Zephaniah
Part of Minor Prophets
September 25, 2023


The Prophecy Of ( )

God’s Promise of (

)

SLIDE 79 Zephaniah, whose name means ““Jehovah hides”” or ““Jehovah (

)”, spoke for God towards the latter end of Judah’s existence. Like Micah, his prophecy is not studied as much as the other prophets, and thus his message is obscure to many. Yet what he preached was vital, and came at a crossroads in Judah’s history when the political landscape around her was undergoing vast changes. The changing world events of which Zephaniah foretold would have a ( ) bearing upon the future of the Southern Kingdom.

SLIDE 80 VIDEO

The Date

SLIDE 81 Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of Josiah, Judah’s last (

) king (1:1). The dates for his reign are somewhere around 639-608 B.C. There are other dates that help in dating Zephaniah’s prophecy:

Josiah’s (

) occurred in his 18th year, around 621 B.C. (2 Kings 22:3; 2 Chron. 34:8). Zephaniah’s scathing denunciation of Judah seems to indicate his preaching was prior to this.

(

), the capital of Assyria, fell to Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians in 612 B.C. Zephaniah’s prophecy definitely predates this (2:13).

Without absolute certainty, the date most conservative Bible students select for Zephaniah’s prophecy is somewhere around 630 to 625 B.C. This is the date we choose for this study.

The Prophet

SLIDE 82 Zephaniah traces his heritage back (4) generations to (

), the good king who reigned during the prophesying of Micah and Isaiah (1:1). This made the prophet of royal lineage. It is inferred from his mention of Jerusalem as “this place” in 1:4 and his knowledge of what was taking place in the city (3:1-4) that Jerusalem was his home. Nothing is known of his occupation, nor do we have any other information.

The Times In Judah

SLIDE 83 The political climate affecting Judah was undergoing (

) changes. From the nearly 100 years from the time of Micah and Isaiah to the time of Zephaniah and Jeremiah, Assyria was supreme ruler of the world. However, all this was about to change. Assurbanipal, Assyria’s last great ruler, died around 633 B.C. From this point, the empire started to decline. Nabopolassar, the ruler of the Babylonians, declared independence of the Chaldeans from Assyrian rule in 625 B.C., which led to war. Nebuchadnezzar, the son of Nabopolassar and general of the army, led the Babylonians in attacking Nineveh, completely destroying the Assyrian capital in 612 B.C. In 609 B.C, Nebuchadnezzar wiped out the remains of the (ASSYRIAN) forces at Haran. Babylon was now the ( ) master of the world.

Pharaoh Necho of Egypt went out to help Assyria against Babylon at Haran. Josiah was determined to stop him. In this attempt, Judah’s king was killed at Megiddo (2 Kings 23:28-30; 2 Chron. 35:20-27). Four years later, around 605 B.C Nebuchadnezzar defeated Neco’s army and pushed farther south towards Judah. Upon hearing of his father’s death, Nebuchadnezzar raced back to Babylon to receive the crown, taking with him several captives of war. Among this group were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. The rise of the Babylonians and their westward expansion very likely prompted Zephaniah’s prophecy.

SLIDE 84 From a religious perspective, although Zephaniah prophesied during the kingship of Josiah, the problems he faced among the people were attributable to the kings who came before Josiah. Following Hezekiah’s (

) reign, his son Manasseh took the throne. It is doubtful that any ruler in Judah was ever more ( ) than Manasseh. He practically undid all the good that his father had done. The 55 years he ruled Judah were largely marked by its grossness in idolatry, especially when considering his practice of offering his own children in human sacrifice (2 Kings 21:6). On top of all this he “shed very much innocent blood until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another” (2 Kings 21:16). He tried to undo all his iniquity late in life, but it was too late (2 Chron. 33:10-13). His son Amon succeeded him, and continued all his (WICKED) practices (2 Chron. 33:22-24). His servants conspired against him, and he was assassinated. His son Josiah became king at the age of (8) (2 Chron. 34:1).

