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We now return to Jerusalem, and must again hear what God has to say to her, I. By way of reproof and threatening, for the abundance of wickedness that was found in her, of which divers instances are given, with the aggravations of them, Zep 3:1-7. II. By way of promise of mercy and grace, which God had yet in reserve for them. Two general heads of promises here are:—1. That God would bring in a glorious work of reformation among them, cleanse them from their sins, and bring them home to himself; many promises of this kind here are, Zep 3:8-13. 2. That he would bring about a glorious work of salvation for them, when he had thus prepared them for it, Zep 3:14-20. Thus the "Redeemer shall come to Zion," and to clear his own way, shall "turn away ungodliness from Jacob." These promises were to have their full accomplishment in gospel-times and gospel-graces.
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The Depravity of Jerusalem (612 BC)
简体中文
耶路撒冷的败坏（主前 612 年）
¹ 这悖逆、污秽、欺压的城有祸了！ ² 她不听从命令；她不受 correction；她不倚靠耶和华；她不亲近她的神。 ³ 她中间的首领是咆哮的狮子；她的审判官是晚上的豺狼，一点食物也不留到早晨。 ⁴ 她的先知是虚浮诡诈的人；她的祭司亵渎圣所，强解律法。 ⁵ 耶和华在她中间是公义的，断不作非义之事；每早晨显明他的公理，并不失信；只是不义的人不知羞耻。 ⁶ 我曾剪除列国，使他们的城楼荒凉；我使他们的街道废弃，无人经过；他们的城邑毁坏，以致无人、无居民。 ⁷ 我说：你只要敬畏我，领受训诲；如此，他虽恼怒，他们的住处也不至被剪除；只是他们从早起来，在一切所行的事上败坏自己。
人当希奇：耶路撒冷——那圣城、神所认识之地、他名为大的所在——竟是此处所给这样黑暗描述的城；一个如此丰盛享有恩典之途的地方竟变得如此极其败坏邪恶；而神又容许它如此；然而事实确是如此，为要显明律法一无所成；但若这确是耶路撒冷的真实写照——无疑它是（因为神的审判不会使任何人比其实际更糟）——先知以她有祸了开始便不足为奇。因为圣洁的神恨恶罪——在最亲近他的人身上尤其恨恶。有罪的状态是、也必是有祸的状态。
I. 此处对这城整体作了非常败坏的描述。忠信之城何竟作了淫妇！第一，她自取其辱；她是污秽的（番3:1），有人读作声名狼藉，旁注读作贪食之城——总是饕餮，为肉体安排去放纵私欲。罪乃是人、是地的污秽与不洁，使他们在圣洁的神眼中可憎。第二，她虐待邻舍与居民；她是欺压人的城。从来没有任何地方有过如此公义的律例典章，然而在政府的治理上，从来没有更大的不义。第三，她极其惹动她的神，在各事上都与他背道而驰（番3:2）。他已赐下他的律法，藉他仆人众先知对她说话，告诉她所当行的善、所当避的恶；但她不听从他的声音，在任何事上不以遵行他所命令的为良心所系。他已用绝佳的管教——既用话语、也用杖——待她；但她既不受言语的教训，也不受杖的惩治，既不顺服神的旨意，也不达他在二者中的目的。他鼓励她倚靠他——倚靠他的权能与应许——以脱离邪恶、得着美物；但她不倚靠耶和华；她的信靠放在她与列国的联盟上，过于她与神所立的约。他赐给她他同在的记号，并为她设立了与他相交的典章；但她不亲近她的神，不在他所指定、他所应许相遇之处与他相遇。她远远站着，对全能者说：离开吧。
II. 此处对其中的领袖人物也作了非常败坏的描述；那些本当以其影响力抑制其中的罪恶与亵渎的，却是邪恶的大榜样与大庇护者；那些本当为她的医生的，实在是她最重的病。第一，她的首领如贪残野蛮的咆哮狮子，捕食一切近前之人，普受畏惧与憎恶；他们使用权柄是为毁灭，不是为建立。第二，她的审判官——本当保护受屈的无辜之人——是晚上的豺狼，贪婪嗜血，其残忍与贪心皆无厌足：他们一点食物也不留到早晨；他们如此以残忍与压迫为乐，以致吞食了一个好人之后，便如将骨头留作美味，留到次日早晨啃噬（伯31:31）。第三，她的先知——自称是从天上来的特使——是虚浮诡诈的人，幻想丰富、想象虚妄，浮躁轻浮，行为放荡，在自己里面毫无一贯性，无人能加以信任。他们如此惯于戏谑，以致难以断定他们何时是认真的。他们所自称的预言全是假货，他们暗里嗤笑那些被欺骗的人。第四，她的祭司——按职分是教师，受托管理圣物——背弃所托，出卖信任。他们当保守圣所的纯洁，自己却亵渎了它，并亵渎了他们所当伺候的圣职——如何弗尼与非尼哈那样的祭司，因他们的恶行使耶和华的祭物被人藐视。他们当讲解并应用律法，并照之判断；然而在他们对其的讲解与应用中，他们强解律法；他们败坏其意，曲解之以庇护那明明与之相反之事。他们以强解使律法说他们所喜悦的话，为一时之需效力，如此实际上废掉了律法。
III. 我们在此看见耶路撒冷中各阶层、各等人普遍败坏的重重加重情节。
1. 他们有神同在的记号在他们中间，有一切可知他旨意的便利，并有最强烈的诱因去遵行，然而他们仍坚持其悖逆（番3:5）。（一）他们有舍金那——神住在他们地——的尊荣与特权，是他不住在任何别的民中的：公义的主在你中间——留意你一切所行的偏差，为一切所行的善赐以嘉许；他在你中间是圣洁的神，所以你的污秽更加可憎（申23:14）。他在你中间是公义的神，所以必惩罚你所加于他的冒犯、以及你们彼此所行的冤屈损伤。（二）他们有神自己的榜样摆在他们面前——在他向他们显现之时——使他们可以效法：他断不作非义之事，所以你们也不当如此；因为这是他们制度的大法则：你们要圣洁，因为我是圣洁的。神必向你们信实，所以你们不可对他虚假。（三）他差遣先知到他们那里，清早起来差遣：每早晨显明他的公理，如早晨之按时来到；并不失信。他明明地指示他们他所要求的善，并提醒他们；他每早晨唤醒（赛50:4），随日出唤醒他的先知，以显明关乎他们平安之事。所以综观全局，对他的葡萄园还能作什么，使它结果子呢？（赛5:4）。然而在这一切之后，不义的人不知羞耻——那行了不义的仍旧不义，并不以自己的不义为耻，也不能脸红。他们若还有任何荣誉之感、任何羞耻之心，便不至于如此公然违背自己的认信与所受的教训。但那些已不知羞耻的，也已无可救药。
2. 神已将一些他公义的显著记念摆在他们眼前，为要作他们的警戒（番3:6）：我曾剪除列国——迦南的七族，那地因其恶行将之吐出，并就此警戒他们当心，免得它也将他们吐出（利18:28）。或可指因恶行而荒废的某些邻国，尤其是以色列——那十支派。他们的城楼荒凉——他们的高楼、他们的坚城、他们的骄傲与权势折断；他们的街道废弃，无人经过；他们的城邑毁坏，化为废墟；其中无人可见，无居民——全被杀或被掳。仇敌行了这事，但神承认：我曾剪除他们。神设计以此作为对耶路撒冷的训诫（结23:9,11）：我说：你只要敬畏我——这些临到别人的审判必能吓阻你不行同样的恶事；你只要领受训诲——从这些护理中；所当期望的，是你既看见列国之罪所带来的毁灭，便不再继续与他们一同犯罪。当他们看见邻舍的房子着火，自己房子在危险之中，他们不能不看见；当我们受惊吓之时，神当被敬畏。
3. 他在自己的话语中、也在自己的护理中，将生与死、福与祸摆在他们面前。（一）他已向他们保证：他们若敬畏他、领受训诲，他们的兴盛便必延续，因为如此他们的住处便不至被剪除——如邻舍的那样；他们若接受所给的警戒而改过，过去的便必蒙赦免，他们的太平也必延长。（二）他使他们感受过杖的痛苦，虽然他从刀剑之下缓刑他们：我虽恼怒他们——为使他们受惩治而不至被定罪。神如此以各种法子试图挽回他们，却都归于徒然；他们既不被温和之法所动，严厉之法也毫无效果，因为他们从早起来，在一切所行的事上败坏自己——他们在恶道上比从前更坚决、更急切，更费心、更着力地为肉体安排，不放过任何放纵的机会。神清早起来差他的先知去归回他们、挽回他们，他们却比他更早起来，要将门关锁挡在他们之外。他们的恶是普遍的：一切所行的事都败坏了；并且这一切全当归咎于他们自己；他们不能将罪推给试探者，必须独自承担；是他们自己故意、存心地在一切所行的事上败坏自己；因为各人被试探，乃是被自己的私欲牵引诱惑的。
英文原文
The Depravity of Jerusalem (612 BC)
¹ Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!
