Zephaniah is the 36th book in the old testament. Zephaniah is considered one of the minor prophets. They are minor in the sense that their writings are much shorter and often times much less was revealed than the major prophets of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. There were twelve minor prophets. They are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The book of Zephaniah only consists of three chapters. Zephaniah prophesied in the early years of the Judean king Josiah’s reign in Jerusalem. The Jews at this time were living very ungodly lives that very much displeased the LORD. Josiah began to purge much of the idolatry that was found in Judah. He may have been influenced by the prophecies preached by Zephaniah against Judah as well as by the other prophets. Josiah was one of the few good kings of Judah and was a righteous godly king who did that which was right in the sight of the LORD. Josiah was the last godly king of Judah. He became king at eight years old after his dad Amon who did that which was evil in the sight of God was murdered. (II Kings 22:1-2 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.
2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.) (II Kings 23:25 And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.) Despite the efforts of Josiah, the Jews continued in their sins and the prophecies of God preached by Zephaniah came true. God will always get rid of sin and wickedness. We as Christians can look forward to the day that God will remove all sin and have a new heavens and earth.
Zephaniah is the only prophet who mentions four generations of his ancestors. The name Zephaniah means “treasured (some say protected or hidden) of Jehovah”. Other sources say the name means “Jehovah hides or protects”. Zephaniah lived in Jerusalem and had access to the courts. The prophets Nahum, Habakkuk, and Jeremiah were his contemporaries. Zephaniah is a prophet of judgment as his prophecies focus on the coming destruction of Judah due to her idolatry and other sins. Zephaniah four times speaks of the coming “day of the LORD” when God will bring his wrath. It is also mentioned using other phrases. The day of the LORD speaks of the tribulation. Zephaniah looks past this to the day of Jesus’ millennial reign.
(Zephaniah 1:1 The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.) We see in this verse that Zephaniah was a prophet which the word of the LORD came to in the days of Josiah, the king of Judah. Zephaniah is the only prophet to mention four names in his genealogical ancestry. No other prophet mentions more than their dad. Some theologians say that the Hizkiah mentioned here in the genealogy of Zephaniah is the same as king Hezekiah. They say that this is why he lists four ancestors and stops with Hezekiah a godly king and to show that he is of royal blood and therefore a relative of king Josiah. It is possible that this is correct with Amariah being an unlisted son of Hezekiah and Zephaniah comes from that line. This would be similar to how Mary the mother of Jesus was a descendant of king David by his son Nathan whereas Joseph was a descendant of David by his son Solomon. We know that often times there were other sons that are not listed. Other theologians say that there is not enough time for four generations to occur for this to happen and that Zephaniah’s dad’s name of Cushi is of Ethiopian origin from Cush and that Zephaniah was trying to show he was an Israelite by listing four generations and he was not of Ethiopian descent. I do not believe the Ethiopian connection is the case here. Ethiopians did come from Cush a son of Ham, but just because Zephaniah’s name was Cushi does not mean he was an Ethiopian as there were other Cushi’s in scripture and no mention of them is given of them trying to justify their Israelite origins. Cushi was a runner for king David and another Cushi was around in the time of Jeremiah. These same people say the name Hezekiah was a common name at that time and so these are not the same Hezekiah’s. That is possible. As far as there not being enough time for four generations we do know that Manasseh who succeeded Hezekiah was 12 when he became king and ruled for 55 years. (II Kings 21:1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hephzi–bah.) His son Amon who was the dad of Josiah ruled for 2 years and Josiah was eight when he began to reign. (II Kings 21:19 ¶ Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.) We saw in II Kings 22:1 the age of Josiah at the start of his reign. Amon was sixteen years old when he gave birth to Josiah and the 2 years of his reign plus the 55 years of his dad Manasseh is 57 years. We know that Amon was 16 when he gave birth to Josiah by seeing he was 24 years old at his death (became king at 22 and ruled 2 years for 24 years total) and Josiah was 8 when he became king (24 – 8 equals 16). If the men in Zephaniah’s genealogy had children around 16 years old like Amon this would allow enough time for four generations. Hezekiah could have had the second son of Amariah a year or two after Manasseh so you would add ten years to the 57 years we already saw for a total of 67 years. Sixty seven years is enough time to give birth to Zephaniah if all men were young when they had their son. Regardless of whether Zephaniah was of royal blood or not is not clear in scripture, but it is possible. This would be a plausible reason for Zephaniah to list four generations, otherwise why would he list so many when no other prophet listed more than one? For whatever reason he does. If Zephaniah was of royal blood, this would also possibly have helped in convincing Josiah to have listened.