Josiah “began to seek the God of his father David” in the 8th year of his reign, when he was 16 (2 Chron. 34:3). Four years later, when he was 20, he began purging all of Judah of the idolatrous sin brought upon it by his grandfather and father (2 Chron. 34:3). In his 18th year as king, upon being made aware of the will of God through a lost copy of the law found in the temple, Josiah began repairing the temple, called for national repentance, and a return to the true worship of Jehovah (2 Chron. 34:8 - 35:19). While he applied pressure from the throne, prophets like Zephaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Jeremiah spoke among the people. However, it was all to no avail. The people remained cruel and corrupt. They worshiped God as if He were just another heathen deity (1:4-6). The people were indifferent and unteachable, the rulers violent and oppressive, the judges merciless and corrupt, the prophets were traitors, and the priests were profane (3:1-4). Josiah’s reforms and Zephaniah’s preaching notwithstanding, the people would not change. Interestingly, Zephaniah makes no mention of Josiah’s reforms. This only emphasizes how wicked the nation had become. As Jehovah saw it, the time was ripe for judgment.

The Message

SLIDE 85 The main message and lessons from Zephaniah’s prophesying are two-fold:

The (

) of the Lord

Like Joel, Zephaniah gives great emphasis to ““the day of Jehovah”” as a day of ominous, divine judgment upon the ungodly. It was “at hand”” (1:7); it was ““near”” (1:14); it was a day of ““wrath, desolation, darkness, and terror” (1:15-16). It was a day of judgment upon all, regardless of geographic location. God ruled over all the nations, not just Judah. He was bringing His judgment upon all sinners (2:1-15; 3:8). No one would escape the universal wrath of this universal God.

The (

) Remnant

Only a remnant would escape this judgment, a remnant composed of people who repented of sin and put their faith and trust back in God and His will (2:3). For them, this day would not be a day of doom, but a day of deliverance. This ultimate deliverance would be found in the reign of the Messiah (3:14-20). Though Zephaniah never mentions or describes the Messiah Himself, the other prophets make clear that this redemptive work was ultimately fulfilled through Christ.

SLIDE 86 Outline Of Zephaniah’s Prophecy

Judgment on the (

) world - Judah in particular (1:2-18)
A world judgment (2-6)
Prelude: judgment on the whole world (2-3)
Judgment on Judah and Jerusalem for idolatry (4-6)
Judgment on sinners of every rank (7-13)
On princes (7-8)
On thieves or idolaters (9)
On traders (10-11)
On indifferent and wealthy (12-13)
The Imminence And Terrible Nature Of The Judgment (14-18)
Imminent (14)
A terribly dark day (15-17)
There will be no deliverance (18)

Exhortation to (

) and perseverance (2:1-3:8)
Call to repentance, seek the Lord that they may be hidden in the day of the Lord (2:1-3)
Reason: God will judge the nations near and far (2:4-15)
Judgment upon the nations that are near (4-11)
Upon Philistia (4-7)
Upon Moab and Ammon (8-10)
Upon all the gods of the earth (11)
Judgment upon powerful nations afar (12-15)
Upon Ethiopia (12)
Upon Assyria and Nineveh (13-15)
If God punishes the heathen, He will not spare Judah (3:1-8)
Woe to the polluted city - classes of sinners and sin (1-7)
Princes, judges, prophets, priests (1-4)
Jehovah’s constant reminder of His sovereignty (5-7)
God has called; they have refused therefore, Woe! (8)

After the judgment, (

) and glorification for the remnant (3:9-20)
From among the heathen will God’s remnant come (9-10)
Israel restored will be cleansed and sanctified (11-13)
Israel comforted and exalted to honor (14-20)

SLIDE 87 Group Questions

Why do you think the day of the Lord is not something most Christians sing about in church or think about very often?


