Introduction to Zephaniah

Authorship and Date of Zephaniah

Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of Josiah (640–609 BC). The Northern Kingdom of Israel had already been destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 BC, and only the Southern Kingdom of Judah remained.

The fall of Nineveh (612 BC) was still future (2:13–15).

King Josiah was a good king and reformer who tried to root out idolatry from the land (2 Kings 22–23). Most scholars think Zephaniah was written before Josiah initiated his reforms in 628 BC, since Zephaniah implies that Judah’s idolatry was ongoing (1:4–5).

Zephaniah responds to the extreme idolatry, apostasy, and moral decay that grew out of Manasseh’s evil reign and continued into the first part of Josiah’s reign. Possibly, Zephaniah spurred Josiah to institute his reforms.

Outline of Zephaniah

1. Superscription (1:1)
2. The Day of the LORD (1:2–3:8)
   • The coming wrath — focus on Judah (1:2–18)
   • Call to seek the LORD before the judgment comes (2:1–3)
   • The coming destruction of the nations (2:4–3:8)
     1. The Philistines and coastal peoples (2:4–7)
     2. Moab and the Ammonites (2:8–11)
     3. The Cushites (= Ethiopia) (2:12)
     4. The Assyrians (2:13–15)
     5. Jerusalem and her leaders (3:1–5, 7)
     6. The nations in general (3:6, 8)
3. The Vindication and Restoration of God’s People (3:9–20)

Main Theme: The Day of the LORD

The phrase appears seven times:

• “The (great) day of the LORD” (1:7, 14 [twice])
• “The day of the LORD’s sacrifice”—that is, slaughter (1:8)
• “The day of the wrath/anger of the LORD” (1:18; 2:2–3)

1. Purpose: To sweep away all sinners from the face of the earth (1:2–3): “In the fire of his jealousy, all the earth shall be consumed” (twice: 1:18; 3:8; cf. 2 Pet. 3:7–13).
2. Timing: The day of the LORD is “near” (1:14; cf. Rev. 22:7, 12, 20).
3. Character: A day of distress and anguish, etc. (1:15; cf. Rom. 2:5–9).
4. Cause: “Because they have sinned against the LORD” (1:17).
5. Scope: God will judge the whole earth (1:18; 3:8), including rebels in the covenant community.
6. Basis: The perfect justice of God (3:5).

“Dies Irae”

Based on the Latin translation of Zephaniah 1:15

Day of wrath! O day of mourning!
See fulfilled the prophets’ warning,
Heaven and earth in ashes burning!

Oh, what fear man’s bosom rendeth,
when from heaven the Judge descendeth,
on whose sentence all dependeth.

Wondrous sound the trumpet flingeth;
through earth’s sepulchers it ringeth;
all before the throne it bringeth …

Read “Dies Irae”

New Testament Allusions to Zephaniah

Zephaniah	New Testament
1:7	Rev. 8:1: “There was silence in heaven.”
1:15, 18	Rom. 2:5: “the day of wrath” (hēmera orgēs)
1:15, 17	Rom. 2:9: “tribulation” (thlipsis)
2:2	Rom. 2:8: “wrath and anger” (orgē kai thymos)
3:8	Rev. 16:1: “Go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”
3:13	Rev. 14:5: “In their mouth no lie was found” (cf. John 1:47).
3:15	Matt. 27:42; Mark 15:32; John 1:49; 12:13: “The King of Israel.”

The Vindication and Restoration of God’s People (Zeph 3:9–20)

“The LORD their God will … restore their fortunes” (2:7; cf. 3:20).

1. The Gentiles will be converted and worship the true God (3:9–10). Just as Israel is included in the judgment against the nations, so the nations are included in the restoration of Israel (Rom. 11).
2. God will remove the rebellious and haughty apostates from among the people (3:11), leaving a remnant that is humble and lowly and does not speak lies (3:12–13; cf. Matt. 5:3–6).
3. The LORD will vindicate—justify—his people by taking away the judgments against them (3:15).
4. The LORD will be in their midst and rejoice over them (3:17).
5. The LORD will gather those who mourn, the oppressed, the lame, and the outcasts (3:18–19a).
6. The LORD will change their shame into praise and make his people renowned among all the peoples of the earth (3:19b–20).