Zephaniah 1
Zephaniah 1:12-18 “And it must occur at that time that I shall carefully search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will give attention to the men who are congealing upon their dregs [and] who are saying in their heart, ‘Jehovah will not do good, and he will not do bad.’ And their wealth must come to be for pillage and their houses for a desolate waste. And they will build houses, but they will not have occupancy; and they will plant vineyards, but they will not drink the wine of them. (vs.14) “The great day of Jehovah is near. It is near, and there is a hurrying [of it] very much. The sound of the day of Jehovah is bitter. There a mighty man is letting out a cry. That day is a day of fury, a day of distress and of anguish, a day of storm and of desolation, a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick gloom, a day of horn and of alarm signal, against the fortified cities and against the high corner towers. And I will cause distress to mankind, and they will certainly walk like blind men; because it is against Jehovah that they have sinned. And their blood will actually be poured out like dust, and their bowels like the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah’s fury; but by the fire of his zeal the whole earth will be devoured, because he will make an extermination, indeed a terrible one, of all the inhabitants of the earth.”
- This will happen unless God’s people straighten their worship to him. Compare Malachi 4:5,6
- It is because Jehovah’s people repent that he turns back his anger. Compare Isaiah 1:4,9; 2:10,20,21; 3:24; 9:13-17; 12:1,2; 14:1-7
Zephaniah 2
Zephaniah 2:1-3 “Gather yourselves together, yes, do the gathering, O nation not paling in shame. Before [the] statute gives birth to [anything], [before the] day has passed by just like chaff, before there comes upon YOU people the burning anger of Jehovah, before there comes upon YOU the day of Jehovah’s anger, seek Jehovah, all YOU meek ones of the earth, who have practiced His own judicial decision. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. Probably YOU may be concealed in the day of Jehovah’s anger.” – Compare Revelation 6:15,16
Zephaniah 2:9-11 Those who do not repent and/or submit to Jehovah or who continued to deal badly with his people will answer for their actions.
Zephaniah 3
Zephaniah 3:8,9 Jehovah’s denunciation to the nations – and a “pure language” (literally “a clean lip”) – see vs.13
Zephaniah 3:14-20 “…. For I shall make YOU people to be a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth ..”