Zephaniah 1

Introduction

The prophet Zephaniah ministered during the reign of the good king Josiah (640-609 BC). He was also a contemporary of the prophets Jeremiah, Nahum and Habakkuk. His name in Hebrew means “the Lord hides” or “he whom the Lord hides.” [1] Since biblical names often indicate something about the person, we can assume that Zephaniah had been hidden or protected in one way or another. John Phillips, Director of Moody Correspondence School, suggests that he may have been hidden somehow from the wicked King Manasseh. [2]

Much like the prophet Joel, Zephaniah spoke much of the coming “Day of the Lord,” or God’s Day of judgment upon evil. In fact, he uses the expression more than any other Old Testament prophet, except for Joel.

Zephaniah may have missed Josiah’s great revival since he fails to mention it. James Montgomery Boice, long-time speaker for the Bible Study Hour, notes how the prophet predicts the fall of Nineveh in verse 2:13. Since Nineveh fell in 612 BC, Zephaniah certainly must have prophesied before that time. [3] The great revival sprang from the Book of the Law being discovered in the temple (2 Chron. 34:14ff.) and began in 629 BC. It appears that the revival was not a deep soul-changing and nation-changing event. As soon as King Josiah died, the people went back to all their previous sins.

Phillips says that before the revival, “Every form of religious wickedness and every kind of moral perversion were practiced. Josiah even had to break down the houses of the Sodomites ‘that were in the house of the Lord’ (2 Ki. 23:7).” [4] How that compares to our day when the homosexual flag is now flying from many American churches.

Boice notes how Zephaniah alludes to other prophets and their writings. See Zephaniah 1:7 as compared to Habakkuk 2:20, Isaiah 13:3, and 34:6. Zephaniah 1:14-18 echoes Joel 2:1-2 and Amos 5:18-20. He says, “This is the key to understanding Zephaniah: to see that his book is a summary of the prophets who have preceded him. His position in the corpus of the Minor Prophets may be meant to indicate this.” [5]

The word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, during the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah: Zephaniah 1:1.

In his introduction, Zephaniah gives us something interesting. He carries his genealogy back four generations, and that is rare. English Bible scholar, Peter Pett remarks, “The detailed genealogy, unusual for a prophet, suggests that his was an important family, and we are probably therefore to see the Hezekiah mentioned as the king of that name. He was thus of the royal house.” [1] Commentators feel that the prophet even lived and ministered in the Jerusalem area (cf. 1:4, 10, 11, 12).

We see something else of interest in his introduction. His father’s name was “Cushi.” In the Hebrew language, this would have indicated that the father was of Cushite or Ethiopian lineage. The marrying of a foreigner could not be accepted unless one could show a pure Jewish pedigree for three generations (Deut. 23:8). [2] Apparently, Zephaniah could do that. One wonders if the father was associated with the ancient Ethiopian Jewish community. Thousands from this community have now immigrated to Israel.

The Coming Destruction

“I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD. “I will sweep away both man and beast; I will sweep away the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea – and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble. When I destroy all mankind on the face of the earth,” declares the LORD, Zephaniah 1:2-3

Zephaniah wastes no time in focusing on God’s terrible judgment that is to come. The judgment against sin is so thorough that it affects all of nature. We would have to go to the Book of Revelation, to chapters 8, 9, 16 and others to find such destruction as Zephaniah mentions. Prolific Bible commentator and religious broadcaster, Warren Wiersbe says, “There will be cosmic disturbances that will affect the course of nature and cause the people to cry out for a place to hide (Amos 5:18; 8:9; Joel 2:1-2, 10, 30-32; Rev. 6:12-17).” [3] One thing is made clear here. The sin of human beings affects all of nature.

We notice this very thing in Genesis. As mankind fell, all of nature was changed. The Bible tells us that the earth was made by the word of God (Jn. 1:1-3). In addition, the earth is sustained by that same word of God (Heb. 1:3). When humans discard and abuse the word of God, then all of nature is affected.

When God says “all mankind” will be swept from the earth he is certainly not talking about the true believers. These are mentioned in 2:3, 7, and 9. He makes this clear in several other passages like Proverbs 10:25: “When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.” God also says, “The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever” (Psa. 37:29). Proverbs 10:30 states: “The righteous will never be uprooted, but the wicked will not remain in the land.” The Bible is clear that God’s people will remain on the earth.

