Zephaniah Series

September 04, 2021

Zephaniah’s prophetic ministry took place during the reign of Josiah, the last king to bring revival (641-609) in Judah.

There is quite a bit of bad news in Zephaniah – more than 2/3 of the book is filled with woes and warnings – The Day of the Lord is coming!

First to Judah and Jerusalem:

• Zephaniah 1:2-6 - I will completely remove all things from the face of the earth," declares the LORD. "I will remove man and beast; I will remove the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, And the ruins along with the wicked; and I will cut off man from the face of the earth," declares the LORD. So I will stretch out My hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the names of the idolatrous priests along with the priests. And those who bow down on the housetops to the host of heaven, and those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by Milcom (Molech), and those who have turned back from following the LORD, and those who have not sought the LORD or inquired of Him."

• Zephaniah 1:12 - And it will come about at that time That I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are stagnant in spirit, who say in their hearts, 'The LORD will not do good or evil!'

• Zephaniah 1:15-18 - A day of wrath is that day, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 a day of trumpet and battle cry, against the fortified cities and the high corner towers. 17 And I will bring distress on men, so that they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD; and their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. 18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the day of the LORD's wrath; and all the earth will be devoured in the fire of His jealousy, for He will make a complete end, indeed a terrifying one, of all the inhabitants of the earth.

Then to the Nations:

• Zephaniah 2:4 - Gaza will be abandoned and Ashkelon left in ruins. At midday Ashdod will be emptied and Ekron uprooted.

• Zephaniah 2:8-11 - I have heard the insults of Moab and the taunts of the Ammonites, who insulted my people and made threats against their land. 9 Therefore, as surely as I live," declares the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, "surely Moab will become like Sodom, the Ammonites like Gomorrah -- a place of weeds and salt pits, a wasteland forever…. 10 This is what they will get in return for their pride, for insulting and mocking the people of the LORD Almighty. 11 The LORD will be awesome to them when he destroys all the gods of the land. The nations on every shore will worship him, everyone in its own land.

• Zephaniah 3:5-8 - The LORD within her is righteous; he does no wrong. Morning by morning he dispenses his justice, and every new day he does not fail, yet the unrighteous know no shame. 6 "I have cut off nations; their strongholds are demolished. I have left their streets deserted, with no one passing through. Their cities are destroyed; no one will be left-- no one at all. 7 I said to the city, 'Surely you will fear me and accept correction!' Then her dwelling would not be cut off, nor all my punishments come upon her. But they were still eager to act corruptly in all they did. 8 Therefore wait for me," declares the LORD, "for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on them -- all my fierce anger. The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger.

As with all the previous books we’ve covered, Zephaniah doesn’t just threaten judgment, he also offers a way out…. There is a solution…. There is a remedy…. Humble yourself and Repent…. Come back – from the edge – before it’s too late.

• Zephaniah 2:1-3 - …. before the appointed time arrives and that day sweeps on like chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD comes upon you, before the day of the LORD's wrath comes upon you. 3 Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; ….

All in all, pretty grim, right? The Day of the Lord IS COMING and there will be UNIVERSAL judgment.