The Book of Zephaniah

INTRODUCTION

The ministry of Zephaniah, a prophet of Judah, is believed to have occurred ca. 625 BC, approximately 40 years prior to the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem. Like his contemporary, Jeremiah, Zephaniah is chosen by God to pronounce His impending judgment for Judah’s continuous sin.

1:1 – CONTEXT OF ZEPHANIAH

Following the same pattern as other prophetic books of the Old Testament, Zephaniah begins with, “The word of the Lord which came to” (cf. Jer. 1:2; Hos. 1:1; Joel 1:1; Jon. 1:1; Mic. 1:1; Hag. 1:1; Zech. 1:1). Zephaniah’s authority is hence established as coming from the Lord. Ideally, all of Judah, including the king, should heed the prophet’s advice; however, there are prophets who pronounce other supposed messages of the Lord that contradict the message of God’s true prophets (Jer. 27:9-18). How was Jerusalem and her king to discern between competing prophecies? Reasonably, whichever prophecy came true would indicate the true prophet. This is exactly what happened to Jeremiah, which should have vindicated him in the eyes of Judah (Jer. 28). However, the unwillingness to accept the foretold doom persisted. Like Jeremiah, Zephaniah also warns of Judah’s invasion and Jerusalem’s destruction. Fortunately, Zephaniah has a king who heeds the word of the Lord.

The ancestries of Zephaniah and Josiah illuminate understanding of their common relationship. Amariah was likely the brother of Manasseh, Josiah’s grandfather and former king of Judah; meaning, Zephaniah was third cousins with three kings: Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Zechariah. It may have been that Zephaniah was brought up accustomed to life near the throne and temple at Jerusalem. There is no existing connection with this Hezekiah in verse 1 and Hezekiah, king of Judah, although the possibility cannot be ruled out.

2 Kings 22 provides interesting circumstances in which Josiah became king and led his kingdom. After his father was assassinated, Josiah was crowned and reigned Jerusalem at only eight years of age. Eighteen years later, Hilkiah, the high priest, “found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord” (22:8, NASB). Judah had become so depraved that it lost the law of Moses. However, Josiah reacted with humility and sought advice from the prophets of his day to learn how to lead Jerusalem lawfully. His wisdom and humility allowed him to serve on the throne for thirty-one years, and “He did what was right in the sight of the Lord” (22:2, NASB). Zephaniah was one of these messengers of the Lord whom Josiah would have heeded. We notice the failings of princes and priests but no rebuke of Judah’s current king throughout this chapter. Unfortunately, Josiah’s reforms to live according to the Law would not continue beyond his death (2 Kings 23).

1:2-3 – DESTRUCTION OF JUDAH AND SURROUNDING NATIONS

Much is assumed by futurists (of eschatology) regarding this passage, largely due to the two identical phrases “the face of the earth” (NASB, ESV, NIV). Although “earth” is a perfectly acceptable translated word, many Americans’ understanding mistake earth and Earth (global). Therefore, to avoid confusion, I endorse the translations or interpretations that use “land” simply to avoid confusion (KJV, NKJV).

There are four general ways readers can know that Zephaniah is speaking of present-day Judah and not world-wide future tribulation. (1) The context of the book regards God’s judgment of several nations, as they relate to Judah. The nations named neither exist anymore nor would the descriptions apply to the countries currently residing in their biblical locations. (2) The context of the chapter regards God’s judgment of Judah and Jerusalem. All the language used to describe Judah’s sin and coming destruction is consistent with other passages in the Bible that also refer to Babylon’s imminent overthrow. (3) Prophecy of a distantly future destruction of nations, called by their current names would be irrelevant to Zephaniah’s readers and would mislead them into thinking it regarded themselves and the near future. (4) Some grammatical elements are in past tense, demonstrating that this judgment is already set in motion. There are other specific reasons why this book pertains to Zephaniah’s audience that will be addressed in their respective passages.

1:4-11 – JUDGMENT AGAINST JUDAH AND JERUSALEM

Judah and Jerusalem are identified as the first parties deserving of God’s judgment. A list of continued and unrepentant grievances justifies the Lord’s reaction. His people’s idolatry and polytheistic practices were integrated through influences from the surrounding nations, providing context for their judgment in chapter 2. Judah needs to not only understand that their behavior is unacceptable but also that those nations whom they envied would suffer too.

Worshipping the astrological bodies of the universe was a common practice with Judah’s neighbors. Paul warns that worshipping “the creature rather than the Creator” merits God’s wrath and causes God to give such people “up to a depraved mind” (Rom. 1:18, 25, 28, NASB). Depraved minds would account for how the leaders of Judah could see the fulfillment of true prophets’ warnings and still choose not to believe in the pending onslaught.

