Minor Prophets

Zephaniah
GOD’S JUDGMENT IS RIGHTEOUS
The prophet Zephaniah spoke to the people of
Judah at a time when the whole nation had turned
away from God and was full of wickedness and
corruption. Everywhere, from the elders and officials
to the common citizen, the people had forsaken the
LORD. Zephaniah compared the judges to rapacious
wolves who roamed about in the evening darkness.
The prophets were faithless, proclaiming what was in
their own hearts and minds. Instead of God’s word,
they spoke words that tickled the people’s ears. Even
the priests perverted the law and failed to lead the
people in true worship of God. Men like Zephaniah,
who loved God and proclaimed His word, were few
and far between. As I read the three short chapters of
Zephaniah’s prophecy, it reminded me of our world
today.
Somehow, it doesn’t surprise me when I hear
many people say they can’t bear to watch the news
anymore. Neither can I. It seems like the news is
filled with stories of corruption, hatred, vitriol, selfcenteredness,
egotism, opportunism, and just plain
evil. We seem to live in a world where God has given
us over to our own selfish desires, and the world
seems to be spinning in a downward spiral, as it did
in the Biblical days of the Judges. I think Zephaniah
must have felt the same way in his day. And
Zephaniah longed for justice.
When you read or watch news on TV, does your
heart ever long for justice? Do you long to see justice
in government, justice in our judicial system, justice
for the powerless, the innocent, the helpless, and for
everyday men, women and children who are taken
advantage of by those who wield power? If you long
to see “justice roll down like waters” (as the prophet
Amos did - 5:24), you need to read Zephaniah’s
prophecy. His is a promise of sure justice to come.
Zephaniah foretells the day of God’s judgment, the
Day of the LORD.
Zephaniah’s heart must have been filled with
outrage and pain at the apostasy he saw all around
him, because the LORD used Zephaniah’s voice to
rebuke the people of Judah and give them warning of
the judgment to come. Through Zephaniah, the LORD
commanded the people to “Be silent….for the day of
the LORD is near” (1:7) and He described a day when
His sovereign will would be manifest in a fearsome
and final day of judgment which no one will be able
escape.
“Near is the great day of the LORD, Near and coming
very quickly; Listen, the day of the LORD!
...a day of wrath… A day of trouble and distress,
A day of destruction and desolation, A day of
darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick
darkness” (Zephaniah 1:14- 15).
Zephaniah’s prophecy describes the sins of
mankind that aroused God’s wrath to bring judgment.
He describes the sins of Judah and then the
sins of the surrounding nations: sins of idolatry,
violence, deceit, double- mindedness, selfindulgence,
arrogance, pride, corrupt deeds, and trust
in riches rather than God. The day of the LORD will
be a day of universal judgment, for all have sinned.
It will be a day when all who have turned away from
God and refused to listen to Him and His Word will
stand before Him and quake in their boots. They will
blindly grope for a way of escape, but it will be futile.
Deliverance from God’s wrath will be impossible. No
one will be able to purchase redemption for, God
does not take bribes. No amount of silver and gold
will save the wicked on that day, for they will stand
condemned by their own sin. At that time, Amos’
desire will be fulfilled. Justice will roll down like waters
and righteousness like an ever--flowing stream
(5:24).
The final verses
of Zephaniah’s
prophecy tell of
the “remnant” of
those “humble
and lowly people”
who have sought
refuge in the LORD
(3:12- 13). He will be
with them, He will
remove all judgment from them, and He will rejoice
over them (3:17) And the remnant will shout for joy
with all their heart. (3:14)
But it will not be only the remnant of Israel who
will be saved. The New Testament shows us that
Zephaniah’s prophecy is universal in scope. On the
day God has set (the day of the LORD), “He will judge
the world in justice and righteousness through the
Man whom He has appointed” (Acts 17:31), Jesus
Christ. All those who have rejected Him will be
judged on that day (John 12:48), but as the apostle
Paul wrote, “there is laid up for me the crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but
also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Timothy
4:8)
So, if you belong to Jesus Christ and you love and
long for His appearing, do not become discouraged
by the news of the world and the reprehensible things
you see going on around you. Remember: the day of
the Lord is coming when justice will be served, and
all will be set right and made new. The end of His
story (history)
has already
been written.
The apostle
Paul wrote in
2 Corinthians
2:14, “Thanks
be to God, who
always leads
us in triumph in
Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of
the knowledge of Him in every place.” So, find hope
and comfort in the knowledge that we will triumph in
Christ in the end. And in the meantime, we triumph
where placed where God has placed us by being the
sweet aroma of Christ in a bitter and needy world.
So, if you belong to Jesus Christ and you love and long for His
appearing, do not become discouraged by the news of the world
and the reprehensible things you see going on around you.
Remember: the day of the Lord is coming when justice will be
served, and all will be set right and made new.”
22 INTRODUCTION TO MINOR PROPHETS DISCIPLERS BIBLE STUDIES 23