Zep 1:1 | KingComments | STEP | Zephaniah speaks about the day of the LORD. Currently, we still live in the day of man, the period in which man can (seemingly) arrange everything as he sees fit. The time is near when the Lord Jesus takes control. When He returns, He will first judge all iniquity. When that has happened, the way is free to bless. That blessing will go to His people and to the nations that have converted to God. God will rejoice over them and will be quiet in His love ( ). Zephaniah’s style of writing is characterized by rapid alternation of threats and promises. The core of Zephaniah’s message is the “day of the LORD”. He uses that expression more often than any other prophet. That day is “near” ( ); it is “a day of wrath … … trouble and distress, … destruction and desolation, … darkness and gloom, … clouds and thick darkness, … trumpet and battle cry” ( ). The day of the LORD is a day of doom for the wicked The prophet declares that this so because they have “sinned against the LORD” ( ). He also speaks of a promise of being “hidden”, that is, there is protection for those who seek the LORD ( ). Division of the book I. Introduction (Zephaniah 1:1) II. Day of Judgment (Zephaniah 1:2-3:8) A. Against Judah (Zephaniah 1:2-2:3) 1. General warning (Zephaniah 1:2-3) 2. Judgment for Judah (Zephaniah 1:4-13) 3. Description of that day (Zephaniah 1:14-2:3) B. Against the nations (Zephaniah 2:4-15) 1. Philistines (Zephaniah 2:4-7) 2. Moab and Ammon (Zephaniah 2:8-11) 3. Cush (Zephaniah 2:12) 4. Assyria (Zephaniah 2:13-15) C. Against Jerusalem (Zephaniah 3:1-8) III. Day of Joy (Zephaniah 3:9-20) A. Return of a scattered people (Zephaniah 3:9-10) B. Restoration of a sinful people (Zephaniah 3:11-13) C. Joy of a saved people (Zephaniah 3:14-20) Apart from what we have in this verse, nothing of the prophet is known with certainty. Zephaniah means ‘ Yahweh hides’. His ancestry is given up to four generations back, to his great-great-grandfather Hezekiah. This is remarkable. We don’t find anything like this with any other writing prophet. In most other prophets, only the father is mentioned. Only Zachariah also mentions the grandfather. This extensive mention of his ancestry indicates that he was a man of stature and perhaps the great-grandson of the God-fearing King Hezekiah and in that case, - of royal blood. He prophesied about half a century after Nahum, during the reign of King Josiah over Judah – ca. 640-609 BC. The ten tribes were taken away by the Assyrians about eighty years ago. Under Josiah a great reformation took place in Judah. Unfortunately, it had no effect on the mindset of the heart of the people. The people have not converted to the LORD. Zephaniah does not mention the reform of Josiah, but speaks to a people who live in rebellion against the LORD.

‏ Zephaniah 1:1

Introduction

Zephaniah speaks about the day of the LORD. Currently, we still live in the day of man, the period in which man can (seemingly) arrange everything as he sees fit. The time is near when the Lord Jesus takes control. When He returns, He will first judge all iniquity. When that has happened, the way is free to bless. That blessing will go to His people and to the nations that have converted to God. God will rejoice over them and will be quiet in His love (Zep 3:17). Zephaniah’s style of writing is characterized by rapid alternation of threats and promises.

The core of Zephaniah’s message is the “day of the LORD”. He uses that expression more often than any other prophet. That day is “near” (Zep 1:7 ; 14); it is “a day of

wrath …

… trouble and distress,

… destruction and desolation,

… darkness and gloom,

… clouds and thick darkness,

… trumpet and battle cry” (Zep 1:15-16).

The day of the LORD is a day of doom for the wicked The prophet declares that this so because they have “sinned against the LORD” (Zep 1:17). He also speaks of a promise of being “hidden”, that is, there is protection for those who seek the LORD (Zep 2:3).

Division of the book

I. Introduction (Zephaniah 1:1)

II. Day of Judgment (Zephaniah 1:2-3:8)

A. Against Judah (Zephaniah 1:2-2:3)

1. General warning (Zephaniah 1:2-3)

2. Judgment for Judah (Zephaniah 1:4-13)

3. Description of that day (Zephaniah 1:14-2:3)

B. Against the nations (Zephaniah 2:4-15)

1. Philistines (Zephaniah 2:4-7)

2. Moab and Ammon (Zephaniah 2:8-11)

3. Cush (Zephaniah 2:12)

4. Assyria (Zephaniah 2:13-15)

C. Against Jerusalem (Zephaniah 3:1-8)

III. Day of Joy (Zephaniah 3:9-20)

A. Return of a scattered people (Zephaniah 3:9-10)

B. Restoration of a sinful people (Zephaniah 3:11-13)

C. Joy of a saved people (Zephaniah 3:14-20)

Zephaniah

Apart from what we have in this verse, nothing of the prophet is known with certainty. Zephaniah means ‘Yahweh hides’. His ancestry is given up to four generations back, to his great-great-grandfather Hezekiah. This is remarkable. We don’t find anything like this with any other writing prophet.

In most other prophets, only the father is mentioned. Only Zachariah also mentions the grandfather. This extensive mention of his ancestry indicates that he was a man of stature and perhaps the great-grandson of the God-fearing King Hezekiah and in that case, - of royal blood.

He prophesied about half a century after Nahum, during the reign of King Josiah over Judah – ca. 640-609 BC. The ten tribes were taken away by the Assyrians about eighty years ago. Under Josiah a great reformation took place in Judah. Unfortunately, it had no effect on the mindset of the heart of the people. The people have not converted to the LORD. Zephaniah does not mention the reform of Josiah, but speaks to a people who live in rebellion against the LORD.