ZEPHANIAH

Zephaniah is the only prophet from the kingly family (Zeph 1:1). He prophesies during the days of king Josiah, one of the last kings of Judah (640-609 BC). The evil kings before him, Manasseh and Amon, have led Judah into deep idolatry, with its corollaries of immorality and social injustice (Zeph 3:1-5). King Josiah on the other hand, though very young when ascending to the throne, is godly and tries his very best to undo the damage done by his father and grandfather. Prophets Zephaniah and Jeremiah support Josiah in his efforts because they realize that the cooperation of many people is halfhearted at best. False religiosity becomes a problem (Zeph 1:5, Jer 7:8-15).
Zephaniah shakes up any false security by announcing the sweeping judgment of God, the fearful “day of the LORD”. He announces it coming on Judah, on the surrounding nations, on the violent and dominating Assyria and on the whole earth (Zeph 1:1-18, 2:8-15). He warns Judah: ”Gather, O shameless nation, before you are driven away like he drifting chaff, before there comes upon you the fierce anger of the LORD” (Zeph 2:1-2) and urges them ”Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do his commands; seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the LORD’s wrath” (Zeph 2:3). This sentence is a play on words: Zephaniah’s name means ‘Yahweh has hidden him’. Zephaniah uses his name as a metaphor to encourage the humble to repent.
Zephaniah is from the Davidic line (Zeph 1:1), he is a great-grandson of King Hezekiah. His great-grandfather was a brother of the disastrous King Manasseh, his grand-father was a cousin of the evil King Amon, and his father was a second degree cousin of the current King Josiah. He must have been very aware of the corruption of the political upper class. Rather than profiting from his connections, he denounces their evil publicly: ”Ah, soiled, defiled, oppressing city! … The officials within it are roaring lions; its judges are evening wolves that leave nothing until the morning” (Zeph 3:3-4). Sadly the spiritual leadership is equally corrupt: ”Its prophets are reckless, faithless persons; its priests have profaned what is sacred, they have done violence to the law… the unjust know no shame” (Zeph 3:4-5). In a similar way contemporary Jeremiah also talks about the corruption of the spiritual leadership (Jer 9:4, 20:1-2).
Zephaniah pronounces sweeping judgment on all evildoers: officials, priests and prophets (Zeph 3:1-5), the idolatrous, the syncretistic and the lukewarm (Zeph 1:4-5), the stubborn and the unwilling (Zeph 3:2), Judah and the surrounding nations (Zeph 2:5-15), the powerful empires (Zeph 2:13) and the whole earth (Zeph 1:1-3). Judgment of the whole earth, which is how Zephaniah starts off his book, is a frightening reversal of God’s act of creation. God’s standard is the same as always: evil, injustice, greed, pride and a refusal to repent will lead to judgment.
In stark contrast to this dark picture Zephaniah also announces a restoration beyond belief or merit. Those who are humble and seek God will not only be protected on the day of wrath (Zeph 2:3), not only will there be a remnant that lives for God (Zeph 2:13), but they will forgiven ”The LORD has taken away the judgments against you” (Zeph 2:15) and they will be transformed into ”a people humble and lowly, they shall do no wrong and utter no lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths” (Zeph 2:12-13). They will be swept up into an exuberant and intimate relationship with God: ”The LORD your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival” (Zeph 3:16-17). Zephaniah’s stunning predictions here clearly turn Messianic, it is only in Jesus that forgiveness, transformation and intimacy with God becomes possible.
But it goes beyond salvation for Judah: “I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth… I will make you renowned and praised among all peoples of the earth” (Zeph 3:19-20). The message of this amazing restoration will go out, the peoples will see it. Zephaniah also prophesies ”At that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD” (Zeph 3:9). The transforming power of God will not only be on Judah, but on all nations, on all who are humble and willing to call on the Lord.
Zephaniah, who has the most sweeping prophecies of judgment, also has a glimpse of the greatness of what the Messiah will bring: a sweeping salvation and transformation for all.

