various and sometimes conflicting interpretations, just WHAT is the “message of the prophets” anyway?

The matter was considerably simplified by arbitrarily omitting 15 of the 16 Old Testament prophets, along with Revelation, and narrowing down the selection of source material to one, short, little-studied book: Zephaniah.

Why Zephaniah? For one thing, it has been called, as you may have already guessed from the title, “The summary book of all prophecy”. This is because, in only three chapters, it contains ALL of the three basic elements of Bible prophecy:

God’s judgments on Israel (Zep 1:1–2:3),
God’s judgments on the nations (Zep 2:4-15), and
God’s future kingdom, AFTER His judgments are finished (Zep 3:1-20).

And, when you think about it, what else is there, really? In all the other prophets, simply variations of these three themes.

So now we are making progress. Let us consider each element in turn:

GOD’S JUDGMENTS ON ISRAEL

Israel (or shall we say Judah?) was God’s nation, and our example. Everything they did, and everything God brought upon them, are for our examples and admonition. So let us, who THINK we stand in God’s estimation, take earnest heed to these writings — lest we fall, as did Israel (1Co 10:11,12).

” ‘I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will sweep away both men and animals; I will sweep away the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. The wicked will have only heaps of rubble when I cut off man from the face of the earth’ ” (Zep 1:2,3).

“I will sweep away — or cut off”… four distinct classes of sinners:

The OPEN idolaters: “every remnant of Baal, the names of the pagan and the idolatrous priests — those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host” (vv 4,5).
The SECRET idolaters: “those who bow down and swear by the LORD AND who ALSO swear by Molech” (v 5).
The backsliders: “those who turn back from following the LORD” (v 6).
The indifferent: “those who… neither seek the LORD nor inquire of him” (v 6).

That seems to cover the field rather well! Can we imagine any sort of sinner who does not fall into at least one of these categories? Do we not sometimes find even ourselves perilously entrapped in sins of most of these types?

It all has to do with “caring”: the open idolaters CARE, but they care wrongly; they have a zeal but not according to knowledge, and they bow five times a day toward Mecca or burn incense to a smiling stone image, but it profits them nothing.

The secret idolaters CARE too, but only half-heartedly; they serve God at times, but they never quite overthrow the altar of “Mammon” in their lives!

The backsliders CARED for God at one time, but they stopped caring. Perhaps the “cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches” entered their lives and choked the word of God.

And, last, there are the indifferent, who CARE not at all, who cannot be moved even with dynamite from the comfortable ruts of their sad, empty little lives.

What is the lesson for us? God sees and will judge EVERY type of iniquity: the external idolatry of false religion as well as the secret, internal idolatry of covetousness (Col 3:5), which wears a cloak of “righteousness” in order to deceive (both itself and others).

“Search us, Lord, and know our heart. With every idol bid us part.”

These exhortations are lost on us if we think only of “idols” made of wood and stone, and pride ourselves as having nothing to do with such. But the “idols” that should frighten us, from whose bondage we should pray to be delivered, are the modern “gods” of materialism, licentiousness (in books, movies, and television), and pleasure-seeking! For God WILL judge EVERY type of sin: the open indifference of atheism no more than the hidden indifference of a lax Laodicean faith which seeks its own comfort and ignores its “nakedness” in God’s sight.

“The LORD has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated those he has invited” (Zep 1:7).

Christ is the one true sacrifice, so that in turn he may also be the bridegroom of the marriage feast. The Father has invited guests to the sacrifice — to partake of the forgiveness of sins which Christ has made possible, and to obtain a “wedding garment” so that they will be suitably attired to attend the feast. But those guests who have not faithfully prepared themselves, when they do try to enter the great marriage feast, will be punished because they are, figuratively, “clad in foreign clothes” (v 8).

“At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, ‘The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad’ ” (v 12).

Is this the picture of the household of faith in the Last Days? By their attitudes (that is, in their hearts) some appear to be saying (although they would never dream of saying so openly) that God is indifferent to what man does. ‘Don’t remind me that He sees or cares what I do. Leave me alone to while away my satisfied, self-centered little life.’

