• "Everything of the doctrine of truth and good has been perverted."

• "…a ‘lion’ denotes the power possessed by the evil of the love of self when it destroys and lays waste…" Zephaniah 3:3 is cited as an example.

• "…by a ‘wolf’ are signified those who seize…The signification of a ‘wolf’ is in a similar category to that of a ‘lion,’ also a rapacious animal…" Zephaniah 3:3 is cited.

• Psalm 140:1-4, 11 is cited regarding those who seek to destroy the truths of faith and the goods of charity. Such people sharpen their tongues as a serpent and have poison under their lips; it describes the evil hunting what is good to overthrow it. "(And so in other passages, as…Zephaniah 3:4…)"

• "In the Word ‘priest and prophet’ are also often mentioned, and ‘priest’ means there one who leads men to live according to Divine truth, and ‘prophet’ one who teaches it." Zephaniah 3:4 is listed as one of many examples.

• "Woe" signifies the danger of eternal damnation. (AC 3755)
• Woe signifies lamentation over the unhappy state of the evil in anyone. (AR 416)
• Woe signifies grief because of the vastation of good and its truth in the church. (AE 918 [5])
• Woe is lamentation over their doctrine and religious persuasion. (AE 1165)
• To be "rebellious" signifies to be against the divine good and the divine truth. (AE 412 [33])
• "Rebel" or "revolt" signifies trespasses and transgressions against the truths of faith. (AC 9156)
• "Pollution" signifies a conjunction that is not legitimate. (AC 4433)
• Pollution signifies the defiling of the truths of faith. (AC 4504)

• Oppression signifies an attempt to subjugate by those who are in falsities. (AC 6861)
• A "city" signifies everything doctrinal or heretical. (AC 402)
• A city signifies the church as to its doctrines. (AE 518 [26])

• AC 1937 outlines what obedience means. To be obedient is to be humble. Obeying means exercising self-compulsion so that we may place ourselves under the controlling power of interior truths in order to do good, to obey what the Lord commands. Obedience allows the Divine good and truth to reign.
• "She," the affections, was not willing to abide by the principles of obedience.
• "His voice" signifies the Word, the doctrines of faith, and it also signifies hearing the internal dictate of a spiritual conscience. (AC 219)

• "Correction" or amendment signifies to walk in the right way, or to live goods and truths from the Word. (AC 10422)
• Correction or recovery signifies the healing power of the Lord. (AC 6988 [3])

• Trust carries with it contentment and confidence in all things provided by the Lord. AC 8478 reminds us that in those who are not content with their lot, who do not trust in the Divine, there universally reigns a solicitude about things; they become anxious, and they grieve over the loss or lack of things.

• To come near signifies to be conjoined by love, and to hearken signifies to obey and to be instructed. (AE 331 [3])

• "Princes" signify the primary precepts of charity. (AC 2089)
• AR 548 teaches that a prince, or ruler, signifies a principal or leading truth.
• "In the midst" signifies what is inmost and primary. The best and purest things, and those closest to perfection, are in the center. (AC 9666)
• A roar or "roaring" signifies lamentation from grief of heart. (AE 601)

• A roar signifies infernal loves of self and the world. (AE 601)
• Roaring signifies an ardent desire to destroy and devastate the church. (AE 601)

• How are judges to act? AC 3921 describes the way the Lord judges us. "He judges from righteousness, and hears everyone from mercy. He judges from righteousness in that He does so from Divine Truth. He hears from mercy in that He does so from Divine Good." Such is the model to be emulated by those chosen by the Lord to be a judge.
• "Evening" signifies a state of obscurity. (AC 22)
• "Wolves" signify those who teach falsities as if they were truths. (AE 195 [13])
• Wolves signify cunning in deceptions by falsities. (AE 355 [24])
• Wolves signify an eagerness to snatch away, to scatter. (AC 6441)
• Bones correspond to external truths. They are like hard facts in fixed form on which higher truths may rest for support.
• To lose a bone represents being without a basis or support system for spiritual thoughts.

• Those who teach truths are called "prophets." (AE 100)
• Prophets and priests signify those who teach and live according to what is taught. (AC 382)
• Prophets are those who are in truths of doctrine and live accordingly. (AR 526)
• Arrogant, haughty, flippant, sassy, and smart aleck are but a few synonyms for the word "insolent."
• "Treachery," or guile, signifies malice from the will, with premeditation. (AC 9013)

• Priests are to teach truth, and so lead to good, and to the Lord. (AC 10794)
• Pollution signifies that the truth of faith has been defiled. (AC 4504)
• Pollution signifies a conjunction with that which is not legitimate. (AC 4433)
• "Sanctuary" in the supreme sense signifies the Lord and those things in heaven and the church. Everything that the church has comes from the Lord. (AC 9479)
• AC 2258 offers this insight: "…in the Representative Church…the priests…were at the same time judges; for as priests they represented the Divine good, and as judges the Divine truth…"

P&P states that "everything of the doctrine of truth and good has been perverted." The passages from Zephaniah 3:1-4 give concrete examples of this perversion. The church was rebellious and polluted. The church would not obey the voice or bidding of the Lord. The church would not allow the Lord to make corrections in its doctrines and behaviors. The church trusted itself more than the Lord. Such an attitude drew the people away from the Lord. The primary, introductory truths were not used for the salvation of souls. Instead, the people were devastatingly calloused and full of self-centered ends. The priests and judges did what was right in their own eyes. Worship, judgments, and truth became pawns in the hands of the highest bidder. What was the result? The prophets were insolent and treacherous. Wolves ripped the structure to shreds. Not a bone was left to support doctrine. There was no "new day," only nighttime. Arrogant, haughty, flippant, sassy attitudes replaced love of the Lord and the neighbor.

