Zephaniah 2:10

Then the prophecy denounces the various nations that had been hostile to the land and to God's people. God had at times used some of them to punish His chosen people. But they had become full of pride, and they had abused their power. So His judgements would certainly fall on them. The prophecy, however, looks on to the future great day of God's wrath.

He leaves His people to the consequences of their sin, so they fall under the power of their enemies. Because of this, the pride of those enemies rises so high that it brings down the judgment of God. He steps in to deliver the remnant whom He loves, and to take His place as righteous Ruler over all the nations.

From the moment God is in Israel He identifies Himself with His people. Because of this, He deals with the nations according to how they treated Israel. "As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me," says the King. The moment they touch Israel, they touch the apple of His eye.

There was real moral profit for Israel in remembering the source of a constant thorn in their side — the shameful origin of the Moabite and the Ammonite. These two nations were neighbours and relatives of Israel, known for endless envy and hostility against the people of God. The one true God notes it all in His wisdom. Sin then as now produced a harvest, large and long-continued… "The one who sows to his own flesh," no matter who or where or when, "will from the flesh reap corruption."

This judgment of Moab and Ammon is the harvest which their pride and self-exaltation has brought to them (verse 10).

No one can say that all this has been fulfilled. Nehemiah must have felt sharply that it was not. Tobiah the Ammonite opposed the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem. Men of the remnant who had returned had married wives of Ashdod, of Moab, and of Ammon (Neh. 13:23). Zephaniah looks on to the future, to the time of Israel's full restoration and triumphant supremacy over the nations. How gracious of God to give through His servant such a forecast of the future, when dark days were about to close over the little kingdom of Judah!

Pride. The Greek New Testament has several words that we translate as pride. The one used here (hyperephania) means a spirit of self-exaltation in a person, joined with putting others down… This arrogance shows itself in boastful words and proud deeds. But its origin is within the heart. A line from Mary's song, the Magnificat, shows this: "He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts" (Luke 1:51). This form of haughtiness is offensive to God and open to His immediate judgment. Both James and Peter write that "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). The root idea of the word is lifting yourself up to show yourself off above your fellows — a personal puffing up that brings a person into the condemnation of the devil (1 Tim. 3:6).