INTRODUCTION:

The book of Zephaniah, along with the name of the prophet, indicates the power of God to hide His treasure and then proclaim it at the appropriate time.

The name Zephaniah means "God has hidden/treasured." In a time when men were carried away by abominable acts of idolatry; in a time when a king "shed innocent blood very much" (2Kings 21:16); God hid the treasure of Zephaniah's life, and eventually brought forward the treasure of His prophecy through the man.

The date of this book can be set during Josiah's reign (637 - 607 BC). Prior to Josiah, Manasseh had reigned for 55 years with evil intent and actions (692 - 638 BC). Then Amon was king for 2 years (638 - 637 BC), and also did "evil in the sight of the Lord."

When Josiah came into power, God had already prepared Zephaniah to present this prophecy. Through his ministry, inspiration was given to King Josiah to form a "reform movement" in the nation of Judah.

The Bible is very plain about the Divine Inspiration of Scripture. The prophetic announcements of God came when "..holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." (2Peter 1:21)

The Bible is also very plain about the profitability of our studying the Scripture. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Tim 3:16-17)

The Greek word for inspiration is theopneustos, and means "God-breathed." Through the life experience, and through the language of his day, God breathed into Zephaniah a prophecy that is profitable for you and me to study. It is profitable to reprove our sin; to correct our erroneous ways; and, to instruct us in righteous actions. Study of God's Scripture helps us to be more complete and able to perform God's will in our lives.

Zephaniah was probably a descendent of the former King Hezekiah (Zeph. 1:1). In his lifetime, he saw much the same things we see in our world today. People were addicted to alcohol and gambling. People were worshipping false gods with no realization of the One True God. People were sacrificing their new-born children to a false god of prosperity.

God gave Zephania a "word" which told of judgment to come. The cause of this judgment was the moral degeneration of the people.

Also in the "word" which God gave, was an offer of repentance. If people would sincerely repent, they could be as Zephaniah and be hidden as treasures while the judgment came.

Zephaniah's prophecy also proclaims One coming, Who is the Son of God, and the Redeemer of all mankind.

CHAPTER 1

1 The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

Zephaniah is a descendent of Hezekiah the "good king" of Judah. He was probably born during the reign of Manasseh, and began his prophecy around 627 BC.
As with all prophets, Zephaniah received a "word" from God concerning the situation for his time. In ALL eras God has a "word" which He speaks to the world through His prophets.

2 I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD. 3 I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD. 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 with the priests; 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; 6 And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor inquired for him.

God is in control of all history. He uses nations and people to accomplish His will, leading to a final time when God will ultimately judge all mankind. People and nations are sinful, and would commit the atrocities of war anyway. But God masterfully coordinates all things with two ends in mind: 1) the preservation and propagation of those who surrender to Him; 2) the destruction of those who would destroy His people. Through this action, God maintains a "remnant" of true believers even until the "day of Jesus Christ."

Therefore, though it is the Scythians, Assyrians, and Babylonians who will bring destruction upon the land, God Himself assumes the responsibility. Because the sin of His people needed reproof and correction; and because the sinfulness of others demanded judgment, God orchestrated the action.

Land, beasts, fowl and sea would be subject to the wrath of God for sin. And people who worshipped false gods (vss 4-5), along with irresponsible and lacadaisical believers (vs 6) would suffer for the purpose of reproof and correction.

We must keep in mind that God's desire for all men is that they REPENT (2Peter 3:9). Destruction is brought about by the sin of man. God only uses it to accomplish His purpose - to bring repetance.

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. 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. 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. 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. 11 Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off. 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. 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.

The judgment is surely coming! "Hold thy peace" means there is no hope of God changing His mind. The apostate nation had refused God's warnings one too many times. The "sacrifice" is Judah, and the "guests" are the Babylonians. It is good to remember here that God WILL PRESERVE His "remnant" - those who have truly surrendered to Him.

Friends, we cannot believe that when a nation goes against God that reprisals from Him are not forthcoming!

Even the governmental leaders, children and rich people will suffer greatly when the disaster strikes.

In verse 9, the term "those that leap on the threshold" is used. This is perhaps a reference to the Philistines. They had seen God tear down the image of their false god, Dagon. But they CONTINUED to worship that false god! Instead of stepping on the threshold however, they would step OVER it. These represent the hard and cold hearted, obstinate believers in a man-made false god. There are many in the world today, who though their false god has been totally defrocked and the Real God has been revealed, refuse to worship the Creator/Redeemer Jesus. And there are others who refuse the true revelation of God and try to conform Him to their own design.

God would "search..with candles" and no hiding place would keep them safe. The term "settled on their lees" refers to those who were lax and self-satisfied. "Lees" is the sediment from wine (see Isaiah 25:6). This recalls the warning Amos made, "WOE to them that are at ease in Zion" (Amos 6:1). Even believers can become lax and lethargic. But those with a "lukewarm" faith will not allow God to USE them.

OH! How Christians need to STUDY THE BIBLE! God has no use for a lethargic, lacadaisical, lukewarm, self-satisfied Christian. And when the rapture comes, they will MISS IT and be left to suffer the trials of "the great tribulation." A person who is filled with himself/herself cannot be "filled with the Spirit."

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. 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. 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. 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.

Just as Zephaniah was proclaiming "The great day of the Lord is NEAR," so should the church be proclaiming it today!
The Jehovah of the Old Testament IS the Jesus of the New Testament. (See Isaiah 43:11)
Because of their idolatry, lethargy and re-creating God in their own image, God sent destruction upon Jerusalem and the nation of Judah.

And one day, soon I believe, Jesus is going to do something similar! It will also be a "day" when "men shall cry bitterly" (vs 14); when "distress" (vs 17) will blanket people. And it will be BECAUSE "they have sinned against the LORD" (vs 17).

God is ALWAYS true to His Word. BEFORE "that day" true believers will be given ESCAPE. They who are "filled with the Spirit" will see Him in the clouds and will supernaturally be called to meet Him there (1Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1Corinthians 15:51-58). The ones who escape will be the "wise virgins" who kept their lamps trimmed (Matthew 25:1-13). The ones who escape will be the ones who "watch and pray" (Matthew 13:31-37).

"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:" (2 Peter 2:9)

"9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 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. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? (2 Peter 3:9-12)

"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (Luke 21:36)

"25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape , if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire." (Heb 12:25-29)

Let all those who name Christ as Lord serve Him as Lord!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.