Intro to Zephaniah

The prophet Zephaniah is a person that we consider to be of incredible social standing. He appears to be related to the royal line, and that would be the king Hezekiah.

The first verse shows us the connection to that royal line of people. From everything we know, He is the fourth generation descendant of king Hezekiah, who ruled well from 715 to 686 bc.

Now Micah deals carefully and compassionately with the problems of the common people, Zephaniah seems to deal with more with the court circles and current political issues. He would most likely be familiar with the writings of Isaiah and Amos and may have been aware of the ministry that young Jeremiah was conducting as well.

We know that Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of King Josiah (640-609 bc) and would be a contemporary of Jeremiah, Nahum and perhaps Habakkuk. His purpose appears to be of the nature of announcing God’s judgement that is soon coming to Judah.

Nahum and perhaps Habakkuk. His purpose appears to be of the nature of announcing God’s judgement that is soon coming to Judah.

The main theme is the coming day of the Lord wherein the Lord will judge the nations including apostate Judah. But there is hope, the Lord will help his people in the end. There will be a remnant saved...

So lets begin and look at our 1 chapter here in Zephaniah

Lers begin with verse 1

Zephaniah 1:1 ESV

1 The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

The book opens with a common phrase, the word of the Lord came to… that was a common intro phrase for a prophet or prophecy.

Now the name Zephaniah means The Lord hides or the Lord protects, and it speaks to the fact that the the Lord hid him from the wicked kings Manasseh and Amon. Now these kings were the ones who followed after the good King Josiah .

Now these

Now we believe that Zephaniah was more closely related to the ruling class than Isaiah was, giving him more access to certain circles in the govt, and the religious leaders of the day.

We also, from all that we can tell suspect that Zephaniah was probably in his early 20’s when the Lord began to speak to him as call him to go and speak the word of the Lord.

Now verses 2-3

Zephaniah 1:2–3 ESV

2 “I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord. 3 “I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the rubble with the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.

Now verses 2-3

Now the analogy here is one of fruit and one of Israel. The Lord says that he will utterly sweep away everything....

when the lord speaks of fruit, he is always speaking of the nation itself. This is evident from the message he is also sending through the prophet Jeremiah,,’

Listen to Jer 8:13

Jeremiah 8:13 ESV

13 When I would gather them, declares the Lord, there are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree; even the leaves are withered, and what I gave them has passed away from them.”

Jeremiah says that there was no fruit to be found, the Lord desired, wanted to gather fruit but it has all withered, even the leaves.

So when the Lord says he would sweep away, it is judgement, it is a consuming fire upon the land...

Destruction is coming, soon Judah would be no more, at least for a season.

And verse 3, tells us just how far reaching it will be .... When we see all things mentioned we see just how much.

Zephaniah 1:3 ESV

3 “I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the rubble with the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.

Now also compare, two other prophets and

Jeremiah 9:10 ESV

10 “I will take up weeping and wailing for the mountains, and a lamentation for the pastures of the wilderness, because they are laid waste so that no one passes through, and the lowing of cattle is not heard; both the birds of the air and the beasts have fled and are gone.

and then

Hosea 4:3 ESV

3 Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it languish, and also the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens, and even the fish of the sea are taken away.

Why has all this happened? Stumbling blocks… idols and idol worship brought upon the people through the wickedness of evil kings, but they merely enticed the hearts of evil people.

But these things have happened because of the idols and the idolatrys , and they will be wiped out because of their sin..

Listen to

Ezekiel 14:3–4 ESV

3 “Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them? 4 Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols,

Sin would be punished, idolatry would not be tolerated… remember : No Other Gods before Me....

Ezekiel 14:3 ESV

3 “Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them?

Ezek 14:3

Now lets move on

Zephaniah 1:4–6 ESV

4 “I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests, 5 those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the Lord and yet swear by Milcom, 6 those who have turned back from following the Lord, who do not seek the Lord or inquire of him.”

Zeph 1:

So look at verse 4… the particular name is mentioned… Judah and Jerusalem.. The tribe of Judah and the people in Jerusalem, these are the ones who will be held accountable for the sins of the nation. The Lord will make sure these things happen…

Also, we should mention here that when you speak of Judah, you also have to mention Benjamin as well. They thought they were secure because they were left behind after the 10 tribes were taken captive, but these two tribes will suffer for their sin.

and

Jerusalem is mentioned because it is the fountain head of evil, it is supposed to be the city of God not the city of some false god. So God begins by cleaning house with that city and his own sanctuary

Listen to Ezek 9:6

Ezekiel 9:6 ESV

6 Kill old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women, but touch no one on whom is the mark. And begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the house.

His house and this priests were to remain Holy unto Him and some false god..

Leviticus 10:13 ESV

13 You shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your due and your sons’ due, from the Lord’s food offerings, for so I am commanded.

