20160208 Monday, February 8 2016
Zephaniah 03: The Pure Language In History And Prophecy

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"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"

"Pure" may be defined as "Free from all heterogeneous [i.e. different] or extraneous matter, especially from anything that impairs or pollutes; free from that which defiles or contaminates; innocent; spotless" (The Consolidated Webster Encyclopedic Dictionary).

The Word of God is pure in all ways because it is the Way (see The Way To Eternal Life and Strait Is The Gate And Narrow Is The Way).

"30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

30:6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." (Proverbs 30:5-6 KJV)

The LORD God is also the Word of God - Who was commissioned by the Father to do the Work of Creation and thereafter to be born as the human Messiah (see The Identity Of The LORD God and The LORD God Our Saviour).

"1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God. 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." (John 1:1-3 KJV)

"1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1:14 KJV)

Notice carefully however that a pure language isn't just one that is free of deficiencies or contradictions in pronunciation, spelling, meaning or grammar. A language can be spoken purely according to all of the rules, but still be impure if it contains words that are not true. The Devil can speak the words of any language purely, but his content is grossly impure because he's a liar and a pervert (see The Way That Satan Does Things and Satan's Sandals).

"8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." (John 8:44 KJV)

When humanity was created, the LORD gave them their instructions in His absolutely pure language. They then spoke that pure language, until they became sinners.

"2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17 KJV)

The language of humanity became impure when "the smooth talking Devil" lied to the humans - who then also became corrupt in word.

"3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat." (Genesis 3:1-6 KJV)

Sinful humanity continued on with the single "pure" original language - while making it grossly impure with lies and blasphemy. It was then that the LORD divided them into the "Babylon" of tongues (i.e. languages) that exist in the world today (see also The Sacred Name Controversies).

"11:1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. 11:2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. 11:3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. 11:4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

11:5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 11:6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 11:7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.

11:8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 11:9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth." (Genesis 11:1-9 KJV)

The LORD is returning to restore the Kingdom of God on Earth and the pure use of language that existed at the beginning (see The First And Last Nation).

"3:9 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." (Zephaniah 3:9 KJV)

At that time, it won't merely be a language of literal purity, but moreover a language that will no longer be made impure by lies and blasphemy (see also Profane Not My Holy Name and Blaspheming The Name Of God).

"21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life." (Revelation 21:24-27 KJV)

"22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." (Revelation 22:13-15 KJV)

All of the true prophets were so because they delivered the Word of God purely, without corruption. As one of the true prophets, Zephaniah too recognized the time of the LORD's "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."

"3:1 Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! 3:2 She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God. 3:3 Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow. 3:4 Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. 3:5 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.

3:6 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. 3:7 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. 3:8 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.

3:9 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. 3:10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering. 3:11 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain. 3:12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD. 3:13 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.

3:14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. 3:15 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. 3:16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. 3:17 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.

3:18 I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. 3:19 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.

3:20 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." (Zephaniah 3:1-20 KJV)

Fact Finder: How did the once-righteous angel become known as Satan - which means "accuser" or "blasphemer"?
See What Is Satan's Real Name?