(Zephaniah 1:2-3 I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD.
3 I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.) Zephaniah immediately starts off by warning the people that God will consume (destroy) all things from off the land. This includes the animals, plants, and trees. In verse 3 Zephaniah continues by saying that God will not only consume the things on land, but also the fowls of the heaven, the fishes of the sea, the wicked, and even man from the land. God seems to be warning that because of the sin of Judah who is supposed to be the lighthouse of the world for God, that God will destroy all of the animals, fowl, and man from the land, sea, and heaven on the whole nation of Judah though some say this means the whole earth. I believe it is most likely just referring to Judah as the phrase “from off the land” is used elsewhere where it refers just to the land of Israel. Judah’s sin affects the whole world since she was supposed to be the one to bring light to the world by telling the people about Jesus, but instead became more wicked than the rest of the nations. Sin always affects more than ourselves.
(Zephaniah 1:4 I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests;) This verse seems to show that verses 2-3 show that God is willing to destroy man and beast again from earth in the land of Judah and maybe as some say the whole earth because of Judah’s sin. Verse 4 here seems to show that God includes Judah in this prediction of destruction. Just because they are God’s chosen people they are not exempt from the consequences of sin. The people of Judah had become extremely sinful and wicked under both Manasseh and his son Amon. God had finally had enough of the nation and he would destroy it in the future just as he had with Israel. The warning includes even Jerusalem which is God’s capital. God had warned the people through his servant Moses just before they entered the promised land after wondering in the wilderness for 40 years that if they turned to other gods he would destroy them from the land and remove them and this is what God intended to do as he must keep his word. (Deuteronomy 4:25-27 ¶ When thou shalt beget children, and children’s children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke him to anger:
26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.
27 And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you.) Zephaniah warns that God will cut off (destroy) the remnant of Baal from Judah. This would be fulfilled after the destruction by Babylon. Following the Babylonian captivity, the Jews never worshipped Baal again. They did not necessary worship Jesus, but they never directly worshipped idols again. Zephaniah includes in the warning that besides the removal of Baal, God would also remove the Chemarims who were the priests of Baal who had become integrated with the priests of Jehovah. These false priests may have even pretended to be priests of God, but in reality they offered sacrifices to Baal and other false gods.
(Zephaniah 1:5-7 And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham;
6 And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.
7 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.) Zephaniah continues to warn of the destruction of others in verses 5-6 besides the priests of Baal that we saw in verse 4. Verse 5 speaks of the worship of the host of heaven. The host of heaven is the worshipping of devils and Satan’s angels. The people had become so sinful that they boldly worshipped these false gods on their rooftops and did not even try and hide their sin, but rather proclaimed it from the rooftops. Most of the houses in those days had a flat roof that you could sit on in better weather. Remember how David was on the rooftop when he saw Bathsheba or Peter who was on the rooftop praying when he had the vision of the curtain coming down from heaven with unclean food on it and God told him to eat. The next part of verse 5 seems to refer to people who “worship and that swear by the LORD” as people who seem to be true believers and followers of God, but in reality are false Christians and who worshipped the false gods. These people tried to hide their false worship and appear as true believers. This is similar to the wolves in sheep’s clothing who enter the churches. This seems to be confirmed as the verse continues by mentioning those who swear by Malcham who was the chief god of the Ammonites and continues with more unbelievers in verse 6. Many people today attend church as a means to deceive people, but God is not deceived. It could not be referring to true believers in verse 5 for those who swear by the LORD as God would not include them with other unsaved people. Verse 6 starts off with “them that are turned back from the LORD” which may refer to backslidden people or it may refer to people who seemed to follow God and then turned from him similar to the many people who had followed Jesus and then when he talked of eating his flesh and drinking his blood they left him as they were never true believers. (John 6:66 ¶ From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.) Verse 6 continues with those who never even sought the LORD or even asked (enquired) about him. These people did not even have a desire to be saved. They wanted their false gods. Verses 5 and six list various groups of people that in God’s eyes are all the same and all will face the wrath of God equally.