Sadly, the end result was that the church became polluted. Illegitimate unions or conjunctions became part of the church. Violence was done to the law. Is it any wonder then that the Lord had to tell them:

Read the selection from P&P.

Read Zephaniah 3:1-4.

1. What are two or three important points from the Derived Doctrine section?

2. The church got so involved in its own agenda that it ignored the Lord. What can we do personally and collectively to make sure this doesn’t happen today?

3. Without becoming negative, can you recall a time when a church got arrogant or insolent?

4. What are situations you remember in which people were left to the wolves and roaring lions so that not a bone was left in the morning? How might it have been prevented?

5. I’m hoping you have questions you can add to this discussion.

• "When the Lord comes He will investigate."

• "In Zephaniah…(3:5). The ‘morning’ denotes the time and state of Judgment, which is the same as that of the Lord’s advent; and this is the same as the approach of His kingdom."

• "…‘judgment’ denotes intelligence from Divine truth, and the consequent life." Zephaniah 3:5 is quoted. "In these passages ‘judgment’ and ‘judgments,’ denote Divine truth."

• Zephaniah 3:5 is cited with the following explanation: "By ‘morning,’…is meant the Lord’s coming, when He came into the world and established a New Church…And because the Lord alone gives those who will be of His New Church intelligence and wisdom; and all things which the Lord gives are Himself because they are of Himself, therefore the Lord says that He is ‘the morning star’…"

• "As the successive states of the church in general and in particular are described in the Word by the four seasons of the year, spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and by the four divisions of the day, morning, noon, evening, and night; and as the present church in Christendom is the night, it follows that the morning, that is, the beginning of a new church, is now at hand. That the successive states of the church are described in the Word by the four states of the light of day, can be seen from the following passages…" Zephaniah 3:5 is one of the passages given.

• "That ‘morning’ signifies the Lord’s coming into the world and then a new church is evident from the following passages…" "Here likewise the Lord’s coming and the end of the former church and the beginning of a new one are treated of. In Zephaniah…similar things are meant…" Zephaniah 3:5 is cited.

• "…the successive states of the church are meant by ‘morning,’ ‘day,’ ‘evening,’ and night,’ in the Word…The subject there treated of is the Consummation of the Age, and the coming of the Lord at that time…" Zephaniah 3:5 is cited as one of many examples.

• "As ‘morning’ signifies the state of enlightenment and salvation of the good, and the state of thick darkness and destruction of the evil, therefore also ‘morning’ signifies the time of the Last Judgment, when they are to be saved who are in good, and they are to perish who are in evil; consequently it signifies the end of a former church, and the beginning of a new church, which things are signified in the Word by the Last Judgment." Zephaniah 3:5-6 is cited.

• Right, righteous, rightness, and upright. Think about the meaning of these words.
• AC 1813 teaches that "…the Lord was not born righteousness, but became righteousness through combats of temptations and victories, and this from His own power. As often as He fought and overcame, this [righteousness] was imputed to Him…as a continual increase, until He became pure righteousness."
• "In her midst" signifies that the Lord brought His best and purest things to the church. His midst is perfection. (AC 9666)

• Do we need any quotes to explain this? The Lord is perfect. He will not do wrong.

• Evil loves darkness. Evil seeks to hide its intent under the cover of darkness.
• The Lord is light. Everything is open to be seen. No hidden agenda. His justice is fair to all. "He never fails" says it all.

• Would it be fair to say that in order for someone to feel shame, there must be good, innocence, and honesty present within him or her? The unjust people, who knew no shame, emptied the good and truths of the Lord from their lives. Therefore, they felt no shame. Kindness, care for the Lord and the neighbor, were, for them, buried under the weight of selfishness.

Is it striking to you that this verse of Zephaniah is not tied in with others? It stands alone—it is not grouped with 2 or 3 verses. Why might that be so? The derived doctrine helped us see that the Lord alone is perfect. He is righteousness because He fought and overcame every temptation hell brought against Him. The Lord never failed while facing even the tiniest of temptations. He brings the purest and the best to His church. Is this a hard concept to relate to in our lives? We make unintentional errors all the time. Being perfect is something we never experience except as we read and believe the teachings about the Lord in His Word. "He never fails" is a profound statement to believe and live by.

Like the morning light, the Lord stands against the malevolent desires of hell. His judgment is not to punish anyone. Those who hate Him and the neighbor have to be faced and shown how wrong their ruling love is. For the greater good, they cannot remain unchecked. So, with love for all that is good and true, He comes to put an end to the reign of terror. The falsity of that kind of "church" must be vastated so that new truths and clean loves can replace it. "When the Lord comes He will investigate." (P&P)

Why does this verse stand apart from the others? We have no doctrinal reason. What does your heart tell you as you reflect on the message of the Lord’s righteousness and perfection?

