FROM THE PULPIT

Ancient Words: Zephaniah and The Day of the Lord

Zephaniah is a prophet who wrote during the reign of Josiah around the 5th century B.C. in Judah. Zephaniah and Josiah were cousins as each family line was out of the notable King Hezekiah. Josiah was 8 years old when he was crowned king and at 12 was making firm decisions for God in ordering the removal of false gods installed in the land by his father, Amon, and grandfather Manasseh. We don’t know the age of Zephaniah but we do know that he witnessed both the evil that existed in Judah along with the positive reformations being made by his royal cousin. As such, Zephaniah, records a short, three chapter book that is identified by a recurring theme “The day of the Lord”.

The day of the Lord is an important day in the New

Testament. Peter writes: But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives…..2Pe 3:10-11

Zephaniah’s “Day of the Lord” is no different than Peter’s. Prophecy in the Old Testament many times has dual fulfillment: One for the current age and one for the age to come. As you focus on this topic by this prophet there is no question that Zephaniah is also referring to our age and the “Day of the Lord” that is yet to come. Following are just 2 examples from Zephaniah.

God speaks to Zephaniah by His Holy Spirit and the prophet writes with God speaking in first person for most of this short prophecy: “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.” “When I destroy all mankind on the face of the earth,” declares the LORD, “I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem. I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place, the very names of the idolatrous priests— those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the LORD and who also swear by Molek, those who turn back from following the LORD and neither seek the LORD nor inquire of him.” Zep 1:2-6

The great day of the LORD is near— near and coming quickly. The cry on the day of the LORD is bitter; the Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry. That day will be a day of wrath— a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness— a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the corner towers. “I will bring such distress on all people that they will grope about like those who are blind, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the LORD’s wrath.” In the fire of his jealousy the whole earth will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live on the earth. Zep 1:14-18