The book of Zephaniah
The Book of Zephaniah
What is the book of Zephaniah about?
The book of Zephaniah predicts a jarring prophecy in which God "...will sweep away everything from the face of the earth," (1:2). All nations will be held accountable for their sins and be judged before God, and the kingdom of Judah is no exception. God will judge the entire world according to what they have done and how they have lived.
Although there is harsh judgement, there are also future blessings and anyone who calls on the Lord, whether Gentile or Jew, will be blessed. "The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, bit will rejoice over you with singing." (3:17)
Who wrote the book of Zephaniah?
The author of Zephaniah is himself.
Who is the audience?
The people of the southern kingdom of Judah.
Timeframe Zephaniah was written:
Written sometime between 640-620 BC, during the reign of king Josiah.
"In short" (One sentence summary):
Zephaniah predicts a coming "day of the Lord" when God will severely punish the nations, but will be merciful to those who believe.
Fun facts about Zephaniah/Did you know?
The prophet Zephaniah was evidently a person of considerable social standing in Judah and was probably related to the royal line. His ancestry is listed at the start of this book at 1:1.