The author and the situation

Zephaniah is the only prophet from the kingly family; he is a great-grandson of the good king Hezekiah of Judah (Zeph 1:1). He prophesies during the days of king Josiah, one of the last kings of Judah, and the last good one (640-609 BC). The name Zephaniah in Hebrew means ‘Yahweh has hidden him’. Nothing else is known about his life.
Before the current Josiah, two very evil kings, Manasseh (686-642 BC) and Amon (642-640 BC), have led Judah into deep idolatry. Especially Manasseh, who reigns a very long time, sells himself to idolatry like no king before him: He rebuilds the high place his father Hezekiah destroyed, worships the host of heaven, makes his son pass through fire, practices soothsaying, augury, deals with mediums and wizards and builds idolatrous altars and a carved Ashera image in the very temple of God (2 Kin 21:1-9). As always with rampant idolatry, a breakdown in social justice comes with it: “Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, until he had filled Jerusalem from the one end to another, besides the sin that he caused Judah to sin” (2 Kin 21:16). Zephaniah describes it like this: “Ah, soiled, defiled, oppressing city! It has listened to no voice; it has accepted no correction. It has not trusted in the LORD; it has not drawn near to its God. The officials within it are roaring lions; its judges are evening wolves that leave nothing until the morning. Its prophets are reckless, faithless persons; its priests have profaned what is sacred, they have done violence to the law” (Zeph 3:1-4).
King Josiah on the other hand, though very young when ascending the throne, is godly and tries his very best to undo the damage done by his father and grandfather. Josiah is crowned king at eight years of age (640 BC), at sixteen years of age he begins to seek God (632 BC) and at twenty years of age he starts his reforms (628 BC, 2 Chr 34:1-3). Just as his grand-father totally sold himself to idolatry, Josiah is very wholehearted and courageous at rooting idolatry out. He removes all idolatrous altars from the temple, deposes idolatrous priests, destroys the high places and idolatrous worships of Baal, the host of heaven, Ashera, Astarte, Chemosh and Milcom, he breaks down the houses of male temple prostitutes, destroys the Topheth (the shrine where children were sacrificed to Molech by fire) and many more shrines throughout Judah, Benjamin and even into Ephraim and Manasseh (2 Kin 23:4-20).
The prophets Zephaniah and the young Jeremiah support Josiah in his efforts. But they realize that even though the king is very wholehearted, the cooperation of many people is halfhearted at best. Josiah re-establishes God’s worship at the temple, with sacrifices and feasts according to the law, and requires the people’s participation. Many respond, but maybe some more out of opportunism than conviction. In this way false religiosity becomes a problem and new forms of syncretism appear (Zeph 1:5, Jer 7:8-15).

Zephaniah announces the fearful ‘day to the LORD’

Zephaniah’s main purpose (and the main theme of the first half of his book) is to shake up false security and halfhearted religiosity by announcing the sweeping judgment of God. He calls it the fearful ”day of the LORD”. He announces it

• on Jerusalem (Zeph 1:10-13) with its officials, judges, prophets, priests
• on Judah (Zeph 1:4-6, 2:1-2)        
• on the nations (Zeph 2:5-12) Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Coast lands, Ethiopia
• on Assyria (Zeph 2:13-15) the ruthless, dominant, fearful empire
• on all the earth (Zeph 1:2-3, 1:18) in a very clear all-around sweep.

The day of the LORD is the moment God judges all sin and evil (Zeph 1:17). Zephaniah describes it as a bitter day, nearing quickly, a day of wrath, distress, anguish, ruin, devastation, darkness, gloom, trumpet blast and battle cry (Zeph 1:14-18). His language is fearsome, especially when announcing God’s judgment on all the earth (Zeph 1:2-3). He describes it like the terrible reversal of God’s act of creation: “I will sweep away humans and animals; I will seep away the birds of the air and the fish of the sea.”
By announcing these judgments he warns the complacent, self-assured, pseudo-religious Judah: “Gather, O shameless nation, before you are driven away like he drifting chaff, before thee comes upon you the fierce anger of the LORD” (Zeph 2:1-2). But – as always with God – the very announcement of a judgment is really God call for repentance: “Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do his commands; seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the LORD’s wrath” (Zeph 2:3). This sentence is actually a play on words: Zephaniah’s name in Hebrew means ‘Yahweh has hidden him’. Zephaniah uses his name as a metaphor to encourage the humble to repent, so that they will be ‘hidden’ on the day of wrath.

Reasons for the judgment

Zephaniah is from the Davidic line, a great-grandson of King Hezekiah (Zeph 1:1). His great-grandfather was a brother of the disastrous King Manasseh, his grand-father was a cousin of the evil King Amon. Zephaniah is therefore an insider of the royal family and the political upper class.
Zephaniah could surely have used his insider knowledge and connections for his own profit and purposes. But rather he uses it to denounce their evil publicly: “Ah, soiled, defiled, oppressing city!…The officials within it are roaring lions; its judges are evening wolves that leave nothing until the morning” (Zeph 3:3-4). He clearly distances himself from the opportunist officials and sides with God (and Josiah), probably making himself very unpopular.
But the spiritual leadership is equally corrupt. Whether these are influential people still remaining from the era of the idolatrous Manasseh and Amon, or whether they have opportunistically sprung up again after Josiah’s reform, it is clear that they do not share Josiah, Jeremiah or Zephaniah’s convictions. Prophet Jeremiah refers to them (Jer 9:4, 20:1-2) and Zephaniah says about them: “Its (Judah’s) prophets are reckless, faithless persons; its priests have profaned what is sacred, they have done violence to the law … the unjust know no shame” (Zeph 3:4-5).
But he also finds fault with the general population: those who are wicked (Zeph 1:3), those who still worship Baal or bow down to the host of heaven (Zeph 1:4-5), those who do not follow or seek God (Zeph 1:6), complacent inhabitants of Jerusalem who say in their hearts “The LORD will not do good, nor will he do harm” (Zeph 1:13), the traders (Zeph 1:11), the wealthy (Zeph 1:13, 1:18), the shameless (Zeph 2:1), the soiled, defiled and oppressing (Zeph 3:1), those who have not listened, nor accepted correction, nor trusted in God, nor drawn near to God (Zeph 3:2), those eager to make all their deeds corrupt (Zeph 3:7). From these many descriptions can be gleaned just how self-pleased, careless, smart-superior and opportunist people were. They definitely have none of Josiah’s fear of God and wholeheartedness.

