Undoubtedly many would like to erase this subject from the Scripture, for they insist with much vigor that God the Father and his Savior Jesus Christ have such love, tenderness of heart and such infinite patience, that they would never exercise wrath and vengeance. They neglect to pay attention to the fact that Jesus spoke a great deal about the ‘Day of the Lord’ and the vengeance that would be poured out on sinners.

Some ask the question how could a God of love, the God of the New Testament, the God of mercy who is slow to anger do such a thing? Let us remember that God is a God of love, but he also says that he is a God of vengeance. He hates whatever threatens or destroys what He loves. He calls on men unceasingly to hear His call of grace. The same heart of love makes Him eliminate those who refuse to hear the call of His grace, because He loves righteousness and holiness so much and wants these virtues in His people. He will do everything necessary to call those that belong to Him and at the same time, He will destroy those who are opposed to His will and His work, for he knows that those disobedient ones will put His beloved people at risk.

God takes no delight in the death of men nor in their judgment. His heart delights in mercy, so He patiently calls men to Himself. Still, He must deal with the stubborn, entrenched evil in the heart of men and that is why the day of His vengeance is certain.

When we turn away the grace of God, His judgment is waiting but after the judgment comes the time of glorious harmony when enmity will be gone and peace will cover the earth.

Key to Zephaniah’s teaching are the ideas that:
-There will be a time when God will intervene in human affairs
-There will be a personal encounter with God
-God's judgment is a response to human choices, that is, to the sins of men
-No man can get away with sin
-There are specific characteristics to the “remnant” of God.

GOD’S JUSTICE

The original Hebrew or Greek words translated justice, are rendered also as righteousness, for the two ideas are essentially the same.

We generally think of justice as being determined by a code of laws. It is however a much broader concept and involves the practice of what is right and what makes for right relationships, harmony and peace.

When one does justice one does what is right, as well as doing what one has to do to make or set things right. Justice then covers the creation and maintenance of good relationships between parents and children, husbands and wives, employers and employees, government and citizens, the ruler and the ruled and man and God. There is thus a great emphasis on brotherliness, as well as on social justice. It involves giving others the rights due to them and actively working to establish the rights of others.

When we speak about the justice of God or His righteousness, we are on a somewhat different plane, as we have moved to the area of God's essential nature and His nature is shown in His relationships.

God is King and by nature he maintains that position. He is holy and as it is a part of His nature, He has to be against evil wherever it is found. He must side with good and be against evil, for that is His nature. Since He is righteous He has to be also merciful, for this is a part of righteousness. His essential nature, His justice or righteousness makes Him act in mercy.

The merciful God will always use his kingly power on behalf of men. So says Isaiah 45:21, which stresses that “God is a just God and a Savior”. God's righteousness or justice is also inextricably bound up with His Salvation,(Isaiah 46: 13, Psalm 51:14, 103:17). So when Yahweh acts righteously, as is His nature, His deeds are deeds of deliverance. His justice, His judgments and His righteousness are all the same. God's righteousness is gracious, redemptive and merciful.

The Prophet of God who Proclaims the Nature of God
Zephaniah is undoubtedly one of the least known of the ‘Minor Prophets’ and his book maybe even more obscure among Bible readers. The message of Zephaniah however was very significant to the people of his day and remains relevant to the people of God right down to the present time.

Note that there are twelve ‘Minor Prophets’, with nine of them prophesying before the Babylonian captivity and exile of Judah, while the last three were those that wrote during and after the return of Israel from Babylon to the Promised Land. Zephaniah was the last of the pre-exilic prophets and his messages summed up the messages of the previous eight Minor Prophets. As such he uses much of the words and ideas of the previous prophets.

Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of King Josiah of Judah and the prophet lists his genealogy (1:1) to four generations, something that no other prophet did and so scholars consider this to be very significant. The inclusion of someone named Hezekiah in his genealogy, has led to speculation and indeed acceptance by the majority that this person might even be King Hezekiah of Judah, the great, great grandfather of king Josiah.