The great causes of God are not often defeated by open frontal attack, but rather by the slow, crushing, glacier-like mass of indifferent disciples. The Truth of God cannot be destroyed by the enemy, but it can be smothered to death by the lazy “friend”, who sits on it!

Let us examine ourselves. We all build “fences” around ourselves in one way or another. It is a deep-seated desire of human nature to seek protection and security, and to forget unpleasant things. But unless we are careful, we may come to seek our strength and support within ourselves, in our own possessions and accomplishments. “I will build bigger barns,” we say, but God says, “You are fools. This night your lives may be required of you.”

Let us not develop ingenious ways of keeping God and His demands out of our lives. Let us not be children, hiding in our “playpens”, amusing ourselves with expensive and time-consuming “toys”, until the urgency of the Truth has melted away in our lives.

Rather, let us “seek the LORD… righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’S anger” (Zep 2:3).

GOD’S JUDGMENTS ON THE NATIONS

For us, these can be both warning and encouragement: warning, because God is a jealous and holy God, whose longsuffering is not endless; but also encouragement, because His judgments on the nations are the prelude to the kingdom, when “the people of the world learn righteousness” (Isa 26:9).

In this section (Zep 2:4-15), four peoples or groups of peoples stand for the Gentiles in their totality:

To the west of Israel were the Philistines (vv 4-7) — modern Palestine;
To the east, Moab and Ammon (vv 8-11) — modern Jordan;
To the south, Cush (Ethiopia or southern Arabia) (v 12); and
To the north, Assyria or Babylon (vv 13-15) — modern Iraq.

These nations encircle Israel, which is of course at the center of God’s plan. Their “bounds” — both as to national boundaries and limits of influence — are set by God according to His purpose with His people Israel (Acts 17:26; Deu 32:8).

This is a comfort to those who see and understand the Divine Hand in world affairs. God has said, in effect, “This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt” (Job 38:11). Even though around us men’s hearts are failing them for fear, if God be for US, then nothing will “harm” US except what HE causes or allows for our betterment.

GOD’S FUTURE KINGDOM

In the last section the prophet Zephaniah looks again at the sins of Judah, but this time with a remedy. First the sins:

The sins of Jerusalem were four, and the reasons for those sins were likewise fourfold:

The sins (Zep 3:2)	The reasons (Zep 3:3,4)
1. No obedience	1. Wicked princes
2. No correction	2. Wicked judges
3. No trust	3. Wicked prophets
4. No atonement (“drawing near”)	4. Wicked priests

In Zephaniah’s day, all the kings and princes (except Josiah) were wicked men who could not lead a wicked nation into obedience. “Like princes, like people.” The judges were accustomed to bribery and graft, and did not teach “correction” or “instruction” (AV mg). With the exceptions of Zephaniah and Jeremiah, the prophets were false and wicked men, who trusted in the arm of flesh and not God. And the priests, who “profaned” the sanctuary, could not help in the least to draw men back to God.

It was a sorry state, but there was yet hope. As the sins of the people fell under four headings, because of the failures of all four classes of national leaders, so God’s remedy for His nation (and for the world) is also seen in four parts — all involving Christ. The recurring theme through the last section is:

“The LORD — Yahweh — is in the midst of you!” (vv 5,12,15,17).

Christ was once, and will be yet again in greater scope, the manifestation of the LORD or Yahweh upon the earth. He will be “in the midst” of men once again, in the capacity of righteous leader, when he returns to set up his Father’s Kingdom. At that time, he will be:

A righteous JUDGE (vv 5-7) — who will do no iniquity himself, but will instruct the world in righteousness.
A righteous PROPHET (vv 8-13) — who will bring to mankind “a pure lip” or language (v 9), with which they will call upon the LORD, and “the meek and humble” will “trust in the name of the LORD” (v 12).
A righteous KING (vv 14-16) — who will deliver his people from evil and lead them in the ways of obedience.
A righteous PRIEST (vv 17-20) — who will save his people, and bring them back to oneness, or atonement, with God.