In verse 7 we see that the day of the LORD is at hand. It was probably only about 50-60 years into the future that the Babylonians would conquer and capture Judah. The phrase “the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice” refers to the fact that he has placed the people of Judah into the hands of the invading Babylonians as a sacrifice. The phrase “he hath bid his guests” probably refers to God allowing his guests the Babylonians to come to Judah and deal with his people with his permission. This verse is similar to at the end of the battle of Armageddon during the tribulation how God prepares a sacrifice with all of the dead people and invites his guests the fowls of the air to feast on the bodies. (Revelation 19:17-18 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.) (Revelation 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.) The guests in verse 7 may also include the animals of the land who will devour the flesh of the dead people killed by the Babylonians similar to what will happen in Revelation.
(Zephaniah 1:8 And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD’S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.) Verse 8 shows that the princes and the king’s children were not exempt from the coming punishment. This can be seen how Zedekiah’s children were killed before him and then he had his eyes plucked out. (II Kings 25:7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.) We also see how royalty was not exempt in Daniel and his three friends and other royalty and noble seed who were taken to Babylon and made eunuchs. (Daniel 1:3-4 ¶ And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes;
4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.) The verse also says God will punish those “clothed with strange apparel” which most likely refers to the fact that the people of Judah had become so sinful that besides adopting the gods of foreign or strange people, many had also adopted the clothing (apparel) and customs of those people. These were strange clothes as God had set the people of Judah and Israel apart from all other nations as a peculiar people who were to follow him, dress a certain way and look a certain way and follow the customs of God and not those of the heathen nations. We as Christians are also to be set apart in our clothing and customs from the rest of the sinful world. (Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.) (I Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:)
(Zephaniah 1:9 In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit.) This verse may refer to the fact that many of the nobles of that day hired thieves to break into people’s homes and bring the good back to them (their masters). The threshold refers to the door or the opening such as a gate in other verses. It also may refer to how in I Samuel 5 after the Philistines had captured the ark of the covenant, they had placed it before their fish god Dagon. In the morning they found that Dagon had fallen before the ark of the covenant with his head and hands cut off and they had fallen on the threshold or opening of the door entrance. The priests would no longer step on the threshold anymore, but walk over out. This verse may be referring to how the many members of the royal family had leaped on the threshold of the temple as they ran inside with their false gods. They had no respect for God and the entrance to the temple as the Philistine priests did for their god.
(Zephaniah 1:10 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.) Verse 10 seems to be describing the coming of the Babylonian army as the people begin to cry and holler at the fish gate. The fish gate was the gate that was used by fishermen to bring in their fish to sell to the merchantmen. The fish gate was on the north side of the city. The people were probably crying as their livelihood was gone and their wealth. The people realized the prophecy of their destruction had come true and they had nowhere to hide. Not only was there a cry from the fish gate, but also a howling from the second and a great crashing from the hills, The second most likely refers to the second quarter of the city which had been added by Manasseh. (II Chronicles 33:14 Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah.) The great crashing from the hills may refer either to the Babylonian army coming in or it may refer to the many people trying to escape to the hills and from the Babylonian army.
(Zephaniah 1:11 Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off.) Maktesh was most likely the part of the city where the merchants lived. This seems to have been near the fish gate in the second quarter. Many of these merchants probably sold fish. With the Babylonians coming through the fish gate and capturing or killing many of them, their silver (money) was gone as the bringing in of fish and other products was stopped. The phrase “cut down” probably refers to many of the merchants being killed and the phrase “they that bear silver are cut off” refers to the stopping of all trade and hence no money is brought in.
(Zephaniah 1:12 And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.) This verse shows that no one will be able to hide from the coming punishment by God. He will use the Babylonians to do his work and they will search throughout Jerusalem with candles to find all of those who try to hide from their coming wrath. The phrase “settled on their lees” refers to when wine used to be left undisturbed for a long time. This is how the people had become. They had become settled in their sinful life without disturbance, yet God says they will be disturbed and punished. These people had said that the LORD would not do anything to them whether good or evil. They had been so long living in their sins without punishment that they had come to believe that God would not really interfere in their lives and the prophecy of Zephaniah be fulfilled. Many people today are the same way as they completely ignore God and have lost all fear for him. The people did recognize there was a LORD, they just did not care.
(Zephaniah 1:13 Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.) The Babylonians would take all of the people’s belongings as booty and their houses would sit empty (desolate). Many of the people would not believe in the coming prophecy of Zephaniah and so they would build houses that they would never get to live in as they would be taken captive to Babylon or killed. Many of these same people would plant vineyards, but would never get to drink wine from it as they would not be there. Many of these houses and vineyards would be destroyed by the coming Babylonian army.
