Their pronouncements on the greed, materialism, and spiritual and moral decay. The book of zephaniah was written before 629 bc when josiah found and eagerly read the holy scriptures discovered in the temple. His prophecy is probably to be dated relatively early in josiahs reign, before that kings attempt at reform and while conditions brought about by the reigns of manasseh and amon still prevailed and before the assyrian king. The word of the lord that came to zephaniah son of cushi, the son of gedaliah, the son of amariah, the son of hezekiah, during the reign of josiah son of amon king of judah. Learn about the last generation and days before exile. In the first part of his threechapter book, zephaniah issued charges and threats. It was zephaniahs lot to speak on the most unpleasant subject in the bible the judgment of god. On that day, punishment will be executed on all gods enemies from many nations and salvation will be granted to all gods people, also from many nations. In the book of zephaniah, gods justice and love offer.
Nahum is an early contemporary of habakkuk, zephaniah, and jeremiah. Zephaniah was the first of the writing prophets to prophesy against judah since the time of isaiah and micah. The book of nahum is a collection of poems announcing the downfall of assyria, one of israels worst oppressors. He is committed to justice and will not allow any arrogant, violent or. While scholars have proposed a number of theories about nahums hometown, elkosh, the best option identifies it with a city in southern judah that later came to be known as elcesi, near where the prophet micah lived. And we hope that your diligent study will bring you closer to him and help you discover his true character. Prophesying more than 40 years before the destruction of jerusalem in 607 b. The book of zephaniah was written during the reign of king josiah, likely in the early part of his reign, between 635 and 625 bc. Zephaniah wrote this book around 630 bc, just before the fall of judah. Obrien, nahum, habakkuk, zephaniah, haggai, zechariah. Notwithstanding the emphasis of nahum, habakkuk and zephaniah on punishment, people also begin to relearn how to work in faithful service to god during this period. Zephaniah with book summary versebyverse bible commentary.
The scholarly consensus is that the book of vision was written at the time of the fall of nineveh at the hands of the medes and babylonians in 612 bc. Top 5 commentaries on the book of nahum ligonier ministries. Set up to assist with memorizing the order of the books of the bible. Like nahum, the book of zephaniah proceeds in a 3 for justification of hab 3. The prophets name means comfort, and his word of comfort is for judah, the lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in him nahum 1. The only mention in scripture of nahum the elkoshite occurs in the first verse of his own book. On that day you shall not be put to shame because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me. It was a day that would come against judah for all her sins, but he also acknowledged that some had remained faithful and they would be spared.
His prophecy is probably to be dated relatively early in josiahs reign, before that kings attempt at reform and while conditions brought about by the reigns of manasseh and amon still prevailed and before the assyrian king ashurbanipals death in 627 while assyria was still powerful, though threatened. The reformation started in josiahs 18 th year which was around 622 bc. After first dealing with the relevant background issues of nahum, habakkuk, and zephaniah redemptivehistorical setting, theological perspective, date and authorship, and so on robertson applies the care and precision of an exegete and the concern of a pastor to his versebyverse exposition of each book. The book of zephaniah contains some of the most intense images of gods justice and love found in the prophetic books. Referencing daniel, exodus, isaiah and babylon, nahum shows us that the destruction of nineveh and assyria are examples of how god works in history in every age. In the prophets, a burden is a heavy message of weighty importance, heavy in the sense that it produces sorrow or grief. It is attributed to the prophet nahum, and was probably written in jerusalem in the 7th century bc. Zephaniah ministered several decades after nahum and was an early contemporary of jeremiah. Dec 28, 2016 zephaniah has another cycle of denunciation against judah 3. There is a possible reference to the disastrous defeat of sennacherib as he confronted jerusalem 2kings 19. He was raised up to preach gods judgment for a second time to nineveh. Zephaniah the prophet prophesied during the reign of king josiah who ascended his throne in 639 bc.
Zephaniah was probably a contemporary of habakkuk, nahum, and jeremiah. The lords anger against nineveh the lord is a jealous and avenging god. Book of nahum overview insight for living ministries. Habakkuk and zephaniah declare that an essential part of gods punishment is that the peoples ability to make an adequate living is diminished. Highlights from the books of nahum, habakkuk, and zephaniah. In this book, zephaniah is called upon by god to send his warning of impending judgment, as well as to encourage them to repent before him. The second part, similar to the book of nahum, promised restoration to those who repented. Intro to zephaniah biblica the international bible society. His contemporaries were nahum, 1for further discussion of the books unity, see richard d. Both prophets speak gods word regarding the city of nineveh. The lord takes vengeance on his foes and vents his wrath against his enemies. Zephaniah has been called the orator because of the oratorical style evident throughout the prophecy.
So it was that prophecy was silent for several generations before nahum took up the mantle, followed shortly by zephaniah and others. Many scientists believe zephaniah to have prophesied even before king josiahs reformation. Nahum is usually classified with the minor prophets. We can begin to pinpoint exactly when zephaniah prophesied by accounting for a few details in the text. Zephaniah announces gods purifying judgment on israel. Timeline of nahum nahum is an early contemporary of habakkuk, zephaniah, and jeremiah. God will judge the nations with a burning fire as he purifies them from sin, evil and violence. The book of zephaniah is probably best known for being the least known book of the entire bible.
This is not the only place where this theme occurs, of course, but it is the most concentrated treatment of the judgment of god as the whole book is devoted to this one theme. The first verse of this book tells us that the word of yahweh came to zephaniah, the son of cushi, the son of gedaliah, the son of amariah, the son of hezekiah, in the days of josiah, the son of amon, king of judah 1. For each of the three books we will spend time developing an overview of the book by using bible study skills to understand the book by reading, looking at words or phrases. Nahum was written after the assyrians sacked the egyptian city of thebes, or noamon nah 3. Zephaniahs ministry, then, was directed to judah just before these major changes came about. The small book of zephaniah is narrative history and prophetic oracle. Introduction286 the book of zephaniah is probably best known for being the least known book of the entire bible.
