Zephaniah 3:9For 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.(KJV)
Many have said that the above passage has to do with the restoration of the Hebrew language. Is this true? Does this passage have anything to do with Hebrew, or any earthly language? Or does it rather show that this is fulfilled through Messiah and His cleansing blood? For it is only through a purified heart, that we may call upon Him, in a purified tongue, and serve Him together in Spirit and truth.
1 Cor 1:2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, TOGETHER WITH ALL THOSE EVERYWHERE WHO CALL ON THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS(YESHUA) CHRIST, THEIR LORD AND OURS:
The Hebrew language, while indeed can be more fulfilling in certain aspects, cannot by itself bring a person salvation, nor should it be elevated above any other language. Hebrew is not more holy than Greek, Latin, etc. and if indeed Zep 3:9 was in fulfillment to the restoration of Hebrew, as being the only pure and holy language, then only those who spoke such a language could call upon the Lord for salvation. This is not only contrary to the Scriptures, but would nullify the gospel that went forth through the disciples on Pentecost as the Spirit enabled them to speak in other languages.
Acts 2:5And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, BECAUSE THAT EVERY MAN HEARD THEM SPEAK IN HIS OWN LANGUAGE. 7And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8AND HOW WE HEAR EVERY MAN IN OUR OWN TONGUE, WHEREIN WE WERE BORN? 9Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11Cretes and Arabians, WE DO HEAR THEM SPEAK IN OUR TONGUES THE WONDERFUL WORKS OF GOD.(KJV)
The Spirit, the very breath of Yah, did NOT restore people to a single earthly language, but poured out HIS SPIRIT so that He may be glorified through ALL languages. It is through ALL nations, tongues and peoples that may call upon the Lord, and be washed by the cleansing blood of the Lamb, Yeshua/Jesus.
♦Acts 15:7And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, THAT THE GENTILES BY MY MOUTH SHOULD HEAR THE WORD OF THE GOSPEL, AND BELIEVE. 8And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9And put no difference between us and them, PURIFYING THEIR HEARTS BY FAITH.(KJV)
♦Acts 15:17That the residue of men MIGHT SEEK AFTER THE LORD(YHWH), AND ALL THE GENTILES, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. (Reference from Amos 9:12)
♦Revelation 7:9After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, OF ALL NATIONS, AND KINDREDS, AND PEOPLE, AND TONGUES, STOOD BEFORE THE THRONE, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
A language is made holy by a person who is walking in the Spirit of Messiah, not simply the language itself. When Isaiah spoke “Woe to me for I am a man of unclean lips” this speaks for all humankind; for ALL has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God(Rom 3:23) reguardless of what earthly tongue that they speak, or even if they speak at all.
Isa 6:5Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
After Isaiah spoke this, a seraphim flew and touched his unclean lips with a burning coal, and his sin was purged.
Isa 6:6Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:7And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
This was looking forward to the time that Messiah would come and purify the hearts and minds of men through His blood and His Spirit. This is revealed within the gospel of John:
John 12:41Isaiah said these things because HE SAW JESUS'(YESHUA) GLORY AND SPOKE ABOUT HIM.
Now, if Isaiah spoke this in Hebrew, how could this language be pure if his lips(language) were still unclean? How could Hebrew, or any other earthly language that a person speaks, be truly pure/undefiled without the purging of sin behind it?
Here, I will answer: Because a person is not made pure by what language they speak, but rather the purging and cleansing of sin through the blood of Messiah.
Remember, it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks(Luke 6:45), and has very little to do with what earthly language a person speaks. It is the Spirit of Messiah behind that language that is pure, undefiled and holy, that has touched a man of his heart and lips.
♦Luke 21:15For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
♦Revelation 14:5And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
Let us focus on Rev 14:5 for a minute. This same passage comes from Zephaniah 3, in verse 13, only a few verses after verse 9. This verse gives us more context to verse 9 in understanding to what a “pure” language really is:
Zeph 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.
“Shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth”. Does this have to do with an earthly language? Or rather a pure heart, that overflows out through the mouth?
Let us look real quick at what Strongs says pertaining to the word “pure” from Zeph 3:9:
“make bright, choice, chosen, cleanse be clean, clearly, polished, purify, purge out”
So combined with the above passage from Zeph 3:13/Rev 14:5 this is what I see:
PURE: Without darkness, impurity, foul or deceitful language.
♦Ephesians 4:29Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
♦Colossians 3:8 But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth.
Can we abide in our flesh, in an earthly tongue, and be “without darkness, impurity, foul or deceitful language”? Or must we abide in Yeshua, and allow Him to purge the wickedness from within us? Allowing the coal from the altar of sacrifice to touch our lips?
Perhaps this is also why James gives us many passages on taming of the tongue. Is this specifically taming what language we speak, or rather the words and intent that pour forth from the abundance of the heart?
♦James 3:8But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10OUT OF THE SAME MOUTH PROCEEDETH BLESSING AND CURSING. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11DOTH A FOUNTAIN SEND FORTH AT THE SAME PLACE SWEET WATER AND BITTER? 12Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
(I have spoke of this on my blog titled “Wormwood: bitter waters that flow from the heart“)
♦James 4:8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; AND PURIFY YOUR HEARTS, ye double minded.(KJV)
Where in Scripture has what we say have anything to do with what language we speak?
♦Psalm 10:7 His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue.
♦Jeremiah 9:8Their tongues are deadly arrows; they speak deception. With his mouth a man speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap for him.
♦Psalm 36:3The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and well-doing.
♦Psalm 41:6My visitor speaks falsehood; he gathers slander in his heart; he goes out and spreads it abroad.
Seems to me, that no matter what language a person speaks, if their heart is not right, it does not matter.
Did not Yah say many praise Him with their lips but their hearts are far from Him?
Again quoting from Isaiah:
Isaiah 29:13Wherefore the Lord(YHWH) said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
Spoken by Yeshua/Jesus in Matthew 15:8:
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Now moving on to the latter part of the passage in Zeph 3:9 “to serve him with one consent”. Now, in many of the translations it has “to serve Him with one shoulder” or to “serve Him shoulder to shoulder”. If you also look into the Strong’s(H7926) for this first mention of “Shoulder” it says: “place of burdens”, which in the LXX(Septuagint) it has “yoke”, instead of shoulder.
So, basically this is saying “to serve Him under One Yoke”.
♦Matthew 11:29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
♦Galatians 6:2Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the Law of Christ.
When we are all united under One Yoke( that of Christ) we all carry the same burdens together, bearing the gospel throughout the world, and being all of one mind in Spirit and in truth. Those who serve Yeshua with a pure heart, serve Him in a pure tongue.
Now, I do believe that when we shed these earthly bodies and finish the race, we will not have to worry about speaking different earthly tongues in the Kingdom. Those physical barriers that we have here currently will cease to exist, and everything I have mentioned here will only be magnified to a level that many of us cannot comprehend.
It does not matter what earthly language you speak, if your heart is not purified before Him. So let us make sure our hearts continue to stay pure before Him, speaking through purified lips, lest we become unclean and worship Yah in vain.
Psalm 51:10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
In closing, I believe that the Amplified version got this translation correct, as I came across this passage in conclusion to what I have already written:
