BOOK OF ZEPHANIAH - OVERVIEW
About the Book of Zephaniah
The Book of Zephaniah is the ninth of twelve in the section of the Bible referred to as the Minor Prophets.
Zephaniah and Habakkuk are the last two Minor Prophet books penned before King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jerusalem for the first time.
About the Book of Zephaniah
Zephaniah contains only three chapters, like Joel, Nahum, Habakkuk.
Date Written
Zephaniah was written when Judah's King Josiah instituted major religious reforms that profoundly affected the entire nation. The book was written within the Kingdom of Judah.
Zephaniah 1:1 reveals the prophet gave his message during the reign of Judah's King Josiah.
Josiah ascended to the throne at the age of eight (2 Kings 22:1), following the assassination of his father, King Amon. He reigned for 31 years, during which he expanded Judah and initiated major religious reforms, centralizing worship in Jerusalem and eliminating the worship of foreign gods.
PURPOSE OF THE BOOK OF ZEPHANIAH
Zephaniah prophesied in the days of Josiah, ruler of the Kingdom of Judah, the last righteous judge. Zephaniah give messages to encourage King Josiah's reforms and to arouse the people to repentance when Judah was in a state of moral and spiritual degeneracy.
KEY EXPRESSION
Zephaniah uses the term "the Day of the Lord" or slight variation thereof seven times (Zephaniah 1:7, 8, 14, 18, 2:2-3). This is more than any other Old Testament prophet.
The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly (Zephaniah 1:14).
The prophetic book of Joel uses it five times (Joel 1:15, 2:1, 11, 31, 3:14) while Isaiah uses it four times (Isaiah 2:12, 13:6, 9, 34:8).
KEY THEMES
Zephaniah is divided into two themes: judgment and salvation during the Day of the Lord.
--- First, Zephaniah prophesied about the Judgment in the Day of the Lord (Chapter 1 through Chapter 3:8).
--- Second, Zephaniah prophesied about the Salvation in the Day of the Lord (Chapter 3:9 through 3:20).
Chapter 3 has two parts of the day of the Lord: judgment and restoration.
NEW TESTAMENT REFERENCES
Zephaniah is referenced or alluded to in six New Testament books.
--- Verse 1:14 of Zephaniah 1 is referenced in Revelation 6:17
----Verse 1:15 is referenced in Mark 13:24
--- Verse 1:18 is alluded to in Hebrews 10:27.
--- Verse 2:15 is referred to in Revelation 18:7.
--- Verse 3:10 is in Acts 8:27
--- Verse 3:13 is referenced in Revelation 13:5.
CHAPTER THEMES
Chapter 1: The doom of Jerusalem
Chapter 2: The scope of God's judgment
Chapter 3: Restoration and blessings
CHAPTER SUMMARIES
--- CHAPTER 1: Zephaniah's prophetic book opens by God declaring his judgment upon the entire earth. He then warns Judah and Jerusalem of his punishment due to their idolatry which includes worshiping celestial object like the sun, planets and stars.
--- CHAPTER 2: The chapter begins by confirming that the entire world will experience God's wrath. Those who are humble are encouraged to seek the Lord so that they may be saved when his anger is manifested.
Zephaniah then lists several cities and peoples that are targets for punishment. The Philistines, with their cities of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod and Ekron, are predicted to be destroyed.
--- CHAPTER 3: The chapter opens with further condemnation of Jerusalem. Her sins include being spiritually filthy and oppressing others. She is chastised for rejecting obedience to the Lord and trusting in him, opting instead to maintain her own righteousness even in the face of correction.
About Zephaniah
Zephaniah's contemporary prophet was Jeremiah, with whom he shared many similarities.
Zephaniah's name means "Hidden." He is described by some as the "Prophet of Desolation."
The prophet may have lived in Jerusalem, as the phrase "from this place" in Zephaniah 1:4 hints at this location.
Zephaniah's Genealogy
Zephaniah is the only Old Testament prophet whose genealogy is known for four generations prior. Most prophets only list the name of their father (e.g. "Jonah son of Amittai" found in Jonah 1:1).
The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah in Zephaniah 1:1.
--- the son of Cushi
--- the son of Gedaliah
--- the son of Amariah
--- the son of Hezekiah
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