THE PROPHETS’ MESSAGE

This man Christ must be our study, no matter where we turn in the Scriptures. His mind must be in us (Phi 2:5), his delights must be ours, his sorrows ours too. And his perception of the “world” must be shared by us. As he walked with his disciples one day near Herod’s temple, they exclaimed: “What a great building… what great stones…”

To this he replied, “Do you see all these things? I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down” (Mat 24:2).

Thereby he reminds us that nothing of what we see around us is eternal — not the magnificent buildings, nor the noble accomplishments, nor the heaped-up wealth, nor the awesome weapons, nor the seductive “entertainment”. Only character is eternal, and only then when it manifests the righteousness of God. The same prophet (yes, the greatest of all prophets!) who prophesied that every “stone” would be cast down also said:

“Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness” (Mat 6:33).

Even though we cannot see it now, that “city” and that “kingdom” will be eternal; and it will be built up with “living stones” in which righteousness will dwell.

Judgments there must be first, on God’s people no less than on the world. But the storm clouds will finally expend their force, and a new day will dawn — brighter and more blessed than we have ever witnessed — with joys unspeakable for those who have truly sought the LORD.

This is the prophets’ message.

When God became a Father

The baby in the manger uttered his first cry, and thereby his Father staked a claim upon our lives. Thereby the Mighty God of all creation became also “Abba” — the tender Father of a little child; and OUR Father as well!

The God whose son was born in that stable, amidst the simple farm animals, ceased being (if He ever was!) a God of remote abstractions and technical theories.

He is now, for us, a God who loves PEOPLE, a Father who is not willing that any should perish, who holds back no blessing from His “children”, who searches out and loves even the least worthy and most neglected.

A tiny cry in a manger. It was truly a miracle. It was the greatest of all miracles — the birth of God’s own son!

But isn’t every birth a “miracle”, and a mystery? Isn’t every child a “holy” child, because he or she receives life from the God who is holy? Isn’t every child a “gift” from God, showing His continuing love for man, showing that even yet He has not “given up” on us?

And shouldn’t every child be a special child — like Samuel or John or even Jesus — who should be dedicated by righteous parents to the service of God?

Like Mary and Joseph, many of us have been entrusted by God with future kings and queens — who will one day, by God’s grace, sit upon thrones and apply to the nations the lessons learned in their parents’ homes.

And, in fact, aren’t we ALL — from youngest to oldest — children of God, begotten by His love… children who manifest our “sonship” by our love for one another? If there is a lesson in the Christmas story, it is this: the preeminence of love. We love him, because He first loved us. For, after all, “sonship” is not what we do, but what we receive. Not what we earn, but a gift. Thanks be to the Father in heaven, that through His special Son we have received the gift of knowing what it means to be His children.

Whittaker, Harry

Harry A. Whittaker, Christadelphian and Bible prophecy student, died in 1992 at the age of 83. Harry was exemplary in many areas: Bible student, teacher, preacher, missionary, author, letter-writer, visitor, counselor and upbuilder. His boundless energy, forthright message and genuine concern for the welfare of others were inspirational. Harry’s copious writings [see below] are a source of wonderful Bible insights and discoveries, and have encouraged many people in many countries. His work in the area of Bible prophecy has been particularly interesting, and has certainly influenced the thinking of many.

Harry and his wife Phyllis did pioneering preaching work in Guyana in the 1950s.

A list of the published works of Harry Whittaker:

The Last Days The Time of the End Five Minutes to Twelve Isaiah Joel Of Whom the World was not Worthy (Jeremiah) Revelation — A Biblical Approach Jews, Arabs, and Bible Prophecy Visions in Daniel Studies in the Gospels Studies in the Acts of the Apostles Bible Studies — An Anthology Israel in the Wilderness Letters to George and Jenny Exploring the Bible Enjoying the Bible Exhorting and Testifying The Very Devil Through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures Abraham — Father of the Faithful Wrestling Jacob He is Risen Indeed Genesis 1-2-3-4 Hezekiah the Great (with The Songs of Degrees, by George Booker) Passover Reformation Samuel, Saul, and David Seven Short Epistles Joseph the Saviour Word Studies Judges and Ruth The Gifts of the Holy Spirit The Letters of Peter Seven Short Epistles Jude

Wisdom and knowledge

Cowper wrote, “Wisdom and knowledge far from being one, have ofttimes no connection.”