² She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God.
³ Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
⁴ Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
⁵ The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.
⁶ I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.
⁷ I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.
One would wonder that Jerusalem, the holy city, where God was known, and his name was great, should be the city of which this black character is here given, that a place which enjoyed such abundance of the means of grace should become so very corrupt and vicious, and that God should permit it to be so; yet so it is, to show that the law made nothing perfect; but if this be the true character of Jerusalem, as no doubt it is (for God's judgments will make none worse than they are), it is no wonder that the prophet begins with woe to her. For the holy God hates sin in those that are nearest to him, nay, in them he hates it most. A sinful state is, and will be, a woeful state.
I. Here is a very bad character given of the city in general. How has the faithful city become a harlot! 1. She shames herself; she is filthy and polluted (Zep 3:1), has made herself infamous (so some read it), the gluttonous city (so the margin), always cramming, and making provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts of it. Sin is the filthiness and pollution of persons and places, and makes them odious in the sight of the holy God. 2. She wrongs her neighbours and inhabitants; she is the oppressing city. Never any place had statutes and judgments so righteous as this city had, and yet, in the administration of the government, never was more unrighteousness. 3. She is very provoking to her God, and in every respect walks contrary to him, Zep 3:2. He had given his law, and spoken to her by his servants the prophets, telling her what was the good she should do and what the evil she should avoid; but she obeyed not his voice, nor made conscience of doing as he commanded her, in any thing. He had taken her under an excellent discipline, both of the word and of the rod; but she did not receive the instruction of the one nor the correction of the other, did not submit to God's will nor answer his end in either. He encouraged her to depend upon him, and his power and promise, for deliverance from evil and supply with good; but she trusted not in the Lord; her confidence was placed in her alliances with the nations more than in her covenant with God. He gave her tokens of his presence, and instituted ordinances of communion for her with himself; but she drew not near to her God, did not meet him where he appointed and where he promised to meet her. She stood at a distance, and said to the Almighty, Depart.
II. Here is a very bad character of the leading men in it; those that should by their influence suppress vice and profaneness there are the great patterns and patrons of wickedness, and those that should be her physicians are really her worst disease. 1. Her princes are ravenous and barbarous as roaring lions that make a prey of all about them, and they are universally feared and hated; they use their power for destruction, and not for edification. 2. Her judges, who should be the protectors of injured innocence, are evening wolves, rapacious and greedy, and their cruelty and covetousness both insatiable: They gnaw not the bones till the morrow; they take so much delight and pleasure in cruelty and oppression that when they have devoured a good man they reserve the bones, as it were, for a sweet morsel, to be gnawed the next morning, Job 31:31. 3. Her prophets, who pretend to be special messengers from heaven to them, are light and treacherous persons, fanciful, and of a vain imagination, frothy and airy, and of a loose conversation, men of no consistency with themselves, in whom one can put no confidence. They were so given to bantering that it was hard to say when they were serious. Their pretended prophecies were all a sham, and they secretly laughed at those that were deluded by them. 4. Her priests, who are teachers by office and have the charge of the holy things, are false to their trust and betray it. They were to preserve the purity of the sanctuary, but they did themselves pollute it, and the sacred offices of it, which they were to attend upon—such priests as Hophni and Phinehas, who by their wicked lives made the sacrifices of the Lord to be abhorred. They were to expound and apply the law, and to judge according to it; but, in their explications and applications of it, they did violence to the law; they corrupted the sense of it, and perverted it to the patronising of that which was directly contrary to it. By forced constructions, they made the law to speak what they pleased, to serve a turn, and so, in effect, made void the law.
III. We have here the aggravations of this general corruption of all orders and degrees of men in Jerusalem.
1. They had the tokens of God's presence among them, and all the advantages that could be of knowing his will, with the strongest inducements possible to do it, and yet they persisted in their disobedience, Zep 3:5. (1.) They had the honour and privilege of the Shechinah, God's dwelling in their land, so as he dwelt not with any other people: "The just Lord is in the midst of thee, to take cognizance of all thou doest amiss and give countenance to all thou doest well; he is in the midst of thee as a holy God, and therefore thy pollutions are the more offensive, De 23:14. He is in the midst of you as a just God, and therefore will punish the affronts you put upon him, and the wrongs and injuries you do to one another." (2.) They had God's own example set before them, in the discovery he made of himself to them, that they might conform to it: "He will not do iniquity, and therefore you should not;" for this was the great rule of their institution, "Be you holy, for I am holy. God will be true to you; be not you then false to him." (3.) He sent to them his prophets, rising up early and sending them: Every morning he brings his judgment to light, as duly as the morning comes; he fails not. He shows them plainly what the good is which he requires of them, and puts them in mind of it; he wakens morning by morning (Isa 50:4), wakens his prophets with the rising sun, to bring to light the things which belong to their peace. So that, upon the whole matter, what more could have been done to his vineyard, to make it fruitful? Isa 5:4. And yet, after all, the unjust know no shame; those that have been unjust are unjust still, and are not ashamed of their unrighteousness, neither can they blush. If they had any sense of honour, any shame left in them, they would not go so directly contrary to their profession and to the instructions given them. But those that are past shame are past cure.