What is our responsibility toward others concerning the day of the Lord? What should we say? In what situations should we say it?
If God were to clear out the idols in our culture today, what would they be and what might he do?
For what specific sins does Zephaniah announce judgment? Why does God hate those sins?
How should a godly remnant live in a world that disregards God? For instance, should they try to isolate themselves from the negative influences? What aspects of culture should they be involved in? What should they not be involved in?
What lesson can we learn from someone who has strayed from God’s will?
What are some current examples of the results of forgiven sin?
Why do you think the prophets always end their messages with words of hope?

Questions

  1. How does the prophet identify himself? (1:1) Given what he preached, how does this fact speak to his character?
  2. In 1:2-6, what is the initial prophecy from Zephaniah? What will be affected? (1:2-3) Who receives particular attention in this oracle? (1:4a) What was it about them that displeased God? (1:4b)
  3. What three “classes” of worshipers are mentioned in 1:5-6? (Deut. 4:19; 17:3-7)
  4. What do you think is meant in 1:7-13? What is “the day of the Lord”? What do you think is the “sacrifice”? Who is singled out first and for what reason? (1:8) What else is mentioned that is deserving of God’s wrath? (1:9) What else will happen in Jerusalem? (1:10-13)
  5. How does Zephaniah describe “the day of the Lord”? (1:14-16a) In what descriptive ways does the prophet portray the results of this terrifying day of Divine wrath? (1:17) What oft-tried answer would not bring relief to Judah? (1:18a) How does the prophet conclude his descriptions of the events sure to come? (1:18b)
  6. What is the Divine challenge and offer in 2:1-3? Do you think this is spoken to another nation, or better serves as a climax to what was spoken to Judah 1:14-18? To what will they be likened in this judgment? (2:2) What are God’s requirements of them? (2:3)
  7. From 2:4 to 2:15, what is the prophetic message? To whom is it addressed?
  8. What awaits Philistia? (2:4) What would become of the land of the once-proud Philistines? (2:6) Who would dwell there? (2:7; Jer. 32:42-44)
  9. Who is mentioned next in 2:8-11? What does Jehovah have against them? (2:8, 10; Num. 22-24; Amos 1:13-15; 2:1-3) What would become of these long-time enemies of God’s people? (2:9) By their destruction, what statement would be made against their gods? (2:11)
  10. Who is mentioned next? (2:12) Who do you think is particularly meant by the reference to Ethiopia? (Ezek. 30:1-5) When would this “sword” fall upon them? (Ezek. 30:24-25)
  11. Who is mentioned last? (2:13-15) What is especially noteworthy about the timing of this prophecy against Assyria? (2:15) What vivid picture is portrayed about her future? (2:14)
  12. To whom does the prophet return in 3:1? From 3:2, list below the four charges leveled against Jerusalem, and write what you think each one means.
  13. How is Jerusalem further described in 3:3-4? Why do you think Jehovah singles out these particular groups? By contrast, how does God describe Himself? (3:5; 2 Tim. 2:13)
  14. What “reminder” does God give Judah? (3:6) What had He hoped this would produce? (3:7a) Yet, what was the sad truth? (3:7b)
  15. Because of what He is going to do, what does God say to the faithful few in 3:8? Considering what will happen to those who would receive God’s wrath, what do you think is meant by “wait for Me”?
  16. What will happen following God’’s wrathful dealings with the guilty? (3:9-13) To what do you think this refers? How are such people described? (3:9-11) Who would be included in this group? (3:10) What is God’s holy mountain”? (3:11; Isa. 2:1-4; Dan. 2:34-35, 44-45; Mic. 4:1-5)
  17. Compared to the nation judged by God, how will these redeemed people be known? (3:12-13) Rather than commit the same sins that caused God’s judgment upon Judah, what will this people be content to do? (3:13b; John 10:11-16)
  18. What is the saved remnant told to do in 3:14-17? By what 3 names is this group called? (3:14) Why is it proper for them to rejoice? (3:15-17)
  19. What will God do for those who sorrow over their judgment? (3:18) What will He do to those who oppose His people? (3:19) With what final promise of restoration does the prophet conclude his prophecy? (3:20)