Read the selection from P&P.

Read Zephaniah 3:5.

1. How hard do you think hell will work to hide the words "He never fails" from the new church? Can you predict what sneaky and subtle strategy they might use?

2. What has happened to a person if he or she is unable to feel shame for opposing the Lord?
3. P&P teaches us that "When the Lord comes He will investigate." The Lord doesn’t really need to investigate. He knows everything. So why call it an investigation? Why not call it the exposure of evil?

4. Is His investigation due to the intricate, entangled, complicated connections evil weaves to conceal its true hiding place? I can picture the Lord untangling evil piece by piece so that no tiny sliver of corruption is left. The Divine operation will be complete, and the patient, the church, will be built up anew.

Does the Lord want us to participate in this "investigation"? Why or why not? If so, how?

• "The evil will perish and are to be cast into hell."

• "As ‘streets’ signified truths, it was a representative rite among the Jews to teach in the streets…In the Prophets, ‘streets,’ wherever named, signify in the internal sense either truths, or things contrary to truths…the ‘chariots’ denote the doctrine of truth…" Zephaniah 3:6 is cited among other passages.

• "That ‘to dwell’ is predicated of the good, that is, of the affection, of truth, is evident from many passages in the Word where cities are treated of, by which truths are signified, and…truths without good are like a city in which there is no one dwelling. So in Zephaniah…3:6."

• "In Zephaniah…3:6…‘No man’ denotes no truth; ‘no inhabitant,’ no good…"

• "That ‘cities’ signify doctrinals, may in some measure appear from the following passages…In these places by cities, in the spiritual sense, are meant doctrines…" Zephaniah 3:6 is cited.

• "The four quarters are also called ‘the four corners’...because [corners/quarters] relate to heaven or hell…" Zephaniah 3:6 is cited.

• "‘By streets,’ in the Word, almost the same is signified as by ‘ways,’…because ‘a city’ signifies doctrine…and by ‘ways’ are signified the truths or falsities of the church…" Zephaniah 3:6 is cited among other passages.

• "In Zephaniah…3:6…‘nations’ are those who are in evils; ‘to desolate streets’ means to desolate truths, and ‘to lay waste cities’ means to lay waste doctrines."

• "In Zephaniah…3:6…The destruction of all the goods of the church is signified by ‘I will cut off the nations, and their corners shall be laid waste;’ ‘nations’ meaning the goods of the church, and ‘corners’ all things of it, because its outermost parts…The destruction of the truths of doctrine is signified by ‘I will make desolate their streets and I will lay waste their cities;’ ‘streets’ meaning truths, and ‘cities’ doctrinals; total destruction even until there is no truth and good left is signified by ‘that none pass by, and there is no inhabitant;’ for ‘to pass by’ in the Word is predicated of truths, and ‘to dwell’ of goods."

• "In Zephaniah…3:6…The ‘nations that shall be cut off,’ signify the goods of the church; the ‘corners that shall be laid waste’ signify the truths and goods of the church in the whole complex…The ‘streets that shall be made desolate, that no one may pass through,’ signify the truths of doctrine; for the ‘cities that shall be laid waste, that there may be no man nor inhabitant,’ signify doctrinals, ‘man’ and ‘inhabitants’ meaning in the Word in the spiritual sense all who are in truths and goods, thus in an abstract sense truths and goods."

• "That ‘to dwell’ signifies to live, and thus life, can be seen from passages in the Word, where ‘to dwell’ is mentioned…" Zephaniah 3:6 is cited.

• "…that the ‘spoil’ denotes those who have been rescued and delivered, is manifest. That…spoil…[is] also spoken of the Lord in the Word because of His rescuing and delivering the good…" Zephaniah 3:8 is cited as an example.

• "…the Israelites and Jews were driven by punishments to observe the statutes and precepts in outward form; and from this they believed that Jehovah was angry and punished, when yet it was themselves who by idolatries brought such things upon them, and separated themselves from heaven…From all this it can now be seen what is meant in the Word by ‘anger and wrath of Jehovah’…" Zephaniah 3:8 is cited as an example.

• "…the zeal of the Lord, which in itself is love and compassion, appears to [the evil] as anger; for when the Lord from love and mercy protects His own in heaven, they who are in evil are indignant and angry against the good, and rush into the sphere where the Divine truth and Divine good are, with the endeavor to destroy those who are there…then the Divine truth of the Divine good works in them and makes them feel torments such as are in hell…yet in the Divine there is absolutely nothing of anger, and absolutely nothing of evil; but pure clemency and mercy." In AC 8875 [7], Zephaniah 3:8 is cited as an example.

• "(That the zeal of Jehovah is love and mercy, and that it is called ‘anger’ because it so appears to the wicked when they incur the penalty of their evil, see n. 8875.)" Zephaniah 3:8 is cited as an example.

• (Zephaniah 3:8) "…‘zeal’ in the Lord is not wrath, it only appears so in the externals, interiorly it is love. It appears so in externals, because the Lord seems to be angry when He rebukes man, especially when man’s own evil punishes him. It is so permitted from love, that his evil may be removed…"

• "…‘anger,’ and ‘fury’…It is not meant that this comes from Jehovah, but from the infernal love of the wicked. Such things are said in the Word, because they are appearances; and the Word, in its literal sense, is written by correspondences and appearances…" Zephaniah 3:8 is used as an example.