(Zephaniah 1:14 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 kept warning that the great day of the LORD was near, but the people refused to listen. We see the same thing happening today as the tribulation and the wrath of God are near, but people just will not listen to the warnings of God’s coming wrath. This verse seems to have the dual meaning of the destruction that came from the Babylonians as well as that coming during the great tribulation. The mighty man will cry as he will not only be crying for the destruction of Jerusalem, but also will realize that no matter how mighty a man he thought he was, God is much mightier and he will not spare even the mighty man. The people during the great tribulation will also cry over the destruction of Babylon which will most likely be Rome with Babylon being symbolic of the Babylonian religion of Roman Catholicism that is headquartered there. (Revelation 18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.)
(Zephaniah 1:15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,) The day of the LORD will be a day of wrath. On this day the LORD will bring his wrath on Jerusalem and the people of Judah. This also applies to the future tribulation as God will once again bring his wrath on the people of this world. This day will also be a day of trouble and distress as the people will see that God does fulfill his promises and prophecies to the letter. It will be a day of wasteness and desolation as the land is destroyed along with people and the remaining people’s hearts are desolate and empty of the LORD. It will be a day of darkness and gloominess as there is no light of Jesus shining in the hearts of the people, only the darkness of Satan. This is emphasized a second time with the phrase “day of clouds and thick darkness”. Clouds and thick darkness is often a sign just before a severe thunderstorm, one that often times includes hail and tornadoes. Joel who prophesied at an earlier time before Zephaniah, probably about 100 years earlier, seems to confirm these verses through the end of the chapter, not only apply to the days of the Babylonian Empire, but also to the coming tribulation. Joel used some of the same words such as darkness and gloominess, clouds and thick darkness to describe the day of the LORD. (Joel 2:2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.)
(Zephaniah 1:16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.) The trumpet of battle will be sounded against even the fenced cities and the high towers that were used for lookouts. These places thought they were secure, but even they will not escape the wrath of God on the day of the LORD.
(Zephaniah 1:17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.) The people will become so distressed from seeing the Babylonian army as well as the destruction that they will walk around like blind men. They will be so distressed that they will not be able to think and will be walking around in a daze as if they were blind. They will also walk as spiritually blind men as they will still refuse to turn to God even when they see the prophecy of Zephaniah being fulfilled. The same thing will happen during the tribulation as the people continue in rebellion against God and walk around blindly to their coming destruction. This verse also refers to the fact that for those who are not walking with God and especially for the unsaved, they have been blinded by Satan and this is what happened to the people at the time of the Babylonian invasion as well as will also happen during the tribulation. (II Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.) We see the people become like blind men because they have sinned against the LORD. Zephaniah warns that their blood shall be poured out like dust meaning there will be so much blood it will be similar to how dust is so common. This will also happen during the battle of Armageddon as the blood will be as high as the horse’s bridle for a distance of about 200 miles (1,600 furlongs) from all of those who will be killed. (Revelation 14:20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.) Zephaniah also warned the flesh of the people would be as dung. Not only was dung fairly common from the horses that were around, but the reference shows the people’s flesh would just pile up on the ground and be worthless as dung. It would also stink the way dung does.
(Zephaniah 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.) Verse 18 shows that no amount of money will be able to deliver them from the LORD’s wrath on that day. The same applies today and during the tribulation as the super-rich will suffer from God’s judgment just as much as the poorest unsaved person. No amount of money will save a person as they cannot buy their way out of receiving the wrath. No bribes will be accepted. Silver and gold will mean nothing when you are suffering the wrath of God. Security only comes when one places their trust in Jesus. God will devour the whole land as no part of it will be immune from his coming wrath. No part of Judah will escape his wrath. The same will apply during the tribulation as the judgments from God will apply to all on the earth no matter where they are. Not even Antarctica will be safe. God said he would make a speedy riddance of them and he will do the same in the tribulation. (Revelation 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.) God will bring his wrath fast that there will not be anyone to escape it even if you had more time. God will be swift to punish sin at this time with no more delays. God will give people time to repent, but when the time is up, judgment and wrath are swift. This applies in all cases of God’s wrath.
(Zephaniah 2:1-3 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;
2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you.
