Zephaniah 3:9 "For I will then restore
pure speech to the peoples
so that all of them may call
on the name of the Lord
and serve him with a single purpose."
God's city is restored, cleansed from the arrogant so that Yahweh himself might dwell among them. And even the people will be cleansed. The word made flesh and dwelling among them, purifying them, justifying them. Their language and their actions will reflect the moral nature of the God they serve. They will no longer fear their enemies. They will rejoice in their God's provisions.
These descendants of the times of Babel, once-scattered and divided in language and race, are now a united people whose speech has been purified. Their voices united in a common worship. The proud have been removed from among them, and the meek have inherited God's kingdom. The harvest church has been sifted and the weeds and chaff are thrown upon the fire. God's holy hill is filled by the meek, and they will be holy because he purified them of their sin, shaping their lives to conform to his own righteous nature. From within they are made holy, and His people will rest securely in his covenantal love.
All of this due to the direct actions of God among them. The God that the world couldn't see. The God that the atheists wouldn't trust. The God that made himself known throughout all of creation and all human history, but still remained a mystery to the proud, will now stand among them and recreate them who held onto their faith into his own nature.
The prophecy is pure and simple.
The world sinned:
Pride
Disobedience & revolt
Dishonesty
Lack of faith and love
Their sins necessitates a correcting response of judgment from the Holy God. And all that wrath to come will ultimately create a beautiful home for the faithful. That beauty is also necessitated, for God is just and merciful. Revival is what comes. Awakening is what comes. Unity in One Spirit and one truth. A return to the holy worship of God, this is the beginning of repentance. Jesus is among them and He restores a pure language, and proper offerings.
The original sin of pride, making themselves gods, is finally paid for:
“On that day you will not be put to shame for all the wrongs you have done to me, because I will remove from this city those who rejoice in their pride." Zephaniah 3:11
The people God created are like chameleons, pure and simple. They disguise themselves to conform to their environment. They look the part, but beneath the surface is a lizard just the same. Their lives filled with empty baseless promises they've made to themselves.
““Excellent, i' faith, of the chameleon's dish. I eat the air, promise-crammed. You cannot feed capons so.”
Hamlet, act 3, scene 2
So many living mostly on promises, a masquerade, consuming the air and trying to fool everyone. While the meek cannot feed upon these lies, their spiritual food is enough to sustain their faith. They will not be gelded by the lies, they cannot be fattened for the slaughter, bypassing the truth of who they truly are. These meek worshippers are full of truth and love. They worship in spirit and truth. There cannot be a chameleon among them, no untruth can come into the equation. Those who seek the path of resistance, of byways and the thieves choice, will not find the Holy Hill. They are lost to their own ways because they cannot bear to follow the truth. They don't want to hear the truth.
Psalm 4:2
"How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make groundless accusations? How long will you continue your lies?"
Psalm 4:3
"You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself."
Jesus said it best..."I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me."
(John 17:23)
But Mike, why is God hidden, why doesn't he just show himself to me? I'd believe if he'd just show me.
Jesus said it's by grace alone, not by sight but by faith, "But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you." (John 16:7)
His Spirit does come and he does tell us the truth about him and we can believe his word and our faith will save us. That's how it's done. Jesus is the truth, he sends the Spirit to instruct you in it, and he wants you to follow him into his kingdom of truth by having faith in that truth. That's the sifting that a holy God requires for his holy people to come and worship him in his kingdom.
There is no other way that can sift out the pride that separates you from Him. You must come meekly, and joyfully. It's not about him coming and showing himself to you, it's about you showing your true colors Chameleon.
Jesus said it pure and simple, "Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (John 18:37)
If you truly are open to receiving Him, you'll hear him. If you are true, you'll hear Him. If you're not living a lie, you'll hear Him. You MUST be "of the truth". All others motives are based upon a lie. No masks allowed in the kingdom of God. The people of God WILL BE PURE, pure and simple.