Predictions about the nations and their fulfillment

Here is a list of the predictions Zephaniah makes, both on Judah and the surrounding nations, and how they fulfill in history:

Prediction    Reference    Fulfillment

• Judah will fall    Zeph 1:2-18, 2:1-3, 3:1, 3:7  22 v  586 BC through Babylon
• Gaza will be forsaken Zeph 2:4   1v 605 BC conquered by Necho II, returning from Carchemish
• Ashkelon, Ekron, Philistia plundered, Gaza also Zeph 2:4 1v 146 BC Burned and plundered by Jonathan Maccabeus
• Ashdod driven out at noonday Zeph 2:4 1v Psamtik I of Egypt (663-609 BC) conquers it after 29 years of siege
• Moab as Sodom Zeph 2:9 1v 582-81 BCby Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion
• Ammon as Gomorrah Zeph 2:9 1v 164 BC John Hyrcanus gains control of most of Transjordan
• Ethiopians slain by sword Zeph 2:12 1v 525 BC Persian King Cambyses conquers Egypt
• Niniveh and Assyria made a desolation Zeph 2:13-15 3v 612 BC Nineveh falls by Babylon, described as mere mound in 401 BC by Greeks, now a plain

Especially Zephaniah’s prediction about the destruction of the age-old oppressive Assyrian Empire is of importance, as it will fulfill within the life-time of most hearers. Zephaniah probably spoke around the years of Josiah’s reform (628 BC), when Assyria was still the unchallenged world power. But in 627 BC Asshurbanipal, Assyria’s last strong ruler, dies. 626 BC Nabopolassar, the new ruler of Babylon, wrenches his province free from Assyrian control. In 612 BC Nabopolassar together with some allies conquers and destroys Nineveh. In 605 BC Babylon with its allies decisively defeats the Assyrian forces to become the new super-power.

A restoration beyond belief or merit

In stark contrast to these fearful and dark predictions of judgment Zephaniah also announces a restoration beyond belief or merit. He does this mostly in the last part of his book (Zeph 3:9-20), but already interspersed in the judgments, glimpses of a restoration are visible:
Zeph 2:3 “all you humble, who do his commands; seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the LORD’s wrath”. The question here is no longer who is Judah or not, the question is: who is willing, humble and seeking. Zephaniah continues:

Zeph 2:7 “The seacoast will become possession of the remnant of the house of Judah” and Zeph 2:9 “Moab, Ammon …the remnant of my people shall possess them”. Did this ever fulfill? Not in this way. Or is this still in the future? Maybe. The real question is: What is meant by remnant? Remnant means ‘rest’, a group remaining out of a bigger group. When Judah as a nation refuses to respond to God, some individuals do respond anyway, and on them God’s promise of restoration rests. From Zeph 3:9 onward Zephaniah speaks only about restoration, and the description widens out:
Zeph 3:9 -10 “At that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and a serve him with one accord. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants (humble request makers), my scattered ones shall bring my offering”
Zephaniah predicts an intervention of God, purifying and welcoming all nations, anyone who will call on him. The prophecy clearly takes on a Messianic ring now, reminding of Joel 2:32 “everyone who call on the name of the LORD shall be saved” which Peter quotes at Pentecost. So also here in Zephaniah: all can call and serve God and bring him offerings, even from ”beyond the rivers of Ethiopia”, meaning anyone however far. Some say that “scattered ones” refers to Jews scattered in different nations. But more likely (by context) it refers to ‘God’s people’ in the sense of those willing, the humble, the obedient from any nation; especially since the exile hasn’t happened and Ethiopia was not a nation the Jews were exiled to. The gospel will go out, people from all nations will respond to God is humility and obedience, seeking him.

Zeph 3:11 ”On that day you shall not be put to shame because of all the deeds by which you have rebelled against me, for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain”.
A picture of salvation, the removal of shame in spite of sin, but not for proudly exulting or haughty ones, rather for humble and lowly ones.

