The Day of The Lord

Zephaniah ministered during the reign of Josiah (640-609 BC). Internal evidence in the book suggest that his message came prior to the revival during Josiah’s reign, 622/621 BC.

Zephaniah’s name means “Yahweh has hidden (protected).” He is God’s man for God’s message to God’s place for God’s people.

His lineage is listed in verse 1, going back four generations. There are two things to note here:

the name of his father is derived from Egypt. That may mean Zephaniah is of Egyptian descent, or it may mean a member of his family was.

Te emphasis on the name Hezekiah and it being traced as a forefather may refer to the king Hezekiah, the great-grandfather of Josiah, King of Judah. If this is Hezekiah the king, then Zephaniah is a prophet with a royal bloodline, a distant relative of Josiah. As such, he would have insider knowledge of how a righteous kingdom should be managed and what happens when unrighteousness runs without restraint throughout the land.

Zephaniah was a no-nonsense writer and speaker. With the times and the issues far too important to waste any time, he jumps right in and wastes no time launching into the hard facts as he delivers God’s message.

1. Universal divine judgment is coming, 1:2-4a.

A. It is coming upon the the world, vs. 2-3.

“I will completely remove all things”— the total destruction of all things— “from the face of the earth” This is a stunning declaration by the LORD. This is not a contradiction of the Noahic covenant, Gen 9:8-11

Genesis 9:8–11 NASB95

Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying, “Now behold, I Myself do establish My covenant with you, and with your descendants after you; and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you; of all that comes out of the ark, even every beast of the earth. “I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth.”

The apostle Peter speaks of a future destruction by fire, 2 Peter 3:10-13

2 Peter 3:10–13 NASB95

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

The destruction described here in verse 3 is comprehensive in its scope. God declares He will remove man, beast, birds, fish, the wicked and the ruins of their dwelling places.

He will cut off man from the face of the earth, which is similar to His declaration to Noah, Gen. 6:7

Genesis 6:7 NASB95

The Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”

B. It is coming upon Judah and Jerusalem, vs. 4a.

Now He turns toward His people in His land, who may have thought they would be spared. But the LORD will stretch out His hand toward them too. The LORD is going to clean up the land, starting with His own house

2. The causes of the judgment, 1:4b-6.

A. The worship of Baal, v. 4b.

Baal will be evicted from the LORD’s house. All Baal worship will be completely destroyed [cut off] ‘from this place’ — Judah and Jerusalem.

The ‘names’ of the idolatrous priests along with the priests — not only those priests but their descendants will be cut off.

B. The worship of astral bodies, v. 5a.

Those who worship the astral deities, ‘the hosts of heaven,’ will be cut off.

C. The divided loyalties in worship, v. 5b.

Those who would bow down and swear to the LORD, yet in the next breath swear by Milcom, the god of the Ammonites. These have divided loyalties and seek to cover their bases. These double-minded worshippers will be shown the door as well as ...

D. The apostates v. 6a.

They have chosen to turn back from following the LORD. However, what they have turned to ensnares them in the future judgment that is coming.

E. The ones rejecting the LORD, v. 6b.

They neither seek Him nor inquire of Him. They may consider Him not worth the energy— or not worth their time.

All these reasons bring God’s judgment. The people sought to worship the gods they made, rather than the God who made them. They will then suffer the same fate as their idols/gods.

And it is coming …

3. The nearness of the judgment, 1:7.

The call for silence before the LORD— no one can question His purpose; be silent before Him in awesome respect and awe for Him.

