To appreciate Zephania’s ministry a brief history is in order. Earlier in Judah’s history there was a king named Manasseh. Manasseh was by far the most evil king to have ever ruled over Judah, and he also reigned longer than any other king (55 years). “He did evil in the eyes of the Lord,” states 2 Kings 21.2, and then the author continues to recount the sins of King Manasseh:

He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Ashera pole He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Ashera pole… He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. He built altars [to foreign gods] in the temple of the Lord… in both courts of the Temple of the Lord he built altars to all the starry hosts. He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, provoking him to anger…. Manasseh led [the people] astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.

Baal is the Old Testament term for the deity or deities of Canaan. First applied to local gods, it was later the name of the chief deity. His cult practiced holy prostitution and child sacrifice. In Israel it was denounced by Hebrew Prophets. It was during this time of incredible evil, wherein God gave an irreversible judgment on Judah saying, “I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. I will forsake the remnant of my inheritance and hand them over to their enemies.”

After this time of political instability and national upheaval, Josiah’s reign was like a rest stop. Far more peaceful by comparison, due to the growing threat to Assyria by Babylon. So Israel enjoyed a time of quiet restoration. Josiah took great efforts to restore Israel economically, militarily, and spiritually. God blessed his efforts and his reign, but the judgment from Manasseh’s day was still effectual, and was soon to come upon his people. Josiah died in 609 B.C., four years before Babylon would take over Judah.

The Book

I Judgment of Judah, 1.1-2.3

II. Judgment of Other Nations, 2.4-.15

III. Judgment of Judah, 3.1-.8

IV. Blessings on All Nations, 3.9-.20

“The Day of the Lord” is an oft used phrase throughout this small book. To be sure, it refers to both the Babylonian invasion and to the end of time when God will impartially judge the nations, but aside from this we know little more. A few things we can discern regarding this day are:

• it is a judgment for sin, 3.7
• it is imminent, 3.8a
• it is a universal judgment, 3.8a
• it is a time of terror, causing convulsions in nature, 3.8b
• only a remnant will survive, 3.8-.13

One thing is sure, just as judgment came upon Judah, so judgment will come upon us. Are we prepared for “The Day of the Lord?”

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