Zeph 3:12-13 ”For I will leave in the midst of you a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the LORD (Zeph 2:3) – the remnant of Israel (this is how the all nations willing and humble are now called!), they shall do not wrong and utter no lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths. Then they will pasture and lie down and no one shall make them afraid”.
Glorious promises to the ‘people humble and lowly’, reminding of the blessings in Deu 28, Psa 23. Then Zephaniah’s predictions turn more and more amazing:

Zeph 3:14-17 “Sing aloud, shout, rejoice and exult… The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more… The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing…”
What a beautiful description of salvation, of being forgiven, justified and protected, of being in God’s presence, and God being with his people (‘Immanuel’, Jesus’ title). And the amazing reversal: God will rejoice over the humble, the willing, the believer with gladness and singing.
But it goes beyond that. Zephaniah continues with language reminding of Messianic passages like Isa 35:5, Mic 4:1-2 and Gen 12:1-3 culminating in:

Zeph 3:19-20 “I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth … I will make you renowned and praised among all peoples of the earth”. The message of this amazing restoration will go out, the peoples will see it, his people will be praiseworthy testimonies that are a blessing to all.
So the transforming power of God will not only be on Judah, but on all nations, on all who are humble and willing to call on the Lord. Zephaniah, who has the most sweeping prophecies of judgment, also has a glimpse of the greatness of what the Messiah will bring: a sweeping salvation and transformation for all.

Color Coding Suggestions

• Who, where, when
• emotions positive and negative, God’s and humans’
• contrasts, comparisons, reasons

Repeated Themes

• Predictions of judgment, day of the Lord
• Predictions of restoration
• proud, evil doers, refuse to hear <=> humble, seeking God, obedience, doing right, trusting God, listening to his voice
• silent <=> cry, shout, wail, … noises
• light <=> darkness

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Who wrote?

• Zeph 1:1 Zephaniah, prophet, probably also writer
• Zeph 1:1 of royal family, 4th generation after Hezekiah (715-686 BC). Hezekiah > Amariah > Gedaliah > Cushi > Zeph
• Zeph 1:1 declares his royal descent (most likely), though nothing else
• His name means “He whom Yahweh hides” or “Yahweh has hidden him” … see key verse Zeph 2:3 “hidden on the day of wrath”
• He was clearly familiar with Jerusalem, referring to specific parts of the city (Zeph 1:4, 1:10-12)
• He denounces officials, kings sons (Zeph 1:8) … officials are roaring lions, judges are evening wolves, prophets are reckless and faithless, priest have profaned sacred, done violence to the law (Zeph 3:2-4)
• As a person of the Davidic family / leading families of the country he was probably highly aware of the moral state of government and spiritual leadership. Zephaniah e is different-thinking enough to perceive the depth of corruption, he is not fooled by the appearances, as so many are. And he is courageous enough to speak out against his very family or people.
• Would you be? Would you be not fooled by appearances? Can you perceive the problem in your family, society, nations? Would you have the courage to be different and to challenge them? Zephaniah is not politically correct, nor protective of his family. He is more concerned with God and with where sin is taking the country than with his ‘privileged life’.

Written to whom?

• Zeph 1:1 to Judah, also addressing Jerusalem in particular
• Zeph 3:3-5 especially addressing political (officials / judges) and spiritual leaders (prophets / priests)
• Zephaniah maybe knows the happenings of the court / political elite very intimately being of royal descent … his royal descent might make him especially a voice to the leaders

Written from where?

• Zeph 1:1 most likely Jerusalem

Political & religious condition?

King Manasseh           686-642 BC              2 Chr 33:1-20 & 2 Kin 21:1-18

• Very evil, gives himself and leads nation into every form of idolatry, wickedness, immorality, injustice, even child sacrifice
• God lets Judah fall under Assyria’s power > political dependency / tribute. Manasseh is deported / jailed by Assyria
• great political weakness, utter spiritual ruin, hence Zephaniah’s prophecy of irreversible judgment (destruction and exile)
• had summer palace in valley of Hinnom > used for music, drink, sexual immorality, child sacrifice … so corrupted, Josiah made it no-go area, became the rubbish tip of Jerusalem, keep burning up. Jesus: wanting to find a word for hell chose ‘Gehenna’, literally ‘valley of Hinnom’, rubbish tip of wasted lives, where the worm always eats
• late act of repentance (1 Chr 33:10-16), then some reforms, but it can’t reverse the harm done, idolatry is deep-rooted.

King Amon                 642-640 BC               2 Chr 33:21-25 & 2 Kin 21:19-26

• same, very evil, only 2 years

King Josiah                640-609 BC               2 Chr 34-35 & 2 Kin 22 & 23

• at 8y     640 BC   starts reigning          2 Kin 22:1
• at 16y    632 BC   starts to seek God    2 Chr 34:3a
• at 20y   628 BC   begins to purge Jerusalem of high places, sacred poles, carved images, Baal altars as far as Naphtali 2 Chr 34:3b-7
• at 24 y  622 BC    starts restoring the temple > book of the law found > repentance > great spiritual reforms in Jerusalem / Judah and even Israel, rooting out idolatry / Passover
  celebration 2 Chr 34:3-35:19
• regains power against backdrop of weakening Assyria
• God’s blessing on his reforms and obedience, though the country relapses after him 2 Chr 34:33

In relation to Zephaniah?

