Judgment Day is
Coming!
END-TIME PROPHET OF WRATH AND RESTORATION
 Date: 640BC
 Author: Zephaniah,
prince of Judah
 Audience: The
people of Judah
 Purpose:
Zephaniah warns
the people that if
they refuse to
change, God will
be forced to punish
them
BACKGROUND
 When Josiah took the
throne, he was 16
 Zephaniah sought to
encourage the young king in
how to follow the Lord, and
why he ought to be
concerned about it
 The book encouraged
Josiah to put an end to
idolatry
 Josiah destroyed the
Asherah Poles, the Baal
shrines, and the Molech
altars, likely because of what
he had read in Zephaniah’s
book
CHAPTER 1
 Theme: Judah Measured
 God searches Judah for sin:
 If he finds it… watch out!
“I will utterly sweep away everything from the face
of the earth!”
 Why?
People have built their entire lives around sin and
selfishness
CHAPTER 1
“Those who say in their hearts, ‘the Lord will
not do good, nor will he do ill.’ Their goods
shall be plundered and their houses laid
waste.”
 People who think that God is a nice idea, but
doesn’t really affect your life either way are
fooling themselves
 He isn’t just talking about Jerusalem and Judah
– “The Day of The Lord” refers to Judgment Day
CHAPTER 2
 Theme: The Whole World Measured
 God takes his wrath with sin to the whole
world, but…
“Seek the Lord all you humble of the land, who do
His just commands; seek righteousness; seek
humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day
of the anger of the Lord.”
CHAPTER 2
 God has called people to repentance, true
repentance.
 Remember: turn from your sins, don’t just say
you’re sorry!
 God describes all the places he will bring
low:
 Ashdod, Ekron, Nineveh, Ashkelon, Gaza
 These were some of the most powerful cities on
the planet at the time
CHAPTER 2
The Turning Point:
“…and to Him shall bow down, each in its place, all
the lands of the nations.”
In other words, God is stating that no longer would
people have to go to Jerusalem to worship the
Lord. It will not matter where you are, it will
matter where your heart is.
This is absolutely revolutionary for Jews!
CHAPTER 3
 Theme: Israel’s Restoration
 God promises to restore His people – He will
remove all the judgments, clear away the
enemies
 The people will be brought back to the land
and lifted up from their brokenness
CHAPTER 3
“For… I will change the speech of the peoples
to a pure speech that all of them may call
upon the name of the Lord.”
God is saying all people will one day be
brought to Him. People from all corners of
the world will bring offerings to God, and the
shame of their previous sins will have no
hold on them
CHAPTER 3
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty
one who will save; He will rejoice over you
with gladness, He will quiet you with His love,
He will exult over you with loud singing.
 Looking ahead, God is saying one day He will be
closer to you than ever before, he will comfort all
your hurts, and lift you up with pride for having
followed Him though it was hard to do.
SO WHAT?
The Book of Zephaniah walks us through not
only our sin and the path to redemption, but
the fearsome degree of God’s wrath at our
disobedience, as well as the boundless
depths of His love and His desire to bring us
back to Himself.
We may deserve punishment, but God wants
nothing more than for us to come to Him…
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Lecture 13; zephaniah

  • 2.
  • 3.
    END-TIME PROPHET OFWRATH AND RESTORATION  Date: 640BC  Author: Zephaniah, prince of Judah  Audience: The people of Judah  Purpose: Zephaniah warns the people that if they refuse to change, God will be forced to punish them
  • 4.
    BACKGROUND  When Josiahtook the throne, he was 16  Zephaniah sought to encourage the young king in how to follow the Lord, and why he ought to be concerned about it  The book encouraged Josiah to put an end to idolatry  Josiah destroyed the Asherah Poles, the Baal shrines, and the Molech altars, likely because of what he had read in Zephaniah’s book
  • 6.
    CHAPTER 1  Theme:Judah Measured  God searches Judah for sin:  If he finds it… watch out! “I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth!”  Why? People have built their entire lives around sin and selfishness
  • 7.
    CHAPTER 1 “Those whosay in their hearts, ‘the Lord will not do good, nor will he do ill.’ Their goods shall be plundered and their houses laid waste.”  People who think that God is a nice idea, but doesn’t really affect your life either way are fooling themselves  He isn’t just talking about Jerusalem and Judah – “The Day of The Lord” refers to Judgment Day
  • 8.
    CHAPTER 2  Theme:The Whole World Measured  God takes his wrath with sin to the whole world, but… “Seek the Lord all you humble of the land, who do His just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the Lord.”
  • 9.
    CHAPTER 2  Godhas called people to repentance, true repentance.  Remember: turn from your sins, don’t just say you’re sorry!  God describes all the places he will bring low:  Ashdod, Ekron, Nineveh, Ashkelon, Gaza  These were some of the most powerful cities on the planet at the time
  • 10.
    CHAPTER 2 The TurningPoint: “…and to Him shall bow down, each in its place, all the lands of the nations.” In other words, God is stating that no longer would people have to go to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. It will not matter where you are, it will matter where your heart is. This is absolutely revolutionary for Jews!
  • 11.
    CHAPTER 3  Theme:Israel’s Restoration  God promises to restore His people – He will remove all the judgments, clear away the enemies  The people will be brought back to the land and lifted up from their brokenness
  • 12.
    CHAPTER 3 “For… Iwill change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord.” God is saying all people will one day be brought to Him. People from all corners of the world will bring offerings to God, and the shame of their previous sins will have no hold on them
  • 13.
    CHAPTER 3 “The Lordyour God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will exult over you with loud singing.  Looking ahead, God is saying one day He will be closer to you than ever before, he will comfort all your hurts, and lift you up with pride for having followed Him though it was hard to do.
  • 14.
    SO WHAT? The Bookof Zephaniah walks us through not only our sin and the path to redemption, but the fearsome degree of God’s wrath at our disobedience, as well as the boundless depths of His love and His desire to bring us back to Himself. We may deserve punishment, but God wants nothing more than for us to come to Him…
  • 15.