Introduction
The book of Zephaniah is another book we classify in the minor prophet
genre. The book has a lot to say about the judgment of God. This
is one of the themes of the all the minor prophets.
Zephaniah seems to be totally devoted in presenting this subject. Zephaniah gives the most concentrated treatment of the judgment of God of all the prophets. The whole book of Zephaniah is devoted to this one theme.
Many people try to rule this subject of judgment out of the Bible entirely. There are those who tell us that the God of the New Testament, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is the God that will never move in judgment. They claim that his love is so gracious, his patience is so infinite that there never will be a time when God will move in vengeance. This book refutes that notion.
The New Testament with the Lord Jesus speaking, talks frequently about
the judgment of God. The church and the world needs to study this
book regularly.
THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK
The writer begins by tracing his genealogy or lineage back four generations to Hezekiah.
Zephaniah 1:1 The word of Jehovah which came unto Zephaniah
the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah,
the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son
of Amon, king of Judah.
This Hezekiah is perhaps is the king of Judah. This seems likely because of the free access this would provide him to the people. If this prophet was of royal lineage then he is the only prophet of royal blood.
Royal ancestry would allow him to move among the court of King Josiah who was the reigning king.
The preaching of Zephaniah may have contributed to the reforms taking place religiously and politically under Josiah.
If Zephaniah's family had not been distinguished, the list of his ancestors would probably not have been given.
The message of Zephaniah is sobering and deadly serious. The prophet talks about the wrath and judgment of God is frightening language.
The sin of Israel and the gentile world will experience the crushing might of God's anger and wrath.
Zephaniah teaches after the punishment takes place that a blessing will come in the form of the Messiah.
The name Zephaniah means, "hidden of the Lord", "Jehovah hides", or "The Lord's watchtower."
Zephaniah was likely born under the reign of Manasseh a ungodly and wicked king.
Zephaniah seems to live in Jerusalem and refers to the city as, "this place".
The prophet was very familiar with Jerusalem as is seen in his writing.
Zephaniah 1:9-10 And in that day I will punish all
those that leap over the threshold, that fill their master's house
with violence and deceit. And in that day, saith Jehovah, there shall be
the noise of a cry from
the fish gate, and a wailing from the second quarter, and a great crashing
from the hills.
Zephaniah 3:1-7 Woe to her that is rebellious and
polluted! to the oppressing city! She obeyed not the
voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in Jehovah; she drew
not near to
her God. Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions; her judges
are evening
wolves; they leave nothing till the morrow. Her prophets are light
and treacherous
persons; her priests have profaned the sanctuary, they have done violence
to the law.
Jehovah in the midst of her is righteous; he will not do iniquity; every
morning
doth he bring his justice to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth
no shame. I have
cut off nations; their battlements are desolate; I have made their streets
waste, so that none
passeth by; their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that
there is no inhabitant.
I said, Only fear thou me; receive correction; so her dwelling shall not
be cut off, according to
all that I have appointed concerning her: but they rose early and corrupted
all their doings.
The prophet Zephaniah probably dwelt in Jerusalem the royal city of Judah.
Zephaniah came just before the ministry of Jeremiah and just after Isaiah.
THE MESSAGE OF THE PROPHET
After giving his identity and lineage, Zephaniah gives us the character of God's vengeance.
Zeph. 1:2-6 The word of Jehovah which came unto Zephaniah the
son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah,
the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son
of Amon, king of Judah.
I will utterly consume all things from off the face of the ground, saith
Jehovah. I will consume
man and beast; I will consume the birds of the heavens, and the fishes
of the sea, and the
stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the face
of the ground, saith
Jehovah. And I will stretch out my hand upon Judah, and upon all
the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of
the Chemarim with the priests;
and them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that
worship, that swear
to Jehovah and swear by Malcam; and them that are turned back from
following Jehovah; and those
that have not sought Jehovah, nor inquired after him.
These passages are pointed and direct. There is nothing pleasing or pleasant about his prophecy.
The words of Zephaniah are of rebuke and judgment. The obvious response for some people would be to argue and challenge the prophesy. The man of God informs them to be quite. Sometimes we would all be better off if we would shut-up and listen to God. We are to busy trying to answer back or question what God has said.
Zephaniah 1:7 Woe to her that is rebellious and polluted! to the oppressing city!
The people are informed that the day of the Lord is at hand. Zephaniah is not talking about the sabbath.
One man though he was talking about Sunday. There is a great deal of difference between the day of the Lord and the Lord's day. Sunday is the Lord's day, the day of resurrection, but the day of the Lord is something different and we should never confuse these terms.