The day of the LORD is near. It is a time of judgment for God’s enemies and a time of hope for God’s people. It is used to describe God’s intervention in human history, like in Joel 2:1-11

Joel 2:1–11 NASB95

Blow a trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the day of the Lord is coming; Surely it is near, A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn is spread over the mountains, So there is a great and mighty people; There has never been anything like it, Nor will there be again after it To the years of many generations. A fire consumes before them And behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them But a desolate wilderness behind them, And nothing at all escapes them. Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; And like war horses, so they run. With a noise as of chariots They leap on the tops of the mountains, Like the crackling of a flame of fire consuming the stubble, Like a mighty people arranged for battle. Before them the people are in anguish; All faces turn pale. They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like soldiers; And they each march in line, Nor do they deviate from their paths. They do not crowd each other, They march everyone in his path; When they burst through the defenses, They do not break ranks. They rush on the city, They run on the wall; They climb into the houses, They enter through the windows like a thief. Before them the earth quakes, The heavens tremble, The sun and the moon grow dark And the stars lose their brightness. The Lord utters His voice before His army; Surely His camp is very great, For strong is he who carries out His word. The day of the Lord is indeed great and very awesome, And who can endure it?

The day of the LORD is also used to describe God’s intervention at the end of history,like in 1 Thess. 5:1-5

1 Thessalonians 5:1–5 NASB95

Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;

This reference is focusing on the prepared sacrifice (the people of Judah and Jerusalem), and the consecrated guests (the Babylonians). Then …

4. The extent of the judgment, 1:8-13.

ON the day of the LORD’s sacrifice = Day of the LORD. The judgment of God will extend to the royals (princes, the king’s sons), nobles and rich (all who clothe themselves with foreign garments), and oppressors who leap on the temple threshold, possibly a contrast in reference to the worshippers of Dagon in 1 Sam 5:5

1 Samuel 5:5 NASB95

Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor all who enter Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

These were operating on their own agenda, not the LORD’s.

Also to be punished would be the businessmen and merchants who profited from the avarice of the perverse worship and corrupt administration of the kingdom.

The fish gate is in the north wall, the entrance to the business district of Jerusalem; the Second Quarter is the business district itself; the hills are the prominent places of Jerusalem. The Mortar is believed to refer to the western valley of Jerusalem.

I will search Jerusalem with lamps— this speaks of the LORD’s thoroughness in cleaning house.

He will punish the spiritually indifferent.

even material possessions will be judged:

Leviticus 26:32–33 NASB95

‘I will make the land desolate so that your enemies who settle in it will be appalled over it. ‘You, however, I will scatter among the nations and will draw out a sword after you, as your land becomes desolate and your cities become waste.

Deuteronomy 28:30 NASB95

“You shall betroth a wife, but another man will violate her; you shall build a house, but you will not live in it; you shall plant a vineyard, but you will not use its fruit.

Deuteronomy 28:39 NASB95

“You shall plant and cultivate vineyards, but you will neither drink of the wine nor gather the grapes, for the worm will devour them.

Then starting in verse 14 the language changes, speaking of a day tof coming judgment, by using universal language. An example of the wrath of God was unleashed on the Egyptians and His awesome power was displayed at Sinai.

What follows is the full scope of that day...

5. The description of the judgment, 1:14-18.

Descriptive language used: It is a day …

where the warrior cries bitterly

of wrath

trouble and distress

destruction and desolation

darkness and gloom

clouds and thick darkness

trumpet and battle cry

All the places where men thought they might find safety will prove worthless.

I will bring distress on men - this is a general statement, not specifically to one people group and points to a universal judgment.

The cause: sin. God holds an agenda for nations, cities, families, and individuals, and He will hold all accountable to it! Judah had heard Zephaniah’s basic message preached to them by many prophets previously, but they haven’t taken heed ...

Not even their riches will be able to save them in day of the LORD’s wrath against Judah, nor in that future day when He will make a complete end. Verse 18 presents a horrible ending… Is there any hope at all?

… God still offers a call to repentance.

6. The call to repentance, 2:1-3.

God knows His people are ‘a nation without shame,’ yet He calls them to gether together quickly before it is too late and the day of the LORD’s anger comes upon them. They are to seek the LORD. They can be protected from the LORD’s anger as they humble themselves to once again carry out His ordinances, seeking His righteousness in humility. This is their only hope for preservation in the day of the LORD’s anger.

The question is whether they will accept the LORD’s protection, or reject the message of coming judgment to their own destruction.