3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.) Zephaniah calls for the nation of Judah to repent and gather themselves to God. Zephaniah says the people need to do this before “the day of the LORD’S anger come upon” them. Verse 2 says God will have fierce anger. God will not tolerate sin. Zephaniah warned the people not to delay their repentance. Unfortunately the people did not repent and listen to Zephaniah. Many people believe they have all the time in the world to get right with God. They will always do it tomorrow or when they have time. People and a nation cannot repent unless they turn in sincerity and want to get right with God. People are never guaranteed they have a tomorrow so everyone needs to get right with God now. Do not put it off. Our nation today is in the same place that Judah was as our leaders have turned their backs on God as has most of the people. People do not even think they need to get right with God and the same was with the people of Judah in Zephaniah’s day. Repentance cannot come if no one wants it. The word “before” is used four times in verse 2 as a way once again to plead that Judah repent before it is too late. In verse 3 Zephaniah tells the people to seek the LORD as they have brought on the judgment of God. Nations and people do not want to bring on the judgment of God. There is no escape from it. Zephaniah warns the people to seek righteousness and to be meek or to humble themselves before God. Zephaniah said that God might hide those who seek him when his wrath comes upon Judah.
(Zephaniah 2:4 ¶ For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.) Starting with this verse until the end of the chapter we see Zephaniah by God switch from announcing the coming destruction of Judah to announcing the coming judgments on the Gentile nations which are enemies of Israel and Judah. God wants Judah to know that just as he will judge them, he will also judge their Gentile neighbors. The people can see as these prophecies are fulfilled against the Gentiles, that God will also fulfill his word against Judah. Zephaniah wants the people of Judah see that God will not tolerate sin of any kind whether from Judah or the Gentile nations. He also wants the people to see that God will judge Judah’s enemies and will one day restore Israel to her glory. This will be fulfilled during the millennium. Verse 4 deals with the judgment on the Philistines, a nation to the west. The verse names four main cities which each had a god and how they will be forsaken, left desolate, and rooted up or destroyed.
(Zephaniah 2:5 Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.) Zephaniah continues his warning against the Cherethites as the LORD is against them. He then says God will destroy Canaan where the Philistines were and no inhabitant would be left as God would destroy (kill) them. This area today may be the same where the Palestinians live. God will destroy these people one day as well.
(Zephaniah 2:6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.) Today this sea coast is the disputed Gaza Strip of the Palestinians. Today there is much warfare and hatred, but one day God will remove Israel’s enemy from the Promised Land and this area will become a place for shepherds to care for their sheep (flocks) and cottages and homes will be built here in safety.
(Zephaniah 2:7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.) In verse 7 we see that the coast will one day be dwelt by those of the house of Judah in the land of Ashkelon of the Philistines. This has been partially fulfilled. At the end of the verse God says he will visit his people in their captivity and will free them or turn away their captivity. When the Jews were allowed to return to the land by the Persian king Cyrus after the end of their 70 year Babylonian captivity some did dwell in the houses of the Philistines in Ashkelon as God had fulfilled his prophecy against them and removed them. The houses were left abandoned and the Jews moved in. Today some Jews live near the coast, but they do not fully control it as the Palestinians are there. The prophecy will be fully fulfilled in the Millennium. Today no Philistine people exist and there has been no Philistine nation for a long time.
(Zephaniah 2:8 ¶ I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.) The next prophecy was the prediction of the doom against Moab and Ammon, two nations on the east of Judah. The Moabites and the Ammonites were the incest children from Lot’s daughters who got their dad drunk and raped him after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. These nations were related to Israel yet they were longtime enemies. The king of Moab had hired Balaam to curse Israel, but God had turned the curse against Moab instead. This verse says God had heard of the reproach and sins of these nations against Israel and Judah. God had had enough of these nations and just like the nation of Philistia, they too would be destroyed. Both of these nations thought they were better than Judah and had magnified their borders. This phrase refers to invasions of Israel by these nations. This was offensive to God as God had assigned Israel her borders and these nations thought they could take land from Israel. These borders can be found in Numbers 34 and in other places. Israel is the only nation that has her borders given to her by God. She also cannot take land that belongs to another nation. This is seen when the Israelites were told that some land belonged to Moab and in another place to the children of Esau so they could not possess it. The same will happen to those who think they can take land from Israel today.
(Zephaniah 2:9 Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.) In this verse we see that God predicts his coming destruction of these two nations. He compared their destruction to Sodom and Gomorrah, the cities he destroyed with fire and brimstone (sulfur). The land will become saltpits and a breeding place of nettles and the land desolate. Nettles are plants with jagged leaves and stinging hairs on them. Zephaniah says that God says that a remnant of his people would possess these lands. Some of the people of Judah after they left Babylon would later settle in these lands. During the Millennium, the Israelites will control and possess all of the territory of what was Moab and Ammon and many Jews will live there.
