Overview Article
“That terrible day of the Lord is near. . . . It will be … a day of ruin and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom” (Zeph 1:14–15). Zephaniah’s words send a chill through the soul. Will the day of the Lord spell the end to everything? Zephaniah’s prophecy portrays the coming judgment, but it also presents God’s promise that his faithful people will one day enjoy a world of everlasting righteousness and joy.
Key People, Places, and Terms
People 9
Places 18
- Jerusalem 7
- Ammon 6
- Ashkelon 4
- Cush (Nation) 4
- Zion 4
- Second District 4
- Moab 3
- The Hollow 3
- Philistia 3
- Canaan 2
See all (18)
Themes
The Day of the Lord 3 The phrase Day of the Lord describes a time when God judges his enemies with righteous punishment. The ungodly receive the punishment they deserve, while the righteous gain their complete salvation (see Isaiah 3:16–4:... Zion 2 Zion is the Hebrew name for the mountain in Jerusalem where the temple was located ( 2 Samuel 5:7 ; see also 2 Chronicles 3:1 ). Over time, people began using the name Zion to refer to all of Jerusalem. Zion can refer... Celebration 1 God welcomes happy expressions of joy and delight from those who worship and praise him ( Isaiah 30:29 ; Jeremiah 30:19 ; 31:13 ; Zephaniah 3:17 ; Ephesians 5:19 ; Colossians 3:16 ). King David tried two times to brin... Darkness and Light 1 Darkness means there is no light. There was no light until God commanded it to appear. He then separated light from darkness ( Genesis 1:2 , 4–5 , 18 ). The ninth plague he sent against Egypt was three days of deep da... God’s Justice 1 God is just ( Psalm 9:7–8 ). He hates sin and fairly rewards people and nations based on what they do ( Psalm 67:4 ; Isaiah 1:27 ; Jeremiah 46:28 ; Joel 3:1–8 ; Acts 17:31 ). God has complete control over the natural... Material Reward 1 Some people in the Old Testament period believed that righteous people would usually prosper in material ways. They treated the wisdom sayings found in books like Proverbs as general rules for life. Other biblical boo... The Purpose of the Judgments 1 What is the purpose of God's judgments? Are they meant to bring redemption, or are they just meant to destroy? The judgments in the book of Revelation provide some clues. At the end of the sixth trumpet, despite all t... The Remnant 1 The remnant is a small group of people who remain faithful to God. When foreign armies threatened to invade, and people feared being taken away from their homeland, the idea of the remnant was a source of hope for God...