The poet was trying to express the truth that wisdom is superior to knowledge, but in his statement of the difference he went too far. There is bound to be a connection, for although it is possible for men to have knowledge without wisdom, no one can be wise without possessing knowledge. Wisdom makes use of knowledge as mind makes use of matter. It is superior because it is comprehensive. A new-born babe begins life without knowing anything of the world he has entered and without any of the qualities that may come with experience. He cannot possibly be wise until he has knowledge — knowledge of the difference between good and evil, knowledge of the God who has called him into being, and knowledge of the way of life. Wisdom is revealed in the proper use of that which is known. The One who is perfect in wisdom has also the perfection of knowledge.

Wisdom is always good, but there is such a thing as the knowledge of evil. It can never be an advantage to lack wisdom in anything, but there are matters in which it is a blessing not to know.

The apostle Paul wrote, “knowledge puffeth up” (1Co 8:1). He was not condemning knowledge, but simply stating a truth. Knowledge of the right kind is excellent, but even it may tend to inflate the individual who possesses it. Men may be puffed up even by their knowledge of the Scriptures, especially if their reading has been ill-balanced. Much charity is needed to guard against this evil and to make knowledge lead to edification.

There are people who will say that it is only the dangerous “little knowledge” that puffs men up, while those who have studied deeply are truly humble and never boast. This thought has been stated often, but it is not true. Indeed it would be difficult to define the words of such a saying. All the knowledge of mankind is only little. The most ignorant and the most cultured are only separated by a few degrees. It is quite true that intelligent people perceive the ugliness and folly of blatant boasting and so if they boast they do it more skilfully. Or it is possible for a man to feel himself so superior to the common run of humanity that he finds no pleasure in the admiration of the multitude. His detachment is a form of pride, and he may fall into the worst of errors by being puffed up against God.

For all ordinary people it is most natural to find a certain pleasure in the possession of knowledge that is denied to others. The child’s open triumph with the delighted affirmation “I know, I know!” is only the natural expression of a pride which we conceal in later life. Men and women do not feel such keen pleasure in little triumphs, and they may be so self-deceived as to imagine that they are completely above such childish weakness. Often, however, circumstances conspire to reveal the inflation that is there even in those who would claim to be quite free from it. Even in dealing with the oldest and most dignified of men, a diplomatist remembers this human vanity.

An active business man once told us that in early days he made this discovery by accident. He was trying to sell certain articles to engineers, and was finding it very hard work. One day, aside from his business he thought of a very interesting engineering problem which baffled all friends to whom he put it. One of these friends suggested that there was probably one man in the country who could solve the problem, the head of a very large firm, why not write to him? The young man hesitated to be so bold, but at last he wrote, stating his problem. He was invited to make a call. The big man received the youth quite graciously in his office and explained the interesting difficulty. Then having given full satisfaction by his superior knowledge and ability, he began to question the youth as to what he was doing in life, and ended by giving him a good order. There is a sequel to this story which illustrates a worldly wisdom, hardly falling within our subject. The young salesman having found by accident that exalted men were children at heart, changed his method of approach and played on this human weakness. He took advantage of this nattering thought of superior knowledge, the truth noted by the apostle that “knowledge puffeth up.”

In some measure all men are subject to this weakness, but if they are instructed in the knowledge and wisdom that has been divinely revealed, they are aware of human vanity and so are on their guard. Knowledge and ignorance are only relative terms. It is said that in rural England a century ago, a man who could read and write was accounted a scholar, although in other circles the same man would have appeared as an ignoramus. In the same way the man with the greatest reputation for learning in all the world might seem deplorably ignorant to the angels. It is possible even that some of those with the greatest reputation would appear more foolish than their less capable fellows, just as we have noticed when we have chanced to overhear the conversation of children, the cleverest boy talks the worst nonsense, for there is no one to check him, or call in question his assertions.