If Zephaniah was a descendent of King Hezekiah he would be the prophet of royal blood and this relationship would explain much of his emphasis on the terrible judgment that would come to the princes who were misbehaving horribly. Of course this judgment would also afflict the rest of the leadership of Israel. Zephaniah was obviously well acquainted with the behavior and the attitude of the upper classes and the leadership in Judah.

Jeremiah also prophesied during the reign of Josiah so both prophets were addressing the same conditions. We note also that his contemporaries were Nahum, and Habakkuk

His references to the future destruction of Nineveh gives some indication as to when he wrote and obviously his ministry during Josiah's reign excludes any ministry to the Northern Kingdom, for they would have already been in exile.

The tenor of the book is an unbroken tale of judgment, gloom and doom, however blessing and deliverance is also promised to a righteous remnant. The bleak scenario painted by the prophet is easily understood when viewed in the context of his times, God’s covenant relationship with Judah and God’s holiness and justice. Conversely the promised blessing and deliverance are the marks of the gracious God Almighty and also flows from His covenant relationship.

Josiah ascended the throne in the wake of two of the most evil kings of Judah, namely Manasseh and Amon. Assyria was the dominant power then, but they were in decline, with the Babylonian kings putting them under pressure. Still, the Assyrians, who had exercised great influence over Israel and Judah, were one of the vilest regimes to have ever existed in that part of the world, being well known for its cruelty, abhorrent idolatry, wanton sexual perversion and all that God found abominable and detestable. Manasseh and Amon loved all things Assyrian and slavishly instituted the repulsive practices of the infidels in Judah. They actually surpassed the evil of the Canaanites, whom the Israelites had expelled from the land, (2 Kings 21:9-16).

By the grace of God Josiah, who ascended the throne at the tender age of eight turned out to be a good king and managed to delay the nation’s slide into total destruction by God’s judgment. Judah had reached such a low spiritual state that there was not even a copy of the Law available to read, not even in the temple. It was the accidental discovery of a copy of the ‘Book of the Law’ that triggered one of Josiah’s major spiritual reforms. God’s law had not only been forsaken, it had been forgotten! Even before Manasseh’s reign Judah had been in a steady spiritual and moral decline broken occasionally by a righteous king, but that the nation was following fast in the footsteps of the now exiled Israel in behaviour and destiny was evident.

Josiah launched a vigorous nationwide campaign to eradicate idolatry in Judah and did enjoy a measure of success but his efforts turned out to be too little, too late.

It appears that Zephaniah’s critique of the princes and the leadership was dead on and the powerful but unpleasant statements of vengeance in chapter one were well-deserved. It appears that even when Josiah struggled to reform Judah, the heart of the princes, priests, elders, and the rest of the leadership were not really in it. Evil and wickedness had become ingrained in the leadership and among the people, and so Zephaniah's call for repentance fell on deaf ears.

It was only left for Zephaniah to assure the few godly people in the nation, the remnant, that God would preserve them and bring ultimate worldwide blessing in the future for Israel. The die had been cast. God had already decreed the destruction and exile of Judah.

Though Josiah brought about spiritual revival to some extent, he could not stop the judgment of God, it would only be delayed for his sake (2 Chron.34:26-28). Josiah’s reforms died with him as the people reverted to their evil ways. The revival was superficial, forced by the edict of the king and not from the people’s hearts. The people had become deeply committed to heathen gods and pagan practices. Such were the times of the prophet Zephaniah!

Of note is the fact that in all the rebellion and apostasy of Israel and Judah, God sent a steady stream of prophets to both call the nation back to Himself and to warn them of their impending judgment; Zephaniah being another such voice.

Under the banner of the ‘Day of the Lord’ Zephaniah specifically announces judgment and destruction on Jerusalem and Judah, and on the surrounding nations: the Philistines (2:4-7), the Moabites and Ammonites (2:8-11), the Ethiopians (2:12) and the Assyrians (2:13-15). He also prophesied judgment on the entire earth including people, animals, birds and fish. This would be a universal judgment on all life forms. Concerning the judgments that the prophet announced at least two fulfillments are clearly in view and one must be at the end of the world; a distant fulfillment (Joel 2; Matt.24). The imminent destruction of Jerusalem and exile of the people to Babylon as also enunciated by other prophets would be a near fulfillment.

