(July 11, 2025) Dr Jim McClure concludes his insights of the book of Zephaniah…

In Part 1 posted a few days ago, at the end of 1. Complaint (1:2-13)—  which covered God’s laments with four classes of people— I stated that because of the foregoing moral and spiritual aberrance, the prophetic message continued with a conclusion.

Here’s what happened—

2. Consequences  (1:14-3:1-7)     
(i) Declaration
In Zephaniah 1:14 the warning was given, ‘The great day of the Lord is near – near and coming quickly. Listen!  The cry on the day of the Lord will be bitter, the shouting of the warrior there.’ 

The phrase ‘day of the Lord,’ which is used six times in Zephaniah (more than in any other biblical book in the Bible), is found almost 30 times in the Bible— but not always in reference to the eschatological day of God’s final worldwide judgment on humankind (which is graphically depicted in the book of Revelation).

In the Old Testament the phrase also referred to other interventions by God in the affairs of the world.

This warning referred primarily to the coming of God’s retribution on the nation of Judah for its abandonment of God, its worship of false gods and its consequent moral decline.  ‘I will bring distress on the people and they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord’ (1:17).  God then made this appeal to them, ‘Gather together, gather together, O shameful nation’(2:1). The GNB succinctly translates this,  ‘Shameless nation, come to your senses.’  

The prophecy of coming judgment was then extended beyond Judah to include nations to the north, south, east and west of Judah, that is, Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Cush, and Assyria. In describing God’s judgment on Assyria, and specifically on the city of Nineveh, the prophet declared, ‘Assyria, leaving Nineveh utterly desolate and dry as the desert’ (2:13).

This prophecy was fulfilled around 10 years later, in 612 BC, when that  oldest and greatest city of the Assyrian Empire was attacked and utterly destroyed by a coalition of the armies of Babylonians and Medes. Zephaniah declared, ‘This is the carefree city that lived in safety. She said to herself, “I am, and there is none besides me.” What a ruin she has become, a lair for wild beasts! All who pass by her scoff and shake their fists’ (2:15).

(ii) Denunciation
God’s scathing rebuke of the inhabitants of Jerusalem in chapter 3:1-6 was relentless:

• Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled. 
• She obeys no one, she accepts no correction.
• She does not trust in the Lord.
• She does not draw near to her God.
• Her officials are roaring lions.
• Her rulers are evening wolves, who leave nothing for the morning.
• Her prophets are arrogant; they are treacherous men.
• Her priests profane the sanctuary and do violence to the law.
• The unrighteous know no shame.

In verse 6 the people are reminded that this rebuke was not an idle threat because there was ample graphic evidence of the destructive consequences when nations failed to live righteously. ‘I have cut off nations; their battlements are in ruins; I have laid waste their streets so that none walks in them; their cities have been made desolate, without a man, without an inhabitant.’ (The Assyrian destruction and eradication of the northern nation of Israel just 100 years early would have been still a vivid memory of the inhabitants of Judah!)

Yet in verse 7 God continued to appeal to the people of Jerusalem, ‘I said to the city, “Surely you will fear me and accept correction!” … But they were still eager to act corruptly in all they did.’  They rejected the opportunity to reconcile with God because they did not want to give up their sinful behaviour.  What a challenge that also is to us as individuals today!

That particular ‘day of the Lord’ arrived with God’s judgment on Judah around 35 years later, in 586 BC, when the Babylonian army tore down the defensive walls of Jerusalem and thoroughly destroyed the city, including the temple.  Only a small Jewish remnant remained in the city while thousands, mainly the leaders and skilled workers, were deported to Babylon.  

The prophet Jeremiah lived in Jerusalem at that time and personally witnessed the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem, the suffering of the people and the removal of thousands of captives from their city.  He wrote, ‘Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guard, carried into exile some of the poorest people and those who remained in the city, along with the rest of the craftsmen and those who had gone over to the king of Babylon. But Nebuzaradan left behind the rest of the poorest people of the land to work the vineyards and fields’ (Jeremiah 52:15-16). 

2. Conclusion (3:8-12)
The concluding words of Zephaniah’s prophecy contain both a warning and an invitation.
(i) Retribution (v8)
In Zephaniah 3:8-12 the scene changes to a future time when God will declare His judgment on the whole world. ‘“Therefore wait for me,” declares the Lord, “for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and topour out my wrath on them – all my fierce anger. The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger.”’ 

