A Pre-Babylonian Exile Prophet addressing Judah.
Zephaniah was a contemporary of Jeremiah and Nahum, writing in the late 7th. century BC during the reign of King Josiah. Zephaniah was probably based in the city of Jerusalem. Little is known about him except that he was a descendent of King Hezekiah. Being of royal descent, he may have had the ear of King Josiah (640 BC – 609 BC). Zephaniah was the only minor prophet to be of royal descent.
Prior to Josiah’s reforms, Judah had sunk to a very low moral state. Under his predecessors, Manasseh and Ammon, Judah was languishing in idolatry and wickedness. They scorned God’s law and sinned without remorse. Manasseh had rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah had removed. He had also made altars to the Canaanite gods, sacrificed two of his own children and had sworn to worship heavenly bodies and to practice occultism.
Josiah was only eight years old when he came to the throne. Zephaniah probably had an influence on Josiah as he commenced his reforms in adulthood. His reforms may have delayed the Babylonian invasion. But his reforms came too late to save Judah and they did not outlast his life.
But Josiah did tear down all the altars to Baal, burned the bones of the false prophets, broke up the carved images and re-introduced Pesach (2 Chronicles 8: 4 – 35). The Book of Zephaniah probable pre-dates Josiah’s reforms.
Zephaniah had bad news for Judah. The day of the Lord was coming and that meant terrible judgment. They would pay the price for behaving like their pagan neighbours.
It was time to repent! Zephaniah like other minor prophets (Amos, Hoshea and Micah) follow God’s pattern: a warning of judgment, a call to repentance, and a sure promise of future blessing for the remnant who indeed repent.
Thus, we get the shape of Zephaniah’s writing.
Section 1 shows God’s determination to execute judgment on the earth (chapter 1: 1 – 3). His judgment will also come upon Judah and Jerusalem (Chapter 1: 4 – 6). The day of the Lord, described as a sacrifice, will be terrible.
Section 2 is God’s call to repentance (chapter 2: 1 – 3).
Section 3 describes the doom of the Gentile nations: the Philistines (chapter 2: 4 – 7), the Moabites and Ammonites (chapter 2: 8 – 11), the Ethiopians (chapter 2:12), the Assyrians and specifically the city of Ninevah (chapter 2: 13 – 15).
Section 4 gives the woe pronounced on Jerusalem for their disobedience, unresponsive unbelief and lack of penitence (chapter 3: 1 – 8), the levity and treachery of the prophets (chapter 3: 4). The Lord’s presence in this judgment is clear.
Section 5 provides a message of comfort to the faithful remnant. There will be destruction on the wicked Gentile nations (chapter 3: 8), conversion of the remaining nations (chapter 3:9), the restoration of dispersed Israel, rejoicing over the second coming of Messiah, and a detailed plan from God of what He will do for His faithful remnant (chapter 3: 18 – 20).
Because of the length of the Book of Zephaniah, we will take four extracts for detailed examination.
Chapter 1: 7 – 13. The day of the Lord depicted as a sacrifice.
“Be silent in the presence of the Lord God; for the day of the Lord is at hand, for the Lord has prepared a sacrifice; He has invited His guests. And it shall be, in the day of the Lord’s sacrifice, that I will punish the princes and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with foreign apparel. In the same day I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their master’s house with violence and deceit.
“And there shall be on that day”, says the Lord, ”The sound of a mournful cry from the Fish Gate; a wailing from the Second Quarter, and a loud crashing from the hills. Wail you inhabitants of Maktesh! For all the merchant people are cut down; all those who handle money are cut off.
And it shall come to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and punish the men who are settled in complacency, who say in their heart, “The Lord will not do good, nor will He do evil.” Therefore their goods shall become booty, and their houses a desolation; they shall build houses, but not inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards, but not drink their wine.”
Verse 7 starts with the instruction to “be silent”. This instruction refers to the need for solemn preparation for the horror of divine wrath. In view of the just judgment there is no defence to be spoken, and in view of the coming devastation, only shock and muted wonder.
“The Lord has prepared a sacrifice”: The people of God were expected to make sacrifices. But this “sacrifice” is prepared by God and the victims are the rebels, idolators and apostates among the people. God’s judgment on Israel is viewed as a sacrifice.
The “guests” whom God has invited may be seen either as the Babylonians as the agents of God’s judgment or the birds who will feed on the dead.
Verse 8 reads “I will punish the princes and the king’s children”. Judgment will come on the royal household. Lacking commitment to God’s covenant, they had adopted the customs and idolatrous practices of the heathen nations around them.
Josiah was only eight years old when he came to the throne. Therefore, the prophecy must refer to the royal household or the children of whoever would be ruling when the prophecy was fulfilled.
Verse 8 also refers to “all such as are clothed in foreign apparel”. This suggests either that they had grown rich through greed and extortion and/or those participating in foreign religious rites associated with exotic clothing.
Verse 9 talks of “those who leap over the threshold”. This may refer to those so eager to pursue their ill-gotten riches that they hurry from their homes to plunder the poor. Or it may refer to those involved in pagan practices. The priests of Dagon would not step on the doorway of the temple because the head and hands of the statue of Dagon in Ashdod had fallen and shattered on the threshold. This was the time when the Philistines had captured the ark of the covenant (1 Samuel 5: 5).
