There is a short introduction available for the book of Zephaniah. You can read it here.
Key Themes (Zephaniah)
The book of Zephaniah is a prophetic work in the Old Testament that delivers a powerful message of judgment and hope to the people of Judah. Written during the reign of King Josiah, the book calls for repentance in the face of impending judgment while also offering a vision of restoration for the faithful remnant. The key themes include:
- The Day of the Lord: A central theme in Zephaniah is the "Day of the Lord," a time of divine judgment that is imminent and all-encompassing. Zephaniah describes this day as a time of great distress, where God’s wrath will be poured out on all nations, including Judah, for their sins. This theme emphasizes the seriousness of sin and the certainty of God’s judgment.
- Judgment on the Nations: Zephaniah expands the scope of judgment beyond Judah, declaring that God’s judgment will extend to all nations. The prophet warns that God will punish the surrounding nations for their wickedness and idolatry, reflecting the universal scope of God's justice and sovereignty over all peoples.
- Judgment on Judah: The book specifically addresses the sins of Judah, including idolatry, corruption, and complacency. Zephaniah warns that God’s judgment will begin with His own people, who have turned away from Him despite their covenant relationship. This theme serves as a call to repentance and a reminder that even God’s chosen people are not exempt from His justice.
- A Call to Repentance: Despite the strong message of judgment, Zephaniah also offers a call to repentance. The prophet urges the people to seek the Lord, humility, and righteousness in order to be spared from the coming wrath. This theme highlights the possibility of redemption and the importance of turning back to God before it is too late.
- The Remnant and Restoration: Zephaniah provides a hopeful vision of the future, where a faithful remnant of God’s people will be preserved through judgment and restored to a place of blessing. This theme emphasizes God’s mercy and the promise of renewal for those who remain faithful. The book closes with a vision of a restored Jerusalem, where God’s people will live in peace and security under His protection.
- The Universal Reign of God: Zephaniah looks forward to a time when all people will acknowledge and worship the Lord. The prophet envisions a future where God’s reign is fully established, and the nations will turn to Him in worship and reverence. This theme underscores the ultimate victory of God and the inclusion of all nations in His redemptive plan.
The book of Zephaniah is a sobering reminder of the reality of God’s judgment, but it also offers hope for those who seek Him. It calls for repentance and faithfulness, promising restoration and blessing for the remnant who turn back to God. Through Zephaniah, God’s message of justice and mercy is proclaimed, emphasizing the certainty of His judgment and the assurance of His ultimate reign over all the earth.
What I Noticed Today (Zephaniah 1-Haggai 2)
Zephaniah 1
The focus of Zephaniah 1 is on the impending judgment to Judah and the coming Day of the Lord.
In verse 1, Zephaniah receives the word of the Lord and traces his lineage back four generations to King Hezekiah.
In verses 2-6, Zephaniah jumps right in proclaiming judgment upon all the earth; man and beast, birds, and fish will all be swept away and destroyed. Jerusalem in Judah, the Baal worshippers, and those who worship other false idols will all be swept away.
Zephaniah specifically calls out false priests, those who worship Molech along with God (syncretism), and those who are indifferent to God
Note: Zephaniah clarifies in Zephaniah 3:9-13 as does Jeremiah 25:31-33 that there will be a righteous remnant who survives.
In verses 7-13, Zephaniah calls on these three classes of idol worshippers to be silent before the Lord because the Day of the Lord is near (impending judgment).
Note: Zephaniah mentions the Day of the Lord or a variation 19 times!
In addition to the idol worshippers, the princes and leaders who practice violence and fraud would face judgment. People in Jerusalem will be judged, especially the traders (the business people).
The Lord will search the city to find all those who are complacent who think the Lord does not care and bring judgment upon them.
In verses 14-18, Zephaniah describes the extent of the devastation from the Day of the Lord’s judgment. It will be a bitter day, a day of distress and anguish, ruin and devastation, darkness and gloom, of trumpet blasts and battle cries. The Lord will bring devastation, and all their money will not be able to save them. The devastation will be sudden and complete.
Zephaniah 2
In Zephaniah 2, Zephaniah’s focus shifts from the judgment on Judah in the Day of the Lord to the Lord’s judgment on Judah’s enemies.
In verses 1-3, Zephaniah calls on the people of Judah to gather together, 1) before the decree takes place, 2) before the day passes away, and before the burning anger of the Lord comes (last “before” is repeated for emphasis). He tells them to, 1) seek the Lord, 2) seek righteousness, and 3) seek humility and perhaps you will be saved on the Day of the Lord.