Leviticus 10:3 ESV

3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’ ” And Aaron held his peace.

God is not being gloried by these actions…

Verses 5-6 shares their sin....

Those who bow down on roofs, worship their on gods…They chase after the gods of Ashtoreth and Milcon....

Listen to i Kings 11:5 and verse 33

1 Kings 11:5 ESV

5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

1 Kings 11:33 ESV

33 because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and they have not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my sight and keeping my statutes and my rules, as David his father did.

Clearly God is judging them for idolatry… for forsaking the worship o f the one true God and being disobedient. They broke the commandments of God.

and in verse 6, Zephaniah says that it is those who have turned back form the Lord, those who no longer inquire of him.

Jeremiah 2:13 ESV

13 for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Now

Zephaniah 1:7–8 ESV

7 Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near; the Lord has prepared a sacrifice and consecrated his guests. 8 And on the day of the Lord’s sacrifice— “I will punish the officials and the king’s sons and all who array themselves in foreign attire.

and so with verse 7 we see the call to be silent, to not speak, to not call out to the Lord

says

Habakkuk 2:20 ESV

20 But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.”

There is a day coming when the Lord will have vengeance upon the people who have forsaken him, and they are the guilty jews...

Zephaniah 1:9–10 ESV

9 On that day I will punish everyone who leaps over the threshold, and those who fill their master’s house with violence and fraud. 10 “On that day,” declares the Lord, “a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate, a wail from the Second Quarter, a loud crash from the hills.

The leaping over the threshold, again falls to a old pagan custom that falls back to the first five verses

1 Samuel 5:1–4 ESV

1 When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside Dagon. 3 And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4 But when they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him.

I sam

1 Samuel 5:5 ESV

5 This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

1 Samuel 15:5 ESV

5 And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley.

Amos 3:10 ESV

10 “They do not know how to do right,” declares the Lord, “those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds.”

The fish gate mentioned in verse 10 was east of the lower city, north of the sheep gate, near the stronghold of David in Mile between Zion and the lower city towards the west.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 1

This verse describes the state of the city when it was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar. It was through the fish gate that he entered the city. It received its name from the fish market which was near it. Through it passed those who used to bring fish from the lake of Tiberias and Jordan. It answers to what is now called the Damascus gate

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 1

Appropriately, the fish gate, or extreme end of the lower part of the city, first resounds with the cries of the citizens as the foe approaches; then, as he advances further, that part of the city itself, namely, its inner part; lastly, when the foe is actually come and has burst in, the hills, the higher ones, especially Zion and Moriah, on which the upper city and temple were founded

Now lets move onto verse 11

Zephaniah 1:11 ESV

11 Wail, O inhabitants of the Mortar! For all the traders are no more; all who weigh out silver are cut off.

The inhabitants of Mortar is the area between the city and the mount of Olives, they are outside the city itself, they would face peril of an intruding army first, being outside the protection of the city itself.

There were also said to be people in these areas that took advantage of others, their greed drove them to cheap people for the price of food, similar to the words of Amos the prophet.

Now lets move on to verse 12

Zephaniah 1:12 ESV

12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, ‘The Lord will not do good, nor will he do ill.’

The Chaldeans are his instrument of punishment, they will ensure that no place is left unturned…

compare it with

Luke 15:8 ESV

8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?

The Chaldeans would drag people from houses, from the streets and even the sewers and tombs. in their arrogance they would say the Lord would do nothing for them..

Psalm 10:11 ESV

11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”

The people in their sin, in their saddened state of sin will do nothing but possess a hardened heart.

Zephaniah 1:13–14 ESV

13 Their goods shall be plundered, and their houses laid waste. Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them.” 14 The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 1

13. Therefore their goods shall become a booty, &c.—Fulfilling the prophecy in De 28:30, 39 (compare Am 5:11).

14. voice of … day of … Lord—that is, Jehovah ushering in that day with a roar of vengeance against the guilty (Je 25:30; Am 1:2). They who will not now heed (Zep 1:12) His voice by His prophets, must heed it when uttered by the avenging foe.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 1

mighty … shall cry … bitterly—in hopeless despair; the might on which Jerusalem now prides itself, shall then fail utterly.

Zephaniah 1:13 ESV

13 Their goods shall be plundered, and their houses laid waste. Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them.”

Zeph 1:

Zephaniah 1:15–18 ESV

15 A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements. 17 I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. 18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the Lord. In the fire of his jealousy, all the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 1

15. wasteness … desolation—The Hebrew terms by their similarity of sounds, Shoah, Umeshoah, express the dreary monotony of desolation (see on Na 2:10).

16. the trumpet—namely, of the besieging enemy (Am 2:2).

alarm—the war shout [MAURER].

