The document provides commentary on the book of Zephaniah from the Bible. It discusses how Zephaniah warned of God's coming judgment on Jerusalem for their sins, which was fulfilled during Zephaniah's time but also foreshadows God's final judgment. It notes that the "great day of the Lord" will be a day of darkness and destruction for both believers and non-believers, though there is hope of survival for the humble who faithfully seek God. The passage encourages believers today to maintain their faith and trust in God, as God will rejoice over and protect His people, even turning their suffering into an experience of His blessings and presence.

1. Lesson 9

2. KEY TEXT
“ „For the earth will be filled with the
knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as
the waters cover the sea‟ ”
Habakkuk 2:14

3. The prophet Zephaniah was great-greatgrandson of King Hezekiah. He was a
descendant of the royal family.
His preaching together promoted the
religious reformation of Josiah, together
with other prophets like Jeremiah.
His message was very clear: God was
going to judge and destroy Jerusalem
because of their severe sins. The only
way to escape from destruction was to
surrender to the Lord and to change
their behavior.
That prophecy was fulfilled in
Zephaniah’s time, but it also applies to
the End Time when Jesus will come back
“to give to every one according to his
work” (Revelation 22:12)

4. “The great day of the Lord is near; it is near and hastens quickly.
The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter; there the mighty men
shall cry out. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and
distress, a day of devastation and desolation, a day of darkness and
gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness” (Zephaniah 1:14-15)
As believers, we usually think about “the great day of the Lord” as a day of
happiness when we’ll meet our Lord and God. But Zephaniah warns us that
that day will be a day of gloominess and darkness.
It will affect the whole Creation (Zephaniah 1:2-3) and will be a day of
destruction for two special groups of people:
1. For the people of God,
represented by Judah and
Jerusalem in Zephaniah 1:4-18.
2. For the non-believers,
represented by Philistine, Moab,
Ammon, Ethiopia and Assyria in
Zephaniah 2:4-15.
No one could escape from his own work,
money or position in that day (Zephaniah 1:18)

5. Why was that day a day of darkness for the people of God?
“Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, to
the oppressing city! She has not obeyed His
voice, she has not received correction; she has
not trusted in the Lord, she has not drawn near
to her God” (Zephaniah 3:1-2)
Despite the light the people of Judah had received,
they didn’t trust God and moved away from Him.
That means that being
part of the people of
God is not a safeconduct for the divine
Judgment.
Salvation is related to
our personal
relationship with Jesus.

6. “Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who
have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek
humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the
day of the Lord’s anger” (Zephaniah 2:3)
The possibility of survival for the humble who are faithful is
expressed through the word perhaps. It means that survival
depends solely on divine grace, and grace is something that never
should be taken for granted. In the face of impending doom, there
is hope for the future from God, who is merciful.

7. Zephaniah makes it clear that God’s judgment is not only punitive
but corrective. The Lord holds out a promise of shelter for those
who seek Him (Zeph. 2:3). Thus, the day of the Lord is more than
the end of the world. It is the beginning of the future
establishment of God’s rule, which will last forever.

8. “The Lord your God in your midst, the
Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice
over you with gladness, He will quiet you
with His love, He will rejoice over you
with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17)
Have you ever
imagined God
joyfully singing
because you have
accepted His
salvation?
The great King, the divine Warrior, will protect
and vindicate His people. He will grant them all
the benefits of His victory, the one that He won
for us at the cross. He will exalt the humble and
turn disgrace, suffering, and alienation into an
experience of honor, blessings, and His own
presence.

9. E.G.W. (Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, cp. 15, pg. 414)
“I address the people of God who today are holding fast their
confidence, who will not depart from the faith once delivered
unto the saints, who stand amid the moral darkness of these
days of corruption. The word of the Lord to you is: “I will
rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people.” Can we not here
see the paternal love of God expressed to those who hold fast
to the faith in righteousness? The closest relationship exists
between God and His people. Not only are we objects of His
sparing mercy, His pardoning love; we are more than this. The
Lord rejoices over His people. He delights in them. He is their
surety. He will beautify all who are serving Him with a whole
heart with the spirit of holiness. He clothes them with
righteousness. He loves those who do His will, who express His
image. All who are true and faithful are conformed to the
image of His Son. In their mouth is found no guile, for they
are without fault before the throne of God”

10. “The Lord is good, a stronghold in
the day of trouble; and He knows
those who trust in Him” (Nahum 1:7)
“What do you conspire against the Lord?
He will make an utter end of it.
Affliction will not rise up a second time”
(Nahum 1:9)
“Behold, on the mountains the feet
of him who brings good tidings, who
proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your
appointed feasts, perform your
vows. For the wicked one shall no
more pass through you; He is
utterly cut off” (Nahum 1:15)
Although God’s
justice seems
slow, nothing
ultimately can
stop it.

11. THIS SERVICE IS FREE AND YOU CAN USE IT
Seek the
Lord
and Live!
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