The Day of the Lord - Zephaniah

Zephaniah lived in the reign of good king Josiah. He depicts God as both loving and severe (Zephaniah 1:2; 3:17). We see Zephaniah denouncing the various forms of idolatry – Baal and Malcham or Molech all being condemned (Zephaniah 1:1-2:3). The Idol worship was destroyed during Josiah’s reign. Zephaniah was mainly responsible for the revival under Josiah. The book begins with sorrow, but ends with singing. The first of the book is full of sadness and gloom, but the last contains one of the sweetest songs of love in the Old Testament.

From Zephaniah 1 we see Judah being taught that “the day of the Lord” was coming when there would be a special reckoning. In Zephaniah 2, the prophet calls the people to seek God, hoping that “perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger” – Zephaniah 2:1-3. He declares that nothing can save the nation from doom but real repentance. Then he turns to the 5 nations, Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Ethiopia and Assyria. They shall be visited with the wrath of God because of their pride and scorn toward the Lord’s people (Zephaniah 2:10).

The judgement on Israel’s local enemies is literally fulfilled (Zephaniah 2:4-15). The Judgement on Israel’s enemies over this wide world is yet to be fulfilled (Zephaniah 3:8; 2:10-11). God says the idols of their enemies shall be broken up, and the Gentiles shall worship God, everyone in his own country (Zephaniah 2:11).  In Zephaniah 3, he concludes with the most wonderful promises of Israel’s future restoration and of the happy state of the purified people of God in the later days.

The rejoicing of Zephaniah 3:14-20 must refer to something besides the day when the remnant will return after the captivity of Babylon. Judah’s worst judgement followed that return. It has seen little but misery ever since. Neither did anything like this occur at Christ’s first coming. It must refer to the day when the Lord himself shall sit on the throne of David, when his people shall be gathered from the four corners of the earth (Zephaniah 3:19). This prophecy shall be blessedly fulfilled in the Kingdom age when Christ comes to this earth to reign in power and great glory.

The question asked when you read this book is, when the people are gathered, will you be there with them? Only you and God knows about your salvation as each and everything happening in your heart and mind, you and God are witnesses, even the secret sins. May God enable you to confess your sins and accept Christ’s salvation and lead a life pleasing to him, so that you can be one among the people whom Christ calls for his Kingdom.