Zephaniah 1:1–2:3 (September 11, 2025)
- Brian Lee
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
1:1 The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
The Coming Judgment on Judah
2 “I will utterly sweep away everything
from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.
3 “I will sweep away man and beast;
I will sweep away the birds of the heavens
and the fish of the sea,
and the rubble[a] with the wicked.
I will cut off mankind
from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.
4 “I will stretch out my hand against Judah
and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal
and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests,
5 those who bow down on the roofs
to the host of the heavens,
those who bow down and swear to the Lord
and yet swear by Milcom,[b]
6 those who have turned back from following the Lord,
who do not seek the Lord or inquire of him.”
The Day of the Lord Is Near
7 Be silent before the Lord God!
For the day of the Lord is near;
the Lord has prepared a sacrifice
and consecrated his guests.
8 And on the day of the Lord's sacrifice—
“I will punish the officials and the king's sons
and all who array themselves in foreign attire.
9 On that day I will punish
everyone who leaps over the threshold,
and those who fill their master's[c] house
with violence and fraud.
10 “On that day,” declares the Lord,
“a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate,
a wail from the Second Quarter,
a loud crash from the hills.
11 Wail, O inhabitants of the Mortar!
For all the traders[d] are no more;
all who weigh out silver are cut off.
12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps,
and I will punish the men
who are complacent,[e]
those who say in their hearts,
‘The Lord will not do good,
nor will he do ill.’
13 Their goods shall be plundered,
and their houses laid waste.
Though they build houses,
they shall not inhabit them;
though they plant vineyards,
they shall not drink wine from them.”
14 The great day of the Lord is near,
near and hastening fast;
the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter;
the mighty man cries aloud there.
15 A day of wrath is that day,
a day of distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and devastation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness,
16 a day of trumpet blast and battle cry
against the fortified cities
and against the lofty battlements.
17 I will bring distress on mankind,
so that they shall walk like the blind,
because they have sinned against the Lord;
their blood shall be poured out like dust,
and their flesh like dung.
18 Neither their silver nor their gold
shall be able to deliver them
on the day of the wrath of the Lord.
In the fire of his jealousy,
all the earth shall be consumed;
for a full and sudden end
he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.
Judgment on Judah's Enemies
2:1 Gather together, yes, gather,
O shameless nation,
2 before the decree takes effect[f]
—before the day passes away like chaff—
before there comes upon you
the burning anger of the Lord,
before there comes upon you
the day of the anger of the Lord.
3 Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,
who do his just commands;[g]
seek righteousness; seek humility;
perhaps you may be hidden
on the day of the anger of the Lord.
Footnotes
Zephaniah 1:3 Or stumbling blocks (that is, idols)
Zephaniah 1:5 Or their king
Zephaniah 1:9 Or their Lord's
Zephaniah 1:11 Or all the people of Canaan
Zephaniah 1:12 Hebrew are thickening on the dregs [of their wine]
Zephaniah 2:2 Hebrew gives birth
Zephaniah 2:3 Or who carry out his judgment
Summary
Zephaniah begins his prophecy with a genealogy that traces his lineage back four generations to Hezekiah (1:1), highlighting his noble heritage and the authority of his call. His ministry occurred during the reign of Josiah (640–609 B.C.). This was a time when Judah was rediscovering the Book of the Law (2 Kings 22). The renewal and the reformation began with the Word. Yet Zephaniah makes clear that external reforms were not enough. The people’s hearts remained divided, and the land was filled with idolatry, corruption, and complacency.
The prophet opens with a sweeping declaration of judgment:
“I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord” (1:2).
This judgment will affect all creation and humanity alike, emphasizing the seriousness of sin. But then the focus narrows to Judah and Jerusalem (1:4–6), where God condemns Baal worship, syncretism, and outright neglect of Him.
Zephaniah vividly describes the “great day of the Lord” (1:14–18). It is near. It's a day of wrath, anguish, ruin, and devastation. No silver or gold will be able to deliver (1:18). This terrifying picture underscores the reality that God is not indifferent to sin.
Yet in 2:1–3, a surprising invitation is issued.
“Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the Lord” (2:3).
Even in the midst of judgment, there is an open door of mercy for the humble who return to God.
Who is God
God is the sovereign Judge of both creation and covenant people. His judgment sweeps across the earth (1:2–3) and yet lands specifically on Judah (1:4). He is not passive, as some thought (1:12), but actively involved in bringing justice. At the same time, He is merciful, calling His people to seek Him in humility (2:3).
What is our Guilt
The guilt of Judah is idolatry (1:4–5), divided loyalty between the Lord and false gods (1:5), and complacency that treats God as irrelevant (1:12). This same guilt clings to us when we mix devotion to God with allegiance to the idols of our age. We seek comfort, wealth, and reputation as though they are the most important things in life. Also, we live as though God will neither do good nor harm.
How does Grace Shine
Though God announces wrath, He still invites the humble to seek Him, to turn from pride and idolatry, and to find shelter in Him. The word “perhaps” reminds us that grace is never earned or presumed. It is always a gift of God’s mercy. Ultimately, this grace points to Christ, who bore the wrath on the cross so that all who seek Him in faith are hidden in Him and delivered from judgment.
Prayer
Lord, you are the righteous Judge who sees our idolatry, our divided hearts, and our complacency. We confess that we too often live as if you are distant or powerless. Teach us to seek you with humility and to trust in Christ, our refuge. Thank you that in Him we are hidden from wrath and given new life. Keep us steadfast until the day you make all things new. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.