2. God had set before their eyes some remarkable monuments of his justice, which were designed for warning to them (Zep 3:6): I have cut off the nations, the seven nations of Canaan, which the land spewed out for their wickedness, upon which they had this caution given them, to take heed lest it spew them out also, Le 18:28. Or it may refer to some of the neighbouring nations that were made desolate for their wickedness, especially to the nations of Israel, the ten tribes. Their towers were desolate, their high towers, their strong towers, their pride and power broken; their streets were wasted, so that none passed along through them; their cities were destroyed and laid in ruins; no man was to be found in them, no inhabitant, all were slain or carried into captivity. The enemies did it, but God avows it: I cut them off, says he. And God designed this for an admonition to Jerusalem (Eze 23:9,11): "I said, Surely thou wilt fear me; surely these judgments upon others will deter thee from the like wicked practices; surely thou wilt receive instruction by these providences; it ought to be expected that thou wouldst not continue to sin like the nations when thou seest the ruin which their sin brought upon them." They could not but see their own house in danger when their neighbour's was on fire; and, when we are frightened, God should be feared.
3. He had set before them life and death, good and evil, both in his word and in his providence. (1.) He had assured them of the continuance of their prosperity if they would fear him and receive instruction, for so their dwelling would not be cut off as their neighbour's was; if they took the warning given them, and reformed, what was past should be pardoned, and their tranquility lengthened out. (2.) He had made them feel the smart of the rod, though he reprieved them from the sword: Howsoever I punished them, that, being chastened, they might not be condemned. Such various methods did God take with them, to reclaim them, but all in vain; they were not won upon by gentle methods, nor had severe ones any effect, for they rose early, and corrupted all their doings; they were more resolute and eager in their wicked courses than ever, more studious and solicitous in making provision for their lusts, and let slip no opportunity for the gratification of them. God rose up early, to send them his prophets, to reduce and reclaim them, but they were up before him, to shut and bolt the door against them. Their wickedness was universal: All their doings were corrupted; and it was all owing to themselves; they could not lay the blame upon the tempter, but they alone must bear it; they themselves wilfully and designedly corrupted all their doings; for every man is tempted when he is drawn aside of his own lust and enticed.
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Judgment and Mercy; Promises of Mercy (612 BC)
简体中文
审判与怜悯；怜悯的应许（主前 612 年）
⁸ 耶和华说：你们应当等候我，直到我兴起掳掠的日子；因为我的定意是聚集列国，招聚列王，好将我的烈怒倾在他们身上，就是我发怒的一切猛烈；因为全地必被我嫉妒的烈火吞灭。 ⁹ 那时，我必使万民用清洁的言语，好叫他们都求告耶和华的名，同心合意地事奉他。 ¹⁰ 祈求我的，就是我所分散的民，必从古实河外带来供物给我。 ¹¹ 当那日，你必不因你一切所行的得罪我而自觉羞愧；因为那时我必从你中间除掉因骄矜而欢跃的人，你必不再因我的圣山而狂傲。 ¹² 我却要在你中间留下困苦贫寒的民，他们必投靠耶和华的名。 ¹³ 以色列所剩下的人必不作罪孽，不说谎言；口中也没有诡诈的舌头；因为他们必得牧养、安然躺卧，无人惊吓他们。
番3:1-7 中耶路撒冷的情形看来甚为恶劣；它已声名狼藉，似乎不可救药——对怜悯无动于衷、对审判也无动于衷。人当想，接着便是：所以别无他望，只有将它全然弃绝，如同被弃的银子；既然先知与护理都不能感化它，便让它如邻邦一样成为荒场吧。然而请看神圣恩典的丰盛——它正从人的败坏中得着机会，更显其荣美。他们仍越变越坏，所以你们应当等候我，这是耶和华说的（番3:8）。"既然律法显然一无所成，那引进更美的指望便必有所成。让那些为教会的败坏哀叹的人等候神——直等他差遣他的儿子到世上来，将自己的百姓从罪恶里救出来；直等他差遣他的福音来改革炼净他的教会，为自己从犹太人和外邦人中洁净出一班子民来。"的确有照此指引与鼓励等候救赎——等候这耶路撒冷之救赎的人；久候的至终来到（路2:38）。基督到世上来，为审判（约9:39）。
I. 为向那加于他教会的恶行报仇——降卑毁灭教会的仇敌，尤其是其属灵的仇敌；旧约时代巴比伦及其他压迫神百姓者的毁灭，便是其预表，也是可喜的预兆。他必兴起掳掠，掳掠了仇敌（诗67:18——诗68:18之误引），征服并掠夺黑暗的权势，以及地上那些敌挡主并他的受膏者的权势；他必用铁杖打破他们（诗2:5,9，诗11:5-6）；他的定意是聚集列国、招聚列王。藉着传给凡受造之人的基督福音，万国仿佛被传唤，以一体出现在主耶稣面前——他即将在世上设立他的国。但因为人中间最大部分的人不听从传唤，他必将他的烈怒倾在他们身上，因为不信的人已经定罪了。在弥赛亚国度设立之时，地上必有列国的困苦 perplexity（路21:25），大灾难——从前没有、以后也必没有的（太24:21）。那时神将他的烈怒倾在列国身上——倾他发怒的一切猛烈，为他们对弥赛亚与其国度的烈怒与猛烈（诗2:1-2）。那时全地必被他嫉妒的烈火吞灭；犹太人与外邦人都必为他们对福音的敌意受审。执政的、掌权的必被掳掠，明显给众人看，得胜的救赎主必在他们身上夸胜。那些继续属乎地、以地上的事为念的人——在神已将天国设立在人中间之后——其结局就是沉沦（腓3:19）；他们必被神嫉妒的烈火吞灭。
