Zephaniah: An Inconvenient Truth - Introduction

The Prophet Zephaniah: An Inconvenient Truth

Introduction

Last October I revived my blog and took a look at the Prophet Habakkuk. Then for Advent I did Portraits of Faith, in which I examined the faith of the people surrounding the birth of the Lord Jesus. While I was doing that I felt a stirring and a leading to go through Zephaniah. First, I thought about doing this as a series of videos, after all we live in a video age, but I recalled being told, “You don’t have a television face.” So that was out. Then I thought about audio, you know, like a podcast. But then I remembered I don’t know how to do that. Ha! So it will still be what I am most familiar and comfortable with, print. Ah, but reading is good for you!

Let’s begin with an introduction to Zephaniah. Since this book has only three chapters, my plan is to do four posts: the introduction, and one for each of the three chapters. It has always been my goal to keep my posts to two pages, every once in a while a three page post. But, since I plan to cover a chapter at a time for Zephaniah, these posts may be more like four pages, mostly because I will include all the verses of each chapter (ch 1 has 18 verses, ch two 15, and ch three 20).

Now that we’re all on the same page . . .

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.

One pastor has said, “The Book of Zephaniah is probably best known for being the least known book of the entire Bible. It is a small book, nestled in the midst of the Scroll of the Twelve, toward the end of the Old Testament.” So,

Who is Zephaniah?

He tells us who he is in the very first verse: I am the son of Cushi, who was the son of Gedaliah, who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Hizkiah. But, we don’t know who these people are. Except, Hizkiah. This is actually the same name as Hezekiah. (I don’t know why the KJV went with Hizkiah.) And most people think this is King Hezekiah. If that’s true, Zephaniah was a social somebody.

When did he prophesy?

He tells us that too: The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah in the days of Josiah, king of Judah. Of Josiah we read in 2 Kings 22:1-3

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem... And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left. And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah… The chapter goes on to tell us how Josiah repaired the temple, and while the work was being done the scroll of Deuteronomy was found, which led Josiah to lead a revival of religion in Judah. He was indeed a good king.

What was his message?

Here is a problem of sorts. The days of Josiah were days of renewal and revival, but Zephaniah’s message was one of judgment. At first I was confused by this. The folks I consulted seemed somewhat confused as well. Then I did what I should have done at the beginning – I went back to 2 Kings to read the history of the kings of Judah and found the answer!

Many of the kings of Judah before Josiah are described in a similar way, he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but the high places were not removed. The high places were the places the Canaanites worshipped their gods. These were places of idolatry and spiritual activity. When Hezekiah came along he did something that had not been done in a long time, he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did. He removed the high places, and broke the images, and cut down the groves, and broke in pieces the brass serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. For he clung to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses. (2 Kings 18:3-6)

But Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, was evil and seduced Judah to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel. In his days the word of the LORD came to him, And the LORD spoke by his servants the prophets, saying, Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle. (2 Kings 21:10-12)

These are the times Josiah was born into and what he inherited when he became king. When the scroll of Deuteronomy was found, he also had a word from the LORD from Huldah the prophetess in 2 Kings 22:

15 And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,
16 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:
17 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.
18 But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;
19 Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spoke against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.
20 Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.”

The judgment spoken to Manasseh is still coming, but Josiah will not see it. These are the times and situation Zephaniah prophesies in.

Zephaniah prophesies judgment upon Judah. He speaks of the righteousness, holiness, and faithfulness of God (chapters 1, 2, 3), as well as the love of God (ch 3). The righteousness and holiness of God. This is the inconvenient truth found in Zephaniah.

We don’t hear (or sing) much anymore of the righteousness and holiness of God. The God of Zephaniah is an uncomfortable God. We have developed this picture of God wherein he is only sweet and soft, gentle and kind, so when we read about the God who is holy and righteous, it can make us squirm in our seats. And when we hear about the wrath and judgment of God we are often shocked.

But God is righteous. That is, he is just and always does the right thing. And he requires righteousness of us. The righteousness of God helps us understand sin. It's only when we understand the righteousness of God that we can understand and appreciate the gracious gift of righteousness which is justification: God freely giving us what he demands of us. We don't talk about justification much any more because what is justification to a people who are not familiar with the righteous God?

Nor can we really appreciate the love and mercy of God until we know that he is holy. And the four living creatures had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. The holiness of God shows us why Jesus had to die on the cross for our salvation - there can be no sin in heaven.

Zephaniah’s message is that Yahweh is righteous and Israel has sinned. Not once, or now and again, but persistent idolatry, immorality, injustice. For generations.

Yahweh is holy. He cannot dwell in the midst of an idolatrous people.

Yahweh is also faithful. Faithful to the covenant he made with Israel. He promised he would bless them if they obeyed, and if they fell into immorality and idolatry he would punish them. Zephaniah is proclaiming the faithfulness of God to the covenant.

Zephaniah also speaks of the love and mercy of God. Yahweh promises to restore Israel to himself and the land. All this according to His covenant with them.

But, hasn’t God changed since the days of Judah and Zephaniah? Jesus is not like this, is he? The God of Zephaniah, YHWH, the God of the Old Testament, is the God of the New Testament. He is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the incarnate Son of God, Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person.” (Hebrews 1:3) No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (John 1:18) Jesus is exactly like YHWH, the God of Zephaniah, the God of the Old Testament. We’ve been fed this lie that YHWH was always angry in Old Testament days. Y’know, it was all “Step out of line, the man come and take you away.” (For What It’s Worth, Buffalo Springfield, 1966). But that’s simply not true. God saved Israel, and blessed Israel, and Israel walked in peace and abundance much of the time. The prophets spoke of wrath to come only after years of enjoying the LORD's blessings, and after generations of God patiently waiting for them to turn back to Him. The Father loves us with an indescribable love. He is rich in mercy. He is also righteous. And holy.

Is Jesus in Zephaniah?

Yes. He is perhaps easier to find in other prophets, but he is here. There is no specific prophecy concerning his life or work, but he is here. Zephaniah may not be quoted in the New Testament*, but Christ is here. You see, ALL of God’s work with men have always been through His Son, the Word.

Zephaniah, prophet of an inconvenient truth, is the Word of God. May the Spirit of God help me as I seek to briefly explain this prophecy, that I might faithfully present the truth of the God who is righteous, holy, faithful, and loves us with an everlasting love.


Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein:
then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
Before the LORD: for he cometh,
for he cometh to judge the earth:
he shall judge the world with righteousness,
and the people with his truth.
(Psalm 96:11-13; if you wish to sing this click here)

* Well, perhaps not directly quoted, but some say he is referred to:

Zephaniah 3:13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

Revelation 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile [no lies]: for they are without fault before the throne of God.