• Zephaniah is quoted often in this number regarding "that day," "in that day," "in that time." One of the quotes offered is Zephaniah 3:8. The "Lord’s advent" is represented by the words in this passage.

• "Cut off" signifies that divine truth shall be taken from the people, but it shall live again in a new church. (AE 315 [23])
• "Nations" signify evils of the will, or lusts, while "people" signify falsities of the understanding, or persuasions. (AC 622)
• "Fortresses," strongholds, and citadels signify confirmations in falsities and evils from the Word, and memory–knowledges. (AC 7102 [3] and AE 388 [19])
• Devastation occurs within a church when the Word is falsified, when the Word is explained to favor earthly loves and to confirm falsities of doctrine. When this happens, the church is laid to waste because then heaven is closed up. When heaven is closed up, there is no longer any church with humanity. (AE 914 [3] and AC 7573)

"I have made their streets desolate, with none passing by. Their cities are destroyed; there is no one, no inhabitant."

• These teachings are well covered in AE 417 [10], but add to this what we learned earlier about the word "desolate."
• To be "desolate" signifies to be without visible truth. (AC 6141) To be desolate connotes ruin.
• The combination of these two passages seems to explain well the meaning of "no one, no inhabitant."

• "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…" (Psalm 111:10) Holy fear springs from love. It is holy because it fears to do or say anything that would hurt the Lord.
• Holy fear provides ways for instruction. A holy fear longs for instruction.
• Holy fear keeps influx flowing in. Such a state strengthens our spiritual dwelling places.

• The positive sense of "early" signifies to perceive clearly. "Early" also signifies a light of confirmation.
• Rising, in the positive sense, signifies that the spiritual truth is seen to be in agreement with external truth. (AC 2028)
• Could the negative sense of rising mean they perceived quickly how to bend truth to their own ends?
• This derived doctrine seems to explain the meaning of "corrupted all of their deeds."

• "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait I say on the Lord." (Psalm 27:14)
• AC 6402 teaches that to "wait" signifies to look upward or inward for salvation.
• AE 514 [11] teaches that to wait signifies to long for the Lord’s coming.
• AR 217 says that to wait signifies to be prepared for the reception of truth, or the presence of the Lord.
• To "rise up for the plunder" signifies that the Lord will rescue and deliver the good. (AC 6442)

• Determination, resolve, restoration, setting things right—these meanings seem to go well with the teaching in AC 5620 that to set right signifies that heavenly goods and truths will re-emerge when a new church is established.
• The re-emergence of truth will seem like indignation and fierce anger to the hells, but to the faithful, it will be the re-emergence of Divine love.

Without the internal sense, these verses would seem to be hard and full of irreversible gloom. Let us look at the series of fearful things predicted by the Lord: "Cut off"; "fortresses devastated"; "streets desolate"; "no one, no inhabitants"; "corrupted deeds"; "plunder"; "pour on them My indignation"; My fierce anger"; "devour [them] with the fire of My jealousy."

With the direct teachings and derived doctrine, we get a totally different message to those who "wait on the Lord"; to those who hold hope for the church; to those who eagerly long for the Lord’s coming to rescue the church. The Lord is determined to gather the nations and restore order. The Lord’s jealously, His zeal, will triumph over those who "rose early" to corrupt spiritual uses, and they will perish. Their love of disorder will make them jump into hell to remove themselves from the Lord’s presence.

Once again, the apparent darkness of the literal sense is turned from gloom to bright optimism for the church that stands patiently waiting for the Lord’s leadership. The Lord in Matthew spoke these words: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matt. 11:29)

Read the selection from P&P.

Read Zephaniah 3:6-8.

1. Did your initial reading of this section make you want to stop reading? Our minds don’t usually want to hear stern words of condemnation from the Lord. We prefer happy themes. So, how can we learn to persevere and wait until we discover the internal meaning of the Word before closing or setting aside the lessons of divine investigation?

2. Learning from the Lord is something we do best with regular study and reflection. How much spiritual learning comes from life experiences? Are life experiences enough to build a strong fortress to resist the forces of hell? Why or why not?

What did you think about the teachings on devastation and desolation? Read the teachings in AE 914 and AC 7573 to formulate an answer.

• "Then a new church made up of those who acknowledge the Lord will arise."

• "In Zephaniah…to serve Him with one shoulder [accord] (3:9)…meaning with one soul, thus with one might."

• "In Zephaniah…3:9…‘a clear lip’ manifestly denotes doctrine."

• "By the ‘shoulder,’ in the Word also is signified all power, as is evident in the following passages…" Zephaniah 3:9 is cited.

• "That ‘carrying upon the shoulder,’ when said of subjection, signifies servitude, may be seen in…Zephaniah 3:9…but that when said of command, it signifies supreme power…"

• "In Zephaniah…3:10…‘Ethiopia’ denotes those who are in possession of celestial things, which are love, charity, and the works of charity."