In Leviticus God condemns Israelite followers of the Ammonite god, Molech, who sacrifice their children by burning them (presumable alive) to stoning (18:21; 20:2-5). Furthermore, if the people would not stone the perpetrator, then God would kill him. Such an act to Molech profanes the name of the Lord and defiles His sanctuary. Unfortunately, the hearts of mankind are easily corrupted. After Solomon became king, he built and dedicated the temple of the Lord, saying, “so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no one else” (1 Kings 8:60, NASB). However, only three chapters later he had many foreign wives who turned his heart away from the Lord. One of his abominable acts was to build a high place for an idol of Molech near Jerusalem (1 Kings 11:7). Around three hundred years later Judah had not rid itself of such a detestable practice.

Christians debate (one) what the sacrifice is and (two) who is invited and consecrated in verse 7. One explanation is that the sacrifice is a messianic prophecy referring to Jesus’ death on the cross, and that the invited/consecrated are residents of Judah who perish during the Babylonian invasion but have remained faithful to the Lord. This interpretation fails on account of two reasons. First, it only makes sense from a post-Christ understanding. Such an understanding could not have made since to Zephaniah’s audience. Second, to read such a meaning into verse 7, one must remove it out of context. This takes us to another (and more reasonable) explanation. Verse 8 appears to identify those sacrificed as the leaders of Jerusalem as well as those who adopt the practices of foreign nations. In the context of Judah’s current political situation and Zephaniah’s prophecy, those who were invited and indeed consecrated by God to invade Jerusalem would be the Babylonians. Verses 9-11 offer cultural details significant to Jerusalem’s inhabitants indicating the level of despair they can expect in response to their idolatry, deceit, and violence.

1:12-13 – FULLFILMENT OF GOD’S WORD

The complacency of Judah has become intolerable to the Lord not unlike that of the lukewarm believers of Laodicea (Rev. 3:15-16). They go as far as to say that God will not intervene, for good or bad. Counting on God’s indifference may account for their pursuit of other gods. Isaiah pronounces woe to those who continue sinning while mocking the Lord, saying, “Let Him hurry, let Him do His work quickly, so that we may see it; and let the plan of the Holy One of Israel approach and come to pass, so that we may know it!” (Isa. 5:19, NASB). Judah has continuously broken the “if/then” covenant established by the Levitical Law: earning all the horror that will soon befall them. Zephaniah here lists only three specific consequences for Judah’s sins (verse 13) while the law of Moses contains 107 curses that will befall God’s people should they disobey Him (Deut. 28:15-68).

1:14-2:3 – JUDAH DESERVES GOD’S WRATH

More than deserving “normal” judgment for sinning, Judah also warrant God’s wrath. The context tells us that “the great day of the Lord,” also called, “the day of the Lord,” and “the day of the Lord’s anger” all refer to that time in their near future when Nebuchadnezzar’s army invades and destroys Jerusalem (Zeph. 1:7, 14, 18). God’s wrath/anger is usually reserved in the Bible not just for those pursuing wickedness but those who pretend to serve the one true God while misleading others by their ungodly behavior and influence. Judah was guilty of this as well as the pharisees of Jesus’ day (Matt. 23), the false teachers at Pergamum (Rev. 2:14-16), and who drink from the cup of the harlot of Babylon (Rev. 17-18). Incurring God’s wrath is not a matter of ignorance but of intentional disobedience under the guise of obedience. My opinion is that this is the eternal sin of which Jesus speaks (Mark 3:29; Luke 12:10): to knowingly misrepresent God (and in our case, Christ) as the true form of Christianity.

Once again I feel the need to address eschatological misinterpretations. Many evangelical Christians are taught to believe that “the day of the Lord” always and only means the day that Jesus returns to establish His kingdom. There are four problems with this teaching. (1) Lamentations 2:22 refers to this same event in the past tense. (2) This “day of the Lord” is “near, near and coming very quickly! (Zeph. 1:14, NASB). (3) Each phrase in this passage has nearly identical phrases in Jeremiah or Lamentations: several of which are direct fulfillments by the Babylonian conquest. (4) When Jesus returns, birds will feast on Christ’s enemies whereas the birds in Zephaniah’s prophecies are swept away (Zeph. 1:3). (4) Christ will not “make a complete end, indeed a horrifying one, of all the inhabitants of the earth” when He returns (Zeph. 1:18). Once again, “the earth,” in this context means, “the land,” which makes sense because all of Jerusalem’s inhabitants will be killed or scattered when they fall to the Babylonians.

