This information comes from a combination of Wikipedia and Chuck Swindoll’s Insight for Living website. The name Zephaniah means “Yahweh has hidden/protected,” or “Yahweh hides.”
Swindoll continues, “In Zephaniah 1:1, the author introduces himself as “Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah.” Among the prophets, this is a unique introduction with its long list of fathers back to Zephaniah’s great-great grandfather, Hezekiah. So why stop with Hezekiah? Most likely, the prophet wanted to highlight his royal lineage as a descendant of one of Judah’s good kings. The reference to “this place” in Zephaniah 1:4 indicates that he prophesied in Jerusalem, while his many references to temple worship display a strong familiarity with Israel’s religious culture. All these factors paint the picture of a man who was at the center of Judah’s political and religious world, a man whose close proximity to those in power would have given his shocking message an even greater impact.
The book tells us that Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of Josiah, the king of Judah from 640 to 609 BC (Zephaniah 1:1). We can begin to pinpoint exactly when Zephaniah prophesied by accounting for a few details in the text. First, in 2:13 the prophet predicted the fall of Nineveh, an event which occurred in 612 BC. Further, Zephaniah made frequent quotations from the Law (for example, compare 1:13 to Deuteronomy 28:30, 39), a document that remained lost in Judah for much of Josiah’s reign. Therefore, Zephaniah more than likely prophesied in the latter part of Josiah’s rule, after the king discovered the scrolls of the Law in 622 BC (2 Chronicles 34:3–7).
This all means that Zephaniah grew up under the reign of Josiah’s predecessors: Josiah’s grandfather, the evil king Manasseh, and Manasseh’s son, the young and evil Amon. As a young man, the prophet-to-be would have been surrounded by the trappings of idolatry, child sacrifice, and unjust killings—strong influences on a young mind (2 Kings 21:16; 2 Chronicles 33:1–10). But Zephaniah grew into a man of God, able to stand before the people and proclaim God’s message of judgment and hope to a people that had gone astray.
Why is Zephaniah so important? This book mentions the day of the Lord more than does any other book in the Old Testament, clarifying the picture of Judah’s fall to Babylon and the eventual judgment and restoration of all humanity in the future. In this case, it refers primarily to God’s impending time of judgment on the nation of Judah. Zephaniah saw in the day of the Lord the destruction of his country, his neighbors, and eventually the whole earth (Zephaniah 1:2, 4; 2:10). Zephaniah wrote that the day of the Lord was near (1:14), that it would be a time of wrath (1:15), that it would come as judgment on sin (1:17), and that ultimately it would result in the blessing of God’s presence among His people (3:17).
What’s the big idea? Like the writings of many of the prophets, the book of Zephaniah follows a pattern of judgment on all people for their sin followed by the restoration of God’s chosen people. Zephaniah’s primary target for God’s message of judgment, the nation of Judah, had fallen into grievous sin under the reign of their king, Manasseh. Zephaniah’s prophecy shouted out for godliness and purity in a nation sinful to its core. The people of Judah had long since turned their backs on God, not only in their personal lives but also in their worship. This reflected the depth of their sin and the deep need for God’s people to be purged on their path to restoration.”
APPLICATION: Feel as if your culture has suddenly turned on you? Don’t recognize your culture anymore? Welcome to Zephaniah’s world! Zephaniah has been born to a royal family and presumably to a family that still worships the God of Israel. But Zephaniah is growing up during a time of incredible evil when Kings Manasseh and Amon are dragging the nation of Judah down an increasingly slippery slope of unspeakable evil. Zephaniah is another prophet called to witness to a profligate people who have already turned their backs on God and are pursuing wealth and power through idols. The last thing most of Zephaniah’s audience want is a call to righteousness.
Many of us can sympathize with Zephaniah. We may find ourselves in morally slippery situations in school or at work. Is it cheating if we use AI (Artificial Intelligence) to write term papers? Do we report wrong – doing, knowing we might suffer as a result, or even lose our positions? Do we speak out against injustice, even when we might find ourselves investigated by government organizations? These days it is unfortunately easy to find oneself caught between God’s requirements and the demands of culture. As we study Zephaniah, let’s remember that we are not alone; others have faced the same challenges we are now facing. The same God who gave Zephaniah the necessary strength to persevere and deliver these messages is also the God who will keep us and guide us.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives, even when it is difficult. Guide us into Your ways of righteousness, knowing that Your ways will bring us peace in the midst of cultural storms. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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