Zephaniah

Old Testament: minor prophets

Zephaniah

About this book

The people of Judah had thought that at a certain time in the future, the Lord was going to make them powerful and would wipe out their enemies. This future time of justice, victory, and celebration was called “the day of the Lord”. But Zephaniah told the people that when the day of the Lord did come, the Lord would punish everyone who had not obeyed him. And this included Judah, as well as other nations. The only way that Judah could avoid being swept away by the Lord's anger was to obey the Lord and worship only him:

If you humbly obey the LORD,

then come and worship him.

If you do right and are humble,

perhaps you will be safe

on that day when the LORD

turns loose his anger.

(2.3)

A quick look at this book

1. Judah and Jerusalem will be punished on the day of the Lord (1.1-18)

2. Turn to the Lord (2.1-3)

3. The nations will be punished (2.4-15)

4. Judah and other nations will turn to the Lord (3.1-20)