This is like confusing a camel with an elephant, or a horse chestnut and a chestnut horse. The Lord's day was the day when our Lord arose from the dead and that is why we celebrate it on Sunday.
But the day of the Lord is the day of the manifestation of God's hand directly in human affairs.
The whole world to be punished for ignoring the moral law of the universe.
Zeph. 1:2-3 I will utterly consume all things from off the face
of the ground, saith Jehovah. I will consume
man and beast; I will consume the birds of the heavens, and the fishes
of the sea, and the
stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the face
of the ground, saith
Jehovah.
Notice the personal pronoun all through that passages: "I will sweep away everything." I will sweep away man and beast." "I will cut off mankind." God is working through events in history, working through nations and armies and calamities of various sorts. His hand is hidden in the glove of history, but all the writers of Scripture agree that a day is coming when God will intervene directly in the affairs of men again.
The day of the Lord that Zephaniah is talking about, this terrible day when God again moves directly in human affairs.
Now let us return to Zephaniah and see what he has to say about this. Judgment will be upon all nations, especially upon Judah
God says in stark frankness that they would be punished severely for their sins.
The greater the privilege, the heavier the judgment, God had blessed
Judah richly. the people had abandoned God for idolatry.
Jerusalem and Judah was guilty of idolatry.
The people of God had turned to astrology and the worship of heathen gods. The Jews had also become star-gazers
Zeph. 1:5 and them that worship the host of heaven upon
the housetops; and them that
worship, that swear to Jehovah and swear by Malcam;
The punishment of god would be certain and was described in graphic terms
Zeph. 1:7-13 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord
Jehovah; for the day of Jehovah is at
hand: for Jehovah hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath consecrated his guests.
And it
shall come to pass in the day of Jehovah's sacrifice, that I will punish
the princes, and
the king's sons, and all such as are clothed with foreign apparel. And
in that day I will
punish all those that leap over the threshold, that fill their master's
house with violence
and deceit. And in that day, saith Jehovah, there shall be the noise
of a cry from the fish
gate, and a wailing from the second quarter, and a great crashing from
the hills. Wail,
ye inhabitants of Maktesh; for all the people of Canaan are undone; all
they that were
laden with silver are cut off. And it shall come to pass at that
time, that I will search
Jerusalem with lamps; and I will punish the men that are settled on their
lees, that say in
their heart, Jehovah will not do good, neither will he do evil.
And their wealth shall
become a spoil, and their houses a desolation: yea, they shall build houses,
but shall
not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but shall not drink the
wine thereof.
The time of accounting is at hand. The day Zephaniah spoke of will
be a bitter day of wrath, distress, anguish, darkness, and doom.
Zeph. 1:14-17 The great day of Jehovah is near, it is near
and hasteth greatly, even the voice of
the day of Jehovah; the mighty man crieth there bitterly. That day
is a day of wrath,
a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day
of darkness
and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of
the trumpet and alarm,
against the fortified cities, and against the high battlements. And
I will bring distress
upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned
against Jehovah;
and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung.
The anger of God would be upon all classes of people. The princes, traders, and the immoral to be objects of God's great wrath.
Zeph. 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be
able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah's wrath;
but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he
will make an end, yea,
a terrible end, of all them that dwell in the land.
God would completely punish the wicked for their sins, the destruction
to be total. Wealth and power will not protect against an angry God.
Zeph. 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able
to deliver them in the day of Jehovah's wrath;
but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he
will make an end, yea,
a terrible end, of all them that dwell in the land.
CHAPTER TWO
We have God calling for man to repent. We can also trace the extent of God's vengeance. Certain nations are named.
All the people of earth are called upon to consider their ways.
Zeph. 2:1 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation that hath no shame;
Those who are wise will seek Jehovah while there is time. There will come a point where they cannot find mercy. The hour would come when it will be too late to seek him.
Zeph. 2:2 before the decree bring forth, before the day
pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger
of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah's anger come upon you.
The meek and the righteous are urged to repair their way before the
Lord.
Zeph. 2:3 Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, that
have kept his ordinances; seek righteousness,
seek meekness: it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger.
For Gaza shall be
forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation; they shall drive out Ashdod at noonday,
and Ekron
shall be rooted up
God would deliver great punishment on many nations, beginning with the
Philistines.
Zeph. 2:4-7 For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a
desolation; they shall drive out Ashdod
at noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up.Woe unto the inhabitants of the
sea-coast,
the nation of the Cherethites! The word of Jehovah is against you, O Canaan,
the land
of the Philistines; I will destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.
And the sea-coast
shall be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks.
And the coast shall be
for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed their flocks thereupon;
in the houses
of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening; for Jehovah their God will
visit them, and
bring back their captivity.