II. 为修正他在教会中所见的偏差。当神定意复兴以色列，复兴他们的太平与兴盛之时，他藉着他们的改革——藉着他们的德行与敬虔的复兴——为成就其旨意开路；因为这是神待个人、待群体的法则——先使他们圣洁，然后使他们快乐。这些应许在犹太人从巴比伦归回之后部分应验——那时他们因被掳而彻底医治了其偶像崇拜；这便是其一切的果子——除掉了罪。但这些应许更展望福音与其恩典的福效，展望我们所处的改革之时（来9:10）。
1. 应许人的言语将得改革——它素来普遍败坏，如今却要以盐调和，用恩典调味（番3:9）：那时我必使万民用清洁的言语；我必将百姓从那几乎败坏了一切善行的恶性交往转到这样的言语。注意，使人归正的恩典炼净言语——并非使辞藻变得机智，而是使内容变得智慧。犹太人被掳之后，方言需要改革——因他们将以实突的言语与迦南的言语混杂（尼13:24），那弊端必得纠正。但那并非全部：他们的言语必从一切亵渎、污秽与虚假中得洁净。我必使他们转向精选的言语（有人如此读）；他们不轻率发言，乃谨慎而深思熟虑；他们必选择当说的话。注意，日常交谈中的纯洁与敬虔之气，对任何民族都是大吉兆；神赐清洁的言语给那嘴唇不洁之民之处，也必赐别的恩典、别的福分。
2. 照神旨意敬拜神，必更紧密地专心遵行，更同心合意地投入。他们不再献祭焚香，而必求告耶和华的名。祷告是神所当受尊崇的属灵祭；而预备我们适合此本分，必须有清洁的言语。我们若非嘴唇清洁，便完全不配将神的名提在唇间。日常交谈中言语的洁净，对于我们在灵修中口中的言语与心中的默想之蒙悦纳，是必需的；因为咸甜两水岂能从同一泉源发出呢？（雅3:9-12）也应许：他们的言语既如此得洁净，他们便必同心合意——用一个肩膀（原文如此，喻负轭之牛平齐拉车）——事奉神。基督徒在事奉神上同心合意，圣工便欢然前行。这乃是清洁言语——从激情、嫉妒与苛评中得洁净——的果效。注意，纯洁通向合一；德行的改革通向同心。从上头来的智慧先是清洁，后是和平的。
3. 那些被驱逐离开神的人必归向他、蒙他悦纳（番3:10）：从古实河外——即从埃及（赛18:1 如此描述）或从某个极远之国——祈求我的，就是我所分散的民，必带来供物给我。那些因距离而几乎忘记神、忘记自己对他的本分的人，必被提醒——如浪子在远方想起父家。那些因被分散、处于神不悦的记号之下而恐怕不敢亲近他的人，连他们也必被招聚在他的翅下；他所分散的——即远方的——也必在主我们神所召的人之中被寻见；他们虽被分散，他仍以他们为自己的；他称他们为我所分散的，便加尊荣于他们——足以抵消其被分散的一切羞辱。这些人必来：（一）带着他们谦卑的恳求：他们是祈求我的。注意，真实归正者乃向神恳求的人；他们不抗辩，而是向审判他们的求恳（伯9:15）；无论他们在何处——虽在古实河外、离他的祷告之殿甚远——他的眼目仍看顾他们、他的耳朵仍向他们开启；他们是他的恳求者。（二）带着他们属灵的祭物：他们必带来供物给我——将他们自己作为属灵的祭物献给神（罗12:1）；外邦人的归正被称为外邦人作供物（罗15:16）；他们既带着自己，也必带着福音之祭——祷告、赞美、赒济——同来，这些是神所喜悦的。
4. 罪与罪人必从他们中间被清除（番3:11）。神必除掉：（一）他们当受的羞辱：当那日，你必不因你一切所行的而自觉羞愧。他们作为悔改者必自觉羞愧，并继续如此（参结16:63），但他们不再像那回到愚妄中的罪人那样羞愧。你必不羞愧——即你不再行可羞愧之事，如你素常所行的。罪之罪咎既因赦免之怜悯而被除去，罪之羞辱也必从罪人自己的良心中滚去——那良心既得洁净、平安、从死行中洗净。当恶人与恶行在一国之中盛行时，其中少数善良的人为他们、为他们的地感到羞愧；但当罪人归正、全地得改革之时，那羞愧及其缘由便被除去。（二）他们不当有的夸耀：我必从你中间除掉——不仅那些亵渎之人——他们是地的羞耻——更是那些假冒为善的人——他们外面显得美丽，并因骄矜而欢跃——在圣城、在圣殿之中。这些固然是以色列的荣耀，但他们却以之为骄傲，并以此为乐，仿佛它是保障他们在罪恶之道上稳当的无敌壁垒；他们以之为他们的义与力量，夸耀耶和华的殿、耶和华的殿（耶7:4）；他们因圣山而狂傲——自负、轻看别人、甚至蔑视神的审判。注意，教会的特权若未按所当行地善用，往往成为人之骄傲的凭借与安然之基础。而那以圣洁的伪装为支撑与滋养的骄傲，最得罪神。这神必使之静默、将之除掉。
5. 神必在他们中间留下一批圣洁、谦卑、严肃的人，享受与他相关、在他里面有分的安慰（番3:12）：我却要在你中间留下困苦贫寒的民。当迦勒底人将犹太人掳去之时，他们留下地上的穷人作葡萄园工与农夫——这是神所特选之余民的预表与影像，他为自己将之分别出来。他们是困苦与贫寒的——在世上低微；神所拣选的正是这样的人（雅2:5）。穷人受福音——在己眼中低微、为罪受苦、灵里贫穷。他们是神所留下的，因为这是照着拣选之恩的余民。我为自己留下（神说，罗11:4-5）；他们必投靠耶和华的名。注意，神所定意为他名得荣耀的人，他便使他们能以信靠他的名；他们在世上越是困苦贫穷，便越有理由信靠神——因为他们别无所靠（提前5:5）。
6. 这特选的余民必蒙纯洁与平安之福（番3:13）。（一）他们必蒙纯洁之福——无论言语与行为：他们既不作罪孽，也不说谎言。公义与诚实必管辖他们、治理他们，无论何等违背他们世俗的利益。他们不仅不说直接故意的谎言，口中也没有诡诈的舌头——他们中无一人如此；连最轻微的含糊其辞也不出于他们。（二）他们必蒙平安之福。他们必如神牧场的羊，得牧养、安然躺卧，无人惊吓他们。他们自己不惧怕，周围的人也不可怖地惊吓他们。注意，那谨慎不作罪孽的人，不必怕任何灾祸——因为它不能害他们，所以也不当恐吓他们。
英文原文
Judgment and Mercy; Promises of Mercy (612 BC)
⁸ Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
⁹ For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.
¹⁰ From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.
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.
¹² I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.
¹³ 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.
Things looked very bad with Jerusalem in the Zep 3:1-7; she has got into a very bad name, and seems to be incorrigible, incurable, mercy-proof and judgment-proof. Now one would think it should follow, Therefore expect no other but that she should be utterly abandoned and rejected as reprobate silver; since they will not be wrought upon by prophets or providences, let them be made a desolation as their neighbours have been. But behold and wonder at the riches of divine grace, which takes occasion from man's badness to appear so much the more illustrious. They still grew worse and worse, therefore wait you upon me, saith the Lord, Zep 3:8. "Since the law, it seems, will make nothing perfect, the bringing in of a better hope shall. Let those that lament the corruptions of the church wait upon God, till he send his Son into the world, to save his people from their sins, till he send his gospel to reform and refine his church, and to purify to himself a peculiar people both of Jews and Gentiles." And there were those who, according to this direction and encouragement, waited for redemption, for this redemption in Jerusalem; and long-looked-for came at last, Lu 2:38. For judgment Christ will come into this world, Joh 9:39.