• Zeph 1:4 I will cut off the remnant of Baal > only remnant left (though still problematic), reforms have already started.
• Zeph 3:4 priests do violence to the law > law has already been found but the priests have not responded as well as Josiah.
• Zeph 1:5 suggests syncretism, maybe a very shallow acceptance of Josiah’s efforts (okay, we’ll worship Yahweh also)
• It seems Zephaniah is causing or co-initiating or at least supporting Josiah’s reforms > after 628 BC, definitely 622 BC
• Sadly Josiah’s reformation didn’t grip that deeply, though very wholehearted himself, though reforming the worship practices, the hearts of the people were changing only to a degree 2 Chr 34:33.
• Prior to the finding of the Book of The Law (2 Chr 34:14-19) the covenant was all but forgotten
• Both political and spiritual leadership seem to widely oppose Josiah’s reforms (Zeph 1:8 and 3:1-5)
• The thrust of Zephaniah’s message is that God is seeking a truly humble and lowly people that fear Him and find their refuge in His Name alone. God seeks a true relationship, a devotion from the heart.
• Since he doesn’t find it > Zeph 2:1-3 a searing call to repentance and a stern warning
• at age 41 y (609 BC) Josiah is killed by Pharaoh Necho II after foolishly engaging him in battle at Megiddo. Pharaoh is on his way to support weakening Assyria against a Babylon-Media alliance > battle of Carchemish of 609 BC. Assyria and Egypt victorious (but in 605 BC with the exact same set up, also at Carchemish, they lose).

When written?

• Zeph 1:1         4th generation from Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah (640-609 BC)
• Zeph 2:13-15 suggests Assyria as a big enemy still > maybe before 628 BC, the beginning of weakening of the Assyrian empire, definitely before 612 BC, the destruction of Nineveh
• Zeph 1:4        suggests that reforms have started but not been fully implemented (after 628 BC)
• Zeph 2:1        mentions assembling … 1:8 could be predictive / descriptive of immanent or running reforms
• Zeph 3:2        city accepts no correction … Zeph 3:4 priests doing violence to the law > could be a negative reaction to the law reading & planned reforms … this would put it at 622 BC. in summary within 628 – 612 BC.

Reigning kings?

Judah

• given above

Assyria

• Ashurbanipal … 633 BC Ashuretiliani … 629 BC Sinsharishkun … 628-26 BC Scythian raids … 612 BC Ashurballit / Niniveh destroyed … 605 BC Assyria completely defeated at Charchemish

Egypt

• Psamtik I … 609 BC Neco II … joins war with Assyria at Carchemish (1st time) and against interfering Judah gets in the way > Josiah killed. Victorious Necho II on his way back removes Jehoahaz after reigning only 3m, exiles him to Egypt and puts his brother Jehoiakim on the throne.

Babylon

• 626 BC Nabopolassar … 605 BC Babylon defeats Assyria > new superpower, new king Nebuchadnezzar

Contemporary prophets?

• Nahum                  to Nineveh, Judah    640 – 628 BC
• Habakkuk             to Judah                     609 – 605 BC
• young Jeremiah  to Judah                     627 – 580 BC

Literary type?

• All poetry (> figurative interpretation) except Zeph 1:1 introductory sentence is prose (> literal interpretation)

Structure?

• Prophesy announcement / reasons for judgment & restoration hope
• Highly predictive, probably 47 of 53 verses, about Judah / Jerusalem … and surrounding nations… and the world

Composition?

• Zeph 3:1-8 is a woe oracle
• Zeph 3:14-17 is chiastic
• Zeph 1:15-16 repetitions, to add to the atmosphere
• massive contrast of judgment and restoration (from Zeph 3:9)
• interchange: whole earth > Judah > all nations
• Contrasts: “Be Silent”, “Sing aloud” “Shout”. Many other sounds: Roar – Hoot – Croak – Loud Crash – Wail – Battle Cry – Trumpet Blast – Cries Aloud – Taunts – Revilings – Scoffing – Boasting – Hissing – Roaring Lions – Evening Wolves – Pure Speech – Call – Utter no lies) … these all are in large and colorful contrast to the idea of silence.
• Universal judgments local, specific judgments
• God is light thick darkness
• God’s jealous, fierce anger God’s great love
• people’s attitudes, being proudly exultant, self-trusting / complacent / shameless … versus humble / lowly
• Judgment for the proud, unwilling, callous restoration, salvation for the humble

Main ideas?

• Announcement of sweeping judgment on Jerusalem, Judah, the surrounding nations, Assyria, the whole earth … the fearsome ‘day of the Lord’
• Reasons for judgment: injustice, immorality, idolatry
• Repent! Seek the LORD! Humble yourself! Seek righteousness > you may be hidden from the day of wrath
• Great restoration in store: Judah’s return after exile … Messiah … final judgment & complete restoration
• God wants your heart, he wants an exuberant love relationship, not just basic acknowledgment or even cold obedience

Main reasons?

