The first time I read this book of the bible was when I was looking through another book that was written about the bible and it happened to be lying open at this spot. Upon reading it I discovered the following:
The theme of the book: The Day of the Lord – Repentance – Judgment – Restoration
The name Zephaniah means “The Lord Hides.”
The key text: Chapter 3:17 …He will joy over thee with singing.” This is the first time I ever noticed anywhere in Scripture the Lord “singing.” I thought this is such a joyful event to the Lord that it causes Him to sing! This puzzled me because I always thought of the Day of the Lord as the day of judgment and that would give me chills just thinking about it.
I read on and found the key theme is “The Day of the Lord.”
Zephaniah prophesied coming judgment against the nations. His main message was against Judah, whose sins were so serious that they would go into exile on “the Day of the Lord,” but later they would be restored to righteousness.
Zephaniah argued that the coming Day of the Lord would involve God’s judgment on God’s people, as well as on pagan nations. God would later restore a remnant who would then worship Him forever as the King of Israel. (Could this be referring to Christ’s second coming? Look how rampant apostasy is…just like it was in Israel before God sent them into captivity in Babylon).
The people of Judah had sinned greatly, particularly the RELIGIOUS and POLITICAL leaders. (Does this sound familiar)?
Zephaniah 3:15 The Lord has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall see disaster no more.
It teaches about humanity…it teaches about restoration…it refers to covenant people. (Was this fulfilled by Jesus in the New Covenant)? Is 3:15 referring when Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is within you. Mark 15:26 THE KING OF THE JEWS (the sign they nailed to His cross).
As Judah did not recognize the presence of the divine king in their circumstances, so many Jewish leaders failed to recognize the presence of God in Jesus Christ.
The events that were taking place at this time in Israel’s history can be found in 2 Kings 22 – 23 and 2 Chronicles 34 – 35. It was during Josiah’s reign. There was a shift in world power that moved from Assyria and Egypt to Babylon. The most significant religious event in Judah was the “revival” and restoration of temple worship led by Josiah.
It was a decisive turning point in God’s dealings with people. The Day of the Lord will not reach its fullest expression until the days before Christ’s return. God’s plan to be the King in the midst of His people is a magnificent prophecy that will ultimately be fulfilled in the final expression of God’s kingdom. The last two chapters of the bible describe the complete realization of this promise.
He attacked the sins of the elite princes, priests, judges and false prophets and the religious corruption. His message fits the period of religious and social corruption present during the early rule of Josiah (2 Kings 22 – 23).
Judgment on Judah and the Nations appears inevitable.
The prophet even portrays God with searchlamps as He exposes the corruption of the city (Jerusalem) and marks it for His certain judgment (Zeph. 1:12).
Is this a message to His elect: Zeph. 2:3 …hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger.
Geneva Bible – Zeph 2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORDS anger. (Jesus said that the meek shall inherit the earth. To seek righteousness is to seek Jesus. He is our Righteousness).
Overlooked theme is that of the happiness of God! God’s pleasure in the full ingathering of his people Zeph. 3:17.
Zeph. 3:9 – 13
The focus of the text moves to a time of national regeneration and restoration. Pure language refers to language used in the pure worship of God. One day human language will become a unifying element in the true worship of God. (Could this be referring to a reversal of when God confused the languages in Genesis 11:9 Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.)
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