I. To avenge what has been done amiss against his church, to bring down and destroy the enemies of it, its spiritual enemies, of which the destruction of Babylon, and other oppressors of God's people, in the Old-Testament times, was a type, and would be a happy presage. He will rise up to the prey, to lead captivity captive (Ps 67:18), to conquer and spoil the powers of darkness, and the powers on earth that set themselves against the Lord and his anointed; he will break them with a rod of iron (Ps 2:5,9,11:5,6); his determination is to gather the nations and to assemble the kingdoms. By the gospel of Christ preached to every creature all nations are summoned, as it were, to appear in a body before the Lord Jesus, who is about to set up his kingdom in the world. But, since the greatest part of mankind will not obey the summons, he will pour upon them his indignation, for he that believes not is condemned already. At the time of the setting up of the kingdom of the Messiah, there shall be on earth distress of nations with perplexity (Lu 21:25), great tribulation, such as never was, nor ever shall be, Mt 24:21. Then God pours upon the nations his indignation, even all his fierce anger, for their indignation and fierce anger against the Messiah and his kingdom, Ps 2:1,2. Then all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of his jealousy; both Jews and Gentiles shall be reckoned with for their enmity to the gospel. Principalities and powers shall be spoiled, and made a show of openly, and the victorious Redeemer shall triumph over them. The end of those that continue to be of the earth, and to mind earthly things, after God has set up the kingdom of heaven among men, shall be destruction (Php 3:19); they shall be devoured with the fire of God's jealousy.
II. To amend what he finds amiss in his church. When God intends the restoration of Israel, and the revival of their peace and prosperity, he makes way for the accomplishment of his purpose by their reformation and the revival of their virtue and piety; for this is God's method, both with particular persons and with communities, first to make them holy and then to make them happy. These promises were in part accomplished after the return of the Jews out of Babylon, when by their captivity they were thoroughly cured of their idolatry; and this was all the fruit, even the taking away of sin. But they look further, to the blessed effects of the gospel and the grace of it, to those times of reformation in which we live, Heb 9:10.
1. It is promised that there shall be a reformation in men's discourse, which had been generally corrupt, but should now be with grace seasoned with salt (Zep 3:9): "Then will I turn to the people a pure language; I will turn the people to such a language from that evil communication which has almost ruined all good manners among them." Note, Converting grace refines the language, not by making the phrases witty, but the substance wise. Among the Jews, after the captivity, there needed a reformation of the dialect, for they had mingled the language of Canaan with that of Ashdod (Ne 13:24), and that grievance shall be redressed. But that is not all: their language shall be purified from all profaneness, filthiness, and falsehood. I will turn them to a choice language (so some read it); they shall not speak rashly, but with caution and deliberation; they shall choose out their words. Note, An air of purity and piety in common conversation is a very happy omen to any people; other graces, other blessings, shall be given where God gives a pure language to those who have been a people of unclean lips.
2. That the worship of God, according to his will, shall be more closely applied to, and more unanimously concurred in. Instead of sacrifice and incense, they shall call upon the name of the Lord. Prayer is the spiritual offering with which God must be honoured; and, to prepare and fit us for that duty, it is necessary that we have a pure language. We are utterly unfit to take God's name into our lips, unless they be pure lips. The purifying of the language in common conversation is necessary to the acceptableness of the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart on our devotion; for how can sweet waters and bitter come out of the same fountain? Jam 3:9-12. It is likewise promised that their language being thus purified they shall serve God with one consent, with one shoulder (so the word is), alluding to oxen in the yoke, that draw even. When Christians are unanimous in the service of God the work goes on cheerfully. This is the effect of the pure language, purified from passion, envy, and censoriousness. Note, Purity is the way to unity; the reformation of manners is the way to a comprehension. The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable.
3. That those that were driven from God shall return to him and be accepted of him (Zep 3:10): From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, that is, from Egypt (so described, Isa 18:1) or from some other very remote country—my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring my offering. Those that by reason of their distance had almost forgotten God, their obligations to him, shall be put in mind of him, as the prodigal son was of his father's house, in the far country. Those that by reason of their dispersion, under the tokens of his displeasure, might be afraid of coming to him, yet even they shall be gathered under his wings; the daughter of his dispersed, that is afar off, will be found among those whom the Lord our God shall call; and, though they are dispersed, he will own them for his; his calling them my dispersed puts honour upon them, sufficient to counterbalance all the disgrace of their dispersion. These shall come, (1.) With their humble petitions: They are my suppliants. Note, True converts are suppliants to God; they do not plead, but make supplication to their Judge (Job 9:15); and wherever they are, though beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, a great way off from his house of prayer, he has his eye upon them and his ear open to them; they are his suppliants. (2.) With their spiritual sacrifices: They shall bring my offering, shall bring themselves as spiritual sacrifices to God (Ro 12:1); the conversion of the Gentiles is called the offering up of the Gentiles (Ro 15:16); and with themselves they shall bring the gospel-sacrifices of prayer, and praise, and alms, with which God is well pleased.
4. That sin and sinners shall be purged out from among them, Zep 3:11. God will take away, (1.) Their just reproach: In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings. They shall be ashamed as penitents, and shall continue to be so (see Eze 16:63), but they shall not be ashamed as sinners that return to folly again. "Thou shalt not be ashamed, that is, thou shalt no more do a shameful thing, as thou hast done." The guilt of sin being taken away by pardoning mercy, the reproach of it shall be rolled away from the sinner's own conscience, that being purified, and pacified, and cleansed from dead works. When wickedness and wicked people abound in a nation those few in it that are good are ashamed of them and of their land; but when sinners are converted, and the land reformed, that shame and the cause of it are removed. (2.) Their unjust glorying: "I will take away out of the midst of thee, not only the profane, who are a shame to thy land, but the hypocrites, who appear beautiful outwardly, and rejoice in thy pride, in the holy city, the holy house." These were indeed Israel's glory, but they made them their pride, and rejoiced in them, as if they were an invincible bulwark to secure them in their sinful ways; they relied on them as their righteousness and strength, boasting of the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord (Jer 7:4); they were haughty because of the holy mountain, were conceited of themselves, scornful of others, and set even the judgments of God at defiance. Note, Church-privileges, when they are not duly improved as they ought to be, are often made the matter of men's pride and the ground of their security. But that haughtiness is the most offensive to God which is supported and fed by the pretensions of holiness. This God will silence and take away.
5. That God will have a remnant of holy, humble, serious people among them, that shall have the comfort of their relation to him and interest in him (Zep 3:12): I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people. When the Chaldeans carried away the Jews into captivity they left of the poor of the land for vine-dressers and husbandmen, a type and figure of God's distinguished remnant, whom he sets apart for himself. They are afflicted and poor, low in the world; such God has chosen, Jam 2:5. The poor are evangelized, low in their own eyes, afflicted for sin, poor in spirit. They are God's leaving, for it is a remnant according to the election of grace. I have reserved them to myself, says God (Ro 11:4,5), and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. Note, Those whom God designs for the glory of his name he enables to trust in his name; and the greater their affliction and poverty in the world are the more reason they see to trust in God, having nothing else to trust to, 1Ti 5:5.
6. That this select remnant shall be blessed with purity and peace, Zep 3:13. (1.) They shall be blessed with purity, both in words and actions: They shall neither do iniquity nor speak lies. Justice and veracity shall command them and govern them, though they be ever so much against their secular interest. They shall not only not speak a direct deliberate lie, but there shall not be a deceitful tongue found in their mouth, not in the mouth of any of them; not the least equivocation shall come from them. (2.) They shall be blessed with peace. They shall, as the sheep of God's pasture, feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid. They shall not be fearful themselves, nor shall any about them be frightful to them. Note, Those that are careful not to do iniquity need not be afraid of any calamity, for it cannot hurt them, and therefore should not terrify them.