The other side of the ‘Day of the Lord’ sees blessings and restoration to a righteous remnant in Judah, as well as unprecedented blessings on Gentiles and here again there is a near and far fulfillment. Typically when God announces judgment it is always in conjunction with a call to repentance (2:3).

The prophet has detailed the indictments and accusations that God has brought against Jerusalem, Judah and the nations at large (1:1-3:4) and for which a terrible judgement is prophesied. One writer summarized the reasons for divine judgment on this occasion as follows:
-God will judge those in Judah who practice pure paganism (1:4).
-God will judge those in Judah who mix the worship of God with the worship of other deities (1:5a).
-God will judge those in Judah who completely reject and turn away from the faith of their fathers (1:6).
-God will judge those who choose to identify with the heathen (rather than the people of God) by their dress (1:8).
-God will judge those who practice violence and deceit (1:9).
-God will judge those who refuse divine instruction, and who have ignored His warnings (3:1-2). Judah should have learned from God’s judgment of others, but she did not (3:6-7).
-God will judge those in leadership, who have abused their authority and forsaken their stewardship (3:3-4).
-God will judge those who presume that God is indifferent about their sin (1:12).
-God will judge those who put their trust in anything but Him (1:18).

Many of these sins are common to people in every age and it is to be borne in mind that God is always offended by sin and judgment awaits unrepentant sinners.

The ‘Day of the Lord’, a major theme in Zephaniah is discussed in three major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel) and seven minor prophets (Obadiah, Joel, Amos, Hosea, Zephaniah, Micah, and Malachi). In a general sense, any day of God’s visitation may be regarded as the Day of the Lord and it may also specifically refer to the final ‘Day of Judgment’. In any case Zephaniah contains more references to “the day of the Lord” than any of the Old Testament book.

What shall it be like when the Almighty decides to visit? Essentially, it depends on one’s obedience to Him in His “absence”. For those who have remained righteous, the Day of His visitation will be one of blessing and restoration. Note however, that even for the righteous, restoration will follow purification and purging. That is why these righteous survivors are called “the remnant”, for they are those that remain after purging.

The righteous are delivered from both judgment and through judgment. For the wicked, the Day of the Lord will bring judgment, destruction and terror. In the book of Zephaniah this judgment is described in gory detail as everything is swept away. As a result, some of the prophets, who also speak of a ‘nearness’ or imminence as an aspect of the ‘Day of the Lord’ are certainly correct in view of what God did to Israel and Judah. The extensive nature of Zephaniah's prophecy shows that there is also a distant, future fulfillment and is in concert with Matthew twenty-four and Revelation nineteen.

In our study Zephaniah details Jerusalem's barefaced and repugnant spiritual condition as against God's righteousness and justice. The sins of the leaders are cited as the city remained entrenched in sin and unmoved by the prophet’s call to repentance, even in the face of God’s retribution on the surrounding nations. Judah refused to repent and the latter section of our study again shows God’s justice and faithfulness to His covenant as the nation is encouraged to wait for the time of restoration which naturally follows God’s judgment to purify, save, protect and bless His people.

THE TEXT

Verse 1. Woe…The verse appears to perfectly fit the pagan city of Nineveh, especially coming immediately after a description of its destruction at the end of chapter two. Very sadly the woe and ugly description is directed to the city of Jerusalem. Zephaniah makes it clear that God is in charge of the entire earth, that all the nations of the world will be dealt with in his judgment, but that his judgment would also come to the chosen people, particularly on Jerusalem.

Here we find the ‘Holy City” and ‘City of God’ as far removed as it could possibly be from such praise and exhortations as:
Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD
(Psalm 135:21). Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces, (Psalm 122:6-7).

