Zephaniah 1:1-6

Zephaniah is yet another prophet of whom we know very little, and whose writings in Scripture are profound in the context in which it was written as well as in what we often call the modern context.  The outline of this book is simple:

·        1:1-18: The reason for the coming day of the LORD.

·        2:1-3: The call to repentance before the coming day of the LORD.

·        2:4-3:7: The target of the coming day of the LORD.

o   2:4-15: the nations.

o   3:1-7: the rebellious people of God.

·        3:8-20: The future day of the LORD.

o   3:8-13: The future salvation of Israel.

o   3:14-20: The future joy of Israel.

The outline suggests some things about this book.  Zephaniah highlights the day of the LORD.  The day of the LORD is a time when God intervenes in the lives of His earthly people and makes things right in some way.  Jeremiah 30:11 gives us the essentials of the day of the LORD:

For I am with you, says the LORD, to save you; Though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you.  Yet I will not make a complete end of you.  But I will correct you in justice, And will not let you go altogether unpunished.

There are three facets, in reverse order as they appear in the passage: God’s punishment of Israel by the nations, the judgment of those nations for their pride, and the salvation of Israel.  These are evident in Zephaniah.  Chapter 1 is about the sins of Judah and Jerusalem that are bringing God’s judgment.  Chapter 2 calls them to repentance and then outlines God’s judgment on the nations around Israel.  Chapter 3 eventually takes us to the future when all Israel will be saved.

Another important issue concerning the day of the LORD is that, as in Zephaniah, it refers to times that are now past such as the time of the Babylonians who were the people God used to judge Judah and Jerusalem.  Zeph. 1:1-3:7 concern the time which, in the time of King Josiah when Zephaniah prophesied, was just perhaps 15 years away.  But in 3:8 with the terms wait for Me and until the day we are taken to a time yet future.  

Zephaniah, according to 1:1, ministered in the reign of Josiah, alongside Jeremiah.  You may remember that this was a time when, under the king’s leadership, that there seemed to be revival.  But as Jeremiah makes clear, it was not from the heart; it was visible with the destruction of idols and altars but the people did not truly change.  So it is critical that Zephaniah makes it clear the day of the LORD is near, even though people may have thought differently.  God is seeking to appeal to the hearts of the people that they might see and repent of their inward rebellion.  Do we hear God as He challenges our hypocrisy?