The
word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah son of
Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, during the
reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah:
“I will
sweep away everything
from the face of the earth,”
declares the Lord.
“I will sweep away both man and beast;
I will sweep away the birds in the sky
and the fish in the sea—
and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble.”
from the face of the earth,”
declares the Lord.
“I will sweep away both man and beast;
I will sweep away the birds in the sky
and the fish in the sea—
and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble.”
“When I destroy all mankind
on the face of the earth,”
declares the Lord… Zephaniah 1:1-3
on the face of the earth,”
declares the Lord… Zephaniah 1:1-3
Zephaniah was
from the southern nation of Judah, a descendant of King Hezekiah, after Assyria
invaded the northern nation of Israel. The time is around 640-630 BC. In 40 or so years, Babylon would invade
Judah.
The book of Zephaniah is about judgment,
written in a very terse tone, without holding back.
·
Judgment on Judah for worshiping other gods.
·
Judgment on Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, the
Kerethites, the Canaanites, Moabites, Ammonites, Cushites, and the Assyrians.
·
Judgment on Jerusalem, its officials, priests
and prophets, for ignoring God.
But in the end, as always, God promised
restoration and peace to his people and his land. God promised to rescue his people and restore
them to where they once were.