(Zephaniah 2:10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.) Zephaniah says that the punishments in verse 9 by God are due to the fact that these nations have reproached and magnified themselves against God’s chosen people. This refers to their invasions of Israel and stealing land from them. It was their pride that initiated these invasions.
(Zephaniah 2:11 The LORD will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.) This verse shows that God will be terrible unto them as he will destroy them. Their gods and all of the false gods on earth will be famished of their worshippers as God will destroy the people. This will be completely fulfilled during the tribulation. At this time men from all over the world, even from the islands of the heathens, will one day worship God. This will be fulfilled in Israel at the end of the great tribulation and for the rest of the world during the Millennium. Both of the nations of Moab and Ammon no longer exist today as God fulfilled his promise to destroy them.
(Zephaniah 2:12 ¶ Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.) God’s next judgment is against Ethiopia which was south of Judah. God never said he would completely destroy the Ethiopians which is why they still exist today as a nation.
(Zephaniah 2:13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.) The next nation on God’s list is the Assyrians who were north of Judah. It was the Assyrian Empire that captured the ten northern tribes of Israel and dispersed them throughout the empire. This prophecy would be fulfilled soon as the Babylonian Empire would conquer Assyria before conquering Judah. The Babylonians would destroy the capital city of Nineveh which at one time was the largest city in the world and it would never be rebuilt. Some people did live there for some time, but eventually it was abandoned just as god said and left as a desolate city. That area is a desert place now and dry like a wilderness just as God said.
(Zephaniah 2:14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he shall uncover the cedar work.) When the Babylonian empire conquered Assyria, they destroyed the nation and especially the capital of Nineveh. God predicted animals would now live where people once did. To show how complete the destruction would be can be seen by the phrase “desolation shall be in the thresholds”. Remember I said that thresholds refers to the door entrance and basically the part you stand on. The Babylonians would destroy everything down to even the thresholds of the doors. The destruction was so great that even the cedar work was uncovered meaning nothing was left untouched in the buildings. The destruction went right down to the framework.
(Zephaniah 2:15 This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.) Nineveh as I said was once a great city, the capital of Assyria and at one time the world’s largest city. This was a city feared by many nations as the Assyrians were evil. Nineveh was the city that Jonah was sent to to preach repentance to the people. They did repent so God preserved them for a while, but eventually the new generation went back to their sinful ways and so God destroyed the city just as he warned he would. The people were able to postpone the destruction due to true repentance, but ultimately God will fulfill his word. The same is true of America today as we can postpone the coming destruction of our nation if our nation would repent, but sooner than later God will judge America as he has these nations. We are not exempt from God’s wrath any more than Judah was. We see in this verse how Nineveh said there was none like here and her pride thought she was better than God. God made her a home for beasts just as was done to many other nations and cities in scripture. No nation can escape God’s wrath if they disobey or become too arrogant as Assyria had become. Today the Assyrian empire is long gone as is the nation of Assyria. Note that the nation of Assyria was a separate nation from the nation of Syria which still exists today. What happened to Assyria and all these nations should be a warning to all nations today who try to defy God. These prophecies to these nations were to have been a warning to Judah to repent and avoid her own destruction.
(Zephaniah 3:1 Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!) God through Zephaniah now turns his attention and warnings back to Judah and in this verse specifically to Jerusalem, a city that had become polluted by idolatry, prostitution, sodomy, and many other sins. Jerusalem as the city of God was supposed to shine brightly to the rest of the world, but had become filthy and polluted as she became worse than some of the Gentile cities.
(Zephaniah 3:2 She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God.) Jerusalem refused to obey the voice of God through his prophets. Ninevah did for a while from Jonah and was spared for a time, whereas Jerusalem ignored God’s warnings and in fact killed many of the prophets. She did not ever try and truly correct herself. There was at times some false outward appearance of change, but then she became so wicked she did not even try to appear holy. Jerusalem had long stop trusting in the LORD, but rather trusted in false gods. She did not draw near to God as she served false gods. She had lost all love for the true God.
(Zephaniah 3:3 Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.) This verse shows that the princes and the rest of the royalty are roaring lions. Just as a roaring lion devours his prey, so have the princes the people. Their sinfulness has caused the people to become wicked. God compares the judges of Jerusalem as evening wolves. Wolves are dogs and in scripture dogs never have anything good said about them. Wolves dress as sheep to deceive people and that is what these judges have done as their wickedness shows forth in the morning as they gnaw on the bones of people, having already devoured their flesh and led them to a life of sin and away from God. The wolves do their sin at night as they fear the lions. Night is when most sin occurs.