In verses 4-7, Zephaniah announces the destruction of four of the major cities in Philistia: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, and Ekron. He pronounces a woe on the Cherethites (also “Kerethites”) and the inhabitants of Canaan (Philistia). The entire area will become a possession of the remnant of Judah because the Lord will restore them to their land.
Note: Verses 4-7 describes an area of the coastal plains along the Mediterranean Sea. None of this would be left after the judgment.
In verses 8-11, Zephaniah turns his attention eastward to the tribes of Moab and Ammon (descendants of Lot’s daughters). They had been openly hostile to Judah, taunting them and boasting against them. Because of this, the Lord will make Moab and Ammon like Sodom and Gomorrah. The remnant of Judah will plunder the land and possess it.
In verse 12, the Cushites will be slain with the sword.
Note: Cushites were descendants of Cush (Genesis 10:6) living in what is southern Egypt/northern Ethiopia today.
In verses 13-15, Zephaniah announces the judgment to come against Assyria (northeast of Judah). Nineveh will be a desolation. The Ninevites proudly thought they were secure, but they will become a desolation. Everyone who passes by will shake their fists and hiss at the city.
Zephaniah 3
In verses 1-5, Zephaniah pronounces a woe upon Jerusalem. The people do not listen or draw near to God. Her officials are like roaring lions (hungry), her judges are like wolves, her prophets are fickle and treacherous, and the priests profane what is holy. The Lord, however, is righteous. In Him, there is no injustice, and He is consistent every day.
In verses 6-7, the Lord warns the people of Jerusalem by reminding them what had happened to other nations which He had judged and were in ruins. The intent was the people of Jerusalem would see the Lord’s judgment on other nations and realize their need to repent and return to Him. But they did not. Instead, they increased their corruption.
In verse 8, Because of this (therefore), the Lord determined to gather all the nations together for judgment.
In verses 9-13, Zephaniah says at that time (the day of the Lord’s judgment), the Lord will change the speech of all nations so they may call on the name of the Lord.
Note: This does not necessarily mean a new language but a change in people’s hearts so they will speak purely (see Isaiah 6:5-7).
In verses 11-13, on that day (the beginning of the Millennium), the people will have no shame because of their past sins. The proud, arrogant people will be removed, leaving behind a remnant of the meek and the humble. This remnant will do no injustice, speak no lies, will not be deceitful, and will be secure.
In verses 14-20, In that day (when the Millennium begins), the people of Judah and Israel sing, shout, and rejoice because the Lord had taken away His judgment. Their enemies will be gone. They will be safe and secure from evil. The Lord will dwell with them. This remnant will have no shame but only praise for the Lord. They will be gathered together, their fortunes restored, and they will be praised among all the people of the earth.
Note: Zephaniah ends the book with “says the Lord,” a phrase that connotes the Lord’s authority and the certainty that what He has promised will be fulfilled.
All the notes for the book of Zephaniah have been compiled into a single pdf document. You can download it by clicking here.
There is a short introduction available for the book of Haggai. You can read it here.
Key Themes (Haggai)
The book of Haggai is a prophetic work in the Old Testament that addresses the Jewish exiles who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. Written during a time when the rebuilding of the temple had stalled, Haggai’s message is a direct call to action, urging the people to prioritize the construction of the temple and to renew their commitment to God. The key themes include:
- Rebuilding the Temple: Haggai emphasizes the urgent need to rebuild the temple, which had been neglected as the people focused on their personal affairs. The prophet challenges the people to reconsider their priorities, highlighting that the temple is central to their relationship with God and must be restored as a place of worship and God's presence.
- Divine Presence and Blessing: The book underscores the connection between the people's obedience in rebuilding the temple and the presence of God among them. Haggai assures the people that as they prioritize the temple, God’s presence will return to them, and His blessings will follow. This theme emphasizes that God’s favor is contingent on their faithfulness and obedience.
- Call to Consideration and Repentance: Haggai repeatedly urges the people to "consider their ways," prompting them to reflect on their actions and the consequences of their neglect of the temple. The prophet calls for repentance and a return to covenant faithfulness, linking their hardships to their spiritual neglect.
- God’s Sovereignty and Future Glory: Haggai speaks of the future glory of the temple, prophesying that the latter glory will surpass the former. This theme highlights God’s sovereignty over the nations and His ability to bring about a greater future for His people. The promise of future glory serves as both encouragement and motivation for the people to complete the rebuilding.
