Sir George Adam Smith (18401876)

Old Testament scholar of

Aberdeen University, Scotland.
No hotter book lies in all
the Old Testament. Neither
dew nor grass nor tree nor any
blossom lives in it, but it is
everywhere fire, smoke and
darkness, drifting chaff, ruins,
nettles, salt pits, and owls and
ravens looking from the
windows of desolate palaces,"
The Book of the Twelve Prophets,
Vol II, Page 48

INTRODUCTION/Background
Lineage: King Hezekiah, Amariah, Gedaliah, Cushi
- Judah has not learnt the lessons of Israel and sank
deeper and deeper into sin and rebellion
-

Zephaniah: Jehovah Hides or The Lord has

concealed in Hebrew
1. LOOK WITHIN: Gods judgment on His people
1.1

Universal and Specific Judgment

Zeph 1:2-3 A Universal and All-Consuming
Judgment
Zeph 1:4-13 Zeroing on Judah and Jerusalem
1.2

The Great Day of the Lord, Zeph 1:14-18

1.3

A Call for Judah to Repent, Zeph 2:1-3

1.1 Universal and Specific Judgment Zeph 1:2-3, 4-13

Gods anger will be focused on:
(1) Zeph 1:4 Idolaters and fertility worshippers: I will
cut off the remnant of Baal from this place
(2) Zeph 1:4 False Ascetics: and the name of the
Chemarims (idolatrous ascetic priests) with the priests;
(3) Zeph 1:5 Zeph 1:5 Astrologers: and them that
worship the host of heaven (starry host) upon the
housetops;
(4) Zeph 1:5 Double-minded (Syncretic) - mixing
Yahweh worship with pagan worship: and them that
worship, that swear to Jehovah and swear by Malcham
(Molech);
(5) Zeph 1:6 Apostates: and them that are turned back
from following Jehovah

(6) Zeph 1:6 Unbelievers: and those that have not

sought Jehovah, nor inquired after him.
(7) Zeph 1:8 The Officials (ESV)/The Princes (NIV),
kings sons, those clad in foreign clothes (NIV)/array
themselves in foreign attire (ESV)
(8) Zeph 1:9 All who avoid stepping/leap on the
threshold
(9) Zeph 1:11 Merchants and all who trade with
silver
God will search Jerusalem with lamps
(10) Zeph 1:12 Those who are complacent
(11) Zeph 1:12 Those who think God will do nothing
Their wealth will be plundered ..

Zephaniah
is often
associated
with the
image of
holding
lamps/lanter
ns in search
of those
deserving of
Gods
punishment.
Zeph 1:12

1.2 The Great Day of the Lord, Zeph 1:14-18

1.3 A Call for Judah to Repent, Zeph 2:1-3

2. LOOK AROUND: Gods judgment on surrounding

nations
2.1

Nations to the West, East, South and North

West and East:

Zeph 2:4-7 Philistia, to the West
Zeph 2:8-11 Moab and Ammon, to the East
South and North:
Zeph 2:12 Cush (Ethiopia), to the South
Zeph 2:13-15 Assyria, to the North
2.2

Woe to Jerusalem for its Rebellion, Zeph 3:1-5

2.3 Woe to Jerusalem for its Recalcitrance/Obstinance, Zeph

3:6,7

Philistia
- The Philistines, also called the "Sea Peoples," migrated from Crete
during 13th century BC to the Gaza. They had a superior army with
chariots that made life miserable for Israel for many years.
- During the time of the Judges, there was constant warfare between
Philistia and Israel. At one time the Philistines captured the Ark of the
Covenant after a battle with Israel, and after God caused a plague of
tumors to afflict the Philistines, they decided to return the Ark.
- Samuel and King Saul both subdued the Philistines in battles, but in
a later battle, the Philistines killed Saul and his sons.
- A young David, before he became king, killed the giant Philistine
named Goliath and sparked a great victory for Israel over the
Philistines.

Moab and Ammon

The nations called Moab and Ammon are considered together because the men,
Moab and Ammon, were half-brothers, children of incest involving Lot and his two
daughters (Gen.19). After Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim were destroyed
by God, Lot and his two unnamed daughters lived in a cave in a mountain near Zoar.
There, on two consecutive nights, his two daughters made Lot senselessly drunk and
have sex with him. The son of the older daughter was named Moab, and the son of
the second daughter was named Ben-ammi (Thereafter known as Ammon)

When Israel came out of the desert wilderness on their way to Canaan, Moses
implored the king of Moab to allow Israel to pass through his country, promising to
stay on the highway and even offering to pay for any water which the people or
animals would drink, but the king refused to grant Moses permission (Jud.11:17).
Because neither the Moabites nor Ammonites provided any assistance to the
Israelites at this time, God angrily forbade Israel to allow any Moabite or Ammonite
to enter into the congregation of the Lord until ten generations had passed (Dt.23:36). In these same verses, God forbade Israel ever to do anything beneficial for the
nations of Moab and Ammon.