(Zephaniah 3:4 Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.) The phrase “her prophets are light” refers to false prophets not from God. These men have no fear of God or real desire to see change and repentance of the people. These false prophets are traitors as they pretend to be from God, but lead the people to destruction. The priests have polluted the sanctuary as they performed sacrifices to the false gods. The priests and the people have continued to disobey God’s law as they made a mockery of it. The priests have changed the meanings of the law to cover the sins of themselves and the people and no one observes the law.
(Zephaniah 3:5 The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.) Verse 5 shows that the LORD (Jehovah) is there among the people and he will do no iniquity (sin). Every morning God brings his judgment to light. God will not hide his judgement. The unjust have no shame and do not even try to hide their sins anymore. This can be seen here in America today. This verse shows God as the Judge and how he is righteous compared to the sinful judges in verse 3.
(Zephaniah 3:6 I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.) In this verse we see God says he has cut off the nations that have been enemies of Israel. God many times destroyed the nations who were enemies of Israel and Israel and Judah both knew this, yet Judah thought she could do whatever sins she wanted and God would not destroy her. No nation including Judah is above sin. The people of Judah doubted God and were not even thankful for what God had done for them the many times they were attacked. God shows in the rest of the verse how he had made the towers of these nations desolate, the streets were waste and empty, the cities were destroyed, and they were empty and uninhabited.
(Zephaniah 3:7 I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.) In this verse we see how God did not want to destroy these nations as he was hoping they would fear him. Instead of fearing God they got deeper in sin. These nations were warned by God, but they ignored them even when God punished them to give them a wake up call they continued in their sin (corrupted all their doings) so God had to destroy them. This includes Israel who ignored all his prophets and was disbursed among the nations. Judah was soon to get her turn for her disobedience and America will also soon get her turn. We too have ignored all of the warnings such as 9/11.
(Zephaniah 3:8 ¶ Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.) In verse 8, God turns back to Judah and Jerusalem. He tells the people to wait on him for the day will come when God will rise against the nations as he assembles the kingdoms and they will be devoured in his fierce anger. This is a promise to Judah that though they will be sent into captivity, there will come a day when God will restore them and the people will turn back to him and all of Israel and Judah’s enemies will for once and for all be destroyed. This verse seems to be pointing to the battle of Armageddon at the end of the great tribulation. At the end of this battle God will destroy all of Israel’s enemies with the fire of his jealousy for Israel. Israel themselves will finally turn to Jesus as their Messiah at the end and will finally be right with God. (Zechariah 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.)
(Zephaniah 3:9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.) Verses 9-17 seem to be speaking of the Millennium. It seems that at this time all nations will once again speak one language which will be a pure language. Everyone spoke one language until the dispersion at the tower of Babel when God formed the nations and the languages. Here he basically reverses that curse. I believe the pure language refers to everyone speaking Hebrew which I believe was the original language spoken by everyone until the tower of Babel. People will once again speak a pure language. This verse also shows how all people may call on the name of the LORD to serve him as one. When the Millennium starts only believers will initially be there. God will already have separated the nations as sheep and goats or in other wards saved and unsaved nations.
(Zephaniah 3:10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.) In this verse we see not only will any Jews living in other nations return to Israel, but the Gentiles will help them return. I believe it also means that the nations from all over will come to Jerusalem with a burnt offering as foretold in Micah. (Micah 4:2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.) The nations will also be required to come on the feast of tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:16 ¶ And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.) This verse again refers to the Millennium.
(Zephaniah 3:11 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.) At the start of the Millennium, Israel will be the chief nation. All of Israel will be saved so they will all be ashamed of the sins of Israel’s past. No more will there be prideful and haughty living in Israel and any that come later, God will remove because of his holy mountain which refers to Jerusalem. All Israelites will become humble as Jesus himself will rule the world and reign from Jerusalem. David will be king of Israel.
(Zephaniah 3:12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.) This seems to refer to those Jews who went through the great tribulation and were afflicted. They now place their trust in the LORD. There will also be many Jews who were saved prior to the tribulation who will also be there. The tribulation Jews have much to be thankful for as they saw the worst of any Jews.
