The Coming Judgment on Judah

The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah. Zeph. 1:1

The Coming Judgment on Judah

I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD. Zeph. 1:2

I will utterly... The 1st prophecy in Zephaniah (Zeph. 1:2-18: Zeph. 1:2-6 fulfilled; Zeph. 1:7-18 unfulfilled). Next, Zeph. 2:1.

Twelve Predictions—Fulfilled:

1. I will utterly consume all things from off the land (Zeph. 1:2).

2. I will consume man and beast (Zeph. 1:3).

3. I will consume the fowls of the heaven, the fish of the sea, and the stumbling-blocks with the wicked.

4. I will cut off man from the land.

5. I will also stretch out My hand upon Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Zeph. 1:4).

6. I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place.

7. I will cut off the name of Chemarims with the priests.

8. I will cut off them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops.

9. I will cut off them that swear by the Lord.

10. I will cut off them that swear by Malcham (Zeph. 1:5).

11. I will cut off them that turned back from the Lord (Zeph. 1:6).

12. I will cut off them that have not sought or inquired of the Lord.

Twenty-two Predictions—Unfulfilled:

1. The day of the Lord is at hand (Zeph. 1:7).

2. The Lord has prepared a sacrifice.

3. He has invited His guests.

4. In the day of the Lord’s sacrifice I will punish the princes, the king’s children, and all that are clothed in strange apparel (Zeph. 1:8).

5. In that day also I will punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit (Zeph. 1:9).

6. In that day there will be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and a howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills (Zeph. 1:10).

7. All the merchant people of Maktesh will be cut down (Zeph. 1:11).

8. All that bear silver will be cut off.

9. At that time I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees, that say in their hearts, The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil (Zeph. 1:12).

10. Their goods will become booty (Zeph. 1:13).

11. Their houses will become a desolation.

12. They will build houses and not inhabit them.

13. They will plant vineyards and not drink the wine thereof.

14. The great day of the Lord is near.

15. It hastes greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord.

16. The mighty man shall cry there bitterly.

17. That day will be a day of wrath, trouble, distress, wasteness, desolation, darkness, gloominess, clouds, and thick darkness; a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities and high towers (Zeph. 1:15-16).

18. I will bring distress upon men (Zeph. 1:17).

19. They shall walk like blind men.

20. Their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh as dung.

21. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath (Zeph. 1:18).

22. The whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy, for He will make a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

Consume

Take away, make an end of. Repeated 3 times here for emphasis (Zeph. 1:2-3). He will utterly consume.

Five Things that God will Consume:

1. Man

2. Beasts

3. Fowls

4. Fish

5. Stumblingblocks

I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD. Zeph. 1:3

and the stumblingblocks... Stumblingblocks—referring to the idols and the ruin of the nation brought about by them. It literally means ruin brought on by the stumblingblocks or idols of the people. The Hebrew: makshelah, translated "stumblingblocks" here, is translated "ruin" in Isa. 3:6.

I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; Zeph. 1:4

stretch out mine... Judah and Jerusalem are the subject of this prophecy, not Ephraim and Samaria, for the northern kingdom had been out of existence for 80 years already and therefore could not be included in these predictions.

cut off the... Seven Classes to be Cut Off

1. Man from off the land (Zeph. 1:3).

2. The remnant of Baal (Zeph. 1:4).

3. The name of the Chemarims with the priests.

4. Them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops (Zeph. 1:5).

5. Them that swear by Jehovah but serve Malcham.

6. Them that turned back from the Lord.

7. Them that have not sought Jehovah, nor inquired of Him (Zeph. 1:6).

name of the... Hebrew: kamar, ascetic, idolatrous priests. Translated "Chemarims" only here, but "idolatrous priests" in 2Ki. 23:5 and "priests" in Hos. 10:5. These were different from the priests of Baal and those of the host of heaven; they were distinctly priests of the high places, and perhaps black-robed, for the Hebrew word also means to be black.