The prophet holds up Jerusalem before its sin hardened residents; this the place that should have been the spiritual centre of true worship had become the epitome of iniquity and abominations. Sin is what pollutes people and places and makes them filthy and odious in the eyes of a Holy God.

The people were defiled, individually polluted by their sinful thoughts, mind and practices. Despite its glorious past and rich spiritual endowment the government had become rotten to the core in every area of its administration; spiritual, political, commercial, justice, financial and civil.

God had executed judgment on the surrounding nations and cities but the inhabitants of Jerusalem ignored the obvious message, as well as the numerous calls from several prophets to repentance. Zephaniah abruptly addresses the city but not by its name (City of Peace) rather by what it had become, filthy, polluted, the oppressing city.

Not only were the people polluted and the city defiled, it is also called the “oppressing city”. This means that it is oppressing those living inside her and those outside. Rulers are behaving like tyrants, disregarding the rights of others and taking advantage of those who could not defend themselves. All the principles that God had laid out to govern human affairs and which were intending to create harmony in society, were thrown aside.

The focus is obviously on leadership that had forsaken the function for which they had been established. Instead of preserving the society they were destroying it. Instead of propagating justice they were doing injustice.

Clearly when leaders do not show faithfulness to their role and function, God will act to deal with this terrible sin. The weak and vulnerable, the meek, as well as the righteous have to be silent sometimes when faced with the power of leadership. But when this occurs, we can be certain that God will act in his great displeasure.

Verse 2. The practical out-workings of a filthy, polluted and oppressing city are detailed. The first evidence of the pollution is unresponsiveness and disobedience to God. They were totally disobedient to the voice of God from whatever the source; whether from godly prophets, priests, Levites or the Law of God. As the nation hurtled to its destruction riveted to its sinful practices, the leaders and the people became even more obstinate and would not respond to the teachings of God.

They refused to accept any correction. It is amazing that the people of God showed themselves in this awful way. The instruction of God meant nothing and neither did the correction of God. They just had no intention of submitting to the will of God.

Obviously, in this situation the discipline and chastening that God brought to bear on them was of little use. It was not like in the former days when God’s restorative punishment would bring repentance and a return to His ways. The people rejected the two instruments God most often uses to restore his erring children; they did not receive the instruction of the ‘word’ or the correction of the ‘rod’.

Rather than trusting God in the face of their looming destruction, they formed alliances with the pagans; the Assyrians and Egyptians. Even infidels cry out to God when they are in deep trouble but Judah rebuffed God and would not repent or relent from their evil ways. God had taught his people to depend on Him and had proved Himself faithful and capable but they spurned his advances and aligned themselves with His enemies.

Interestingly, 2 Chronicles 35: 20-22 records that even the godly Josiah made the fatal mistake and allied himself with the Assyrians in their fight against Egypt. He was a very good King but even he would not listen to all the warnings from God and depend on God alone.

Interestingly, in the face of their total rejection God is still referred to as …her God. Firm to His covenant as in times past, God shows Himself as the ‘Unchanging One’ while we change. He is faithful to us, while we fail Him and He is still our God and waits to have mercy on us while we forget Him.

Verse 3. The bad character of the men in charge of Judah is in view and helps to explain why people go astray and stay astray. The entire society was totally given to the rebellion against God and those who might have been able to effect some change for the better, were in fact the leaders of the apostasy. The Princes that ‘sit in Moses seat’, those who should be the protectors made a ‘meal’ of the people. They were as ravenous and barbarous as lions, constantly on the prowl and were universally feared and hated. Their office was a tool for destruction and not for edification.

…within her… it is one thing to protect oneself from external threats but it becomes a lot more difficult when the enemy is within.

The judges are seen as wolves in their rapacious and insatiable greed to exploit their victims. They were totally heartless, extortioners and full of graft. They are pictured here as ravenous wolves, who take such delight in ‘devouring their prey’ that they leave the ‘bones’ as it were to be gnawed the next day for further pleasure. Or it may be understood as they would not even allow the ‘bones’ of their prey to survive till the morning, when they could have further ‘gnawed’ on them. The judges were the ones to give redress to grievances and wrongs but instead were a bigger threat to the people, (See Isa.1:23; 3:14; Ezek.22:27).