• "In Zephaniah…‘the crossing of the rivers of Cush, My worshipers’…denoting those who are without knowledges, that is, the Gentiles."

• "…external gifts signified internal or spiritual gifts, namely, such as go forth from the heart, and thence are of the affection and faith; and as by these conjunction is effected, in the spiritual sense ‘gifts’ in reference to God signify conjunction, and in reference to men consociation." Zephaniah 3:10 is cited.

• To "restore" signifies to render up spiritual truth without taint from the rational. (AC 2532-2537)
• To restore or "set right" signifies that heavenly goods and truths will re-emerge when a new church is established. (AC 5620)
• AR 29 teaches that there is an inherent language in us from creation, a universal language. It is that inherent language that connects us with angels and spirits. The unity and purity of language speaks of a deeper and profounder language—the language of the soul—the unity of the utterance of the church. The people of the Ancient Church possessed one universal doctrine until they sought to build the tower of Babel to become gods.
• A "name" signifies the quality of all the affections. (AC 143-145) To "call upon the name of the Lord" signifies to call on the Lord to give us the affection to be receivers of His new church. (AR 816)

• Serving signifies that externals must serve as servants. (AC 5127)
• Servants, or the act of serving, signify that external knowledge will serve the internal person. (AC 1486)
• AR 380, explaining Revelation 7:15, teaches: "‘…and serve Him day and night,’ signifies that they constantly and faithfully live according to the truths…the precepts, which they receive from Him. By ‘serving the Lord’ nothing else is signified…"
• To understand "with one accord," we can read AC 1316, which explains that "one" signifies that which is authentic, or genuine. "Accord" represents unity. Thus, the passage seems to mean that the Lord will raise up a church, a people, who will serve Him with genuine, authentic doctrinal worship.

• Some of the synonyms for "beyond" are farther, over, higher, and superior.
• "Rivers" in AC 107 signify a wisdom from love to grant intelligence.
• Rivers signify truths in abundance, serving the rational person. (AR 683)
• Rivers signify the opening and explanation of the Book of Revelation. (AR 932)
• "Ethiopia" signifies the mental faculty, or the understanding of knowledges of good and truth. (AC 116)
• AC 349 teaches that Ethiopia signifies possession of celestial things such as love, charity, and the works of charity.

• Worship signifies humiliation and adoration from the heart. (AC 9377)
• "My worshipers" seem to connote a Divine possessiveness that is like that of a proud and loving Parent. It is like a Divine approval of those whose hearts are humble enough to listen, follow, and accept the ways of the Lord.

• A "daughter" signifies the church of faith in which there is good. (AC 3963)
• A daughter signifies the affection of a church. (AC 3963)
• The "dispersed," scattered, or outcasts signify those who are not in truths, but still are in the desire to learn them. (AE 433 [7])

• An "offering" represents worship of the Lord. We have cited AC 349 before regarding Zephaniah 3:10. Note that this number also deals with various kinds of offerings.

P&P sets us on a prudent course to spiritually understanding these verses: "Then a new church made up of those who acknowledge the Lord will arise."

The literal sense employs an active voice of the Lord. "I will restore to the peoples a pure language, that they all may call on the name of the Lord…" The Lord promises that His people will serve Him with "one accord." The Lord will gather together those who were dispersed. Those who were pushed out of the church by the evil blasphemers will be called and collected together to learn anew the ways of the Lord. The impoverished will and understanding (good and truth) of the righteous will be granted an intelligence that will extend beyond the rivers of Ethiopia. The Lord says that His worshipers, His daughters, shall bring Him offerings. These words of the Lord ring out with a sense of pride for His vindicated and reclaimed children.

The Lord’s church will flourish with unity, clarity, honesty, genuineness, and righteousness.

"And all the people of the Lord shall answer and say ‘AMEN!’" (Deuteronomy 27:15)

Read the selection from P&P.

Read Zephaniah 3:9-10.

1. Do you feel uplifted with the Lord’s promise to restore the dispersed outcasts? Do you identify with the outcasts at all?

2. In the course of our life, we are often rebuked for taking a stand on moral and spiritual issues based on the Word. Labels are placed on us. Names of derision are put on the thinking of those who seek to find answers in the Word. What encouragement can you find to remain steadfast from the teachings within Zephaniah 3:9-10?

3. Hell tries to cast us out of the church universal with the trick of making us think from person instead of state. Can you think of situations in which thinking from person and not state would taint the truth of the Lord?

4. The "Amen!" quote given above is taken from Deuteronomy. The children of Israel came to their senses after making a golden image to worship. They were called before the Lord to repent and to promise they would not to do a similar thing again. Do you recall what the word Amen means? See Doctrine of Faith 6 for an answer.

5. If you had a positive feeling about these two verses, wait until you read what comes next. There are words of encouragement for those who wonder, or worry, about good winning out over evil.

• "Those who are in falsities of evil must be separated, and thus the few must be saved."

• Zephaniah 3:11 is cited with reference to the words "holy mountain." "…‘for the mountain of holiness,’…[signifies] spiritual good, which in its essence is truth from good, as can be seen from the following passages."

