Chuck Larsen

Pride and arrogance is what Isaiah said was the cause of Israel’s fall. If you read Isaiah 3:8-9 in the King James Version, you read that you could tell their attitudes by simply looking at them. Verse 9 says, “For the look on their faces bears witness against them…they do not hide it.”  One commentator wrote, “It means that the people’s faces express their deep-rooted sins; they are no longer sensitive towards their sin, and so they act it out shamelessly. The haughty and proud look on their faces gives evidence.” No matter how the enemies of God may gloat over what they consider to be their victories, it will not last. Zephaniah exhorts us to wait for God. He’s going to set the world right at just the right time. When he does, the unity of purpose and mission will be completely restored. All rebellion will be put down. Verse 11 of chapter 3 says, “I will remove from your midst the proudly exultant ones.” We all like the idea of having the “proud and the haughty” removed from our presence. It would be wonderful to only have to live with those who are kind, humble, and gentle. When we arrive in the coming eternal kingdom prophesied by Zephaniah, we will live in such a world. What a great world to look forward to.

Until then, however, we all have to fight our own battles with pride and arrogance.  It shows on our faces whether we want it to or not. No one’s poker face can hide this all the time. The truth is we all have our share of pride and arrogance. You can see it on the faces of people, can’t you? C. S. Lewis said that pride, the greatest of all sins, is usually recognized first by those who struggle with it most deeply themselves. Although we have a perfect world to look forward to, we surely don’t have one to live in today. And it’s a constant battle to which we all must remain vigilant. Pride raises its ugly head in all of our lives.  It glares out from our eyes and shines on our cheeks. The late Prof. Irwin Edman of Columbia University once had a chat with a French monk who bemoaned the fact that his order was not as famous as the Jesuits for scholarship or the Trappists for silence and good works. “But,” he added, “when it comes to humility, we’re tops.”

In the May 13, 2011 issue of “The Week,” researchers at the University of Kentucky concluded that young people “love themselves today more than ever before.” Nathan DeWall and his colleagues analyzed the lyrics of Billboard Hot 100 songs from the past three decades and found an increasing tendency toward self-centeredness and hostility toward others. The article described the current state of affairs as “rampant narcissism.” The result of this, the article goes on to say, is that “more people are apt to feel sad and lonely now than in previous decades.” Thus, never before have needed Paul’s advice more. He says, “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” (Eph 4:2) Peter also instructs us regarding our pride. He writes, “Finally, all of you have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” 1 Peter 3:8

“What we have here is a failure to communicate.” Those are the infamous words uttered by the Prison Guard to Paul Newman in the movie “Cool Hand Luke.” They have since become a catchphrase referring to what happens when communication breaks down between the communicator and the person being communicated to. A  promise from God is recorded in Zephaniah 3:9. It speaks of the times under Christ’s rule. It says, “For at that time, I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord.” Verse 9 says that God will purify the speech of mankind so that they will serve God together in one accord. This is the direct reversal of the scattering of the nations at the tower of Babel. Notice the purpose of the pure speech. It is to serve the Lord together. “One accord” is an important phrase in this passage. I believe it speaks to us of being able to serve God and worship Him together in a way that all can understand and participate.

When the Holy Spirit fell upon the disciples in the upper room, His presence was manifested by the speaking of all the various languages in a way that everyone could understand. It was a preview of the coming ultimate fulfillment of Zephaniah’s prophecy. The “Bond” of the Holy Spirit in the church is the bond that holds us together and equips, motivates, and challenges us to work together in accomplishing the mission that Christ has given us. We are all on this mission together. I like the way Paul puts it in Romans 3:8-9. He writes, “The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. For we are God’s servants, working together.”

