Day 353

Zephaniah 1:1–3:20; Revelation 10:1-11; Psalm 138:1-8; Proverbs 30:11-14

AS HAS BECOME our recent custom in these final weeks of the year, we read another short but complete prophetic book today. Zephaniah is the ninth of the Minor Prophets, and as with other prophets in this grouping, we know very little about who he was. The only substantial information we have is found in the first verse of the book:

The LORD gave this message to Zephaniah when Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah. Zephaniah was the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah.

One unique feature scholars have noted in this description is that Zephaniah traced his ancestry four generations back, instead of simply naming his father. Although it is not certain, this may be because Zephaniah was a descendant of the good and reforming king Hezekiah. This would explain Zephaniah’s awareness of the world surrounding him. His lineage would have also likely lent credibility to his prophetic work.

Zephaniah’s name means “God has hidden,”* and he states that his message was given during the reign of Josiah. This would place him in the early to mid-600s BC and make him contemporary with other prophets like Jeremiah. Many scholars believe that Zephaniah was familiar with the writings of prophets like Isaiah because of similarities in language and tone.

Whereas many of the works of prophecy are specifically targeted, Zephaniah concerns his prophetic work more broadly with judgment of the known world —including Judah. According to Zephaniah, God’s judgment of evil was imminent. To that end, the “day of the LORD” is a central theme throughout the work.

With the Day of the Lord in view, Zephaniah encouraged his hearers toward repentance before it was too late:

Seek the LORD, all who are humble, and follow his commands. Seek to do what is right and to live humbly. Perhaps even yet the LORD will protect you —protect you from his anger on that day of destruction.

The Day of the Lord can evoke ominous imagery of terrible devastation, and it can certainly generate fear and dread, but we must remember —God wanted to eradicate evil, not people. Those who were unwilling to rid themselves of evil, however, would indeed be swept away —no matter where they were from. But through it all, those who lived with a specific posture would survive. According to Zephaniah, “Those who are left will be the lowly and humble, for it is they who trust in the name of the LORD” (Zephaniah 3:12).

In the rest of the prophetic works in Scripture, the conclusion of judgment brings the heralding of a new and pure beginning. Zephaniah is no different. Although judgment is foretold, restoration is as well. Let’s take comfort in some of the final thoughts of Zephaniah:

For the LORD will remove his hand of judgment and will disperse the armies of your enemy. And the LORD himself, the King of Israel, will live among you! At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster.

MEDITATION:

Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me. The LORD will work out his plans for my life —for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.