ZEPHANIAH HITS THE SIN OF INDIFFERENCE
Zephaniah’s name means “God has hidden” but his message was to expose. He probably came from Jerusalem and was the great-grandson of Hezekiah, believed to be King Hezekiah, therefore of royal blood. He prophesied about 639-608 B.C. so was a little earlier than Jeremiah. His prophecy was during the reign of Josiah, the “good king” and might even have been an incentive for the reforms that Josiah made during his long reign. His introductory verse dates his prophecy closely. Josiah was 8 years old when he began his reign in 640 B.C. When he was 16 he began seriously to seek the “God of David” [2 Chronicles 34:3]. He continued in his reforms and even found the Book of the Law in the temple where it had been neglected for so long and called for public reading of it about 622 B.C. Unfortunately Zephaniah’s part in his reign is not mentioned in the Chronicles, but it seems that Zephaniah perceived that the people’s support of Josiah’s reforms was half-hearted and not very deep.
Zephaniah’s first words were of warning about a coming “day of the Lord” [1:7, 1:14,1:18, 2:2] and he addressed it to Judah, his own homeland! [1:4-6]. The worship of idols condoned by Judah is coming back to haunt them. In 1:16-18 Zephaniah hits at their commerce and their indifference. Zephaniah 1:12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent... who think, “The Lord will do nothing, either good or bad.” This may be a warning to us today. The indifferent are the bane of the church and the sorrow of our republican way of life. If we think God will do nothing, then what incentive do we have to do good? Our present world is built upon trade, accumulation of wealth and power, and woe to anything or anyone who gets in the way.
True, Zephaniah does turn to the nations around Judah and points our their sins as well. He correctly predicts the destruction that will be coming on them with just a generation or two when Babylon sweeps through like a destroying hurricane. But again in 3:1 he turns back to Jerusalem and calls her rebellious and defiled. He blames her rulers, prophets and priests in scathing rebuke. It is likely that he begins to describe the ultimate judgment of God as he continues, looking prophetically to times beyond our own when God will gather the nations together as in Revelation 19:17-19, though he immediately presents hope for the faithful remnant in Zephaniah 3:9-13.
A paean of praise is found in 3:14-17. Though Zephaniah thought of the “daughter of Zion” as the faithful Jews, the New Testament shows that the faithful of all nations are included. Paul in Romans 9:30-33 points out that in Zion the cornerstone is laid which is Jesus. And those [of any nation] who trust in Him will not be ashamed. It is interesting that in 3:18 he speaks of removing the appointed feasts. The feasts of the old covenant have been fulfilled in Christ and are no longer necessary for obedience to Him. Josiah reformed the people by restoring the neglected Passover feast to observance [2 Chronicles 35:1-19], but their momentary burst of fervor didn’t last.
The loving mercy of God is shown in the favored people: the lame, the refugees, the poor [3:19-20] Would that we today would seek to minister to the neglected peoples around us in the Name of Jesus Christ.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS:
1. What are the symptoms of spiritual indifference? How can we increase our fervor for the Lord?
2. Why and how does materialism [1:16-18] hinder spiritual growth? How do we Americans compare with most people on earth?
3. Pride is honored in our society. What does God think of it? [3:11-12]
