The Analysed Bible, Volumes 1, 2, 3, by Rev. G. Campbell Morgan: The Book of Zephaniah - Analysed and Explained in Detail (Full Text and PDF).

Introduction

The prophecy is clearly dated in the reign of Josiah. From the genealogy of Zephaniah it is evident that he was a prince of the royal house, and about the same age as Josiah. In all probability, therefore, he uttered his prophecy when the reformation of Josiah was in progress. It is remarkable that he makes no reference thereto, speaking only of the sin of the people, and the consequent swift judgment of God upon them; finally describing a restoration, the details of which had no counterpart in the work of Josiah. This omission is to be accounted for by a reference to the story of the finding of the book of the law by Hilkiah, and the word which Huldah the prophetess uttered in answer to the messengers sent by Josiah. She declared that because the king was sincere, God would spare him, and that he should not share in nor even see the judgment; but she empathically declared that the curses written in the book of the law were certain to fall upon the sinning people. The people took part in the reforms initiated by Josiah, simply because the king led, and not out of any real heart-repentance. Zephaniah, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, and perfectly understanding that the outward appearance of reform was not indicative of a true change of heart, ignored it. He therefore, more definitely perhaps than any other prophet, declared the terrors of the Divine judgment against sin. Yet to him fell the lot of uttering the very sweetest love-song in the Old Testament.

The great burden of the prophecy is that of the Day of Wrath. It may be divided into two parts: The Day of Wrath, with an Appeal (1-2); the Day of Wrath, and its Issue (3).

A. The Day of Wrath, with an Appeal - Zephaniah 1:1-2:15

The first movement of this section is that of the prophet's declaration of the coming judgment of Jehovah. This he first announced in general terms, then described more particularly as to procedure, and finally as to character. This description opened with a comprehensive announcement: "I will utterly consume all things from off the face of the ground, saith Jehovah." Zephaniah then showed that to be a description of the creation in so far as it had become evil; man and the sphere of his dominion, the stumbling-blocks with the wicked and the race, were to be consumed. The local application was that judgment would descend upon Judah and Jerusalem, falling upon those who had practised idolatry, those who had indulged in mixed worship, those who had back-slidden from following the Lord, and those who had never sought or inquired after Him. Proceeding to describe more particularly the judgment, the prophet announced the presence of Jehovah for the purpose of judgment. The stroke of that judgment would fall first upon the princes, then upon the extortioners, also upon the merchantmen, and finally upon those who were "settled on their lees," that is, those who were living on their wealth in idleness and indifference. He finally gave a graphic description of the day in which men should walk as blind, none being able to deliver them because Jehovah would make "an end, ... a terrible end, of all them that dwell in the land."

After this declaration he uttered his great appeal, first to the nation as a whole, calling upon it to pull itself together before the opportunity for repentance should pass, before the hour of judgment should arrive. As though conscious that that larger appeal would be unavailing, he turned to the remnant, to such as were the "meek of the earth," and urged them to renewed devotion. This appeal he enforced by argument, in which he again set forth the fact of the coming judgment upon the nations, interspersing his declaration with words of hope concerning the remnant. He first addressed the nations on the west, declaring that they should be utterly destroyed, and in their place the remnant of the house of Judah should feed their flocks. He next turned to the nations on the east, declaring that they should become a perpetual desolation, and that the remnant should inhabit their lands. He then turned to those on the south, declaring that they should be slain by the sword. Finally he declared that those on the north should be destroyed, and their cities made a desolation.

B. The Day of Wrath and its Issue - Zephaniah 3:1-3:20

In this section the prophet yet more clearly set forth the sin of the people, and uttered the hopelessness of the case from the human standpoint. This gave him his opportunity to announce the victory of God, Who, notwithstanding the utter failure of His people, would ultimately accomplish the purpose of His love concerning them. The address opened with a declaration of woe against Jerusalem, which the prophet described as rebellious, polluted, and oppressing. The reason of the woe he then set forth with great care, first describing the city as a whole as one which "obeyed not ... received not correction, ... trusted not in Jehovah, ... drew not near to her God." The reason of the sin of the city was that of the corruption of the rulers, who are all referred to. Princes, judges, prophets, and priests alike had failed, each in their distinctive office. In the midst of the city, Jehovah the Righteous One had brought forth His judgment, but His presence had been insulted. He had, moreover, delivered the people, but their answer to His deliverance had been that of increased and persistent corruption. In the presence of this utter hopelessness the prophet cried, "Therefore wait ye for Me, saith Jehovah." This was the first gleam of hope. The very hopelessness and sin of the people made Divine action necessary, and that action would be that of judgment. The judgment, however, would be but the prelude, for immediately the prophet had declared it to be inevitable, he proceeded to describe the ultimate restoration.

From this point the prophecy is clearly Messianic. Zephaniah gave no picture of the suffering Servant, nor any hint of His method. He only dealt with the ultimate result to Israel. This he first described as the turning "to the peoples a pure language" by Jehovah gathering again all His dispersed ones. In that gathering the "proudly exulting ones," that is, the false rulers, would be deposed, while in the midst of the city the afflicted people who trust in the name of Jehovah would be established. Zephaniah then addressed himself to the remnant, charging them to sing and rejoice because their enemy should be cast out, and their true King Jehovah be established in the midst of them. He next called them to true courage and to service. The prophecy reached its highest level as Zephaniah described the attitude of God in poetic language under the figure of motherhood. Jehovah in the midst of His people will rejoice, and from the silence of love will proceed to the song of His own satisfaction.