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 1

towers—literally “angles”; for city walls used not to be built in a direct line, but with sinuous curves and angles, so that besiegers advancing might be assailed not only in front, but on both sides, caught as it were in a cul-de-sac; towers were built especially at the angles. So TACITUS describes the walls of Jerusalem [Histories, 5.11.7].

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 1

17. like blind men—unable to see whither to turn themselves so as to find an escape from existing evils.

flesh—Hebrew, “bread”; so the Arabic term for “bread” is used for “flesh” (Mt 26:26).

18. Neither … silver nor … gold shall … deliver them, &c.—(Pr 11:4).

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 1

fire of his jealousy—(Ez 38:19); His wrath jealous for His honor consuming the guilty like fire.

make even a speedy riddance of all—rather, a “consummation” (complete destruction: “full end,” Je 46:28; Ez 11:13) “altogether sudden” [MAURER]. “A consumption, and that a sudden one” [CALVIN].

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 1

5. worship the host of heaven—Saba: whence, in contrast to Sabeanism, Jehovah is called Lord of Sabaoth.

upon the housetops—which were flat (2 Ki 23:5, 6, 12; Je 19:13; 32:29).

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 1

swear by the Lord—rather, “swear to JEHOVAH” (2 Ch 15:14); solemnly dedicating themselves to Him (compare Is 48:1; Ho 4:15).

and—“and yet (with strange inconsistency, 1 Ki 18:21; Ez 20:39; Mt 6:24) swear by Malcham,” that is, “their king” [MAURER]: the same as Molech (see on Am 5:25), and “Milcom the god of … Ammon” (1 Ki 11:33). If Satan have half the heart, he will have all; if the Lord have but half offered to Him, He will have none.

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Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 1

swear by the Lord—rather, “swear to JEHOVAH” (2 Ch 15:14); solemnly dedicating themselves to Him (compare Is 48:1; Ho 4:15).

Isaiah 48:1 ESV

1 Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and who came from the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of the Lord and confess the God of Israel, but not in truth or right.

Hosea 4:15 ESV

15 Though you play the whore, O Israel, let not Judah become guilty. Enter not into Gilgal, nor go up to Beth-aven, and swear not, “As the Lord lives.”

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 1

and—“and yet (with strange inconsistency, 1 Ki 18:21; Ez 20:39; Mt 6:24) swear by Malcham,” that is, “their king” [MAURER]: the same as Molech (see on Am 5:25), and “Milcom the god of … Ammon” (1 Ki 11:33). If Satan have half the heart, he will have all; if the Lord have but half offered to Him, He will have none.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 1

and—“and yet (with strange inconsistency, 1 Ki 18:21; Ez 20:39; Mt 6:24) swear by Malcham,” that is, “their king” [MAURER]: the same as Molech (see on Am 5:25), and “Milcom the god of … Ammon” (1 Ki 11:33). If Satan have half the heart, he will have all; if the Lord have but half offered to Him, He will have none.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 1

5. worship the host of heaven—Saba: whence, in contrast to Sabeanism, Jehovah is called Lord of Sabaoth.

upon the housetops—which were flat (2 Ki 23:5, 6, 12; Je 19:13; 32:29).

swear by the Lord—rather, “swear to JEHOVAH” (2 Ch 15:14); solemnly dedicating themselves to Him (compare Is 48:1; Ho 4:15).

and—“and yet (with strange inconsistency, 1 Ki 18:21; Ez 20:39; Mt 6:24) swear by Malcham,” that is, “their king” [MAURER]: the same as Molech (see on Am 5:25), and “Milcom the god of … Ammon” (1 Ki 11:33). If Satan have half the heart, he will have all; if the Lord have but half offered to Him, He will have none.

6. This verse describes more comprehensively those guilty of defection from Jehovah in any way (Je 2:13, 17).

Zephaniah 1 ESV

1 The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah. 2 “I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord. 3 “I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the rubble with the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord. 4 “I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests, 5 those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the Lord and yet swear by Milcom, 6 those who have turned back from following the Lord, who do not seek the Lord or inquire of him.” 7 Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near; the Lord has prepared a sacrifice and consecrated his guests. 8 And on the day of the Lord’s sacrifice— “I will punish the officials and the king’s sons and all who array themselves in foreign attire. 9 On that day I will punish everyone who leaps over the threshold, and those who fill their master’s house with violence and fraud. 10 “On that day,” declares the Lord, “a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate, a wail from the Second Quarter, a loud crash from the hills. 11 Wail, O inhabitants of the Mortar! For all the traders are no more; all who weigh out silver are cut off. 12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, ‘The Lord will not do good, nor will he do ill.’ 13 Their goods shall be plundered, and their houses laid waste. Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them.” 14 The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there. 15 A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements. 17 I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. 18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the Lord. In the fire of his jealousy, all the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.

Zaphaniah 1

Intro to Zephaniah

Introduction