Gung-ho is an adjective that means enthusiastic and eager participation in a cause. It is especially used with regard to taking part in fighting and warfare. It comes from the Chinese term gonghe, which means “to work together.” It was adopted as the slogan of the US Marines in World War II. You still hear it today. It carries the connotation of unquestioning loyalty to a cause accompanied by undying devotion to the tasks at hand to accomplish the mission. Embracing the mission that Christ has given us requires sacrifice and often suffering. We should be “Gung Ho!” Paul told Timothy, “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 2:3

Jeremiah reminds God’s people of His good intentions for them in Jeremiah 29:11: “I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” These words were spoken when the people were in the pit of despair. But God did not want them to focus on their suffering but on His promise. Some today argue that God was only addressing the Israelites and referred only to their return to the land after 70 years of captivity in Babylon. But, since Paul tells us that all the scripture, including the Old Testament Prophets, is relevant to us, we can claim that promise as well. God’s message through Jeremiah was not an immediate rescue from hardship. Instead, it conveyed that God had a plan for His people even amidst their suffering. The promise included prosperity, hope, and a future. Christians facing difficulties can find comfort in this verse. It doesn’t guarantee instant relief but assures that God’s plan is at work. One commentator who favors this view concludes, “In summary, Jeremiah 29:11 remains relevant for Christians today. It reminds us that God’s plans extend beyond our immediate circumstances, offering hope and assurance for the future.”

The Lord also speaks through Zephaniah, the prophet, to the people in the same great distress. He explains God’s positive intentions for His people as well, and in 3:8, God says, “Wait for me!” Sometimes, the most difficult thing to do is just wait. It involves letting God manage the circumstances and situations that are outside of our control. All the things that really matter in life are outside of our control. God is in charge of our lives. He’s the one calling the shots. And he’s always calling the shots from the disposition of having our best interest foremost in mind. We often think God is too early or he’s too late when He acts. But the truth is, although He might not act exactly when we want Him to, He is always right on time.

The Bible is full of exhortations to wait on God. It also lists the benefits of waiting and trusting God. Those who wait for the Lord renew their strength (Isa. 40:31); those who wait for the Lord will inherit the land (Ps. 37:9); blessed are those who wait for him (Isa. 30:18); none who wait for you will be ashamed (Ps. 25:3); those who wait for me will not be put to shame (Isa. 49:23); may those who wait for you not be ashamed through me (Ps. 69:6); the Lord is good to those who wait for him (Lam. 3:25); you work on behalf of those who wait for you (Isa. 64:4) I like the promise of Isaiah 49:23, “No one who waits for my help will be disappointed.”

The dispersion of the nations that took place in Genesis 11 at the tower of Babel was accomplished by confusing the languages of the people so they could not understand each other and cooperate in their attempt to usurp God’s authority over all creation. Verses 7-9 of Genesis 11 says, “Come, let us go down and confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech. So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city.  Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth.”

Zephaniah 3:9 tells us that the Messiah’s coming will reunite the peoples of the earth. It says regarding the coming Messiah, “For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the LORD and serve him with one accord.” I believe Acts 2, the speaking in many languages, was symbolic of Christ’s role in reversing the dispersion of the peoples at Babel. He came to unite the world under His leadership. Although it’s obvious that Christ did not reverse the curse of confused languages when he came to earth the first time, I think we can see that it will be done for us when he comes the second and final time. Yet, even now, we see how the many different languages in the world separate the people of the earth. There have been over 8000 languages in the history of the world and there are still 7000 being spoken today. With that diversity, we find it hard to have anything in common with each other. I remember having a Japanese exchange student who couldn’t speak much English; of course, we couldn’t speak Japanese. Although we got along well for the time she was here,  language was always a barrier to us having a more interesting and intimate relationship. Speaking the same language is important for intimate fellowship.

“In One Accord” is one translation of the Greek word “homothymadon.”  It’s used to describe the early Church in Acts. It refers to unanimity and concerted action. It occurs twelve times in the NT (Ac 1:14; 2:1, 46; 4:24; 5:12; 7:57; 8:6; 12:20; 15:25; 18:12; 19:29; Ro 15:6). Larry Richards suggests that when we study these verses, we find “clues to unity—vital images of the church praying, worshiping, and reaching decisions together.” This word carries with it the idea of harmony of shared lives. Richards goes on to say, “A great orchestra gathers. The different instruments express their own individuality. But under the baton of a great conductor, the orchestra is capable of blending different sounds to produce the greatest symphonies.”