• Zephaniah 3:11 is cited as a passage where "…the Lord’s coming and the New Church from Him at that time are meant by ‘the day of Jehovah’…"

• Zephaniah 3:12 is cited as an example of the meaning of "needy." "In these passages ‘the needy’ denote those who are in ignorance of truth and long to be instructed."

• "…by the ‘poor…are meant those who are outside the church and have not the Word, and yet long for the truths and goods of heaven and of the church. From this also it is plain that by the ‘rich’ are meant those who have the Word, consequently Divine truths…" Zephaniah 3:12-13 are cited.

• "…the ‘poor’ in the spiritual sense signify those who do not possess knowledges of good and truth, and yet desire them…" Zephaniah 3:12-13 is cited.

• AC 488 [3] and AC 1839 [5] tell us that the day of the Lord signifies a reckoning of the last time and state of the church. Thus, it seems appropriate to understand these words to mean that a day will come when a judgment and examination will be made by the Lord to determine the spiritual state of the church.

• "Shame" signifies a lack of power to resist evils and falsities. (AC 10481)
• Shame (disappointment) signifies having no power to resist evils from the proprium. (AE 654 [59])
• Shame signifies unclean loves, which are infernal—said to those who will be of the Lord’s New Church, to encourage them to learn truths and to retain them. (AR 706)
• Is this passage saying that deeds done while lacking power to resist are forgiven if we learn from them? Would this be likened to times when our "spiritual freedom" was impaired?

• Who are those in our midst who would rejoice in our pride? Might they be our inherited tendencies to do evils?
• Haughtiness and pride are similar. "Pride" signifies the love of self. Pride in the external person denotes self-confidence and reasoning from what is one’s own. (AC 1585 [4])
• The Lord’s "holy mountain" signifies heaven, especially where love to the Lord prevails. (AE 314 [4])
• Can you picture the demise of inherited tendencies to do evil in the holy mountain of the Lord?

• Meekness signifies those who are in the good of charity. (AE 304 [44])
• Humility signifies an acknowledgment that self is nothing but evil and falsity, and that the Divine is nothing but good and infinite. (AC 7640)
• To "trust in the name of the Lord" signifies to have confidence in the essence or qualities of the Lord. His name cheers and lifts our souls. (AC 2724)

Life’s moments of reflection are powerfully essential for our spiritual growth. The Spiritual Experience (SE) (Spiritual Diary) reminds us of the importance of reflection. There are more heavenly arcana to be learned in the doctrine of reflection than in any other doctrine of the church. Given the importance of this teaching, we would do well then to reflect on the words of our text. The Lord will not shame us for any of our deeds in which we transgressed against Him. If we erred, if we made a decision in a moment of duress and our freedom or rationality was not functioning well, the Lord will forgive us. If we were weak and unable to resist the leading of our proprium, He will forgive us.

The intention to not commit sins against the Lord is an important doctrine of the church. If you need to reflect on the importance of intentions, read Conjugial Love 453. Note the two men. They dressed alike. They participated in the same forms of entertainment. They heard the same jokes about love affairs and lust. They both laughed. But one was excused and the other was condemned. What brought about the exemption? What brought about the condemnation? Intention. One did not intend to smear the conjugial principle, so he was excused. The other intended to bring shame on marriage love, so he was condemned.

For people who want to learn from mistakes and who long to overcome them, the Lord can take away the enemy that is in our midst. He can rescue and restore our meekness and humility. He can bring us back into a state where we trust in the name of the Lord. Without trust, we are cautious, timid, afraid, and hesitant to venture any rehabilitation of our motives.

Open the last volume of AE. Turn to Divine Love 17. "If a man by means of combats against evils as sins has acquired anything spiritual in the world, be it ever so small, he is saved, and afterwards his uses grow like a grain of mustard seed…into a tree." (Emphasis added.)

Together, the harmony of these teachings gives us hope and strength to fight against feelings of spiritual inadequacy.

Read the selection from P&P.

Read Zephaniah 3:11-12.

1. How powerful do you think this section from Zephaniah is for your life?

2. Isn’t the message of the Lord’s forgiveness a happy one?

3. The quote from Divine Love 17 is a powerful tool. Would you count this quote a "must" to be copied and shared with others?

4. Intentions: are they important? Is there a need to make this teaching more accessible to the church? What do we know about our own intentions?

5. Do you picture a meek and humble person as being "soft" and gullible? Why or why not?

6. Can the message of God’s forgiveness in spite of our transgressions be abused? Might we get complacent about our daily regeneration process? How can this be prevented?

• "Then there will be a new church of those who will acknowledge the Lord, and He will remove evils and falsities from them; concerning this church."

• "As it has become customary to call teachers ‘pastors’ and learners a ‘flock,’ it has also become common to speak of ‘feeding’ when speaking of preaching, or of instruction from doctrine from the Word…" Zephaniah 3:13 is among the many passages cited.

• "In Zephaniah…3:13…are described remains in respect to their quality, and it is known that this quality never belonged to the people called ‘Israel.’ From this also it is manifest that by ‘remains’ are meant other things; and that these are goods and truths is clear, because these are what do no perversity, nor speak a lie, neither is a tongue of deceit found in their mouth."

• Zephaniah 3:13 is cited. "In these as in many other passages ‘a lie’ denotes the falsity and evil of faith."