At the time zephaniah wrote, king josiah had started reforms in judah but had not brought the entire country back to religious obedience. The book of zephaniah center point bible institute. It can be assume that the book was written before 612 bc because that is when nineveh was destroyed and since nahum is predicting the destruction of nineveh that would be a safe assumption. Zephaniah, nahum, and habakkuk book summaries, test. In this book, zephaniah is called upon by god to send his warning of impending judgment, as well as.
This summary of the book of nahum provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of nahum. It is our sincere desire that this outline of zephaniah will help you in your study of gods word. It is a small book, nestled in the midst of the minor prophets, toward the end of the old testament. Assurbanipal was a munificent patron of learning, and the library of nineveh owed most of its. There are many people who would like to rule this subject of judgment out of the. Historical introduction zephaniah the prophet prophesied during the reign of king josiah who ascended his throne in 639 bc.
Christ in all the scriptures a m hodgkin the destruction of nineveh is the one burden of nahum. A literary look at zephaniah zephaniah is concerned with matters relative to the day of the lord as a time of judgment for sinful men and of purification for a redeemed people. Faith and work during the exilenahum, habakkuk, zephaniah. The assyrian world power has already devastated samaria, the capital of the tentribe kingdom of israel. Thereafter, we have no other writing prophet until we come to nahum, who prophesied against nineveh around 654 b. Zephaniah 1 the word of the lord that came to bible gateway.
The purpose of this book was to show that god raised up his prophet zephaniah to proclaim a warning of coming judgment and to encourage repentance. Book of zephaniah overview insight for living ministries. For biblical prophets, the day of the lord refers to a specific period of time in which god intervenes in human affairs in order both to save and to judge. Power and wealth accreted to the upper strata and left a growing disadvantaged class. The prophet zephaniah of judah predates both nahum and habakkuk.
The structure of the book of zephaniah includes three major sections 1. Zephaniah 1 the word of the lord that came to bible. Zephaniahs message of judgment and encouragement contains three major. The next power to rise is the babylonian empire, sometimes ruled by chaldean kings. It was zephaniah s lot to speak on the most unpleasant subject in the bible the judgment of god. He, no doubt, eliminated or silenced those who opposed his proassyrian policies, including the worship of other gods. Intro to nahum biblica the international bible society. It was likely written before the babylonians took over nineveh in 612 b. The book tells us that zephaniah prophesied during the reign of josiah, the king of judah from 640 to 609 bc zephaniah 1. Nahum therefore uttered this oracle between 663 and 612, perhaps near the end of this period since he represents the fall of nineveh as imminent 2. Zephaniah has another cycle of denunciation against judah 3. Zephaniah means yahweh has hiddenprotected, or yahweh hides. The prophet zephaniah was evidently a person of considerable social standing in judah and was probably related to the royal line. Zephaniah has some literary affinities with isaiah, but more with jeremiah and joel.
Zephaniah nahum, habakkuk commentary richard patterson. The bible book of zephaniah also contains pronouncements against other nations. Zephaniah s reference to the future destruction of nineveh 2. Indeed, his main message was regarding the day of the lord. The message of zephaniah to the global church of the twentyfirst century is the certainty of the coming day of the l ord. The book would then have been written in jerusalem, where nahum would have witnessed the invasion of sennacherib and the destruction of his host 2 kings 19. This summary of the book of zephaniah provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of zephaniah.
Nahums chief contribution is to make it clear that the political and economic disaster is gods punishment or disciplining of israel. Zephaniah warns israel and the surrounding nations that the day of the lord is near. Faith and work before the exilehosea, amos, obadiah, joel. This would place him during the reign of josiah and make him a contemporary of zephaniah and the young jeremiah. The purpose of this book was to show that god raised up his prophet zephaniah to proclaim a warning of. It will remove evil and open up a new future where all people can flourish in peace. Hosea, amos, micah, obadiah and joel were active in the eighth century when the state was well developed, but the economy was declining. Nevertheless, this is a great book with a significant. Josephus places nahum during the reign of jotham, while others place him in the beginning of the reign of ahaz, judahs next king, or even the latter half of the. The book of nahum is the seventh book of the 12 minor prophets of the hebrew bible. Nineveh, and the assyrian empire, was at its height of power. The books of nahum, habakkuk, and zephaniah are often neglected by pastor and people alike, to the loss of all concerned. Read and study zephaniah, including book summary, with the versebyverse bible commentary. Its purpose is to pronounce the final warning and judgment upon nineveh, and he also.
In the book of zephaniah, gods justice and love offer future. Judgment on the whole earth in the day of the lord i will sweep away everything from the face of the earth, declares the lord. When josiah came to the throne, he was only eight years old. The book of nahum reveals that god will punish all evil. Zephaniahs reference to the future destruction of nineveh 2. These prophets were not only astute observers of their time and authors of literary distinction, they were also spiritually sensitive men who held a high concern for gods person and reputation. His contemporaries were nahum, 1for further discussion of the book s unity, see richard d. If one of these two themes rises to the surface, however, it is the. Prompted to answer the bible book before, and also after.
Some parts of the book of zephaniah predict the coming of a better day, but it seems quite probable that these sections were added by editors who looked at the book as a whole from the perspective of later years. Zephaniah preached his message during the rule of king josiah, who had initiated religious reform in all of judah and some surrounding territories. The prophet nahum of judah has a word regarding the assyrian capital, nineveh. It might help to think of nahum as a followup to the book of jonah. Among the minor prophets, we are certainly much more familiar with jonah and hosea.
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