Prophecy of Zephaniah

Concise Bible Dictionary:

The only personal detail given of this prophet is his ancestry for four generations: he was the son of Cushi, a descendant of Hizkiah. The date to the prophecy is “the days of Josiah” king of Judah, who reigned B.C. 641-610. The prophecy gives the judgment of God with respect to the testimony that was being borne when there was an outward reformation under a pious king who trembled at God’s law. The Spirit of God could read the hearts of the people, and could see what moral corruption was associated with the outward worship of God (compare Jer. 3:6-10⁶The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. ⁷And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. ⁸And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. ⁹And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks. ¹⁰And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 3:6‑10)). The prophet proclaims the judgments that must fall upon the land, and upon Judah and Jerusalem, though with grace to the faithful remnant at the end. Within four years of the close of Josiah’s reign Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnezzar, the holy vessels carried away, and the captivity of Judah commenced.

Zephaniah 1. The prophecy opens with “I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith Jehovah.” God could see the followers of Baal still there, and the Chemarim (idolatrous priests, mentioned in 2 Kings 23:5⁵And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven. (2 Kings 23:5) and Hos. 10:5⁵The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Beth-aven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it. (Hosea 10:5), margin), and those who worshipped the host of heaven; and those that sware by Jehovah and by Malcham, or “their king,” that is, Baal (compare Jer. 49:1¹Concerning the Ammonites, thus saith the Lord; Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir? why then doth their king inherit Gad, and his people dwell in his cities? (Jeremiah 49:1), margin). Judgment would surely overtake them, and their gold and silver should not deliver them in the great day of God’s wrath upon the whole land of Judah and Jerusalem. Maktesh in Zephaniah 1:11¹¹Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off. (Zephaniah 1:11) is literally “of a mortar” or “hollow place” as in a rock (compare Judg. 15:19¹⁹But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof En-hakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day. (Judges 15:19); Prov. 27:22²²Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him. (Proverbs 27:22)), where the same Hebrew word occurs), probably signifying Jerusalem, where, as in a mortar, they would be pounded by their enemies.

Zephaniah 2. The people are addressed as a nation “without shame” (instead of “not desired”): they are called to seek Jehovah, if haply a remnant might be hidden in the day of His wrath. Then the various nations are denounced that had been hostile to the land and to God’s people. God had from time to time used some of them as the means whereby He punished His chosen people; but they had been filled with pride and had abused their power, therefore His judgments should surely fall upon them: the prophecy however looks on to the future great day of God’s wrath.

Zephaniah 3. Here Jerusalem, the filthy and polluted city, is treated of. The princes, judges, prophets, and priests were all corrupt. The nations of those mentioned in the previous chapter would be completely cut off; and then Jehovah says, Surely Judah will listen to Me! In the future, Jehovah, after punishing the nations, will turn to His people, and a remnant will be brought into blessing. Israel will then be called upon to sing. The King of Israel, even Jehovah, will be in her midst, and she shall have a name and a praise among all the people of the earth. Christ is not, as in other prophecies, introduced here as the Messiah, but as Jehovah. The “times of the Gentiles” and their four great kingdoms are passed over.

Prophecy of Zephaniah

Concise Bible Dictionary:

Related Books and Articles: