The Book of Zephaniah
Dr. Stanford E. Murrell
Leader’s Study Guide
Human Author: Zephaniah
Date of writing: c. 640 BC
Key Thought:
The Day of the Lord
Key Verse:
Introduction.
Zephaniah
ministered before the Babylonian captivity began in 586 BC and not long before
Jeremiah, who lived at the time of the captivity. The prophet predicts the
general destruction of
The
outline of the book is simple.
·
Chapter 1 Judgment upon
·
Chapter 2 Judgment upon the Nations
·
Chapter 3 Judgment upon
ZEPHANIAH 1
Judgment on
1 The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah [Jehovah hath hidden]
the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah [Jehovah is great], the son of Amariah
[Jehovah hath said], the son of Hizkiah [strengthened of Jehovah], in the days
of Josiah [Jehovah supports] the son of Amon [faithful], king of
1:1 Little is known about
the prophet Zephaniah except for what he shares about himself in this verse.
His heritage is traced through four generations.
·
Zephaniah was the son of Cushi
·
Cushi was the son of Gedaliah
·
Gedaliah was the son of Amariah
·
Amariah was the son of Hezekiah. This means that Zephaniah was a
great-great grandson of king Hezekiah. While “not
many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called” (1 Cor. 1:26) some are. As a member of the royal
family Zephanaih would help bring spiritual renewal c. 621 BC
1:1 The ministry of Zephaniah began during the days
of Josiah (640 – 608 BC) the son of Amon, king of Judah. Because Josiah was a
good and godly king, there were days of blessing for a remnant according to the
election of grace. Nevertheless, most people lived in spiritual darkness.
Zephaniah warned of an impending judgment while providing hope for the
faithful.
2 I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD.
1:2 Zephaniah speaks of a judgment soon to fall first upon Judah and then upon Jerusalem. The northern ten tribes had already been carried into Assyria nearly a century before, c. 721 BC.
3 I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven,
and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling-blocks [idols] with the wicked;
and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.
1:3 Though God will use greed and other wicked impulses of the human heart as instruments in His hand of discipline, the Lord takes responsibility for the pain and suffering the nation of Israel is about to suffer. Not only man but also the beasts, the fowls of the air and the fish of the sea would know the effects of divine wrath for there is cursing by association.
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 [ascetics] with the priests;
1:4 The reason for this utter desolation can be traced to the worship of Baal. The priests of Baal called the Chemarims dressed in black reflecting the darkness of their hearts.
5 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;
1:5 The coming judgment would also fall upon the worshipers of the heavenly bodies along with those who professed to follow the Lord but whose profession was false. There is an abiding attempt to mingle worldly and sensual ideas and thoughts with the worship of God. Such efforts must be challenged. There is a pure religion that must be kept. Professing Christians who read astrology and dabble in the occult or accept the false teaching of cult leaders should take heed to the prophetic word of Zephaniah.
1:5 Malcham (the great king), is identified
with Molech, a pagan god to which human sacrifices were made.
6 And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor inquired for him.
1:6 There were two classes of people to be judged. There were some who had responded to the gospel message only to turn back. Jesus said, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). Others had not even sought the Lord nor cared to know the mind of God in personal matters. All will perish in the coming judgment.
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.
1:7 “The day of the Lord”
is an expression that finds both a near and far fulfillment. In context the
reference was to the Babylonian conquest. The ultimate day of the Lord is the
time of His second advent. 2 Peter 3:10 explains what will happen. “But the
day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens
shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent
heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”
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.
1:8 Neither high social class rank nor princely priveldges shall allow individuals to be exempt from divine judgment when it comes. Foreign dignitaries dressed in strange apparel will also be caught up in the momentous events.
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.
1:9 Individuals guilty of covetousness and violence
will come under judgment. Those who are willing to take by force or deceit what
belongs to others will not go unnoticed or unpunished.
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.
1:10 There were several main gates in the wall surrounding the city of Jerusalem.
Name Alternative Name
·
Mercy Gate Golden Gate
·
Damascus Gate
·
Herod’s Gate Flower Gate
·
Jaffa Gate Gate of
Hebron
·
Lion’s Gate
·
Dung Gate
·
Zion’s Gate Prophet
David’s
·
Haggai’s Gate Valley Gate
11 Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut
down; all they that bear silver are cut off.
1:10 –11 With the coming of judgment comes the disruption of commerce. The merchants will be murdered and those who handle money will be destroyed. Because of the uncertainties of life the Christian is exhorted to be content with food and raiment and to owe no man anything but love (1 Tim. 6:8; Rom. 13:8).
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.
1:12 Not only will the Lord seek to discipline those who engage in false worship, He will seek out with a lighted lamp those who promote agnosticism and atheism. Those who ridicule the idea of divine providence will be made to acknowledge there is a God and He is not silent. The universal Laws of nature are suspended as the Law Maker uses them for His own purposes.
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.
1:13 When God moves in judgment He gives the
possessions of one people as booty to another. Homes become desolate as
individuals flee in fear to a place of safety. The enemy comes to inhabit homes.
Ripe vineyards ready to produce wine to drink will find others drinking the
vintage. When God power and hatred against sin is not honored then He will
manifest His fury.
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.
1:14 The excitement of the prophet grows as he declares the Day of Judgment is near, very near and with hast comes like a driver in a chariot lashing his team of horses. The strongest of individuals shall soon cry out in anguish and with bitter tears.
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,
16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and
against the high towers.
1:15-16 In the day of judgment no refuge will be
found. There is no cave deep enough and no fence high enough to protect a
person from the avenging hand of Divine discipline.
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.
1:17 The Babylonians will instill emotional fear and mental anguish into the hearts of the people. Like the blind leading the blind all will fall because they have sinned against the Lord. The wages of sin is death. There is spiritual death in eternity and physical death in time. The stench of free flowing blood and rotting carcass that smell worse than dung indicates how odious sin is to God.
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.
1:18 In the day of judgment
individuals cannot beg, bargain or buy their way out of a desperate situation.
God is not like a a man who can be negotiated with.
He is the Sovereign of the soul and the Righteous Ruler of the universe.
1:18 By way of personal
application to the church today the ancient words of warning are still valid.
There is another “day of the Lord” for Jesus is coming
again (Heb. 9:28). The last warning to
mankind has been issued. Now the world is to know, the “day of the Lord so
cometh as a thief in the night” (1 Thess 5:2). There are no more signs to
be fulfilled. Any day could literally be the last day of human history.
Skeptics may scoff and ask what is the sign of his coming “for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Peter 3:4).
The simple reply for the Christian is to say to the unbeliever, “I have just two words for you, ‘Don’t die’.” That is the best response. Just tell the unbeliever not to die without Christ, without repenting for if the Christian message is true they will die without hope and without eternal life. Tell them also that grace always precedes judgment. Flee to Christ and live!
“Crown Him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon His throne.
Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns
all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing of Him
who died for thee,
and hail Him as thy matchless King
through all eternity.”
Matthew Bridges
~*~
Questions and Answer on
Zephaniah 1
1. When did Zephaniah minister?
Answer. Zephaniah ministered in the sixth century BC prior to the
fall of Jerusalem by the Babylonians.
2. What two classes of people
found themselves the object of divine wrath?
Answer. There were two classes of
people to be judged. There were some who had responded to the gospel message
only to turn back. Others had not even sought the Lord nor cared to know the
mind of God in personal matters.
3. Identify the Chemarims and
Malcham.
Answer. The Chemarims were ascetic
priests in the service of Baal. Malcham has reference to the god Molech to whom
human sacrifices were made.
4. Define “the day of the
Lord.”
Answer. The “day of the Lord”
refers to any special time of divine visitation in wrath upon a nation.
5. What are the stumbling
blocks of Zephaniah 1:3.
Answer. A stumbling block is any
obstacle over which a person my trip or fall. In context the reference is to
the pagan idols.
Personal Application and
Reflection
1. Do you believe that prophecy
can have a near and far fulfillment? Explain
2. Is it wrong for Christian to
read daily horoscopes? Why or why not?
3. Is the principle of cursing
by association moral? Is God unjust to include the innocent in discipline that
is destined for a particular people?
4. In what ways do people today
mix false religious idea with true worship of God? Be specific in your
examples.
5. Does the threat of impending
judgment change many hearts? Did it change yours prior to salvation? Has it
changed any person you know ?
Hiding God’s Word in My
Heart
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.
Leader’s Study Notes
1: 10 Nehemiah mentions several gates in the city of
Jerusalem.
·
The Sheep Gate, also known as Stephen's Gate, or the Lions Gate (Nehemiah
3:1,32, 12:39), is located on the east wall, north of the Temple Mount.
·
The Fish Gate was an ancient gate on the east wall, just west of the Gihon
spring, where men gathered to sell fish, sometimes in violation of the Sabbath
(2 Chronicles 33:14, Nehemiah 3:3, 13:16). It may be the same as the Middle
Gate (Jeremiah 39:3).
·
The Old Gate, or Jeshanah Gate, was located at the northwest corner of the
city during the time of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:6)
·
The Valley Gate, overlooked the Kidron Valley (Nehemiah 3:13)
·
The Beautiful Gate, near the Temple Mount, where Peter healed a man "in “the
Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth” (Acts 3:1-10)
· The Golden Gate was located on the east wall
adjacent to the Temple Mount. Originally constructed by the Byzantines, it was
later sealed by Muslims to "block the future path of the Messiah into
Jerusalem."
·
The Dung Gate was one of the 12 or so gates that existed at the time of
Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:14). It was located at the southwest corner of the wall,
and used for the disposal of garbage and dung. It led out to the Valley of
Hinnom.
·
The Fountain Gate was located at the southeast corner of the wall (Nehemiah 3:15).
·
The Zion Gate was on the south wall, overlooking Mount Zion.
·
The Water Gate (Nehemiah 3:26).
·
The Horse Gate was located between the Water Gate and the Sheep Gate (Nehemiah
3:28).
·
The East Gate (Nehemiah 3:29).
·
The Inspection Gate (Nehemiah 3:31).