- Encouragement and Assurance: The book of Haggai offers encouragement to the leaders and people, assuring them that God is with them as they undertake the rebuilding effort. Haggai’s message includes promises of strength, provision, and protection, reinforcing the idea that God supports those who are faithful to His commands.
The book of Haggai is a powerful call to prioritize God’s work and to trust in His promises. It connects the physical act of rebuilding the temple with spiritual renewal and divine blessing, emphasizing that obedience to God’s commands leads to His presence and future glory. Through Haggai, God urges His people to put Him first, assuring them that their faithfulness will be rewarded.
Haggai 1
Haggai delivers four dated messages to the leaders and people of Judah to direct their spiritual lives and behavior. They must glorify God, remain committed to God’s plans, live holy lives, and serve God faithfully.
Message 1. In verse 1, the word of the Lord came to Haggai in the second year of Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month (August 29, 520 B.C.).
In verses 2-6, Haggai addresses the leaders and calls on them to get busy rebuilding the Lord’s house. They have rebuilt their own houses, but the Lord’s house lies in ruins. The Lord challenges them to consider how they are living and why they never seem to have enough. It is clear they are not receiving the Lord’s blessings because they have not yet followed His instructions to rebuild the temple.
Note: In verse 2, the Lord addresses “these” people who have made excuses for not building the temple. They are not yet “His” people because their priorities are focused on themselves, not on God.
In verses 7-11, the Lord challenges them again to get started with the rebuilding of the temple. The people did not realize that the reason their harvest was poor, and they were not enjoying God’s blessing because they were not yet obedient to Him.
In verses 12-15, Haggai records the people responded to the Lord’s prompting and began to rebuild the Lord’s house on the 24th day of the sixth month of the second year of Darius (September 21, 520 B.C.). It began when the Lord had stirred the spirit of Zerubbabel, the son of the governor, and Joshua son of the high priest, then the spirit of the remnant.
Note: Interestingly, Haggai calls out not the governor and the high priest as leading the people in the work, but the son of the governor and the son of the high priest as being stirred to begin the rebuilding.
Haggai 2
Message 2. In verse 1, the second message from the Lord came to Haggai on the 21st day of the seventh month of the second year of Darius (October 17, 520 B.C.).
In verses 2-5, the Lord tells Haggai to speak to Zerubbabel and Joshua and the remnant asking them three questions: 1) Who was alive and knew what the temple looked like before? 2) How does the temple look now? And 3) Does it seem to you like nothing?
Note: There were those who made comparisons between the glory of the old temple and the one to be rebuilt, and they were discouraged.
The Lord encouraged them to be strong (v. 4a), to work (v. 4b), and to fear not (v. 5).
In verses 6-9, the Lord says in a little while He will shake the heavens and earth and shake the nations so that the treasures will return and the glory of the Lord’s house will be restored. And the glory of this house will be greater than the former.
Note: The phrase “in a little while” does not suggest immediacy but that the event could happen at any time. The description of the restored temple and greater glory is a reference to the Lord who will inhabit His house in the Millennium.
Message 3. In verse 11, the third message of the Lord came to Haggai on the 24th day of the ninth month of the second year of Darius (December 18, 520 B.C.).
Note: In the two months since message 2, the prophet Zechariah began his prophetic ministry (Zechariah 1:1).
In verses 11-13, the Lord commanded Haggai to ask the priests about the laws governing clean and unclean ceremonial meat. The question is asked if the ceremonial clean meat is placed in an unclean bag does the bag become clean. The answer, no. If a ceremonially clean person touches a dead body, does he become unclean? The answer, yes. Haggai then draws a parallel to the people. If they are defiled, what they offer to the Lord is defiled, and the Lord cannot bless it.
In verses 15-19, Haggai reminds the people of how they had not experienced blessing before because of their defiled condition. The Lord had punished them (chastened), yet they had not returned to Him. Haggai challenged the people to think back three months when they started the work and realize their conditions were bleak, but from this point forward, the Lord would bless them IF they remained faithful in rebuilding the temple.
Message 4. In verses 20, the word of the Lord came to Haggai a second time that day (same day as message 3).
In verses 21-23 The Lord tells Haggai to speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, and tell him the Lord was about to shake the nations, overthrow kingdoms, and destroy them. On that day, the Lord will make Zerubbabel a signet ring because the Lord has chosen him.
Note: The signet ring was a sign of royal authority (see Jeremiah 22:24-25).
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.
