20160206 Saturday, February 6 2016
Zephaniah 01: The Word Of The LORD Which Came Unto Zephaniah

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah"

The English-language rendering "Zephaniah" is from the Hebrew name pronounced tsef-awn-yaw. It means secret of the LORD (see The Identity Of The LORD God and The LORD God Our Saviour).

Zephaniah was a true prophet of the LORD (see Where Did True and False Prophets Originate?) to the Kingdom of Judah (see Israel In History and Prophecy: Israel and Judah and Israel In History and Prophecy: Kingdom Of Judah) in the years prior to Judah's self-inflicted fall to Babylon (see Why Did Judah Fall To Babylon?).

While Zephaniah is generally not as well-known as another prophet of that same time, Jeremiah (see Jeremiah: The Prophet's Conception), the prophecies of Zephaniah are just as "major" as any other because the words that all of the true prophets of the LORD spoke were those of the LORD - from Whom there is nothing "minor" (i.e. some classify the prophets into "major" and "minor," usually based on the length of their books).

The English-language (keep in mind that English was a Germanic language that originated in Europe centuries after the Holy Scriptures were written in the Middle East) word "prophet" itself originated from a Greek word which meant to tell before i.e. pro means before and phemi means to tell (the English word fame is based on that same Greek word, phemi).

The Hebrew word of the Old Testament that is translated as "prophet" is pronounced naw-bee. It means an inspired speaker, as in an in-spirit-ed speaker. The key to knowing whether a prophet is of the LORD, or not, is to recognize what spirit the prophet is inspired by - the Holy Spirit of God, or the spirit of Satan.

The Greek term of the New Testament that is translated as "prophet" is pronounced prof-ay-tace. It also means an inspired speaker.

As was the mandate of all true prophets, "The word of the LORD" came unto Zephaniah so that he had the responsibility to deliver it to those for whom it was intended. True prophets are neither self-appointed or self-sent.

"1:1 The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

1:2 I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD. 1:3 I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.

1:4 I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; 1:5 And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham; 1:6 And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him. 1:7 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. 1:8 And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD'S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel. 1:9 In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit.

1:10 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills. 1:11 Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off. 1:12 And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil. 1:13 Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.

1:14 The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. 1:15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 1:16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. 1:17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land." (Zephaniah 1:1-18 KJV)

Fact Finder: Zephaniah warned of "The great day of the LORD" (verse 14, above). What is the "day of the LORD"?
See What And When Is The Day Of The LORD? and What Happens After The Day Of The LORD?; also The Last Trump In The Day Of The LORD