2:1-3 – JUDAH CALLED TO HUMILITY

Judah is not properly ashamed of their idolatrous behavior. They are like the Pharisee who thanked God that he was not like other people instead of humbling himself as the tax collector did (Luke 18:11-13). God will exalt His children who humble themselves (Isa. 61:1; Luke 18:14).

Notice that God does not offer to withdraw His decree or anger; rather, he offers forgiveness to those who humbly repent before the day that His wrath arrives. It is too late for Judah to escape judgment; however, like the few who had “not soiled their garments” at the church of Sardis (Rev. 3:4-5, NASB), God will spare anyone who truly repents in this last hour. Unfortunately, Jerusalem’s inhabitants are too deceived to consider God’s grace. While each day that passes, in which Judah remains free from Babylonian captivity, may seem like a blessing of the Lord to those who value safety and status, the days themselves pass “like chaff” (the worthless husk of grains) because there is no value in living with the security of divine protection guaranteed by false prophets (Zeph. 2:2, NASB). Jerusalem traded in the bride for the prostitute, the authentic for the forgery, when they divided their loyalties between the gods of other nations. God could not let them remain unpunished indefinitely if His decree with them was to carry weight with them or the other nations.

We read of this pattern of God’s extended but limited timetable for repentance. For instance, Sodom was inhabited by “exceedingly wicked sinners” (Gen. 13:13, NASB). Their depravity was such that our English word, “sodomy,” is based on reprehensible sexual immorality, including homosexuality and bestiality. However, it is not until six chapters later that God smites Sodom with “brimstone and fire” (Gen. 19:24, NASB). Not only did fewer than ten righteous citizens remain, but debased behavior consumed the young and the old, from every part of the city (Gen. 18:32; 19:4). As evil as Sodom had become, Jeremiah writes, “The wrongdoing of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom” (Lam. 4:6; cf. Rev. 11:8, NASB).

2:4-7 – JUDGMENT AGAINST PHILISTINES

The rest of chapter 2 refers to Judah’s surrounding nations: the lands of the Philistines to the West, Moab and Ammon to the East, Cush to the South, and Assyria to the North. These four lands appear to be more geographically significant than a comprehensive list of the nations that will suffer God’s judgment. For instance, Edom is not mentioned but is promised the Lord’s vengeance elsewhere (Ezek. 25:12-14). Since there are those in Judah who disbelieve Zephaniah’s prophecy concerning their wickedness, he appeals to a more physically observable method of acknowledging the Babylonian threat. As they witness the lands around them fall, hopefully they will remember Zephaniah’s words and believe that their own destruction is near.

Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, and Ekron were four of five major Philistine cities in biblical history. The fifth city, Gath, appears to have lost significance by this time (cf. Amos 1:6-8). The identity of the Cherethites is unknown; however, they inhabit the “seacoast,” which likely connects them with the Philistines (Zeph. 2:5, NASB). Because of the similarities of the names and their association as a sea-people, they could have originated from Crete.

What remains of their land after the Philistines are destroyed will be settled by Judah’s survivors and turned into pastures. This occupation by this particular tribe is fitting since God specifically gave Judah these coastlands including Ekron, Ashdod, and Gaza (Josh. 15:11-12, 20, 45-47).

2:8-11 – JUDGMENT AGAINST MOAB & AMMON

The Moabites and Ammonites earned “permanent desolation” for their mockery and treatment of the Lord’s people (Zeph. 2:9, NASB). God’s judgment yielded the same fate that consumed Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:24-25). Just like the Philistines, these tribes would lose their land to the remnant of Judah.

2:12 – JUDGMENT AGAINST CUSH

Cush is most frequently identified with Ethiopia, although its people were spread out much wider than the modern borders of Ethiopia might suggest. In Zephaniah’s day, Cushite influence included the significant kingdom of Egypt (cf. Num. 12:1).

2:13-15 – JUDGMENT AGAINST ASSYRIA

The Lord’s elimination of Nineveh fulfills Jonah’s prediction of their destruction due to the severity of wickedness, albeit much later than 40 days from the time Jonah warned them. God’s wrath was delayed because of their repentance in Jonah’s day just as His wrath on Judah came not during King Josiah’s repentance but later. Self-aggrandizing her own importance, like the harlot of Revelation 17 or Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:30), she is devastated into ruins and becomes the contempt of passersby.

Interestingly, there are several translations for those two types of animals who take residents upon the remaining columns in verse 14. The following interpretations vary depending on which birds or rodents translators believe were common in the land at that time and applied to the context.