Notice than this sobering message is about God’s universal judgment in which few are spared!  There will be no place to hide! It is indeed frightening— and meant to be so!  Such is the consequence of sin and the day or reckoning is coming! That was the message that Zephaniah proclaimed to the people of his day and also for you and me today. 

Various prophets also wrote about that coming day, including Isaiah who wrote, ‘The Lord Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled) …  The arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. … and the splendour of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth’(Isaiah 2:12-21).

And various New Testament books also refer to it, including Romans 2:5 where Paul has written, ‘Because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when His righteous judgment will be revealed.’

Jesus also referred to it: ‘Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.  For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man’ (Luke 21:34-36). 

We must take this message of coming retribution of God seriously!  We don’t know precisely when it will happen… but we can be prepared for it personally for retribution is not God’s final word!  

(ii) Restoration (9-13)
The concluding verses of Zephaniah reveal a different emphasis as God revealed that retribution would give way to restoration not just for the Jews who had been taken into exile but for people of all nations.

Then in verse 9 God made this promise to those who would survive His judgment and offer Him true worship, ‘Then will I purify the lips of the peoples…’    Praise of God will be on their lips and worship of God will be in the hearts and unitedly they will serve Him. Significantly, they will be people  ‘who trust in the name  of the Lord’ (v12).  And in striking contrast to the way people live today, ‘They will eat and lie down and no one will make them afraid’ (v13).

(iii) Rejoicing (14-20)
After his earlier message of divine retribution, the closing words of Zephaniah affirm a magnificent message of  hope and joy which is expressed through singing. Zephaniah’s prophecy reveals that there will be joy in Jerusalem—

• The singing of God’s people (14-16)

The prophecy began with the severe rebuke of the people of Judah who had alienated themselves from God through their corrupt lifestyle but as it draws to a close the emphasis wholly changes from condemnation to celebration!   God promised them that the time would come when they will be able truly to sing and celebrate with all their heart because He will have taken away their punishment, turned back their enemy and never again will they fear any harm.

Zephaniah was referring to the future kingdom when the Messiah will reign.  It will be a time every tear will be wiped from our eyes and ‘There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’ (Revelation 21:4). 

• The singing of God (17-20)

As the message in Zephaniah draws to a close, the final words resonate with joy!  In verse 17, which is one of the most wonderful verses in the Bible, we are told five amazing things about our God—
‘The Lord your God is with you,
He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.’ 

Zephaniah’s prophecy goes beyond the immediate circumstances he was addressing.  The final words particularly refer to the redeemed of Israel, ‘“At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honour and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the Lord’ (v20). 

Jesus Christ revealed that the eternal blessings of God are for all the redeemed: ‘God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life’ (John 3:16).

3. Challenge
Zephaniah’s timeless prophecy exposes that what we think of God significantly affects our lives. If He is considered of little or no importance, our lives will considerably reflect that. In our contemporary world godly values have been largely disregarded— even among those who identify as being Christians but who hold a a reduced or compromised form of our faith.

Furthermore,  many ‘Christian’ leaders are advocating worldly and ungodly values and practices that are in contradiction to God’s word.  

The prophecy also startlingly reveals to us of what God thinks of us when we turn our backs on Him and consider His presence as insignificant or irrelevant.  God will indeed judge us and that judgment may be severe! 

The book of  Zephaniah also revealed that God’s grace, forgiveness and restoration is always available to those who turn to Him.  Consequently, God’s final word need not be one of judgment but of song and celebration when His people turn again to Him in love and praise. 

Zephaniah’s challenge very much needs to be heard and responded to today. Those who truly love the Lord are urged to have the courage and confidence to resist the corrupting values that characterise or current society and, as we live a loving relationship with God, reflect God’s presence and values in our lives.   

Jesus said, ‘You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden‘ (Matthew 5:14) and I repeat a line above—  Zephaniah’s challenge needs to be heard and responded to today! It is, after all, a challenge from God!

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Dr Jim McClure, author of several books and Bible studies, offers them free in electronic version in EPUB, Kindle and PDF formats.Particularly recommended is— Looking for Answers in a Confusing World.

Questions seeking enlightenment on biblical perspectives are welcomed. Links: jbmcclure@gmail.com. / Zephaniah the Prophet who Declared Gods’ Judgment and Restoration Part-1/
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