And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham; Zeph. 1:5

that worship the... First, he noted the worshipers of stellar bodies, people who bow down on flat housetops (cf. Jer. 19:13; 2:29) as star-worshipers — through which the powers of nature were supposedly harnessed. The sun, moon, and stars were regarded as deities. Though God had clearly warned against this practice (Deut. 4:19), Manasseh led the way in this perversion also (2Ki. 21:3, 21:5; 23:4-5).

and that worship... Second, Zephaniah mentioned those who attempted to combine the worship of Yahweh with the worship of Molech, a form of religious syncretism. Molech was the chief god of the Ammonites (1Ki. 11:33), a people east of the Dead Sea (cf. Zeph. 2:8-9). Jeremiah, a contemporary of Zephaniah, said the Jews were sacrificing children to Molech (Jer. 32:35; cf. 2Ki. 16:3; 21:6). The Hebrew Malkām (Zeph. 1:5 3, NIV marg.) is a variant spelling of “Molech.” To swear by a deity meant to pronounce an oath under the threat of punishment by that deity if one failed to carry out his oath.

And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him. Zeph. 1:6

and them that... Third, the prophet spoke of others who were religiously indifferent and unconcerned about worshiping the true God (Zeph. 1:6), though they may not have been worshiping other gods.

Here we have a clear statement about backsliders—them that turn back from Jehovah: He will cut them off (Zeph. 1:4-6). Since God cannot lie He is then under obligation to do this to backsliders as much as any of the other classes mentioned.

The Day of the Lord Is Near

Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. Zeph. 1:7

Hold thy peace... The mention of the day of the Lord in Zeph. 1:17-18 indicates that this section of the prophecy is to be fulfilled in the future, at the second coming of Christ.

Fourteen Facts about the Day of the Lord:

1. It is the day of the Lord’s sacrifice. This definitely refers to the destruction of the multitudes at the battle of Armageddon (Zeph. 1:7-8; Isa. 34:6; Jer. 46:10; Eze. 39:17-21; Rev. 19:11-21).

2. His bidden guests in that day are to be the beasts and fowls who will eat the dead bodies—those slain at Armageddon (Eze. 39:17-21; Mat. 24:27-28; Luke 17:34-37; Rev. 19:17-21).

3. Princes, king’s children, robbers, merchants and all other classes will be destroyed in that day (Zeph. 1:8-18).

4. It will be a day of desolation and destruction of houses and vineyards, and especially of men who should have enjoyed their homes and crops (Zeph. 1:13).

5. It will be a great day of the Lord (Zeph. 1:14).

6. It will be a day of wrath (Zeph. 1:15).

7. It will be a day of trouble and distress.

8. It will be a day of waste and desolation.

9. It will be a day of darkness and gloominess.

10. It will be a day of clouds and thick darkness.

11. It will be a day of trumpet and alarm (Zeph. 1:16).

12. It will be a day of distress upon men so that they will walk like blind men (Zeph. 1:17).

13. It will be a day of bloodshed.

14. It will be a day of the Lord’s wrath which men will not escape (Zeph. 1:18).

And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD'S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel. Zeph. 1:8

come to pass... Seven Classes to Be Punished

1. Princes—king’s children (Zeph. 1:8)

2. All such as are clothed in strange apparel

3. Those that leap on the threshold (Zeph. 1:9)

4. Those that fill their master’s houses with violence and deceit

5. Merchant people (Zeph. 1:11)

6. Those that bear silver

7. Those settled on their lees (Zeph. 1:12)

as are clothed... This means clothing like that of the heathen—without the distinctive band of blue ribbon on the fringe of the four corners of the garments, and other marks characteristic of Jewish apparel.

In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit. Zeph. 1:9

those that leap... This means to leap over the threshold instead of stepping on it, referring to the superstitious practice of the Philistines regarding the threshold of the temple of Dagon (1Sa. 5:4-5; Eze. 9:3; 10:4, 10:18; 46:2; 47:1).

And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills. Zeph. 1:10

noise of a cry... The fish gate was in the north wall of the city, from which direction the future Antichrist will come (Eze. 38:15). It was given its name because of its proximity to the fish market.

An howling... The New Quarter was northwest of the temple area.

and a great... The meaning of the hills is uncertain. They could refer to the whole city, or the hills on which Jerusalem was erected, or the hills surrounding the lower portion of the city (cf. Jer. 31:39). A cry and wailing… and a loud crash would go up from these areas because of the loss of lives as the future Antichrist progressed through the city.

Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off. Zeph. 1:11

they that bear... Zephaniah then singled out one area in the city — the market (or business) district — and said that those who live there would wail (cf. Zeph. 1:10) because their businessmen (merchants) would be wiped out (lit., “will be silenced”). In the Tyropean Valley, running north to south and separating the city east and west, the merchants plied their trade with silver and grew rich through usury. Because they took advantage of others, God would judge them and they would be ruined (lit., “be cut off, killed”; cf. “cut off” in Zeph. 1:3-4).

And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil. Zeph. 1:12

that are settled... The figure here is of wine which becomes strong if allowed to remain on the lees or dregs. Men would likewise become bitter and critical, as pictured here (cp. Jer. 48:11; Psm. 55:19). The analogy of wine left on its dregs suggests that the nation had become spiritually polluted. Wine allowed to ferment for a long time forms a hard crust and the liquid becomes syrupy, bitter, and unpalatable. Instead of removing the dregs of daily pollution, Judah had become hardened and indifferent to God.

that say in... So great was her degeneration that the people did not even believe that Yahweh did as much as their self-made images. Pagan idolaters accorded their numerous deities the power of judging wrong and vindicating right. But the Jews at this time will have such a low view of Yahweh that they believed He could not keep either His promises or His threats: He will do nothing, either good or bad. Their own spiritual complacency led them to think the Lord was complacent.

Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof. Zeph. 1:13

Zephaniah stated that Yahweh is not so weak and uninterested as the Jews thought because judgment is within both His power and His will.

their goods shall... In this three-part verse the prophet first stated that God will cause the Jews’ enemies to plunder the people’s wealth and demolish their houses. This would be as God had predicted (Deut. 28:30).

They shall also... With both their money and their residences gone, they would have no physical security.

and they shall... God then stated that their effort to rebuild their houses and plant their vineyards would be futile. They would not live long enough to enjoy them.

The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. Zeph. 1:14

The great day... To awaken the complacent (cf. Zeph. 1:12) nation to its peril the prophet returned to the theme stated in Zeph. 1:7, the great day of the Lord. Grammatically the verse stresses the word near, which is first in the sentence in Hebrew (cf. “near” in Zeph. 1:7, where it also appears in this emphatic position). The fearful wrath of God is to come on the nation quickly. The day of the Lord Is in fact imminent.

the mighty man... the physical characteristics of that awful day, while Zeph. 1:17-18 describe the personal trauma of that judgment.

The prophet began by calling the nation to hear his words (Listen!) for the day of the Antichrists terror will cause the people to cry in bitterness and even the mighty Jewish warrior would retreat in fear and horror.

That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, Zeph. 1:15

day is a day... The wrath of Almighty God on sinners (cf. Zeph.1:18; 2:2-3; 3:8) is depicted by such words as distress… anguish… trouble… ruin… darkness… gloom… clouds, and blackness. When the Antichrists soldiers do barge into the city, the Jerusalemites will be distressed and in anguish; their houses will be ruined, and the sky will be dark from the smoke of the buildings set on fire.

A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. Zeph. 1:16

of the trumpet... As the Antichrists hordes rushed to conquer, kill, and ravish, they sounded the trumpet and shouted in battle in their moves against not only Jerusalem but also other fortified cities in Judah. Soldiers at the corner towers, normally strongholds of defense against attacking enemies, will be defenseless.

And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Zeph. 1:17

distress upon men... So great would be God’s judgment, Zephaniah said, that the Jews in distress would wander about like helplessly blind people (cf. Deut. 28:28-29), unable to find any safe quarter.

They have sinned... Such distress was not because of God’s impersonal cruelty; it was retribution for their having sinned against the Lord.

and their blood... The inhabitants of Judah would be viciously killed; so much of their blood would be shed that it would be like dust on the streets. And their bodies would be cruelly ravished, with their innards piled up like the filth of dung piles.

Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land. Zeph. 1:18

Neither their... They would have no hope of deliverance; their wealth (silver [cf. “silver” in Zeph. 1:11] and gold) would not be able to buy off their attackers (cf. Eze. 7:19).

but the whole... Zephaniah then returned to the theme of universal judgment (cf. Zeph. 1:2-3). The whole world will be destroyed and all its inhabitants will quickly (He will make a sudden end) be subjected to the wrath of God.

for He shall... All this will stem from His jealousy, His consuming passion and concern that His own people follow Him, not false gods.