Zephaniah is one of the least known of the Old Testament prophets. In
his short prophecy he contains the basic elements of all the
prophets–warning of judgment, repentance and promise of future
salvation.
His name means, “He who Yahweh hides or protects.” In all probability
he was born in the days of the apostate King Manasseh, and his name was
given by his parents in faith that he would be protected from death in
the persecution of the righteous.
The dark days of Manasseh’s reign can be studied in II Kings 21:1-16.
The awful results of the reign of Manasseh and his son, Ammon, are seen
in what was removed in the revival under King Josiah (II Kings 23:4-14).
It was during the early days of Josiah’s reign that Zephaniah
prophesied; and undoubtedly, his words awakened the people to follow the
young king to return to the Lord.
There had been no prophetic voice in Judah for fifty years since the
days of Isaiah and Micah. Imagine yourself living in the idolatry and
immorality of the days of Manasseh and Ammon; then, feel the freshness
of Zephaniah’s message, the first word from God for so long.
It is not a new message; its uniqueness is that it broke a long silence
and ushered in the prophesies of Jeremiah, Nahum and Habakkuk.
Zephaniah lived in Jerusalem. Compare with Amos who draws his images
from the countryside. You will see that Zephaniah makes references to
the city that only a person living there could make (1:4,10-12).
OUTLINE OF ZEPHANIAH
I. INTRODUCTION, 1:1
This is the only prophet who gives us four generations of his
forefathers, but we do not know for sure who they are and why they
should be mentioned. We can speculate on two of the names:
A. HEZEKIAH. Although it does not say that this is the King Hezekiah of
Judah, it had to be someone well-known or he would not be mentioned.
Only the famous king could fit such a description, and so we can be
relatively sure that the prophet descends from the royal line of Judah.
B. CUSHI. This could be translated as “The African,” which could imply
that his grandfather had married an African and introduced foreign blood
into the family.
II. ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DAY OF THE LORD, 1:2-2:3
Note the references given to the Day of the Lord–more than any other
prophet, 1:7, 14-17; 2:3.
UNIVERSAL JUDGMENT, 1:2,3
JUDAH’S JUDGMENT, 1:4-13
Note the reference to the pagan worship introduced in the days of
Manasseh.
See Jerusalem not only through Zephaniah’s eyes, but also through the
eyes of his successor, Jeremiah. Compare the following Scripture from
the mouths of these two prophets living in Jerusalem at approximately
the same time:
Zephaniah 1:5 Jeremiah 6:20
1:4,5 7:17,18
1:5 5:2,7; 7:9; 12:16
3:4 8:8,9
3:2 2:30; 7:28
1:4,8,9; 3:3,4 2:8,26
2:1; 3:5 3:3; 6:15; 7:12
3:1 4:17; 5:23
3:1 2:22,23,34
3:1; 1:9 5:27,28; 6:6
JUDGMENT IS IMMINENT, 1:14-18
This came to pass when Babylon overthrew not only Judah, but all the
world of the Middle East. Some see here a further and final fulfillment
of this prophecy at the end of time.
HOPE FOR THE REPENTANT, 2:1-3
When the Babylonian captivity came, the righteous were sheltered within
it. Daniel, Ezekiel and many others are examples. N.B. God does not
shelter us from judgments on the earth, but in them.
III. JUDGMENT CARRIED OUT, 2:4-3:8
AGAINST THE SURROUNDING NATIONS, 2:4-15
He speaks of judgment upon all nations by describing those nearer and
the more remote nations to the west, east, south and north of Judah.
AGAINST JERUSALEM, 3:1-8
IV. THE PROMISE OF THE LORD, 3:9-20
A NEW JERUSALEM, 3:9-13
After the judgment, a new purified people should serve the Lord. With
new life, they will call on the Lord, indicating that they have received
a new heart already.
The proud and arrogant removed, the city is characterized by the meek
and the humble who have active faith in the Lord. Truth is in the life.
It is not merely speaking of a return to a land, but a coming to be a
holy, worshipping people.
Unquestionably, this is a prophecy of what would happen when Jesus came
and, through His blood shedding, brought about a people who were
cleansed of sin and characterized by divine love one to another.
Zephaniah is here speaking of you and me who have become part of God’s
true Israel, the Church.
A NEW ISRAEL, 3:14-20
Again these verses describe the days of Messiah in which we are now
living. A day of great joy, singing and rejoicing; a day of intimate
fellowship with God as He rejoices over us with singing.
Understand as you read that the prophet is seeing and seeking to explain
life in the Spirit, something he did not have and could not experience.
He uses the strongest language he can muster.
In reading this and other Old Testament passages like it, do not
interpret the Old Testament by the Old Testament. Interpret it, instead,
by the central fact of the whole Bible, the coming of Jesus and the
giving of the Spirit in His finished work. Many have erred in seeing
this as speaking of a national return to a physical land.
Zephaniah 3:17 has blessed many, and has been used by us, the new Israel
of the Spirit, in singing praise and worship to God. Luther explains it,
“He will cause you to be silent so that you may have in the secret
places of your heart a very quiet peace and a peaceful silence.”
As you read this little book in many different translations, I know the
Lord will show you His unfolding triumph in the coming of Jesus and the
giving of the Spirit.
It is thrilling to see ourselves in prophecy. We are what the prophets
spoke of without fully understanding what they were saying (I Peter
1:10-12).