(Zephaniah 3:13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.) Those that are left in Israel that go into the millennium will not continue in sin and lies as was done before by the false prophets and the nation as a whole in her rejection of Jesus. This also includes the modern rabbis who lied to the people and deceived them about Jesus. The Jews will not be afraid any more of any nations or people as they now trust in Jesus as their Messiah and he is physically present with them in Israel and rules with a rod of iron. (Revelation 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.) (Revelation 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.)
(Zephaniah 3:14 ¶ Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.) Israel can now rejoice as she has finally had her eyes opened and she has received Jesus as her Messiah. Israel could have had all of this many years earlier if she had not rejected Jesus. A person should be glad and sing and rejoice when they know what they have in Jesus and how lost they were without him.
(Zephaniah 3:15 The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.) Verse 15 once again shows how Jesus (the LORD) has taken all judgment away from Israel. The great tribulation was the final judgment against Israel. At the end of the tribulation, God cast out and destroyed all of Israel’s enemies. All of those who enter the millennium are believers and friends of Israel. God will continue this protection throughout the millennium. We see in this verse that the LORD is in the midst of them. This refers to Jesus ruling and reigning the world from Jerusalem. No longer will Israel see evil. She will not have enemies, or false prophets or wicked kings.
(Zephaniah 3:16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.) Along with the whole nation, a special word is told that Jerusalem will also not need to fear. Jerusalem has been destroyed, attacked, captured, and recaptured many times. This will happen no more. The Jews have lived in fear for most of their history, but now that fear ends. The people are told to not “let thine hands be slack”. The Israelites are to make up for all of the many wasted years that they did not follow God. During the millennium, Israel will be the nation he originally intended with all of the people as priests who will witness throughout the world for Jesus. During the tribulation you had 144,000 Jews as witnesses for Jesus, but now the whole nation will be. Jerusalem will be able to truly witness that Jerusalem is the city of God.
(Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.) Once again we see the LORD (Jesus) who is their God is in the midst (among) them. Jesus will save all of the Jews initially at the start of the millennium as well as save many others during the millennium from other nations. Jesus will rejoice over the Israelites as his chosen people. This will include singing. The people will be able to rest in the love of Jesus. This verse contrasts with verse 5 where Jesus was Judge in Jerusalem and now in a redeemed Jerusalem he is love, rest, and joy and rejoices over his people as he sees no sin, only them washed in the blood of Jesus. Note that all who enter the millennium from the great tribulation will still be in their physical bodies like we have now. Those from heaven are in their glorified bodies.
(Zephaniah 3:18 I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.) Verses 18-20 speak of the restoration of Israel from their Babylonian captivity. Verses 9-20 show that God is not done with Israel even though many people teach this false teaching. In verse 18, God says he will gather those who are sorrowful and miss the solemn assembly. This most likely refers to those who miss gathering for the feasts as well as for worship of God in what we would call revivals. The feasts and other similar gatherings are referred to as solemn assemblies in other places in scripture. Not getting to go to the temple and worship God and obey celebrating his feasts had become a reproach (disappointment) or burden to those Jews who had been convicted during the captivity and had repented and turned to God. Often times we do not realize what we miss out on worship of God until it is taken away. Many Christians are lax in serving God and do not go to church. It is only when they lose these privileges and repent do they realize what they missed.
(Zephaniah 3:19 Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.) At the end of the 70 years of captivity by Babylon, God will undo all that afflicts them. He will allow them to return to Jerusalem and Judah. God will gather those who were driven out of Judah and bring them back. Part of this verse is still being fulfilled today as God has gathered Jews from all over the world and from all tribes both from Judah and Israel and they are returning to Israel. God says he will get the Jews praise and fame in all places they had been put to shame. God not only would take care of their enemies but will bring praise to the Jews. Many Jews in history and even today have been in charge of many important businesses, have won many Nobel prizes and have received much fame. They have received much more than the size of their population. During the millennium Israel will rightly be restored as the leading nation of the world as God originally intended for them and all nations will look to them and Israel will be without shame, but rather glorious in their eyes.
(Zephaniah 3:20 At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.) God once again repeats what he said in verse 19 that he will eventually end the captivity of Judah and return them to their land. God said their name once again will be praised by all people of the earth as they will know that they serve a living God who fully controls them and all nations. Today the name of Israel is known by all and is constantly in the news. Israel is a very tiny nation, yet it is known for its great exports to Europe and its survival. Once again it people have done much great good compared to their population. These verses also speak of Israel being restored in the millennium.