·
The Jaffa Gate on the west wall.
·
The New Gate on the west wall just north of the Jaffa Gate.
·
The Damascus Gate on the north wall. Saul of Tarsus may have left the city
through this gate on his fateful journey to immortality on the road to
Damascus..
·
Herod's Gate on the north wall, just east of the Damascus Gate.
ZEPHANIAH 2
Judgment on the Nations
1 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not
desired;
2:1 In the first three
verses the attitude of God toward Judah has changed. It is no longer a desired
nation. It is no longer beautiful in the sight of the Lord. Polluted by sin the
people are now fit for judgment.
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.
2:2 - 3 “Seek ye the Lord”. Though ripe for judgment where sin abounds grace does much more abound. In grace God summons the elect to gather together. The godly are identified.
· The godly seek the Lord.
· The godly keep His commandments.
· The godly seek righteousness.
· The goodly seek meekness.
2:3 “Ye shall be hid.” The Lord has often been pleased to bring His faithful people through periods of great tribulation, not by translating them from the world but by divine faithfulness in meeting their every need no matter how dark the days..
Judgment on Philistia: 2:4-7
4 For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall
drive out Ashdod at the noon day [unexpected time], and Ekron shall be rooted
up.
2:4 Gaza (ga'-zah; strong), was the last town in the SW of Palestine. It was predicted that Gaza would be forsaken and that the king should die. Alexander the Great took the city in 332 BC after it resisted for two month. He bound Betis the satrap to a chariot and dragged him around the city and then executed 10,000 of its citizens and sold the rest as slaves.
2:4 Ashkelon (ash'-ke-lon; starting point; migration) was one of the five major cities of the Philistines (Judg. 14:19). A seaport city it was located on the Mediterranean, twelve miles N of Gaza. Zechariah (9:5) predicted the destruction of Ashkelon, as did Zephaniah. Despite the administration of divine judgment a remnant of citizens survived. Herod the Great was born in the city.
2:4 Ashdod (ash'-dod; fortified place;
a castle; a stronghold), was one of the five major cities of the Philistines.
The cities were at the height of their power during the days of Saul (c. 1020
BC).
2:4 Ekron (ec'-ron; extermination), was located 11 miles from Gath. It was assigned to Judah and to Dan (Josh. 15:45,46; Judges 1:18) and to Dan (Josh. 19:43). Prior to the monarchy it was again inhabited by the Philistines (1 Sam. 5:10). The prophets spoke against the city (Jer. 25:20; Amos 1:8).
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.
2:5 Cherethites (ker'-e-thites; Carians or Cretans), refers to the men of Philistia who served as bodyguards for David (2 Sam. 8:18; 15:18; 1 Kings 1:38,44). The descendants of this nation, which dwelt in the S area of Canaan, came from Crete (1 Chron. 18:17; Ezek. 25:16).
2:5 Canaan (ca'-na-an; merchant or trader), refers a the region along the Mediterranean Sea. The priests of Canaan would read the entrails of the animal to forecast the fortune. They also told the future by looking at the stars, practiced necromancy, and engaged in prophetic trances. The Canaanites offered to their gods animals, food, and humans. For all this and more they were to be judged.
2:5 Philistines (fil-is'-tin;
wandering) refers to an ancient non-Semitic people from Crete which lived along
the coast of S Palestine. Following the division of the kingdom of Israel, the
Philistines were able to regain some power. Then, beginning around 900 BC,
Nadab and
other kings of Judah invaded Philistia (1
Kings 15:27; 16:15).
6 And the seacoast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and
folds for flocks.
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.
2:6-7 As grace precedes judgment by words of warning to repent so grace follows judgment lest all people be consumed in the day of divine wrath. God will allow a faithful remnant to live in the Land of Promise, drive out the false gods of Ashkelon and live in freedom from the tyranny of captivity.
Judgment on Moab and Ammon: 2:8-11
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.
2:8 Moab (mo'-ab; from father), was located in the territory E of the Dead Sea. The Moabites constantly fought with Israel. During the days of King Omri of Israel (885-873 BC) the Moabite territory was subjected to Israel. Near the end of the reign of Ahab, the son of Omri, Mesha of Moab led his country to regain their freedom.
2: 8 Ammon (am'-mon; inbred; son of my relative) along with Moab was the incestuous son of Lot by his youngest daughter (Gen. 19:33-38). His descendants established the nation of Ammon. Spiritually Moab and Ammon speak of fleshly lusts that will not be denied nor satiated and so must be judged.
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.
2:9 Sodom (vineyard, burning), was one of the
most ancient cities of Syria. It was located at the S end of the Dead Sea in a
fertile area that was well populated.
2:9 Gomorrah (guh-mor'-ruh; submersion), was
one of the five "cities of the
plain" located in the Valley of Siddim (Salt Sea or Dead Sea). At one
time it was well populated and productive (Gen. 10:19).
2:9 Nettles. The Hebrew root means to
be prickly or pointed, such as a bramble or other thorny weed.
10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.
2:10 Sometimes Christians wonder why bad things happen to good people. They want to know if they are under divine disc