Humility and simplicity are often mentioned in the Bible as distinguishing qualities of the righteous. But what kind of simplicity is meant? Is social position in view, or education, or...
Humility and simplicity are often mentioned in the Bible as distinguishing qualities of the righteous. But what kind of simplicity is meant? Is social position in view, or education, or something else? If poverty guaranteed righteousness, then class struggle against owners and exploiters to the final victory would be the only possible means of building the Kingdom of God. But none of the prophets, who highly valued social justice, posed the question in this way.
Then what should be considered simplicity? Perhaps refusal of education, of excessive learning? Of course, illiteracy is not a sin, nor is stupidity, although both sometimes create many problems. Yet illiteracy and lack of education in themselves bring no one closer to righteousness and the Kingdom.
But what, then? In the Hebrew text of the Bible, the ideas of "simplicity" and "straightforwardness, wholeness" are often designated by one and the same word. Perhaps the answer lies here. Indeed, spiritual life becomes simple and natural when the one living it gains inner wholeness, above all wholeness of will, which presupposes concentration, resolve, and readiness to go to the end along the path once chosen.
And God helps the one who walks, but only when he is ready to submit to God completely and without reservations. Such readiness is humility, the real humility that is not connected with any words, gestures, or still less with a style of clothing. Humility and simplicity understood in this way really do help the righteous person follow God. And enter the Kingdom.
3 Jerusalem threatened for her wickedness, Zep 3:1-7.
A promise of a glorious reformation, Zep 3:8-13.
And deliverance consequent upon it, Zep 3:14-20.
3:1 To her - Jerusalem.
3:2 The voice - Of God by his mercy and judgments crying aloud.
3:3 Her princes - Persons of principal place and authority.Lions - Which hunt for prey, and are ever affrighting or devouring.Wolves - Insatiable and cruel, like wolves of the evening, whetted with hunger. Gnaw not the bones - They leave nothing but the bones to be eaten on the morrow.
3:4 Her prophet - So called, false prophets.Light - Unstable and inconstant.Violence to the law - Wresting it by perverse interpretation.
3:5 In the midst - Observing all. Not do iniquity - He will judge them righteously. Every morning - Daily he discovers his displeasure against the wicked. Faileth not - Lets no season slip to convince them, by public and visible punishments. The unjust - But the wicked Jews proceed without shame, and without fear.
3:6 The nations - Of old, the Canaanites, lastly the ten tribes, and later yet, the Assyrians.
3:7 I said - I thought (speaking after the manner of men).Thou - O Jerusalem. Fear me - For the many and great judgments executed upon others. I punished them - In some measure.
3:8 Therefore - Since you will not be amended.Wait ye - Attend my resolution. Until - Until I rise up to destroy first, and next to take the spoil. Upon them - The incorrigible Jews.Devoured - Consumed as if burnt up. My jealousy - That jealousy wherewith God is jealous for his own glory.
3:9 A pure language - I will give them a pure way of worshipping me, the issue of a pure heart.
3:10 My dispersed - The praying remnant of the scattered Jews shall return to their own land, and bring themselves an offering unto the Lord.
3:11 Thy doings - Thy sins formerly committed. In thy pride - Proud formalists. No more be haughty - Ye shall no more boast, because of the city, or the temple.
3:12 Of thee - In Judea and Jerusalem.
3:13 Shall feed - Shall enjoy peace and plenty.
3:15 Taken away - Abolished, and put an end to the judgments thy sins brought upon thee. Thine enemy - The Babylonian.Is in the midst - He is returned to redeem and govern thee.Any more - While thy carriage is as becomes my presence with thee, thou shalt neither fear, nor feel the like evils.
3:18 Sorrowful - That mourn their distance from the solemn worship of God. Who are of thee - Thy children. Reproach - The taunts of their enemies.
3:19 Undo - I will break their power and dissolve their kingdom.That halteth - Who is in trouble and ready to fall.Driven out - Into remote countries.
3:20 A praise - So the universal church of the first - born will be, in the great day. And then the Israel of God be made a name and a praise to all eternity.