• "‘To feed’ is to teach, because the church, in the Word, is called ‘a flock’ and the men of the church are called ‘sheep’ and ‘lambs,’ hence ‘to feed’ signifies to teach, and ‘the shepherd’ one that teaches…" Zephaniah 3:13 is cited.

• "By ‘the mouth’ is signified speech, preaching, and doctrine…and by ‘deceit’ is signified persuasion to evil by falsity, properly from cunning and design; for he who persuades to anything from cunning or deceit also persuades from design; for cunning or deceit proposes something to itself, conceals its purpose, and does it when opportunity offers. By a ‘lie,’ in the Word, is signified false speaking…as in the following passages…" Zephaniah 3:13 is cited.

• "As it is known in the church that ‘to feed’ signifies to instruct, ‘pasture’ instruction, and ‘shepherd’ an instructor, a few passages only in which ‘feeding’ and ‘pasture’ are mentioned shall be quoted…" Zephaniah 3:13 is cited.

• "…in Zephaniah…3:13…‘Jacob’ and ‘Israel’ mean those in the church who are in goods and truths; and ‘none terrifying and making afraid’ signifies that nothing of evil and falsity from hell shall infest them."

• "In Zephaniah…3:13…‘The remnant of Israel,’…means those who are in spiritual faith, because they are in the good of charity; ‘to speak a lie’ signifies to teach falsely from ignorance of truth; but ‘deceit’ signifies falsity that is not from ignorance of truth, but from deliberation, thus from the purpose of deceiving, as is the case with the wicked."

• "There are two affections, namely, of good and of truth…The former, or the affection of good, constitutes the celestial church, and is called in the Word the ‘daughter of Zion,’ and also the ‘virgin daughter of Zion;’ but the latter, or the affection of truth, constitutes the spiritual church, and is called in the Word the ‘daughter of Jerusalem.’" Zephaniah 3:14 is cited.

• "In many places it is said ‘the virgin and the daughter of Zion;’ by whom is not meant any virgin or daughter there, but the church as to the affection of good and truth…" Zephaniah 3:14 is cited.

• "In Zephaniah…3:14…the establishment of the church by the Lord; ‘trumpets,’ ‘sound of the horn,’ and ‘sounding,’ signify joy on account of Divine truth coming down out of heaven."

• "In place of joy exultation is…mentioned, because exultation, like joy, is predicated of good, because it relates to love, to the heart, and to the will; as in the following passages…" Zephaniah 3:14 is cited.

• "These passages treat of the Lord’s coming and of His kingdom in the heavens and on earth, and as that kingdom is meant by ‘Zion and Jerusalem’ it is said that…Jehovah the Holy One and the King of Israel shall dwell there…‘Zion’ means heaven and the church, in which the Lord reigns by Divine truth, and ‘Jerusalem’ heaven and the church as to doctrine from that Divine truth." Zephaniah 3:14-15 is cited.

• "…from the Word which contains the expressions ‘that day,’ ‘in that day,’ and in that time;’ in which…is meant the Lord’s advent." Zephaniah 3:8, 11, 16, 19, 20 are cited.

• "In Zephaniah…3:14-17, 20…[it] treats of the Lord and of the church from Him, over which ‘the King of Israel’ (who is the Lord) will be glad with joy, will exult with a shout, and in whose love He will rest, and whose members He will make a name and a praise to all people of the earth."

• "In Zephaniah…3:14, 15, 17, 20…the Lord and the church from Him are treated of, over which ‘the King of Israel,’ who is the Lord, ‘will rejoice with joy, will exult with shouting,’ and in whose love ‘He will rest,’ and who will give them ‘for a name and a praise to all the people of the earth.’"

• "…hence it is, that by ‘Jerusalem’ is signified the church. That by ‘Jerusalem’ is meant the church, is very clear from the prophecies in the Old Testament concerning a New Church to be established by the Lord, wherein it is called ‘Jerusalem.’ The following passages only shall be quoted, from which any one of interior reason may clearly see, that by ‘Jerusalem’ is meant the church…" Zephaniah 3:14-17, 20 are cited.

• "That ‘Jerusalem’ means the church can be clearly seen from the prophecies in the Old Testament respecting the new church to be established by the Lord, in that it is there called ‘Jerusalem.’ Those passages only shall be here cited from which any one endowed with interior reason can see that ‘Jerusalem’ there means the church." Zephaniah 3:14-17, 20 are cited.

• "That by ‘mount Zion’ is signified heaven and the church where the Lord alone is worshiped, may appear from the following passages…" Zephaniah 3:14, 16 are cited.

• "The reason why the Lord, as King, is the Divine truth, is because this is signified by ‘a king’. Hence it is that by ‘kings’ are signified they who are in Divine truths from the Lord…That the Lord is called King is evident from the following passages…" Zephaniah 3:15 is cited as an example.

• "In Zephaniah…3:19…[that] by the ‘lame’ and the ‘halt’ are not meant the lame and the halt, may be seen by every one, for it is said of them that they ‘shall leap,’ ‘shall be assembled,’ ‘shall be made for remains,’ and ‘shall be saved;’ but it is evident that those are signified who are in good and not so much in truths, as is the case with well-disposed Gentiles, and also with those of a similar nature within the church."