14-20
Evangelical Predictions (612 BC)
简体中文
福音性的预言（主前 612 年）
¹⁴ 锡安的民哪，应当歌唱；以色列啊，应当欢呼；耶路撒冷的民哪，应当满心欢喜快乐。 ¹⁵ 耶和华已经免去你的刑罚，赶出你的仇敌；以色列的王耶和华在你中间，你必不再惧怕灾祸。 ¹⁶ 当那日，必有话对耶路撒冷说：不要惧怕；对锡安说：你的手不要下垂。 ¹⁷ 耶和华你的神在你中间是大能的施行拯救者；他必因你欢欣喜乐；他在他的爱中静默，必因你喜乐而欢呼。 ¹⁸ 那些为所定节期忧伤的，我必聚集他们；他们原是属你的，其所受的羞辱曾是重担。 ¹⁹ 看哪，那时我必对付一切苦待你的人；我必拯救瘸腿的，聚集被赶出的；我必使他们在凡曾受羞辱之地，得称赞得名声。 ²⁰ 那时我必领你们进来，就是聚集你们的时候；我必使你们在万民中得名声得称赞，当我在你们眼前使你们被掳的人归回。这是耶和华说的。
应许了除罪之后，接着便是除灾的应许；因为因既除，果必息。使一民圣洁的，也必使他们当然快乐。此处向那已得洁净之民所发的宝贵应许，将完全成就在福音的安慰之中——在其盼望中，更在其享受中；他们在此受召：第一，喜乐歌唱（番3:14）：锡安的民哪，应当歌唱！ 因乐而唱；以色列啊，应当欢呼！ 以圣洁的狂喜与夸胜；耶路撒冷的民哪，应当满心欢喜快乐；让喜乐是内在的，让它是大的。那些尽心爱神的人，有理由尽心以他为乐。先前应许（番3:13）他们的罪必被治死、他们的恐惧必被止息，接着便是歌唱与欢喜。注意，悔改改过的人有理由喜乐；而以色列若偏离神去行淫，便不能如别民一样欢乐。神的应许，因信应用，为圣徒提供持续而丰富的喜乐之缘由；他们因信这些应许便充满喜乐平安。第二，卸下一切灰心（番3:16）：当那日，必有话对耶路撒冷说（神藉他的先知、藉他的护理说；邻舍也要如此说；他们也要彼此如此说），不要惧怕——不要有惧怕的倾向，不要轻易接受其印象；境况不好时，不要怕更糟，反要盼望好转；不要每逢机会便自惊自吓。你的手不要下垂——不要绝望地搓手；不要因灰心而垂手；不要因放纵疑惑与恐惧而使自己不宜于工作与争战。要振作精神，并以此举为记号，举起你的手——那下垂的手（来12:12，赛35:3）。举手向神祷告；举手帮助自己。惧怕使手下垂，信心与盼望却使手有力；而主的喜乐必作我们行事与受苦的力量。
如今让我们看此处向神百姓所发的宝贵应许是什么——为驱逐他们的忧愁恐惧、激励他们的盼望喜乐；这些应许赐给他们，也赐给我们。
I. 他们一切患难困苦必将终结（番3:15）：耶和华已经免去你的刑罚——已除掉你所受一切呻吟其下的灾祸，就是你罪的刑罚；战争的喧嚣必止息，饥荒的羞辱必撤去，被掳的必归回。虽然还有些苦情存留，它们必只是苦难而非刑罚，因为罪必蒙赦免。他赶出你的仇敌——那侵入你地、向你夸胜的。他扫出你的仇敌（有人如此读），"如污秽从屋中扫到粪堆。"当他们以改革之帚扫除自己的罪时，神也必以毁灭之帚扫除他们的仇敌。他们若需受惩治，必落在主的手中——他的怜悯广大；不再落在人的手中——他的慈悲残忍：你必不再惧怕灾祸——不再见你所曾见的恶日。注意，得脱苦难之恶之道，是远离罪恶之恶；对如此行的人，苦难并无真正的恶。
II. 神必赐他们他同在的记号；他虽长久似乎远远站着（因他们惹他退后），他必使它显明他实在与他们同在：锡安啊！耶和华在你中间！耶路撒冷啊！ 如太阳在宇宙中心，将光与影响传于各部。他在你中间——统管你一切事务、眷顾你一切利益。而：第一，他是以色列的王（番3:15），在你中间如王在百姓中间。着眼于此，我们的主耶稣被称为以色列的王（约1:49）；他如今是、也永远是——在他的教会中，直到世代的末了——为要受他臣民的敬拜，向他们施恩，甚至无论何处有两三个人奉他的名聚会。第二，他是耶和华你的神——你在恩约中的神，他在你中间作你的神——你有所分、你属他所有。他将自己置于与你亲爱的关系中，以应许使自己对你负义务；为要使你在二者中都得丰盛安慰，他在你中间——相近，以成全二者。第三，那在你中间作你的神、作你的王的，是大能的——是无所不能的，能为你成就你所需、你所愿的一切。第四，他已为你的解救而使用其权能：他必拯救。他必作耶稣——必应验其名，因为他要将自己的百姓从罪恶里救出来。
III. 神必以他们为乐，以善待他们为乐。其表达极其生动感人（番3:17）：他必因你欢欣喜乐——不仅在你悔改改过之后喜悦你、收纳你归恩，更以你为满足之乐——如新郎之于新妇、或新妇之于其装饰（赛62:3-5）。罪人的归正与圣徒的安慰是天使的喜乐，因为它们是神自己的喜乐。教会当为全地所喜乐的（诗48:2），因为它是全天的喜乐。他在他的爱中静默——原文如此。"我不再如从前因你的罪责备你；我以你、以我与你的关系为足。"我不知道何处有类似的表达，论基督对他教会的爱——除非在那歌中之歌中（歌4:9）：我妹子、我新妇，你夺了我的心，你用眼一看。啊，神圣恩典的降卑！伟大的神不仅爱他的圣徒，更以爱他们为乐——因他拣选了这些他爱的对象而喜悦。他必因你喜乐而欢呼。那位为罪人之罪忧伤的，因圣徒的恩典与事奉而喜乐，并乐意以歌唱表达那喜乐——向他们歌唱。耶和华喜爱敬畏他的人；在这些人身上，耶稣基督不久便要得荣耀、被希奇。
IV. 神必安慰锡安的哀悼者——那些与她同感其忧的，并必擦干他们的眼泪（番3:18）：我必聚集那些为所定节期忧伤的——他们原是属你的，其所受的羞辱曾是重担。请看：第一，神所乐于使他们喜乐的是谁。他们是那忧伤的人。唯有那以泪撒种的，才能以喜乐收割。如今忧伤的，必永远喜乐。第二，锡安的哀悼者——当锡安悲哀之时——最大的忧伤之缘由为何。她的灾祸虽多：城既毁，宫殿既拆；商业既止，公众司法既停；但这一切在她们看来，比起圣所的荒凉——圣殿与祭坛的毁坏——都算不得什么；以色列素来一年三次前来在节期中敬拜。她们为之忧伤的，正是那些神圣的严肃聚会：（一）因它们被分散——没有可上去的圣殿，或即便有，也没有可上去的百姓；以致锡安的节期与安息日被遗忘（哀2:6）。注意，宗教敬拜公众聚会的受限制——无论因仇敌的驱散，或因朋友的离弃，以致要么没有聚会、要么不严肃——对一切善良之人都是极忧伤之事。若锡安的道悲哀，锡安的儿女也必悲哀。他们藉此显明自己确属锡安——是那身体活的肢体，对其苦情深有所感。（二）因它们被藐视——严肃聚会的羞辱是她们的重担。严肃聚会素来落在极大的羞辱之下。撒但与其工具对之格外怀恨，因它们是神国度在人间的利益之最大支持。这些聚会被冠以黑暗可憎之名；这对一切真心关切神荣耀与人灵魂福祉的人，都是重担。他们以为那些藐视严肃聚会之人的辱骂，都落在自己身上、重重地落在自己身上。
V. 神必从压迫者手中救回俘虏，领回那似乎被驱逐的远方之人（番3:19-20）。第一，他们的仇敌必被剥夺拘禁他们的能力：那时我必对付一切苦待你的人——必折断其权势、败坏其计谋，使他们被迫交出所掳之物。我必对付他们——"我不久便要处理他们，且要了结他们。"注意，那些虐待欺压神百姓的人，正走在自毁的路上。第二，他们必得着力量去主张并恢复其自由，途中一切难处必被克服。教会软弱受伤吗？我必拯救瘸腿的——如弥4:7所应许。她不能自助之时，他必帮助她；连瘸腿的也必掳掠掠物（赛33:23）。她被分散、不能为共同利益结合吗？我必聚集被赶出的，并在聚集你的时候领你回来。一项怜悯与恩典之举，既足以将他们从分散中招聚，又足以引导他们归回本地。当百姓的心预备好之时，那工必忽然成就；神若承担其成，谁能阻挡？我在你们眼前使你们被掳的人归回，这是耶和华说的——你们必明明看见神的手在其中，并说：这是耶和华所作的。
VI. 神必藉这一切加尊荣于他们，使他们在一切周围的人中得着尊重。以色列起初被高举在万国之上，得名声、得赞美（申26:19）。因此加于他们的羞辱乃是他们最痛的苦情之一（对在尊荣中者而言，没有什么比羞辱更深地刺伤）；所以当神以怜悯归回他的教会之时，此处应许她必重得声望；一切羞辱必永远滚去——如以色列人在吉甲那样（书5:9）。教会必如她从前可鄙那样，如今可敬。第一，连那些曾羞辱她的也必被迫尊重她：我必使他们在凡曾受羞辱之地得称赞得名声——使那些曾作他们羞辱之见证人的，也看出理由改变对他们的看法。那些曾说"这是无人眷顾的锡安"的，必说"这是大神所眷顾的锡安"。那曾被视为世上的渣滓的，如今显为天上的宠儿。第二，连那些从来不认识她的也必被带到尊敬她（番3:20）：我必使你们在万民中得名声得赞美。犹太教会当日如此——当犹大人的恐惧临到邻舍（斯8:17），各国有的人说：我们要与你们同去，因为我们听见神与你们同在（亚8:23）。基督教会也如此——当她在世上兴盛之时，因为其中有所足以公正地向万民的珍视与尊重举荐它。而众长子之普世教会也必在大日如此——那时圣徒必被带到基督面前，使他在他们身上得荣耀、被希奇，他们也在他身上、在天使与人面前得荣耀、被希奇。那时神的以色列必得名声得赞美直到永远。
英文原文
Evangelical Predictions (612 BC)
¹⁴ Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
