About This Book
Zephaniah prophesies during Josiah's reign, before his reforms, warning that the Day of the Lord is near and will bring sweeping destruction because of Judah's idolatry and complacency. The book opens with God declaring He will sweep away everything from the face of the earth—humans, animals, birds, and fish. He will stretch out His hand against Judah and Jerusalem, cutting off every remnant of Baal worship, the names of idolatrous priests, those who bow on rooftops to worship the starry host, those who swear by both the Lord and Molek, and those who turn back from following the Lord or neither seek nor inquire of Him. The Day of the Lord is near—a day of sacrifice when God will punish officials and royal family, all who follow foreign customs, who fill their temples with violence and deceit.
That day will be bitter, with the warrior's cry heard loud. It is a day of wrath, distress and anguish, trouble and ruin, darkness and gloom, clouds and blackness, trumpet and battle cry against fortified cities and corner towers. God will bring distress on people who will walk like blind men because they have sinned against the Lord. Neither their silver nor gold will save them on that day of the Lord's wrath.
Zephaniah condemns complacent people who think the Lord will do nothing, either good or bad—God is not inactive but observes all. He pronounces judgment on surrounding nations: Philistia will become a place for shepherds and sheep pens; Moab and Ammon will become like Sodom and Gomorrah; Cushites will be slain; Assyria will be destroyed and Nineveh left utterly desolate. Jerusalem is rebellious, oppressed, and defiled; she obeys no one, accepts no correction, trusts not in the Lord, and draws not near to God. Yet after judgment comes restoration.
God will purify the lips of the peoples so they may call on the Lord's name and serve Him shoulder to shoulder. He will remove the proudly arrogant and leave a meek and humble remnant who will trust in the Lord's name. The Lord their God will be with them, a mighty warrior who saves, rejoicing over them with singing.