Sermon Tone Analysis

Background

Zephaniah is the most likely author for the book.

Believed to have been written around the 7th century B.C. during the reign of king Josiah.

Zephaniah is the least known of all the twelve minor prophets.

He was the one who broke the long period of silence following the famous 8th century prophets like Isaiah, Hosea, Amos and Micah.

Zephaniah is the last of the Pre-Exilic prophets, and it said to sum up the previous 8 prophets messages.

Many consider Zephaniah to be unoriginal because he quotes words and ideas from his predecessors.

His work however is the most elaborate discussion by any of the prophets on the “Day of the LORD”.

Each of the three chapters of this book are dominated on that theme.

It is worldwide in scope and portrays God’s plans for the day of the LORD’s fulfillment in the final event of history.

The superscription places Zephaniah’s prophecy in the reign of Josiah who was a godly king involved with reforming Judah after the two wicked kings - Manasseh and Amon plunged Judah into idolatry and apostasy.

The theme of Zephaniah’s book and his prophecies is “Seek The LORD”

The name Zephaniah means “Yahweh hides”, “Yahweh has hidden”.

Perhaps pointing to God’s protection of His people during the impending difficulties of Zephaniah’s day as well as the during the LORD’s Day Zephaniah prophesies about.

Judgement For Jerusalem

Introduction

What is God going to do?

What is God going to do about the wicked, evil, and sin?

What you believe about this question determines how you choose to live day in and day out.

What God is going to do about wickedness, evil and sin is addressed by Zephaniah.

Primarily his prophecy speaks to Judah and Jerusalem but dont get too comfortable because his book has implications for us here this morning as well.

Go back with me if you will to being a teenager in high school - maybe this was you and maybe it wasnt if it wasnt then remember the movies that would portray this.

Parents go out of town and they have given you a list of things that you need to be doing while they are away.

Clean the house, take out the trash, feed the animals - etc.

They also have a list of what you shouldnt be doing - no friends over and absolutely no parties.

You think mom and dad will never know and you choose to break the rules and do what you want.

You think their is plenty of time and you wont get caught.

You know when they will be back - and so it goes.

Well then you get the phone call - we are coming home early cant wait to see you.

There is simply no more time to prepare and be ready.

This is what it is like with what God is going to do about sin.

Most think since He hasnt done anything He wont do anything or cant do anything and so they live how they want.

There is a day coming that the LORD has promised - the Day of the LORD and it means judgment for Jerusalem and we better understand it is coming for it for it has implications for us as well.

A Clean Sweep

The first words of Zephaniah’s message speak of a clean sweep.

God declares He will sweep away everything from the face of the earth.

I will sweep away people, animals, birds of the sky, fish of the sea, and the ruins along with the wicked.

I will cutoff mankind from the face of the earth.

The word sweep is used three times here, and it means to gather and take away to remove and destroy.

This described clean sweep is universal effecting everything in the earth.

The phrase “face of the earth” Should bring our attention back to Genesis chapter 6 when God flooded the earth.

This is a natural response of a Holy God to the wickedness of humanity.

The same in Zephaniah’s day as it was in Noah’s day.

Just like the flood God’s proclaimed judgment is going to cover the whole earth.

This impending judgment on the earth would hit everything; life on land, in the air, and in the sea.

Interestingly these four are in reverse order to the creation account of Genesis.

This destruction Zephaniah prophesies is a reversal of creation.

God is going to be doing an act of winding back the creation.

The last part of ruins along with the wicked is a bit confusing.

Ruins could be translated stumbling block - related to idols and idolatry.

God isnt even going to leave the ruins of the wickedness but entirely and completely sweep it all away with a clean slate.

The Lord’s declaration is to give the picture of an all encompassing judgment with complete and total destruction.

Completely Deserved

Perhaps the idea of judgment being all encompassing with complete destruction seems a bit much to them.

God through Zephaniah focuses in on Judah and Jerusalem to show that this Day of God’s judgement is completely deserved.

The Northern kingdom by this time has been conquered by Assyria and dispersed because of their idolatry and wickedness especially from the throne.

Judah however had its share of bad kings that led the nation into idolatry and wickedness also.

Ahab,Manasseh and Amon to name a few.

God has given Judah the message already that judgment is coming for them also.

While it is quite specific to Judah I think if we allow Him to God will uncover a bit of our own hearts here and see that the problem of sin is the same today.

God declares now that He will stretch out his hand against Judah and all residents of Jerusalem.

He will cutoff every vestige of Baal from this place.

They had turned from their God to other gods.

Verse 4-5 speaks of how they have turned to Baal and Milcom/Molech.

Molech being the pagan God demanding child sacrifice.

They may not have stopped worshipping God - while they continued to bow and worship they have added other gods.

Essentially saying Yahweh is good but not good enough.

They wanted to be like other nations, they wanted to be tolerant and so they learned of other gods also.

Worshipping false gods, worshipping stars and planets in astrology.

They were mixing worship of Yahweh with the worship of other religions and gods and you cannot do that.

You cannot mix Jesus and Buddah, Yahweh and Allah, light and darkness.

God calls for whole hearted loyalty and devotion to Him.

Who is your God?

2 Corinthians 6:14–16 (CSB)

14 For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness?

Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?

15 What agreement does Christ have with Belial?

16 And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols?

God not only pointed out those who turned only to idols and those who mixed worship but also those who refused to worship.

Verse 6 speaks of those who turn away from the LORD, do not seek the LORD or inquire of Him, speaking of someone who may not have turned to idolatry but have definitely turned away from the LORD to secularism, humanism, to be their own god.

To be religiously indifferent is not to be excused from judgment of the LORD, but rather places you squarely in the crosshairs of His coming judgment.

There is nothing anyone can say against this all they can do is be silent before the LORD knowing they are deserving.

God has prepared a sacrifice and he has consecrated his guests.

He has prepared the sacrifice of the wicked to appease His wrath and the guests are consecrated set apart as special and for a purpose.

On the day of the sacrifice the LORD speaks of who will be punished

Princes, Officials, royalty - the upper class

those dressed in foreign clothing

those who skip over the threshold

those who fill their masters house with deceit and violence - lower class working class

The lower class was too sinful to heed Zephaniah’s warning - ripping off their masters because they are so rich and we are so poor.

The same defense is given today - the little guy justifies his actions because his employer, corporation or government have more than him.

It was offensive to God in Zephaniah’s day and it is offensive today to God.

Mechants - the outcry from the fish gate (where the fish market went in and out)

Those loaded with silver will be cutoff

The comfortable/complacent and indifferent who think the LORD is also indifferent or complacent and will do neither good or bad

All they will be able to do in that day is wail and weep for the judgment will be severe.

God will search out all with lamps so that none go unpunished.

He will remove their wealth, their houses will be ruin, they will build houses but never live in them and plant vineyards but never drink from their fruit - it shall be taken suddenly and without warning.

Explicitly Described

The most vivid picture in the Bible for the day of the LORD is given here.