• To support Josiah’s reforms, to shake up Judah’s complacent religiosity, syncretism, idolatry, injustice … especially the political leaders, prophets, prophets priests
• to challenge Judah to wholehearted repentance, humility, seeking God, living relationship
• to assure, encourage, give hope the faithful and humble in God’s love & protection for them … and in a future restoration

Structure of Zephaniah – Interchange

Interchange

• Zeph 1:1       A   Judgment whole earth
• Zeph 1:4      B    Judgment Judah (idolators, syncretists, self-pleased, riches-trusting …)
• Zeph 1:18b  A’   Judgment whole earth
• Zeph 2:1      B’   Judgment Judah (shameless nation)
• Zeph 2:4      A    Judgment Nations (Philistia, Canaan, Moab, Ammon, Ethiopia, Assyria)
• Zeph 3:1      A    Judgment Jerusalem / Judah
• Zeph 3:6      B   Judgment Nations
• Zeph 3:7      A’   Judgment Jerusalem
• Zeph 3:8      B’   Judgment Nations
  ————————————————————————————————————
• Zeph 3:9      A    conversion & redemption Nations
• Zeph 3:11     B    conversion & redemption Remnant / Jerusalem

FIRST DIVISION – JUDGMENT – ZEPH 1:1-3:8

Reversal of Genesis

• Zeph 1:2-4    Prediction of the total destruction of “everything from the face of the earth”, animals, birds, fish, humans. In a scary reversal of the creation, Zephaniah predicts the utter undoing of creation (Gen 1).
• Zeph 1:5-6    First denunciation or holding guilty: For idolatry, syncretism and not seeking God. Total abandonment of God, worshiping God as back-up option and half-hearted worship of God.
• Zeph 1:7-8    Command to be silent! Shut up. No more excuses, no more false worship. Allowing for conviction to set in. Then a fearful reversal: a sacrifice of the other kind. God invites his specific guests (those guilty), and they will be sacrificed. They didn’t come to God in the way God opened, now they will be their own sacrifice, no animal will stand for them, they will be killed for their sin.
• Who will be ‘sacrificed’? The officials, king’s sons, those dressing themselves in foreign attire, those leaping over the threshold (1 Sam 5:5), those who fill their master’s house with violence and fraud.
• Zeph 1:10-13 A visualization and dramatization with specific Jerusalem references.
• Zeph 1:12 Searching for the complacent people, who think of God that he doesn’t do good or harm, their lives reflecting the ‘god’ they believe in > complacency.

Reasons for judgment?

• Zeph 1:3     “I will make the wicked stumble”
• Zeph 1:4-5  “remnant of Baal … idolatrous priests … bow down on roofs to the host of heavens”
• Zeph 1:5      “swear to the Lord and by Milcom”
• Zeph 1:6     “those who turn back from following the LORD, who have not sought the LORD or inquired of him”
• Zeph 1:11, 13 traders (?), wealthy (?)
• Zeph 1:12    complacent, resting “saying in their hearts:”The LORD will not do good, nor will he do harm”
• Zeph1:18    “their silver and gold will not be able to save them”
• Zeph 2:1     “shameless”
• Zeph 3:1     “soiled, defiled, oppressing city”
• Zeph 3:2    “not listened, not accepted correction, not trust in God, not drawn near to God”
• Zeph 3:3    “officials, judges are roaring lions, evening wolves, leave nothing”
• Zeph 3:4    “prophets are reckless, faithless”
• Zeph 3:4    “priests have profaned what is sacred, have done violence to the law”
• Zeph 3:5     “the unjust know no shame”
• Zeph 3:7     God hoping for them to accept correction … “but they were the more eager to make all their deeds corrupt”
• Zeph 3:11   no longer proudly exulting / haughty

What is the problem?

• religiosity, as you please / syncretistic, careless religion, no fear of God, self-smart, self-trusting, …
• rich, trusting in riches, greed, oppression, injustice, abuse of power, no righteousness
• utterly failing leadership: GOV abusive, unjust, lording it over people … SPI prophets have no respect, are faithless … priests profane the law, do violence to law

Interpretation?

• Zephaniah desperately tries to shake up Judah and Jerusalem … fearful predictions … breathtaking restoration
• Zephaniah desperately diagnosing the problem … predicting the disease’s outcome … in the hope to call people to agree to / seek out a treatment
• Zephaniah steadying, assuring and encouraging the humble and faithful few:
  • God does not agree with current affairs
  • God will not let it continue forever
  • when the hammer falls > know that this also is the hand of God, not out of his control, predicted by him
  • trust that God will save his people on the day of wrath
  • know that there is a restoration beyond, an invitation to relationship beyond

Application?

