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One-sentence summary: The Lord declares through Zephaniah that the day of the Lord is near; it will be a day of distress for all the earth, but his people will have protection, peace, and redemption.
The word of the Lord comes to Zephaniah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah king of Judah. The Lord says He will consume everything on the face of the land, both man and beast. He will stretch out his hand from Judah and Jerusalem and cut off Baal and all the idolatrous priests and those who worship idols. "The day of the Lord is at hand," says Zephaniah. There will be a mournful cry heard on that day. The Lord will deal with the complacent who say to themselves that He will not do anything. "The great day of the Lord is near," says Zephaniah. It is a day of wrath, trouble, distress, devastation, desolation, darkness, gloominess, clouds and thick darkness, and of trumpets and alarm. Men will walk like blind men because they have sinned against the Lord, and the Lord will bring distress to them; their riches will not deliver them. The whole land will be devoured by the fire of His jealousy.
The Lord tells the people to gather themselves together before the day of the Lord's wrath comes upon them. He tells the meek of the earth to seek the Lord and seek righteousness and humility so they may be hidden in the day of His anger. The Lord will reduce to nothing all the gods of the earth, and people will worship Him, "each one from his place, indeed all the shores of the nations."
The Lord says woe to the rebellious and polluting and oppressing city who has rebelled and not trusted or obeyed the Lord. Her princes are lions, her judges wolves, her prophets treacherous, and her priests polluted. "The Lord is righteous in her midst; He will do no unrighteousness. Every morning, He brings His justice to light." The Lord says to wait for Him until He rises up for plunder, that He will gather the nations and pour on them His fierce anger and indignation, and the earth will be devoured with the fire of His jealousy. Then, He will restore to the people a pure language, that they may all call on the name of the Lord to serve Him with one accord. In that day, they will not be ashamed for their past sins, because the Lord will take away the haughty people, and there will be a meek and humble people, a remnant of Israel, who will trust in the Lord, do no unrighteousness, and speak no lies. They will feed their flocks and lie down, and no one will make them afraid. Zephaniah tells Jerusalem to rejoice, for the Lord has cast out their enemy and taken away their judgement. He is in their midst, and they will see disaster no more. The Lord will save and rejoice over them with gladness, quiet them with His love, and rejoice over them with singing. He will save the lame and outcasts and "appoint them for praise and fame in every land where they were put to shame." The Lord will bring them back and give them fame and praise among all peoples of the earth, when He returns the captives.
Thoughts/discussion questions:
We often don't give enough thought to the day of the Lord, but if we are living holy lives, then we can be sure that the Lord will make everything right on that day.