Wisdom is needed to guide our steps, or knowledge will only bring increase of sorrow and a greater capacity for folly. Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord and it ends with obedience to all His commandments. It can make use of knowledge on this mortal, material plane, while recognizing that there are other planes unknowable to us now. “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom, and with all thy getting get understanding” (Pro 4:7).

In the first chapter of the book of Proverbs we are told that “wisdom crieth aloud in the streets, she uttereth her voice in the broad places, she crieth in the chief place of concourse, at the entering in of the gates” (1:20,21, RV).

Considered as a “dark saying of the wise”, this is provocative of thought. We very rarely have a literal shouting of words of wisdom in the streets of a city, or in the broad places of human activity, but when we remember that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, we can see a definite meaning in the saying. In ancient Israel and in the modern world the idea of God is before men all the while even though human thoughts fail to turn to Him. In our time we can hardly live for a single day without Christ being brought before our minds, and through Christ, the Father who was manifest in him. Even the daily newspaper utters the call of wisdom in spite of its low aim and its native foolishness. The date it gives is from the birth of Christ, the record of human vanity confirms the teaching of Christ, while often, especially in these latter days, there is an item of news which shouts of the purpose of God to those who can understand.

Even apart from these matters the call of wisdom can surely be heard in the ordered wonders of the universe in which we live. Man’s cheerful acceptance of the earth as his home proclaims that in his heart he recognizes that there is a Creator. Would he feel comfortable on a ship with no captain? A hundred thousand tons of metal and wood driving through unknown seas at thirty miles an hour and no one in control? How then should he feel when he realizes that he is all through life on a vessel weighing millions of tons and going through space at sixty thousand miles an hour? Of course men believe that someone is in control. The stability of the earth and its long continuance, the facts of human consciousness and human ideals, the wonders of chemistry and the wonders of life all combine to prove that there is a mind far above that of man. Human intelligence is just sufficient to contemplate these things and to make some response. Wisdom is thus calling to the sons of men in the streets, in the broad places and at the entering in of the gate.

The Proverbs, however, do not suggest that it is easy for men to secure wisdom even though the first call is so loud and insistent. We have to incline our hearts to understanding, to cry after discernment and to seek for wisdom as for hid treasure; then may a man understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. Then wisdom may be a tree of life to us (Pro 2:1-5).

There is much food for thought in this contrast between the first loud call of wisdom to the sons of men, and the diligent search which is necessary before we can find the real treasures that wisdom can yield. The study of nature will not carry men far. “The mysterious universe” offers new complexities as men advance in knowledge. The investigations of men are like the attempt to reach a goal which is moving from them faster than they can run.

God can only be known as far as He has chosen to reveal Himself. He has revealed that He is “a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”. Just as there are treasures and stores of wealth in the material world to reward the diligent labours of men, so there are spiritual treasures for those who search diligently in the Scriptures that have been handed down to us. In the only way possible or desirable in this mortal condition we shall find God if we search for Him with all the heart.

In the book of Proverbs there are many contrasts drawn between wisdom and foolishness, most of them easy to understand. From the many passages we choose one because it contains hidden depths and may arouse helpful thoughts.

“Every wise woman buildeth her house, but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands” (Pro 14:1).

Perhaps this has a meaning even on the most material plane. Some women take steps to improve their houses as time goes on, while others let everything go to ruin. We have even heard of people breaking up some of the woodwork of their houses and burning it through foolish indolence or still more foolish anger. On a slightly less material plane we have noticed the extraordinary difference between the woman who builds a home of confidence, unselfishness and love and the one who pulls a home to pieces by suspicion, jealousy and a generally negative attitude. On a higher plane still, the saying is true of the corporate woman formed through the ages. Those who desire to be constituent members of the bride to be, must be wise. They must build the house and not pull it down.

(PrPr)