Verses 10 and 11 describe that in the day of judgment, there will be a “mournful city” in all parts of the city. The merchants who had made their wealth from dishonest gain are singled out to depict the anguish of the coming judgment: the Fish Gate or Damascus Gate on the North, the “Second Quarter” was a district within the city wall where the wealthy lived, and “Maktesh” (the valley of Siloam) was the market district.
Verses 12 and 13 show that there will be a rude awakening for those “who are settled in complacency”. The complacency of wicked people (“the Lord will not do good, nor will He do evil”) led them to believe that God is similarly indifferent. Foolishly these people believe that the Lord would be inactive, neither benefitting nor punishing His people. Ruin awaits them! God is never morally ambivalent!
Chapter 2: 1 – 3. A call to repentance.
“Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, O undesirable nation, before the decree is issued, or the day passes like chaff, before the Lord’s fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger comes upon you!
Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger.”
Verses 1 and 2 describe Israel as an “undesirable nation”. This could be translated “nation devoid of shame” which is, of course, a very significant rebuke. The people in line for judgment, in the day of the Lord, are invited to “gather together”, as God mercifully invites His people to repent. They were to assemble in order to entreat the Lord and avert His wrath. But Judah is no longer sensitive to God’s call for repentance through His prophets. Judah has sunk into shamelessness.
Verse 3 sees the people invited to “seek the Lord” i.e., to repent, to seek renewal and regeneration. There would then be hope for them, “It may be that you will be hidden”.
The righteous remnant may escape God’s fierce “anger”. Even amid the most calamitous of judgment scenes, the mercy and grace of the Lord is still available to a repentant people. The meek, those who had followed the law of the Lord, are encouraged to continue to show fruits of righteousness in the day of judgment.
Chapter 3: 14 – 17. Joy in God’s Faithfulness.
“Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your judgments, He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall see disaster no more.
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear; Zion, let your hands be weak. The lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing”.
In these verses the people of God are called upon to “sing” because their deliverance has come. The Lord will have purged the proud and ungodly from among them, leaving a meek and humble people. Material prosperity and peace will accompany them as well, allowing them to enjoy the rich blessings of God undisturbed.
This is a time of national regeneration and restoration. “Daughter of Zion” is an affectionate title for the city of Jerusalem. This is the song of restored Judah, praising Jehovah for His mighty deliverance and celebrating His love for His own. They are rejoicing over the second coming of the Lord Yeshua.
Not only have their enemies been thrown out but Messiah Himself is in their midst. The people are commanded to cast away their fear and to keep from hanging their arms in a posture of resignation. Instead, they are to take encouragement and strength from the new reality that their God lives among them.
In verse 17, we see the remarkable statement, “He will rejoice over you with singing”. Jehovah will be singing with His people. The Lord is so happy in the love which He bears for His people that He breaks His silence and chants a hymn of joy.
In some cultures, a certain song is sung by the bridegroom when he receives his bride. It is intended to declare his joy in her and the fact that the time of his marriage has come. Here God’s love is pictured as Him being married to His people and rejoicing over them with singing.
Chapter 3: 18 – 20. What God will do for His people.
““I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly, who are among you, to whom its reproach is a burden.
Behold, at that time I will deal with all who afflict you; I will save the lame, and gather those who were driven out; I will appoint them for praise and fame in every land where they were put to shame.
At that time I will bring you back, even at the time I will gather you; for I will give you fame and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I return your captives before your eyes,” says the Lord.”
Since judgment was soon to be upon the people, the Lord ends Zephaniah’s prophesy with a strong turnabout for the godly remnant. God will gather “those who sorrow over the appointed assembly”. While unable to celebrate the feasts in exile, the godly remnant sorrowed. But God is going to make all things right. Those who are enemies of God’s truth will be removed. God will restore. He will remove sorrow and give the godly remnant “praise and fame”.
Scripture usually talks of the praise brought to God; but here we find the praise that God will bring to His loyal people.
At the beginning of His dealings with Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 12: 1 – 3), God promised Abraham blessing, honour and a renowned name. So here God promises praise and fame to each individual of his family.
“At that time” (the time of Messiah’s return), the Jewish people will be regathered and become a source of blessing to the world, fulfilling Israel’s original destiny (Deuteronomy 26: 18,19; Isaiah 62:7).
The concluding words are “Says the Lord”. This is a vow from God to do what He has promised. Zephaniah begins and ends with the strong assertion that it is Jehovah who is speaking through him – so, listen and learn!
Conclusion.
Zephaniah was writing in the last few decades before the Babylonian invasion. His prophecy takes the same patten as other prophets (Amos, Hosea and Micah): warning that judgment is coming; a call to repentance; and the promise of a glorious future for those who repent.
The “day of the Lord” is described as a time of trouble, wrath and destruction. Yet within this oracle of divine wrath, the prophet exhorts the people to seek the Lord, who is offering a shelter amid judgment and proclaiming the promise of eventual salvation for the believing remnant.
At a future date all people will come to worship the Lord. His own people will be renewed in righteousness and the King of kings Himself will bring the great joy promised through Zephaniah and the other prophets.
AMEN.