About Zephaniah
The Day of the LORD is near and terrible - seek the LORD, seek righteousness and humility, and find shelter in the God who rejoices over you with singing.
"The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves."
Zephaniah 3:17
Written
circa 640-622 BC
Author
Zephaniah
Genre
Prophecy
Position
36th of 66 books - Minor Prophets
Authorship
Zephaniah, who traces his genealogy back four generations to Hezekiah - making him possibly the only prophet of royal blood. He ministered during the early years of Josiah's reign before the king's great reformation.
Historical Context
Judah under Josiah's early reign was still deeply polluted by Manasseh's 55 years of extreme apostasy. Zephaniah's fierce warnings may have contributed to Josiah's reformation.
Purpose
To announce the coming Day of the LORD as total judgment on Judah and the nations, and to call for humility and seeking God before the day arrives - promising a restored remnant and God's rejoicing over his people.
Key Message
The Day of the LORD is near and terrible - seek the LORD, seek righteousness and humility, and find shelter in the God who rejoices over you with singing.
Book Structure
Interesting Facts
Zephaniah 3:17 - He will rejoice over you with gladness... he will exult over you with loud singing - is one of the most tender divine love expressions in the OT.
The Latin phrase Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) - used in Mozart's Requiem - is based on Zephaniah 1:14-16.
Zephaniah 3:9 - I will give to the peoples a pure language - is often seen as the reversal of the Babel confusion in Genesis 11.