“I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem. I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place, the very names of the idolatrous priests – ” (1:4). God’s stretched out or upraised hand signifies a great work of vengeance in the Bible (cf. Isa. 5:25; 9:12, 17, 21). Baal worship was the religion of the Canaanites. God destroyed them because of their false worship and gave their land to the Israelites. How sad, that the Israelites forsook their glorious God and began to worship defeated Baal. God was determined to destroy every remnant of Baal. Then the saints will even reign on earth with Jesus (Rev. 5:10).

The idolatrous priests in the Hebrew language are called the Chemarim. Jewish scholar Charles Feinberg says, “The very name of the Chemarim would disappear also. They were the idol priests (Ho. 10:5), whom Josiah put down (2 Ki. 23:5). The Hebrew means ‘black’ (from the black garments they wore) or ‘zealous’ (for their fanaticism in idolatry).” [4] These pagan priests were leading the people of Israel to mix their unique faith with idolatry. Matthew Henry, a seventeenth-century British minister and commentator says, “If Satan have half, he will have all; if the Lord have but half, he will have none.” [5]

“Those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the LORD and who also swear by Molek, those who turn back from following the LORD and neither seek the LORD nor inquire of him (1:5-6). Molek was the detestable god of the Ammonites (1 Ki. 11:5) who required child sacrifice in his worship. The Hebrew in this verse reads Malcam and means “their king.” [6] How tragic that the Israelites were rejecting the King of the Universe for this phony idol king.

We note that the Jews were worshipping from their rooftops as well. They, like numerous pagans, worshipped the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon and stars. God had long before commanded his people not to do such things (Deut. 4:19).

God’s Response

Be silent before the Sovereign LORD, for the day of the LORD is near. The LORD has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated those he has invited. Zephaniah 1:7

Judah is commanded to be quiet before this stark and grim picture (Hab. 2:20). God is preparing a great banquet with Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian soldiers as the invited guests. In this awful picture, Judah and Jerusalem would become the sacrifice for this great feast. Judah’s blood would be offered up and Judah would be burned in the fire and given over to the enemy.

“On the day of the LORD’s sacrifice I will punish the officials and the king’s sons and all those clad in foreign clothes” (1:8). Calvary Chapel Pastor and commentator, David Guzik, says: “The priests and leaders of Judah were ashamed of their national identity, so they loved to dress in foreign apparel. They wanted to be as much like the worldly nations around them as they could possibly be.” [7] How tragic that it was the leaders of Judah who were setting such an example. God would very soon give all of them their fill of foreigners. How sad it is today that many Christians are importing the customs of foreign religions, such as Yoga, martial arts and Eastern meditation.

“On that day I will punish all who avoid stepping on the threshold, who fill the temple of their gods with violence and deceit” (1:9). There certainly seems to be some reference here to the Philistine god Dagon who fell before the Ark of God. Dagon’s head and hands were lying on the threshold. After that spiritual disaster, the pagans refused to step on the threshold (1 Sam. 5:5).

A custom developed in paganism regarding this. Since there is a reference to violence and deceit in the verse some commentators feel that burglary and thievery are involved in this custom. Perhaps they never stepped on the threshold when they were robbing a house.

“‘On that day,’ declares the LORD, ‘a cry will go up from the Fish Gate, wailing from the New Quarter, and a loud crash from the hills’” (1:10). The Fish Gate was west of the Sheep Gate and each gate had a defensive tower near it, the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel. The Babylonians thoroughly destroyed this whole north side of the city. They actually entered the city through the Fish Gate. [8] We see that the Fish Gate had to be rebuilt in the later time of Nehemiah. Marvin Breneman, Buenos Aires Professor of Old Testament, says of it: “The ‘Fish Gate’ was near the northwest corner, probably also called the Ephraim Gate (Neh. 8:16; 12;39; 2 Kgs. 14:13) and the Middle Gate (Jer. 39:3). There probably was a fish market there at one time. It is thought to have been near the location of the present-day Damascus Gate.” [9]

Roads from this gate led north to the Sea of Galilee and toward Tyre (Neh. 13:16). These areas were the sources of most fish in Jerusalem. Israel had a warm climate much of the year so we need to understand that many fish were salted before they were transported. At the Sea of Galilee, fish were salted in Magdala, the hometown of Mary Magdalene.