Translation qā-’aṯ and qip-pōḏ

NASB pelican* and hedgehog

KJV cormorant and bittern

NKJV pelican and bittern

NIV desert owl and screech owl

TLB vultures and owls

ESV owl and hedgehog**

NCV owls and crows

NET owls***

RSV vulture and hedgehog****

TLV little owl and great owl

* or owl or jackdaw

** identity of both uncertain

*** some type of bird, owl, or rodent

**** identity of hedgehog uncertain

3:1-13 – FURTHER JUDGMENT AGAINST JERUSALEM

The focus of the Lord’s judgment is returned to Jerusalem for the entirety of the final chapter. We might wonder if this section applies to Babylon; however, there are three reasons why Jerusalem alone fits the descriptions. First, the lands mentioned in chapter 2 were guilty of persecuting Jerusalem while Babylon was an emerging empire who had not yet become their enemy. Second, verse 1 states that this city is “rebellious” and has “done violence to the Law” (NASB). With respect to the Lord, these are accusations that can only fit a city who has a prior commitment to obey the Hebrew God. Lastly, verse 5 states, “The Lord is righteous within her” (NASB, emphasis added), which can only apply to Jerusalem.

Following the list of faults of the city at large comes four types of officials who have led Jerusalem to her destruction: leaders, judges, prophets, and priests (Zeph. 3:3-4). Corruption had crept into every branch of their governing institutions. Their respective system of “checks and balances” failed because of their repeated rebellion and stubbornness that caused them to dismiss God’s true prophets. James warns that those representing God in leadership positions are held to higher accountability than others (Jam. 3:1). It appears that Judah’s leaders valued their positions for the status rather than the opportunity to serve (cf. Mark 9:35; John 13:14-15).

Historically, the promise of God’s blessings was insufficient to keep the leadership of Judah from turning their hearts toward evil. Since God’s love was unable to sway them into obedience, He eliminated their neighbors for the same sins Jerusalem was committing, saying, “You will certainly revere Me, you will accept discipline… Instead, they were eager to corrupt all their deeds” (Zeph. 3:7, NASB). Judah left God only one choice, and He, as a loving and good Father, brought destruction on the many to save the few who would follow Him (Zeph. 3:12-13).

3:14-20 – RESTORATION OF THE REMNANT AND JERUSALEM

Zephaniah changed his addresses from “the remnant of the house of Judah” to “the remnant of Israel” (Zeph. 2:7; 3:13, NASB). He is speaking to the same group because the remnant from Judah are still Israelites, God’s chosen people. This remnant is the blessed people spoken of starting in verse 14. The descendants of the remnant can look forward to the end of sorrow when their captivity to the Babylonians comes to an end seventy years after it begins. God fulfills His promise to gather His people back to Jerusalem and restore her (Ezra 3:1; 9:9; Neh. 3:8).

CONCLUSION (applications)

There are three applications I would like to offer. First, Zephaniah was one of many prophets but one of few true prophets. Jerusalem was infested with false prophets who believed in characteristics of God inconsistent with His words, behavior, and historical patterns. So too, we who live in America today are plagued by many teachers, preachers, and college professors who misunderstand and, therefore, misrepresent the God of the Bible. Husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, or parents and children are being divided over biblical issues largely because of bad teaching (cf. Luke 12:51-53). The solution to this problem is the same as in Zephaniah’s day: become the remnant who know their Master’s voice and follow it (John 10:4). The only way to know His voice is to learn His character. Is what you’re being taught about our Lord consistent with all of the Bible and not just certain verses? Have you studied for yourself what is being said from behind the pulpit like the Bereans did (Acts 17:10-12)? And perhaps most importantly, can you be humble enough to modify or even abandon your long-held beliefs if they do not align with Scripture? In other words, do you have reasonable faith?

Second, Molech was worshipped by Israelites for over 300 years. The most horrific practice of serving this Canaanite god was the burning of live children for the deity’s favor and protection. By comparison, Americans worshipped slavery above God for 89 years until it was abolished and still pays various consequences. How many years will Americans continue to worship abortion above God, and what will that cost? Or will our depravity continue, like Jerusalem, until we become worse than Sodom too?

Lastly, there was a misconception in Jerusalem that God does not intervene nor care about the affairs of men, which led them to spiritual stagnation. I have met this attitude often within the church. Congregants will say the right things and perform routine rituals, but with no hunger for the Lord, no desire to develop their abilities, nor independent (but biblically guided) thoughts to question the status quo. Comfort and stagnation are mistaken for the blessings of the Lord. The antidote for stagnation is to obey each word of Jesus’ instructions, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27, NASB).

May 31, 2022