¹⁵ The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
¹⁶ In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.
¹⁷ The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
¹⁸ I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.
¹⁹ Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.
²⁰ At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.
After the promises of the taking away of sin, here follow promises of the taking away of trouble; for when the cause is removed the effect will cease. What makes a people holy will make them happy of course. The precious promises here made to the purified people were to have their full accomplishment in the comforts of the gospel, in the hope, and much more in the enjoyment, of which, they are here called upon, 1. To rejoice and sing (Zep 3:14): Sing, O daughter of Zion! sing for joy; Shout, O Israel! in a holy transport and exultation; be glad and rejoice with all the heart; let the joy be inward, let it be great. Those that love God with all their heart have occasion with all their heart to rejoice in him. It was promised (Zep 3:13) that their sins should be mortified and their fears silenced, and then follows, Sing and rejoice. Note, Those that reform have cause to rejoice, whereas Israel cannot rejoice for joy as other people, while she goes a whoring from her God. God's promises, applied by faith, furnish the saints with constant and abundant matter for joy; they are filled with joy and peace in believing them. 2. To throw off all their discouragements (Zep 3:16): In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem (God will say it by his prophets, by his providences, their neighbours shall say it, they shall say it to one another), "Fear thou not, be not disposed to fear, do not easily admit the impressions of it; when things are bad, fear not their being worse, but hope they will mend; frighten not thyself upon every occasion. Let not thy hands be slack or faint; wring not thy hands in despair; drop not thy hands in despondence; disfit not thyself for thy work and warfare by giving way to doubts and fears. Pluck up thy spirits, and, in token of that, lift up thy hands, the hands that hung down, Heb 12:12, Isa 35:3. Lift up thy hands in prayer to God; lift up thy hands to help thyself." Fear makes the hands slack, but faith and hope make them vigorous, and the joy of the Lord will be our strength both for doing and suffering.
Let us now see what these precious promises are which are here made to the people of God, for the banishing of their griefs and fears and the encouraging of their hopes and joys; and to us are these promises made as well as to them.
I. An end shall be put to all their troubles and distresses (Zep 3:15): "The Lord has taken away thy judgments, has removed all the calamities thou hast been groaning under, which were the punishments of thy sin; the noise of war shall be silenced, the reproach of famine done away, and the captivity brought back. Though some grievances remain, they shall be only afflictions, and not judgments, for sin shall be pardoned. He has cast out thy enemy, that has thrust himself into thy land, and triumphed over thee. He has swept out thy enemy" (so some read it), "as dirt is swept out of the house to the dunghill." When they sweep out their sins with the besom of reformation God will sweep out their enemies with the besom of destruction. If they should need correction, they shall fall into the hands of the Lord, whose mercies are great, and shall not again fall into the hands of man, whose tender mercies are cruel: "Thou shalt not see evil any more, not such evil days as thou hast seen." Note, The way to get clear of the evil of trouble is to keep clear from the evil of sin; and to those that do so trouble has no real evil in it.