• Being a prophetic voice to a very evil generation or time is very unpopular and very difficult
  Being a prophetic voice to a dissolved religiosity is very unpopular and very difficult
• How does he counter? By diagnosis, by fearful predictions, by a gracious restoration that is such a contrast to their current attitude

Parallels to Deuteronomy: Covenant curses & blessings

• Zeph 1:13    “build houses but not dwell in them”                       Deut 28:30
• Zeph 1:13    “plant vineyards but not drink their wine”               Deut 28:39
• Zeph 1:15   “a day of distress and anguish”                                 Deut 28:53, 55, 57
• Zeph 1:15   “darkness and gloom, clouds and thick darkness” Deut 4:11 also Ex 19:16-19
• Zeph 1:17   “They shall walk like the blind”                                   Deut 28:29
• Zeph 1:17   “God will bring distress on Israel”                              Deut 28:29
• Zeph 1:18   “in fire of jealous wrath, earth consumed”                Deut 32:21-22
• Zeph 3:5    “the Lord is righteous, he does no wrong”                 Deut 32:4
• Zeph 3:7    “God’s inspiring of fear in Israel”                                 Deut 5:29
• Zeph 3:17   “he will rejoice over you with gladness”                    Deut 28:63, 30:9
• Zeph 3:19-20 “I will make you renowned and praised”                Deut 26:19
• Zeph 3:10   “my dispersed ones”                                                     Deut 4:27
• Zeph 3:17    “he will renew you in his love”                                    Deut 7:8
• Zeph 3:17   “your God is your warrior who gives victory”            Deut 10:17

Interpretation?

• Again: prophets are covenant enforcers
• To bring them back to the “if … then”, their responsibility, their choice, to repentance … to the reason why his predictions are so negative
• to show God is fair in this, nothing unannounced, nothing not agreed to, nothing that repentance couldn’t change …
• to comfort those suffering from the current evil Judah’s society
• to give hope that as the curses will come true, so the blessings can as well … invitation to repentance

Application?

• Don’t teach just rules, teach reasons for rules. Don’t just speak judgments, explain reasons for judgment.
• Showing the long-term perspective is powerful

Repeated theme – Day of the LORD

In the OT

• Amo 5:18-2  “the day of the LORD darkness and not Light, woe to you who desire the day of the Lord!”
• Isa 2:10-22  “on that Day”           pride humbled, loftiness brought low, terror of the LORD
• Isa 13:9-13   “Day of the Lord”    punish the world for their iniquity, put an end to pride of arrogant
• Mal 4:1-3     “The day”                  Arrogant stubble, burning like oven
• Joel 1:15       “Day of the Lord”   Food cut off
• Joel 2:1-2     “Day of the Lord”    Thick Darkness
• Joel 2:10-11 “Day of the Lord”    Very Terrible
• Joel 2:30-31 “Day of the Lord”     All who call shall be delivered
• Joel 3:14      “Day of the Lord”     Valley of Decision

In Zephaniah

• Zeph 1:14-18   “day of the LORD near, nearing quickly, bitter, wrath, distress, anguish, ruin, devastation, darkness, gloom, trumpet blast, battle cry, … because they have sinned, blood poured out, neither silver not gold will save them, in the first of his passion, earth shall be consumed.”
• Zeph 2:1-3      “gather together shameless nation, before driven away, before fierce anger of God falls on you.”
• Zeph 3:11       “on that day you will not be put to shame.”
• Zeph 3:16       “on that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: do not fear, the LORD is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory.”
• Zeph 3:19      “I will deal with oppressors at that time, I will save the lame, gather the outcast, change shame into praise.”
• Zeph 3:20     “at that time I will bring you home, gather you, make you renowned and praised among peoples, restore fortune.”

In the NT

• Mth 7:22      “On that day many will say: ‘done in your name’ … ‘I never knew you’.”
• Mth 24:3ff    Olivet discourse: destruction of Jerusalem / coming of the son of man
• Mrk 13:4ff    Olivet discourse: destruction of Jerusalem / coming of the son of man
• Luk 21:25ff   Coming of the son of man
• 1 Cor 1:8, 5:5, 10:11  “He will strengthen you till the end so you will be blameless on the day of Christ”. Excommunicated man saved on “the day of the Lord”. “End of the ages has come (on us)”
• 2 Cor 1:14     “on the day of the Lord you are our boast”
• Phil 1:6,10; 2:16  “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion by that day.”
• 1 Thess 1:10, 2:19, 3:13, 4:15-17, 5:2-4, 23 Jesus rescues from coming wrath. Jews filling up measure of God’s wrath. Holiness at the coming of Christ. Dead and living raised up. Sudden unexpected appearance like labor pains. Keep sound and blameless at the coming of Christ.
• 2 Thess 1:5-10, 2:2-8   When Jesus comes > eternal destruction, glorification of saints. Man of lawlessness before coming of Christ.
• 1 Peter 2:12      “others see your good works and glorify him when he comes to judge.”
• 2 Peter 3:10,12 “everything will be dissolved by fire and disclosed. Lives of holiness waiting for and hastening the day of the Lord.”
• The awe-inspiring moment when God will reach down and act, partially fearful judgment, partially glorious deliverance. Always the double message or double effect: finally terminating evil and re-establishing justice, which is scary to some, liberating to others.
• Zephaniah uses it liberally to shake up complacent hearers, awaken conscience, inform of future consequences of present choices, scare about eternal effect, hoping to woo people into repentance.
• It is God’s mercy, not wrath, that leads us to repentance (Rom 2:4), yet the reality of the covenant stipulations, the if > then, the persistent breaking of the covenant needs to be shown clearly.
• Zephaniah, together with Jeremiah is the last call to Judah

