The unified chorus of the Book of the Twelve is heard loud and clear in Zephaniah, but this book adds a distinctive voice: God is active in this world. The faithful remnant takes refuge in the name of Yahweh and waits for his future salvation. The book is replete with repeated reference to the coming day of the LORD, and Zephaniah makes clear that when Yahweh shows up he will bring both salvation and judgment. The experiential difference will be determined by what people have done with his past and present words and actions.

Judgment comes to those who think and live as though Yahweh is aloof, as though he has nothing to do with this world. Salvation is coming for the faithful remnant who continue to rely on his presence, asking him for help, and waiting for the future day when he will rise and reign as king in the middle of his people.

Let me explain how I’m hearing that distinctive message in Zephaniah.

You do nothing!

In three short chapters, Zephaniah has at least fifteen reference to the coming day of the LORD (1:7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 twice, 15, 18; 2:2, 3; 3:16, 19, 20 twice) against Jerusalem (1:4, et al.) and the surrounding nations (2:4ff.). No one is exempt. The prophets frequently speak about “the day of the LORD” as a time when Yahweh will show up and bring judgment and salvation.

Zephaniah describes those who will receive judgment in these ways:

• the idolaters (1:4)
• those who do not seek Yahweh (1:6)
• those who are violent and deceitful, spilling blood like dust (1:9, 17)
• those frozen over wine (1:12)
• those who say Yahweh will do nothing (1:12)
• those who have no shame (2:1; 3:5)
• the prideful (2:10; 3:11)
• those who mocked and boasted against the people of Yahweh (2:10; 3:11)
• the one who says, “It’s me, and there is no one else!” (2:15)
• the corrupt city who has not listened to the voice of Yahweh or received instruction (3:1)
• those who have not trusted in Yahweh or drawn near to him (3:3)
• the reckless and treacherous (3:4)
• those who pollute what is holy and do violence to Torah (3:4)
• the twisted (3:5)
  

In 1:12, the prophet critiques people in a way that is distinctive and will echo throughout the book:

And it will come to pass at that time: I will search Jerusalem with lanterns, and I will visit the men frozen over empty wine glasses, those who say in their hearts, “Yahweh will not act to bring about anything good, and he won’t bring harm either!” (Zephaniah 1:12).

The LORD describes those in opposition to him as frozen over wine, while they accuse him of being aloof. They say, paraphrasing 1:12, “You are the one frozen and inactive. You do nothing! You do nothing in this world good or evil.” Zephaniah’s message is that the day of the LORD is coming against all those who say that Yahweh is inactive in this world.

His Invitation

Zephaniah makes clear that the heart of God is for his people. Yahweh has brought correction and discipline upon his people but they continue unchecked, shameless (2:1, הַגּוֹי לֹא נִכְסָף). They’ve refused to listen to his voice and receive his instruction (3:1).

I said, “Surely you will fear me. You will receive instruction, and her dwelling place will not be cut off in light of all that I have brought upon her.” But they rose early. They corrupted all their deeds. (Zephaniah 3:7)

In this passage, Yahweh says that his correction should have led them to turn to him, but his people corrupted their deeds all the more. This verb “corrupt” (שׁחת) is significant. It’s the same verb that Genesis uses to describe the cause of the flood (Gen 6:12). This is the way Scripture talks about human actions that break creation and unleash destructive consequences that are ultimately God’s judgment.¹

As the prophet says in chapter 2, he speaks on behalf of Yahweh because the decree of judgment has yet to take effect (2:2, בְּטֶרֶם לֶדֶת חֹק). The invitation is still open. The call is to seek Yahweh in righteousness and humility before the advent of the day of the LORD (2:3).

Who will be helped?

Zephaniah describes those who will be helped by the LORD’s coming in these ways:

• “the remnant of the house of Judah (2:7)
• “my people” (2:8)
• “the remnant of my people,” “what’s left of the nation” (2:9)
• “the people of Yahweh of armies” (2:10)
• “the remnant of Israel” (3:13)
  

The faithful remnant are those who wait for the LORD:

“Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD, “for the day I will rise in the future. For my justice is to gather nations, to bring together kingdoms, to pour out upon them my fury, all the heat of my anger. For in the fire of my passion all the land will be consumed.” (Zephaniah 3:8)

The faithful remnant “take refuge in the name of Yahweh” (3:12). This is the best understanding of “humble and pour in that same verse.” Some are humble and poor physically, but all the faithful remnant are humble and poor in spirit, not taking matters into their own hands but taking refuge in Yahweh as their strength.

The faithful remnant are “those who request help from me” (3:10).² They are the humble and poor (2:3; 3:12), those who do the LORD’s justice (2:3) — that is, they cling to the Torah rather than abusing it (3:4) — instead of acting perversely and deceitfully (3:12).

God is coming

In the end, Yahweh himself will come as king and mighty savior (3:17). Yahweh reigned as king over his people at Sinai, through Moses’s gift of the Torah (Deut 33:5), and Yahweh will save and reign again. He is not aloof. He’s present and will indeed act:

Yahweh is righteous in her midst. He will not act twistedly. In the morning! In the morning, he will give his justice as a light! It will not fail, but the twisted know no shame. (Zephaniah 3:5)

When Yahweh comes he will purify people’s speech and they will serve him in one accord (3:9).³ This is the basis of singing and shouting, rejoicing and exultation (3:14), even in the face of hardship. The king is coming (3:17), and no disaster or death will stop him from saving (3:15). He will quiet us with his love and sing with us (3:17), just like Jesus did when Yahweh walked the earth incarnate the first time (Matt 26:30).

It’s easy to act as though God is aloof. Zephaniah shines a light on the foolishness of such a thought. Those who say Yahweh will do nothing good or bad are out of touch with reality. The king has come, and he will come again — with singing.

※ Come, Lord Jesus, and help us believe your words while we wait. ※

Footnotes

1. See these posts for more on שׁחת and the connection between that action and God’s judgment: The Organic Connection between Rebellion, Decreation, and Divine Judgment and The Rhythm of Scripture in Deuteronomy 9–10. ↩
2. The ESV’s “worshippers” doesn’t reveal the idea behind the root עתר, which has to do with asking for help. ↩
3. This sentiment sounds remarkably like the situation in Acts 2, when the speech of God’s people was heard clearly, no matter the actual language they were speaking, and they glorified the mighty acts of God that culminated in Jesus’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension. ↩