A Call to Repentance
(Joel 1:13–20; Amos 5:4–15; Luke 13:1–5)
In light of the horrifying spectacle he has...
In light of the horrifying spectacle he has described, Zephaniah calls on his nation to repent and humble themselves before God.
Judgment on the Philistines
Zephaniah began his pronouncements with the Philistines, whose...
Zephaniah began his pronouncements with the Philistines, whose kingdom lay on Judah’s west (2:4–7). He moved on to Moab and Ammon in the east (2:8–11), and finally singled out Cush (Ethiopia) to the south (2:12) and Assyria to the north (2:13–15).
Zephaniah turns his attention to the judgment of...
Zephaniah turns his attention to the judgment of the foreign nations (2:4–15) before returning to the judgment of Judah and Jerusalem (3:1–8). He then outlines God’s plans for his purified and obedient people (3:9–20).
Judgment on Moab and Ammon
(Isaiah 16:1–14; Jeremiah 48:1–47)
8“I have heard the reproach of Moaband the insults of the Ammonites,who have taunted My peopleand threatened their borders.9Therefore, as surely as I live,”declares the LORD of Hosts,the God of Israel,“surely Moab will be like Sodomand the Ammonites like Gomorrah—a place of weeds and salt pits,a perpetual wasteland.The remnant of My people will plunder them;the remainder of My nation will dispossess them.”10This they shall have in return for their pride,for taunting and mocking the peopleof the LORD of Hosts.11The LORD will be terrifying to themwhen He starves all the gods of the earth.Then the nations of every shorewill bow in worship to Him,each in its own place.