Cush
The word Cush means black. Biblically, Cush is the son of Ham and
father of Nimrod. He is considered the ancestor of the dark-skinned
people that occupied Ethiopia. His name is often associated with
Ethiopia, but there are some who are still sceptical about it. Cush first
appears on the Biblical Timeline after the Flood. In the Old
Testament, Cush usually refers to the countries in the south where the
children of Cush, Hams son lived. Many also believed that Cush
consisted of Arabia and the country of the west coast of the Red Sea.

Assyria
For many years, it ruled most of the world.
In 722 B.C. the Assyrians destroyed Israel and took the people who
lived in Israel away to Assyria. They did not take people away from
Judah. But soon the Assyrians started to tell people in Judah what
they must do. They made people in Judah pay money to Assyria. The
Assyrians were ruthless people.
After about 750B.C. Nineveh became the capital of Assyria. Its wall
was nearly 100 kilometres long and nearly 40 metres high. It was very
wide. Three horses and their chariots could drive together on it. 600
000 people lived in Nineveh. It is almost impregnable and
unassailable.
However, in 626B.C. one of their strongest kings died, followed
thereafter by weak kings. In 612B, the Babylonians destroyed
Nineveh and the Assyrian Empire.

2.2

Woe to Jerusalem for its Rebellion. Zeph 3:1-5

(1) Oppressors
(2) Rebellious
(3) Defiled
(4) Obeys no one
(5) Accepts no correction
(6) Does not trust in the LORD
(7) Does not draw near to her God
(8) Officials are roaring lions
(9) Rulers are evening wolves
(10) Prophets are arrogant; treacherous men
(11) Priests profane the sanctuary & do violence to the law
(12) They know no shame

2.3 Woe to Jerusalem for its

Recalcitrance/Obstinance,
Zeph 3:6,7

3. LOOK BEYOND: From judgment to blessing

Zeph 3:8 Therefore wait for me
3.1

Remnant, Zeph 3:9-13

3.2

Rejoicing, Zeph 3:14-17

3.3

Restoration, Zeph 3:18-20

3.1 REMNANTS. Zeph 3:9-13

- The Bible speaks often of the phenomenon of the remnant (v12,13)
- They will speak no lies, nor deceit be found in their mouths
- v10, from beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshipers, my scattered
people, will bring me offerings

 Paul David Washer

(born 1961) is the
Founder/Director &
Missions Coordinator
of HeartCry Missionary
Society which
supports indigenous
missionary work.

3.2 REJOICING. Zeph 3:14-17

- v14, shout aloud, be glad and rejoice .. With all your heart
- v15, LORD has taken away your punishment, turned back your
enemy. The LORD is with you, never again will you fear harm
- v16, Do not fear, do not let your hands hang limp
- v17, The LORD thy God in the midst of you is mighty..

3.3 RESTORATION. Zeph 3:18-20

-v18, sorrows, burden & reproach of appointed feasts removed
-v19, I will deal with all who oppressed you, will rescue the lame,
gathered those who have been scattered. I will give them praise and
honor
-v20, .I will bring you home. give you honor and praise.
restore your fortune before your very eyes

Zeph 3: 17
The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty;
he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy;
he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
(KJV)
Is mighty - gibbor, is the prevailing One, the allconquering Hero. Isaiah 9:5,6 : "His name shall be called
El gibbor, the prevailing Almighty God."
El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty), El Elyon (The Most High God), El Olam (The
Everlasting God), El Shama (God who hears me)El Sela (God my Rock). Jehovah
Jireh (provides), Jehovah Rapha (heals) , Jehovah Raah (my Shepherd)

.. he will exult over you with loud singing (ESV, RSV)

He will sing and be joyful over you (GNT)
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs (NLT)
.. and delight you with his songs (MSG)
Ia bersorak-sorak karena engkau dengan sorak-sorai
(ATB)

17

TUHAN, Allah kamu menyertai kamu;

kamu menang kerana kuasa-Nya.
TUHAN gembira dan bersukacita kerana kamu;
Dia memberi kamu hidup baru
kerana Dia mengasihi kamu.
Kamu menyukakan hati-Nya,
maka Dia akan menyanyi dengan gembira,
18
seperti orang yang sedang berpesta. {Alkitab Berita
Baik (BM)}

God does not do you good out of some

constraint or coercion. He is free!
And in his freedom he overflows in joy
to do you good. He exults over you
with loud singing.
Can you imagine what it would be like
if you could hear God singing?
Remember that it was merely a spoken
word that brought the universe into
existence. What would happen if God
lifted up his voice and not only spoke
but sang! Perhaps a new heaven and a
God says something almost just to that effect in Isaiah 65:17-18,
new earth would be created.
Behold, I create a new heavens and a new earth ... I create
Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
When God spoke at the beginning, the heavens and the earth
were created; perhaps at the end, the new heavens and the new
earth will be created when God exults over his people with loud
singing.
John Piper