The New Quarter or Second Quarter was the name given to the city’s extension on the western ridge to the north side (2 Kgs. 22:14; 2 Chr. 34:22; Neh. 11:9). Although it was protected by an outer wall it was not in the main city. The loud crash and noise from the hills could have been the cutting down of trees that were used for the siege of Jerusalem. [10]

“Wail, you who live in the market district; all your merchants will be wiped out, all who trade with silver will be destroyed” (1:11). We hear the wail going up as the Babylonians enter each part of the city. Here they enter the market area and we note how the merchants are wiped out and destroyed. This market area is called the makhtesh in Hebrew. This probably indicates that the market was in a trough or hollowed-out area. [11] It could have been part of the Tyropoeon Valley. It is interesting that today two tourist sites in Israel’s Negev desert are named the Makhtesh Gadol (Great), and the Makhtesh Katan (Small). These are vast hollowed-out geological formations. The Hebrew usage indicates that the market area was also in a hollowed-out area of Jerusalem.

“At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, ‘The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.’” (1:12). The people of Jerusalem had grown complacent. They felt that they served a “do nothing” God. Baptist professor Bob Utley remarks: “This is ‘practical’ atheism on the part of the apathetic inhabitants of Jerusalem (cf. Ezek. 8:12; 9:9).” [12] They soon learned that God was doing something. He was destroying them by using the Babylonian army.

Jerusalem’s residents had become like stale wine left on its lees (dregs or settlement). Phillips comments: “New wine was left on the lees only long enough to fix its color and body. If the wine was not then drawn off, it became thick and syrupy. Likewise, men who were ‘settled on their lees: would be slothful and indifferent.’” [13]

Scottish theologian, George Adam Smith, brings this situation down to our present time saying: “We have today the same mass of obscure, nameless persons, who oppose their almost unconquerable inertia against all vital religion. The great causes of God and humanity are not defeated by the hot assaults of the devil, but by the slow, crushing, glacier-like mass of thousands and thousands of indifferent nobodies. God’s causes are never destroyed by being blown up, but by being sat upon.” [14] God was searching Jerusalem for such as these. He was probing the city’s dark corners with lamps.

“Their wealth will be plundered, their houses demolished. Though they build houses, they will not live in them; though they plant vineyards, they will not drink the wine” (1:13). The Bible is clear that wealth will become a liability in the Day of the Lord. The prophet Isaiah speaks of this saying: “In that day people will throw away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made to worship” (Isa. 2:20). In the later fall of Jerusalem under the Romans (AD 70), the bodies of Jewish escapees were cut open as the enemy searched for bits of hidden gold and silver. [15] Certainly, houses, farms and vineyards will be of no help on that day. People will be chased from the comforts of their homes and farms.

The Great Day Of The Lord

The great day of the LORD is near – near and coming quickly. The cry on the day of the LORD is bitter; the Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry. Zephaniah 1:14

Throughout the ages, most of the prophets of God spoke about this dreadful day that is coming upon the earth. The prophets of old often called it “the Day of the Lord” (Joel 2:28-32; Amos 5:18-20; Obad. 1:15; Isa. 2:12ff.).

The early Christians looked forward to this special time and they also called it “the Day of the Lord,” just as the prophets had done before them (1 Cor. 5:5; 1 Thess. 5:2). They had several other designations for this period. They referred to it simply as “the day” (2 Thess. 1:10), and sometimes as “that day” (2 Tim. 1:12; 2 Pet. 3:12). In addition, they called it “the day of Christ” (Phil. 1:10; 2:16). It is variously referred to by other titles such as “the day of God’s wrath” (Rom. 2:5); “the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30); “the day of evil” (Eph. 6:13); “the day he visits us” (1 Pet. 2:12); and “the day of judgment” (2 Pet. 2:9). In these differing expressions the Bible is describing for us Christ’s coming kingdom and the terrible suffering that will precede and accompany it.