The people of Moab and Ammon would also feel the punishment of Jehovah.
Zeph. 2:8-10 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the
revilings of the children of Ammon,
wherewith they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against
their
border. Therefore as I live, saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel,
Surely Moab
shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession
of nettles,
and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people
shall make a prey
of them, and the remnant of my nation shall inherit them. This shall they
have for their
pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the
people of
Jehovah of hosts.
Jehovah will demonstrate once again his total power and displeasure
over the idols men worshipped.
Zeph. 2:11 Jehovah will be terrible unto them; for he will
famish all the gods of the earth; and
men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of
the nations.
The Ethiopians and Assyrians to be destroyed by the anger and wrath of God.
Zeph. 2:12-15 Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by
my sword And he will stretch out his hand
against the north, and destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation,
and dry
like the wilderness. And herds shall lie down in the midst of her,
all the beasts of the
nations: both the pelican and the porcupine shall lodge in the capitals
thereof; their
voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds:
for he hath laid
bare the cedar-work. This is the joyous city that dwelt carelessly,
that said in her heart,
I am, and there is none besides me: how is she become a desolation, a place
for beasts
to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.
Sometimes these nations are used symbolically throughout
the Scriptures as well as literally. These nations were literally
destroyed in the course of history. Here they could be used symbolically
with reference to the full and final meaning of the day of the Lord.
Moab, is a picture of the flesh of man when he depends upon his own strength and resources. The Ammonites can picture the same thing.
Ethiopia is a picture of stubborn, or rebellious. "Can the Ethiopian change his color?" the Scriptures say.
And Assyria is a man in his arrogance and his pride. Now God says he
is against all these things, and as
he moves at last in judgment on the human race, these are to be eliminated.
CHAPTER THREE
You will now notice how extensive that God's wrath will be against the
wicked and ungodly.
Zeph. 3:1-2 Woe to her that is rebellious and polluted! to the
oppressing city! She obeyed not
the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in Jehovah; she
drew not
near to her God.
God planned on punishing the heathens for their immorality and idolatry. Likewise his people will surely not escape his judgment and anger.
Zeph. 3:1-5 Woe to her that is rebellious and polluted! to the
oppressing city! She obeyed not the
voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in Jehovah; she drew
not near to
her God. Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions; her judges
are evening
wolves; they leave nothing till the morrow. Her prophets are light
and treacherous
persons; her priests have profaned the sanctuary, they have done violence
to the law.
Jehovah in the midst of her is righteous; he will not do iniquity; every
morning doth he
bring his justice to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame
This could be said of almost all the cities of the earth. As you read on you see that this was a world-wide matter.
Zeph. 3:8 Therefore wait ye for me, saith Jehovah, until
the day that I rise up to the prey; for my
determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms,
to pour upon
them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth
shall be devoured with
the fire of my jealousy.
What is God after? Is he just interested in getting even,
wreaking his vengeance at last upon the stubbornness and
willfulness of men?
Does he visit the earth with terrible tornadoes of destruction in order to leave it nothing but a broken ruin, barren and desolate, without inhabitants?
No, that is what men would do if there were another world war. We would leave the earth desolate, but God will never leave it that way.
After you read the description of all the darkness, gloom, and slaughter,
after the desolation and the destruction, what is the next word?
Zeph. 3:14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel;
be glad and rejoice with all the
heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
You see, this is the new order that is to follow. This is why God is dealing with men, so that he might bring out songs instead of sorrow, service instead of selfishness, security instead of slavery. This will be the consequence of God's judgment. And we are told that the Lord God is in the midst of the people, not for judgment.
Zeph. 3:5 Jehovah in the midst of her is righteous; he
will not do iniquity; every morning doth he
bring his justice to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame
The purpose and plan of God's righteous judgments on the heathen
nations should cause Judah to reconsider and repent.
Zeph. 3:6-8 I have cut off nations; their battlements are
desolate; I have made their streets waste,
so that none passeth by; their cities are destroyed, so that there is no
man, so that there
is no inhabitant. I said, Only fear thou me; receive correction;
so her dwelling shall not
be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her: but
they rose early and
corrupted all their doings. Therefore wait ye for me, saith
Jehovah, until the day that I rise
up to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may
assemble the kingdoms,
to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the
earth shall be devoured
with the fire of my jealousy.
The gracious God of heaven will in his mercy take care of mankind.
God gives the promise of future blessings for Israel and the whole world.
Zeph. 3:9-20 For then will I turn to the peoples of a pure language,
that they may all call upon
the name of Jehovah, to serve him with one consent. From beyond the rivers
of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring
mine offering.