• "In Zephaniah…3:20…This, too, means the bringing back of the Gentiles from spiritual captivity."

• These words in the larger sense signify the goods and truths stored up interiorly by the Lord. (AC 2851)
• When a church is vastated, a remnant always remains. (AE 407)
• "Israel" signifies in the highest sense the Lord in relation to the internal things of the church. (AE 768 [15])

• This passage indicates that they will not unrighteously alter goods and truths for their own personal gain.
• Speaking signifies expressing one’s thoughts. Therefore, Israel will not teach, or speak lies of, what is evil and false. (AR 582)
• The "tongue" signifies opinions, principles, or persuasions. (AC 1159)
• A "mouth" signifies thought, as a person’s speech comes forth from it; it also signifies various things from thought, such as teaching, preaching, and reasoning. (AE 580 and AE 782)

• Feeding signifies a desire for doctrinals and to have good and truth conjoined. (AC 3320)
• To "lie down" signifies conjunction and to be consociated to one another by love, and to enjoy eternal blessedness and felicity, and this from the Lord alone. (AE 252 [3])

• To "sing" signifies the glorification of the Lord on account of liberation from spiritual slavery. (AC 8261)
• To sing a new song signifies acknowledgment that the Lord alone is Judge, Redeemer, and Savior, thus the One God of heaven and earth. (AR 279)
• "Zion" signifies heaven and the church where the Lord alone is worshiped. (AR 612)
• The Daughter of Zion signifies those who are wise and intelligent in the church. (AE 637 [11])

• To "shout" signifies to worship from the delight of good. (AE 391 [11])
• To shout signifies to worship from the good of love. (AE 405 [11])
• "Israel" signifies in the highest sense the Lord.

• To "be glad" signifies pleasantness and enjoyment from the affection of truth which is of love. (AC 7002)
• Gladness signifies the enjoyment of truth and its love. (AE 660 [3])
• "Rejoice" and "gladness" are often mentioned together in the Word because of the marriage of good and truth. (AC 3118)
• "O daughter of Jerusalem" has to be seen in the context of the Lord and His church.

• Does "taken away your judgments" mean the eradication of all man-made concepts that have no place in the establishment of His New Church?
• "Cast out" signifies banishment of some kind. AC 2655 speaks of cast out as representing the banishment of the human rational.
• "Cast out" in AC 4728 indicates a process of exposing falsities.
• An "enemy" signifies the antagonism of our proprium against the Lord. (DP 211)

• "Midst" signifies what is inmost and primary, the best and purest things. Therefore, we can understand why the Lord is in the midst. (AC 9666)
• With the Lord’s perfection leading the New Church, disaster is a thing of the past.

• "Hands" signify ability and power, and confidence. (AC 878)
• Weakness signifies a feeble and wavering understanding. (AC 3820)
• To be "weak" signifies to be without supporting truths. (AC 6344)
• Weakness signifies a lack of nourishing goods and truths. (AC 9050 [7])

• "Quiet" signifies a state of peace when one is safe from evil spirits. (SE 2344)
• Quiet signifies a state of peace after a time of temptation, when a person is in a state of regeneration. (AC 851)

• Sorrow over the assembly seems to represent a momentary, temporary look at what had been in the church they had grown up in. Could it represent a brief anxiety over what was going to be new in the church under the Lord’s direction?
• Gathering signifies truths in the memory. Remains of innocence are goods and truths that have been stored up interiorly by the Lord. (AC 2851 [6])

• Reproach, or humiliation, is a burden. AC 3969 uses "reproach" when talking about Rachel’s barren state. The Lord took away her barrenness (deadness) with the opening of her womb. Is this closing verse a promise of the Lord’s that His church will no longer experience feelings of emptiness? Can we hear instead a message that His church will be eternally fruitful? The New Church will never know reproaches that are burdens. There will be no sickness. There will be no pain. There will be no death anymore: "Behold I make all things new."

With the gentle leading of our derived doctrine and the direct teachings, a tangible picture emerges of the Lord’s gentleness and love. He is going to give us rejoicing hearts. He is going to take away our spiritual disasters. He will remove our fears. Our enemies will be cast out. The hands of our efforts will be strengthened. We will experience a sense of rejoicing. Gladness will lift up our spirits. The teaching of the Word, "Be still and know that I am God," will be a new song of comfort and encouragement. The Lord is in our midst. How can we possibly fail? He will awaken the remains of our innocence and goodness. Gone will be the feelings of inadequacy and hopelessness.

Don’t worry about the newness of the Lord’s church. The old ways we thought were comfortable and reassuring are nothing in comparison to what is ahead. The Lord is going to remove our reproach. He will take away our barren states. In His presence will be joy and gladness forever. Our moments with the Lord will produce a progeny of spiritual births. Isn’t this reminiscent of the words found in the Psalms?

Psalm 127: 3-5

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth,
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate."

Read and Review

Read the selection from P&P.

Read Zephaniah 3:13-20.

1. How did this closing chapter affect you?

2. Isn’t it a work of comfort and encouragement? What are your favorite parts? What do you see at work in the life of your church?

3. The promise of the New Church is given so we might long for its arrival. How is your sense of expectancy doing? Is it alive and excited?