II. God will give them the tokens of his presence with them; though he has long seemed to stand at a distance (they having provoked him to withdraw), he will make it to appear that he is with them of a truth: "The Lord is in the midst of thee, O Zion! of thee, O Jerusalem! as the sun in the centre of the universe, to diffuse his light and influence upon every part. He is in the midst of thee, to preside in all thy affairs and to take care of all thy interests." And, 1. "He is the King of Israel (Zep 3:15) and is in the midst of thee as a king in the midst of his people." With an eye to this, our Lord Jesus is called the King of Israel (Joh 1:49); and he is, and will be, in the midst of his church always, even to the end of the world, to receive the homage of his subjects, and to give out his favours to them, even where but two or three are gathered together in his name. 2. "He is the Lord thy God, thine in covenant, and he is in the midst of thee as thy God, whom thou hast an interest in and whose own thou art. He has put himself into dear relations to thee, laid himself by promise under obligations to thee, and, that thou mayest have abundant comfort in both, he is in the midst of thee, nigh at hand to answer both." 3. "He that is in the midst of thee as thy God and King is mighty, is almighty, is able to do all that for thee that thou needest and canst desire." 4. "He has engaged his power for thy succour: He will save. He will be Jesus, will answer the name, for he will save his people from their sins."
III. God will take delight in them, and in doing them good. The expressions of this are very lively and affecting (Zep 3:17): He will rejoice over thee with joy, will not only be well pleased with thee, upon thy repentance and reformation, and take thee into favour, but will take a complacency in thee, as the bridegroom does in his bride, or the bride in her ornaments, Isa 62:3-5. The conversion of sinners and the consolation of saints are the joy of angels, for they are the joy of God him-self. The church should be the joy of the whole earth (Ps 48:2), for it is the joy of the whole heaven. He will rest in his love, will be silent in his love, so the word is. "I will not rebuke thee as I have done, for thy sins; I will acquiesce in thee, and in my relation to thee." I know not where there is the like expression of Christ's love to his church, unless in that song of songs, So 4:9, Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse, with one of thy eyes. O the condescensions of divine grace! The great God not only loves his saints, but he loves to love them, is pleased that he has pitched upon these objects of his love. He will joy over them with singing. He that is grieved for the sin of sinners rejoices in the graces and services of the saints, and is ready to express that joy by singing over them. The Lord takes plea-sure in those that fear him, and in them Jesus Christ will shortly be glorified and admired.
IV. God will comfort Zion's mourners, who sympathize with her in her griefs, and will wipe away their tears (Zep 3:18): I will gather those who are sorrowful for the solemn assemblies, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. See, 1. Who those are whom God will rejoice in and make to rejoice. They are such as are sorrowful. Those only must expect to reap in joy that sow in tears. The sorrowful now shall be for ever joyful. 2. What is the great matter of sorrow to Zion's mourners, when Zion is in mourning. Many are her calamities. The city is ruined, and the palaces are demolished; trade is at an end, and the administration of public justice; but all these are nothing to them in comparison with the desolations of the sanctuary, the destruction of the temple and the altar, to attend on which, in solemn feasts, all Israel used to come together three times a year. It is for those sacred solemn assemblies that they are sorrowful, (1.) Because they are dispersed; there is no temple to come up to, or, if there were, no people to come up to it; so that the solemn feasts and sabbaths are forgotten in Zion, La 2:6. Note, The restraining of public assemblies for religious worship, the scattering of them by their enemies, or the forsaking of them by their friends, so that either there are no assemblies or not solemn ones, is a very sorrowful thing to all good people. If the ways of Zion mourn, the sons of Zion mourn too. And hereby they make it to appear that they are indeed of Zion, living members of that body with the grievances of which they are so sensibly affected. (2.) Because they are despised; the reproach of the solemn assemblies is a burden to them. It had been the lot of the solemn assemblies to lie under a great deal of reproach. Satan and his instruments having a particular spite at them, as the great support of the interest of God's kingdom among men. Black and odious characters have been put upon those assemblies; and this is a burden to all those that have a cordial concern for the glory of God and the welfare of the souls of men. They reckon that the reproaches of those who reproach the solemn assemblies fall upon them, fall foul upon them.
V. God will recover the captives out of the hands of their oppressors, and bring home the banished that seemed to be expelled, Zep 3:19,20. 1. Their enemies shall be disabled to detain them in bondage: "At that time I will undo all that afflict thee, will break their power, and blast their counsels, so that they shall be forced to surrender the prey they have taken." Conficiam—I will take them to task; "I will be doing with them shortly, and so as to make an end of them." Note, Those that abuse and oppress God's people take the ready way to undo themselves. 2. They shall be enabled to assert and recover their liberty, and all the difficulties in the way of it shall be surmounted. Is the church weak and wounded? I will save her that halts, as was promised, Mic 4:7. He will help her when she cannot help herself; even the lame shall take the prey, Isa 33:23. Is she dispersed, and not likely to incorporate for her common benefit? I will gather her that was driven out, and bring her again at the time that I gather her. One act of mercy and grace shall serve both to collect them out of their dispersions and to conduct them to their own land. When the people's hearts are prepared, the work will be done suddenly; and who can hinder it if God undertake to effect it? "I will turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord; you shall plainly discern the hand of God in it, and say, This is the Lord's doing."
VI. God will by all this put honour upon them and gain them respect from all about them. Israel was at first made high above all nations in praise and fame, De 26:19. The reproach brought upon them was therefore one of the sorest of their grievances (nothing cuts deeper to those that are in honour than disgrace does); and therefore when God returns, in mercy, to his church, it is here promised that she shall regain her credit; all the reproach shall be for ever rolled way, as Israel's at Gilgal, Jos 5:9. The church shall be as honourable as ever she had been despicable. 1. Even those that reproached her shall be made to respect her: "I will get them praise and fame in every land, where they have been put to shame, that the same who were the witnesses of their disgrace may see cause to change their mind concerning them." Those that said, "This is Zion whom no man looks after," shall say, "This is Zion whom the great God looks after." And she that was looked upon to be the offscouring of the earth now appears to be the darling of heaven. 2. Even those that never knew her shall be brought to honour her (Zep 3:20): I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth. So the Jewish church was when the fear of the Jews fell upon their neighbours (Es 8:17), and some of all nations said, we will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you, Zec 8:23. So the Christian church was when it was made to flourish in the world, for there is that in it which may justly recommend it to the value and esteem of all the people of the earth. And so the universal church of the firstborn will be in the great day, when the saints shall be brought together to Christ, that he may be admired and glorified in them, and they admired and glorified in him before angels and men. Then will God's Israel be made a name and a praise to eternity.
我们如今回到耶路撒冷，必须再听神对她所说的话：I. 以责备与警告的方式，因其中所发现的罪恶甚多——此处给出多种实例及其加重之情节（番3:1-7）。II. 以应许怜悯与恩典的方式——这是神仍为他们所存留的。此处应许有两大总纲：第一，神必在他们中间成就荣耀的改革之工，洗净他们的罪，将他们引归自己；此处有许多这类的应许（番3:8-13）。第二，他既如此预备了他们，必为他们成就荣耀的拯救之工（番3:14-20）。如此，"救赎主必来到锡安"，而为开自己的路，必"除掉雅各的不敬虔"。这些应许将在福音时代与福音恩典中完全成就。