Verse 4. It is bad when civil rulers have gone astray, but when the religious leaders are in league with them, and sell themselves to evil, these are hopeless times for the people.

In times of great apostasy false prophets multiply and flourish; for they themselves are a necessary ingredient and provide impetus to the rebellion and departure from God. Zephaniah complaint against them echoes that of many other prophets.
…are light…means boiling and bubbling, up, like water boiling over. The word “light” literally means “wanton, fickle, frivolous. They were irresponsible. Note that they were also treacherous persons, literally men of treachery and faithlessness.

One writer comments in part on this phrase as follows:
Used by Jeremiah (Jer 23:32) of the false prophets who prophesy false dreams and do tell them and cause My people to err by their lies and by their lightness, it probably has the same meaning here), empty boasters claiming the gift of prophecy, which they have not; "boldly and rashly pouring out what they willed as they willed;" promising good things which shall not be. So they are "her" prophets, to whom they "prophesy smooth things" (see Mic 2:11), "the prophets of this people" not the prophets of God; "treacherous persons" (literally, men of treacheries) wholly given to manifold treacheries against God in whose Name they spake and to the people whom they deceived...

…her priests…The entire system of worship, the rites, rituals, sacrifices, liturgy, instruments and the sanctuary were polluted. All that had been consecrated and set aside as holy and for the service of God was sullied. First they defiled themselves and profaned the things of God publicly, so the people had no reverence or fear of God. They handled what was holy carelessly and irreverently and not as ordained by God. The office was to their own use and self-indulgence, instead of the glory of God.

The priests were supposed to represent God to the people and represent the people to God.
Their office was to separate the holy and unholy and the clean and unclean and to teach the people the Mosic Law (Lev 10:10-11). They should sanctify themselves and be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy, (Lev 19:2). On the contrary and fittingly here, God says: Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. (Ezek 22:26).

The situation was not a mere short-coming, but a reversal and radical overturning of God's purposes. The priests completely corrupted their office and as a result they and the people became alienated from God. They were of the Hophni and Phinehas ‘order’ who by their wicked lives, made the sacrifices of the Lord to be abhorred (1 Sam.2:17).The priests had in effect done violence to the law.

Verse 5. A striking contrast to the preceding verses; unlike the unjust who knew no shame,
God is ever righteous. In contrast to the crooked leaders, He is straight. The sentiment here is similar to that expressed in Deut.32:4; He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

God was certainly present in the city and assuredly observed the rampant sin and evil practices. On the other hand He does not sin and cannot be made to sin. He does no injustice, but is just and faithful every single day without exception.

…bring His judgment to light is not to be understood as punishing evil and rewarding virtue. His justice or the righteousness of His conduct is evident every morning when his prophets proclaimed His law and justice to the nation daily. They were in his employ to faithfully labour and teach the nation His laws and diligently exhort and admonish the people everyday.

God’s people are never left without a witness and He causes His justice to be proclaimed to the people, that they may accept correction. He will not punish without warning!

Verse 6-7. God calls to their remembrance the terrible punishments that had been meted out to many different nations. Note that God refers to the “strong corner towers” of the nations that had fallen because of his judgment. These were strong, powerful cities that were in ruins and without any inhabitants, so it was to be understood that God is most powerful. This jogging of their memory was also an example of God’s justice.

They themselves could easily recall when God used them as the instruments of his judgment. The expulsion of the Caananites and their possession of the land was a constant reminder of the desolation that awaits the rebellious. The fate of the Northern Kingdom of Israel was certainly in their consciousness.
…surely thou wilt fear…One might reasonably have expected Judah to have learned to fear God and respect Him and His power from what they had seen, since he was behind the destruction and that they would turn to Him and receive His instructions.