Zephaniah’s predictions of judgment on the nations

• Judah will fall                            Zeph 1:2-18, 2:1-3, 3:1, 3:7 (22 v)   586 BC through Babylon
• Gaza will be forsaken               Zeph 2:4 (1v)                                     605 BC conquered by Necho II, returning from Carchemish
• Ashkelon / Ekron / Philistia     Zeph 2:4 (1v)                                     146 BC by Jonathan Maccabeus, burned and plundered, Gaza also
• Ashdod driven out at noonday Zeph 2:4 (1v)                                    Pharaoh Psamtik I of Egypt (663-609 BC) conquers after 29 y of siege
• Moab as Sodom                          Zeph 2:9 (1v)                                   582-81 BC by Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion
• Ammon as Gomorrah                 Zeph 2:9 (1v)                                   164 BC John Hyrcanus gains control of most Transjordan
• Ethiopians slain by sword         Zeph 2:12 (1v)                                  525 BC Persian King Cambyses conquers Egypt
• Niniveh & Assyria devastated   Zeph 2:13-15 (3v)                            612 BC Nineveh falls by Babylon, mere mound in 401 BC described by 10’000 Greeks passing by, now roughly a plain

SECOND DIVISON – RESTORATION – Zeph 3:9-20

A restoration – beyond belief or merit

Interspersed are rays of Restoration predictions for Judah (though definitely not deserved):

• Zeph 2:7     Seacoast shall become a possession of the remnant > pasture.
• Zeph 2:9    remnant of my people shall plunder them (Moab, Ammon), the survivors of my nation shall possess them for their pride, scoffing, boasting against my people.
• Zeph 3:9    “At that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and a serve him with one accord.” God’s intervention, purification and welcome to all nations. All who will call, like Joel 2:32 etc.
• Zeph 3:10  “from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants (humble request makers), my scattered ones shall bring my offering” … Probably metaphorical for ‘the ends to the earth’, those who are humbled, those who ask for it. Scattered ones could refer to scattered Jews, but more likely (by context) refers to ‘God’s people’, the willing, the humble, the obedient from any nation, especially since Cush was not a nation the Jews were exiled to.
• Zeph 3:11  “On that day you shall not be put to shame because of all the deeds by which you have rebelled against me, for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain.” Picture of salvation, the removal of shame in spite of sin, but not for pourdly exulting or haughty ones, rather for humble and lowly ones.
• Zeph 3:12-13   “For I will leave in the midst of you a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the LORD” (Zeph 2:3) – “the remnant of Israel (this is how the all nations willing and humble are now called!), they shall do not wrong and utter no lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths. Then they will pasture and lie down and no one shall make them afraid.” glorious promises to the “people humble and lowly”, reminding of the blessings in Deu 28, Psa 23.
• Zeph 3:14-17 Wonderful promises, basically a picture of salvation: joy, guilt canceled, the enemy defeated, King in heir midst, no more disaster, fear-free, God in our midst (Exodus), do not let your hands grow weak (we will still work!).
• Then an amazing reversal: God will rejoice over you with gladness and singing!
• Zeph 3:18-20 Language like Isa 35:5, Mic 4:1-2, Gen 12:1-3. The believers as praiseworthy testimonies blessing all.
• The judgment prophecies are to Judah and Jerusalem, the restoration prophecies are to the “remnant”, the “survivors”, the “people humble and lowly”.
• The hope is not with the proud, the self-sufficient, the Jews who are God’s people for no other reason than physical descent. It is with the willing, the humble, those crying out to God, seeking God, trusting God.
• This passage is strongly messianic, a picture of the church the humble and lowly of the nations, that are now being gathered.
• The humble will not only be saved from his wrath and enjoy a mere survival, but will have their fortunes restored.
• Great restoration, pointing to Judah’s return to the Promised land (536 BC), mostly to Jesus .(1st and 2nd coming)
• God will bring about humility, obedience, truthfulness, assurance … and a personal relationship with God, which is exuberant, emotional, passionate
• God wants your heart, he wants an exuberant love relationship, not just basic acknowledgment or even obedience