In that day shalt thou not be put to shame for all thy doings, wherein
thou hast transgressed
against me; for then I will take away out of the midst of thee thy proudly
exulting ones, and
thou shalt no more be haughty in my holy mountain. But I will leave
in the midst of thee an
afflicted and poor people, and they shall take refuge in the name of Jehovah.
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. Sing,
O daughter of Zion;
shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of
Jerusalem. Jehovah hath
taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel,
even Jehovah, is in
the midst of thee; thou shalt not fear evil any more. In that day it shall
be said to Jerusalem, Fear
thou not; O Zion, let not thy hands be slack. Jehovah thy God is
in the midst of thee, a mighty one
who will save; he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his
love; he will joy over thee with
singing. I will gather them that sorrow for the solemn assembly, who were
of thee; to whom the
burden upon her was a reproach. Behold, at that time I will deal
with all them that afflict thee;
and I will save that which is lame, and gather that which was driven away;
and I will make them
a praise and a name, whose shame hath been in all the earth. At that time
will I bring you in, and
at that time will I gather you; for I will make you a name and a praise
among all the peoples of the
earth, when I bring back your captivity before your eyes, saith Jehovah.
The nation of Israel was going to be restored and it was after the
babylonian captivity.
Zeph. 3:9-10 For then will I turn to the peoples of a pure
language, that they may all call upon
the name of Jehovah, to serve him with one consent. From beyond the
rivers
of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring
mine offering.
The judgment of God would be a purifying agent to get the people as they needed to be.
God was seeking people of "pure language" to love and serve him.
Zeph. 3:9 For then will I turn to the peoples of a pure
language, that they may all call upon
the name of Jehovah, to serve him with one consent.
The precious redeemed shall bring gifts to Jehovah, certainly they would give their lives in worship of Jehovah.
Zeph. 3:10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my
suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed,
shall bring mine offering
The wrath and judgment of God would cause Israel to be purified.
Zeph. 3:11-13 In that day shalt thou not be put to shame
for all thy doings, wherein thou hast
transgressed against me; for then I will take away out of the midst of
thee thy
proudly exulting ones, and thou shalt no more be haughty in my holy mountain.
But I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and
they shall
take refuge in the name of Jehovah. 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.
Those that would not turn from sin would be dealt with the proud shall be cast down.
Zeph. 3:11 In that day shalt thou not be put to shame
for all thy doings, wherein thou hast
transgressed against me; for then I will take away out of the midst of
thee thy
proudly exulting ones, and thou shalt no more be haughty in my holy mountain.
The meek and humble were promised that they shall remain.
Zeph. 3:12 But I will leave in the midst of thee
an afflicted and poor people, and they
shall take refuge in the name of Jehovah.
The remnant of Israel will do no wrong and speak no lies, but will have peace.
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.
The message from God by the prophet was encouraging. Israel would
be comforted and blessed.
Zeph. 3:14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be
glad and rejoice with all the heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem. Jehovah hath taken away thy judgments, he hath
cast out
thine enemy: the King of Israel, even Jehovah, is in the midst of thee;
thou shalt not
fear evil any more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou
not; O Zion,
let not thy hands be slack
The joy of Jerusalem will be great for there is no joy like the joy
of salvation.
When God is in the midst of a people, fear and distress cease.
Zeph. 3:15-16 Jehovah hath taken away thy judgments,
he hath cast out thine enemy: the
King of Israel, even Jehovah, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not fear
evil
any more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not; O Zion,
let
not thy hands be slack
Just as Paul said to the Romans, if God is for us, who can be against
us. Romans 8:31
Zeph. 3:17 Jehovah thy God is in the midst
of thee, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over
thee with joy; he will rest in his love; he will joy over thee with singing.
Israel and Judah were going to be restored and then worship Jehovah
in purity and with joy.
Zeph. 3:18-20 I will gather them that sorrow for the solemn
assembly, who were of thee; to
whom the burden upon her was a reproach. Behold, at that time
I will deal
with all them that afflict thee; and I will save that which is lame, and
gather that
which was driven away; and I will make them a praise and a name, whose
shame
hath been in all the earth. At that time will I bring you in, and
at that time will I
gather you; for I will make you a name and a praise among all the peoples
of the earth,
when I bring back your captivity before your eyes, saith Jehovah.
The judgement of God is a subject we would all do well to consider.
CONCLUSION
Believe Jesus Christ is the son of God, John 8:24
Repent and turn from sin, Acts 3:19
Confess Christ with the mouth, Romans 10:10
Be baptized for the remission of sins, Acts 2:38
Live faithful unto death, Revelation 2:10
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