History is determined by God. Everything that happens serves for a purpose. Nothing happens by chance and Israel and Judah knew this. The prophets reminded them of this day after day. They knew in light of what had happened to the nations, it was God’s design that this should be an admonition to Jerusalem. Would they continue to sin like the nations when they saw the ruin which sin had brought?
It is a sad commentary on the spiritual state of Judah that they remained unmoved and indifferent to the voice of God. It was in one ear and out the next as we read, they rose early and corrupted all things. They were totally blinded and hardened by their sin even as judgment loomed.

Note, so it is in the life of believers who persist in sin. God’s judgment may already have been determined and its now just a matter of time before the hammer comes down. God will not deny himself, he does what he promises or covenants to do, whether it is to bless or curse. Christians will do well to be mindful here, that our Holy God is ever faithful to his covenant, whether as the loving merciful Father or the awesome God of wrath and judgment.

Verse 8. In fact, Judah had told the Almighty to get lost.

Therefore…in light of verses one to seven, we would expect to read something along these lines: ‘ Judah and Jerusalem will be destroyed forthwith…’ as we had seen elsewhere.
Judah had spurned God’s mercies. Although God was ready to forgive their terrible iniquities that had been building up for a long time if they would only now receive His correction, they rebuffed God and continued in their corrupt ways.

Therefore wait ye upon me… Zephaniah now turns not to apostate and incorrigible Jerusalem, but to the faithful few, to the godly remnant. A future time and judgment is in view here and those being addressed are the righteous remnant.

Still we can hardly expect that Judah’s sins and rebellion will be allowed to continue without retribution from God. When God rises up the judgment, the rebellious will be weeded out. His “prey” will be the wicked both of Israel and among the Gentiles. One writer comments on this:
“This strong figure graphically portrays the Lord's outpoured wrath in the day of His indignation (Revelation 8:1-20:3), particularly at Armageddon's slaughter (16:13-16), like a savage beast springing from his lair, greedy for his prey. Or possibly the figure describes the Messiah as a mighty conquering hero ( el gibbor; Isaiah 9: 6), rising up to seize the “spoil” or “booty” at His second Advent and Kingdom (Revelation 19: 11-20: 3).

God's determination, His settled purpose, is to gather the nations together, so that he can decisively deal with their pride and rebellion and their hatred of the covenant people of God. His indignation and burning anger will be poured out because as Psalms Two tells us these rulers of the earth are imagining a vain thing, raging against the Lord and against His Anointed.

The justice of God will destroy the wicked by judgments and convert the penitent and so produce worshippers out of all nations. God will assemble the nations, to sift, destroy and maybe convert a few of them by severe judgments. If however this is regarded as a picture of the Second Advent, God will show no mercy to anyone and none will be changed.

Verse 9. A promise of the conversion of the remnant believers of the nations and the glorification of Israel flows from verse eight and is introduced in this verse. God’s judgment on the nations will cause many to call upon the name of the Lord and along with the righteous remnant of Israel, will now in humility, trust in the Lord.

Certainly God's judgment of the world would precede great blessings to all human beings. God has great plans for the Gentile nations as well as for Israel. We know that during the millennium God will give the peoples of the world the kind of lips that would enable them to speak truth and grace rather than lies. They will then be able to properly worship God.

It is sobering to think that one day we will have to stand before the Creator. God intends to demonstrate his unrivalled superiority, and ensure that men serve Him.

God's brings judgments because men have sinned against him. One writer notes that Zephaniah has listed the sins of Judah for us as follows: “Idolatry 1:4-6,violence 1:9, complacency 1:12,
Trusting in money 1:18, not trusting in God 1:6, 3:2, injustice 3:3-4, corruption 3:7, pride 3:11
deceit 1:9, 3:13 and oppressing the poor 3:1.
He then lists the sins of the nations as follows:
Mocking the Jews 2:8,10, arrogance against the Jews 2:8-10 and self sufficiency 2:15.”

We know that God will right wrongs and restore the righteous. We should make sure that we are counted among the righteous.