Prophetic fulfillment is often a strange and puzzling thing. The word of God can be partially fulfilled on more than one occasion leading up to the final fulfillment. Sometimes we see prophecy related to the partial and final fulfillments woven tightly together as in Matthew 24. In this chapter, it is almost impossible to separate events relating to the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70, from events concerning the end of the age. Both are in fact “Days of the Lord.” [16] Thus we can see that the Day of the Lord was coming in Zephaniah’s day, in Isaiah’s day, and also in Jesus’ day. It was partially fulfilled at least three major times, in the defeat and captivity of the northern tribes of Israel by the Assyrians in 722 BC, of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC, and by the Romans in AD 70.

There is one thing for sure. The Day of the Lord is coming today and it is coming quickly. Among other things, there will be much warfare on that final day. All nations of the earth will gather to invade and destroy Israel. It will be a difficult time for all believers but it will bring forth God’s final deliverance for his people.

“That day will be a day of wrath – a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness – day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the corner towers” (1:15-16). The Day of the Lord will be a terrible day of warfare, judgment and disaster. This day of wrath was pictured clearly in the Babylonian invasion of 586 BC, where Judah was conquered, and its people carried away into captivity. The awful Day of the Lord was pictured much later in the Roman Conquest of Jerusalem and all of Israel in AD 70. In that dreadful day close to a million Jewish people perished and nearly a hundred thousand were taken captive to the nations. [17]

Now, we await the final Day of the Lord, which will be the greatest battle and the most widespread destruction in the history of the world. It will begin with a great trumpet sound. In that final battle, the wicked will be destroyed, but the righteous will be delivered. For the wicked, it will be a day of distress, ruin, darkness and blackness.

“I will bring such distress on all people that they will grope about like those who are blind, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like dung” (1:17). In this verse the Lord shifts from the Day of the Lord upon Judah to the Day of the Lord upon all the earth. Many of the world’s sinners will grope around like blind people and there will be much bloodshed of the world’s armies as they are assembled to destroy Israel (Rev. 19:17-21).

“Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the LORD’s wrath.” In the fire of his jealousy the whole earth will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live on the earth” (1:18). Here once more the prophet makes it quite plain that the final Day of the Lord will be universal and include punishment of the whole earth. Once again, he makes clear that wealth will not save a person on that day. Churches of Christ leader and Bible commentator, James Burton Coffman describes this last day: “All of the smooth infidels who have scoffed at holy religion will dramatically discover their fatal error, and the mightiest of all the earth shall scream for the rocks and mountains to fall upon them and hide them from the face of the Lamb and from him that sits upon the throne, a throne which they would not believe even existed!” [18]

Footnotes

1. Charles L. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1990), p. 221.

2. John Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1998), p. 226.

3. James Montgomery Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 2 (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1986), p. 439.

4. Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets, p. 224.

5. Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 2, p. 438.

Chapter 1

1. Peter Pett, Pett’s Commentary on the Bible, Zephaniah, 2013, v. 1:1. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/pet/zephaniah-1.html.

2. Quoted in James Burton Coffman, Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible, Zephaniah. University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999. v.1:1. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/bcc/zephaniah-1.html.

3. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2007), p. 1483.

4. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 223.

5. Matthew Henry, Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible, Zephaniah, 1706, vs. 1:1-6. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/mhn/zephaniah-1.html.

6. Pett, Pett’s Commentary on the Bible, Zephaniah, vs. 1:4-6.

7. David Guzik, The Enduring Word Bible Commentary, 2024, vs. 1:7-9. enduringword.com.

8. Robert Jamieson, A.R Fausset, David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Commentary on Zephaniah, 1871-8, v. 1:10. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/jfb/zephaniah-1.html.

9. Mervin Breneman, Ezra, Nehemiah & Esther, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1993), p. 187.

10. Pett, Pett’s Commentary on the Bible, Zephaniah, v. 1:10.

11. Charles F. Pfeiffer & Everett F. Harrison, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1979), p. 885.

12. Bob Utley, Free Bible Study, Zephaniah, v. 1:12. https://www.freebiblecommentary.org/old_testament_studies/VOL10BOT/VOL10BOT.html

13. Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets, p. 230.

14. Quoted in Coffman, Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible, Zephaniah, v. 1:12.

15. William Whiston, Trans. Josephus Complete Works (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1960), p. 569.

16. Renald Showers, Israel My Glory, https://israelmyglory.org/article/the-biblical-concept-of-the-day-of-the-lord/

17. Whiston, Trans. Josephus Complete Works, p. 587.

18. Coffman, Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible, Zephaniah, v. 1:18.