# Zephaniah 01 š: The Great Day of the Lord
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#š Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#š Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#š§ Chapter Summary]]
> [[#āļø Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#š Key Principles / š Life Application]]
> [[#š¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#āļø Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#š Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#š Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#š Internal Notes]]
## š Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### Introduction
[[#Verse 01.]]Ā This is theĀ Lordās message that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah during the time ofĀ Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah:
### The Lordās Day of Judgment is Approaching
[[#Verse 02.]]Ā āI will destroyĀ everything from the face of the earth,ā says theĀ Lord.
[[#Verse 03.]]Ā āI will destroy people and animals; I will destroy the birds in the sky
and the fish in the sea. (The idolatrous images of these creatures will be destroyed along with evil people.) I will removeĀ humanity from the face of the earth,ā says theĀ Lord.
[[#Verse 04.]]Ā āI will attackĀ Judah
and all who live in Jerusalem.
I will removeĀ from this place every trace of Baal worship,
as well as the very memoryĀ of the pagan priests.
[[#Verse 05.]]Ā I will removeĀ those who worship the stars in the sky from their rooftops,
those who swear allegiance to theĀ LordĀ while taking oaths in the name ofĀ their āking,ā
[[#Verse 06.]]Ā and those who turn their backs onĀ theĀ Lord
and do not want theĀ Lordās help or guidance.ā
[[#Verse 07.]]Ā Be silent before the SovereignĀ Lord,
for theĀ Lordās day of judgmentĀ is almost here.
TheĀ LordĀ has prepared a sacrificial meal;
he has ritually purifiedĀ his guests.
[[#Verse 08.]]Ā āOn the day of theĀ Lordās sacrificial meal,
I will punish the princesĀ and the kingās sons,
and all who wear foreign styles of clothing.
[[#Verse 09.]]Ā On that day I will punish all who leap over the threshold,
who fill the house of their masterĀ with wealth taken by violence and deceit.
[[#Verse 10.]]Ā On that day,ā says theĀ Lord,
āa loud cry will go upĀ from the Fish Gate,
wailing from the cityās newer district,
and a loud crashĀ from the hills.
[[#Verse 11.]]Ā Wail, you who live in the market district,
for all the merchantsĀ will disappear
and those who count moneyĀ will be removed.
[[#Verse 12.]]Ā At that time I will search through Jerusalem with lamps.
I will punish the people who are entrenched in their sin,
those who think to themselves,
āTheĀ LordĀ neither rewards nor punishes.ā
[[#Verse 13.]]Ā Their wealth will be stolen
and their houses ruined!
They will not live in the houses they have built,
nor will they drink the wine from the vineyards they have planted.
[[#Verse 14.]]Ā TheĀ Lordās great day of judgmentĀ is almost here;
it is approaching very rapidly!
There will be a bitter sound on theĀ Lordās day of judgment;
at that time warriors will cry out in battle.
[[#Verse 15.]]Ā That day will be a day of Godās anger,
a day of distress and hardship,
a day of devastation and ruin,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and dark skies,
[[#Verse 16.]]Ā a day of trumpet blastsĀ and battle cries.
Judgment will fall onĀ the fortified cities and the high corner towers.
[[#Verse 17.]]Ā I will bring distress on the people
and they will stumbleĀ like blind men,
for they have sinned against theĀ Lord.
Their blood will be poured out like dirt;
their fleshĀ will be scatteredĀ like manure.
[[#Verse 18.]]Ā Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them
in the day of theĀ Lordās angry judgment.
The whole earthĀ will be consumed by his fiery wrath.
Indeed,Ā he will bring terrifying destructionĀ on all who live on the earth.ā
## š Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
## š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Zephaniah traces his ancestry back four generations to Hezekiah (1:1), likely King Hezekiah.
2. Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of Josiah (1:1), around 640-609 BC.
3. Zephaniah's name likely means "the Lord hides" or "the Lord treasures."
4. The sweeping away of people, animals, birds, and fish (1:3) reverses the order of creation in Genesis 1.
5. People worshiped the stars on their rooftops (1:5; Jeremiah 19:13).
6. Milcom (1:5) was the god of the Ammonites (1 Kings 11:5).
7. Avoiding stepping on the threshold (1:9) may relate to a pagan custom described in 1 Samuel 5:5.
8. The Fish Gate and the Second Quarter (1:10) were districts of Jerusalem.
9. "Settled on their dregs" (1:12) pictures wine left too long on its sediment, becoming thick and spoiled.
10. The Latin translation of 1:15, *dies irae*, inspired the famous medieval hymn "Dies Irae."
## š§ Chapter Summary
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## āļø Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the One who rescues us from the great day of wrath (1:14-15). Jesus delivers us from the coming wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10) because He bore God's judgment in our place.
## š Key Principles / š Life Application
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## š¬ Discussion Questions
1. Judah worshiped the Lord while also swearing by Milcom (1:5). Where are we tempted to divide our loyalty?
2. Some said, "The Lord will do nothing, either good or bad" (1:12). How does that attitude show up today?
3. Zephaniah describes the day of the Lord as near and coming quickly (1:14). How should this truth affect the way we live?
## āļø Key Verses to Remember
- š verse 7: Be silent before the Lord, for the day of the Lord is near.
- š verse 12: God will punish those who are complacent and say the Lord will do nothing.
- š verses 14-15: The great day of the Lord is near, a day of wrath and distress.
## š Related Passages/Cross Reference
- š [[1 Thessalonians 01#Verse 10.|1 Thessalonians 1:10]] - Jesus rescues us from the coming wrath.
- š [[Joel 02#Verse 01.|Joel 2:1-2]] - The day of the Lord is near.
- š [[2 Kings 23#Verse 04.|2 Kings 23:4-5]] - Josiah removes idol worship.
- š [[Habakkuk 02#Verse 20.|Habakkuk 2:20]] - Let all the earth be silent before Him.
- š [[2 Peter 03#Verse 10.|2 Peter 3:10]] - The day of the Lord will come like a thief.
## š Devotional Reflection
š SOAP: [[Zephaniah 01- SOAP|Stand in Awe]]
## š Internal Notes