Very few prophetical books record the name of the prophet’s father, let alone a portion of his genealogy In this respect Zephaniah is unique, as the prophet’s line is traced back four generations The prophet is linked by his genealogy to a man named Hezekiah (KJV), also translated Hezekiah (RSV) Why has the Divine author taken the trouble to inform us that Zephaniah’s great-great grandfather is King Hezekiah? How is this information helpful to the reader?
Judah’s iniquity
The genealogy shows that Zephaniah and Josiah were relatives, but perhaps more importantly, it links the prophecy to the deplorable conditions that had arisen m Judah since Hezekiah’s death Hezekiah’s son and grandson, Manasseh and Amon, were idolatrous and wicked (II Ch 33:2,22) Although Manasseh eventually reversed some of his earlier religious policies when he was captured and earned off to Babylon (II Chron 33:11-17), a major push against idolatry did not come until the reign of Josiah (II Chron 34:3-7)
Zephaniah’s prophecy makes it clear Josiah’s reforms brought about only a temporary improvement in Judah’s spiritual life Idolatry was deeply rooted m Judah and eventually God would find it necessary to bring His righteous judgments on the land Since many of Josiah’s subjects failed to make a lasting commitment to his reforms, big trouble was ahead for Judah and Jerusalem So in Josiah’s day, Zephaniah was compelled to bring this warning from God to Judah “I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD” (1 2) Josiah, however, would escape, for God had promised him that he would not see all the evil that the Lord would bring (II Kgs 22 20)
Fortunately for us, Zephaniah gives the reasons Judah had fallen so low “She obeyed not the voice, she received not correction, she trusted not in the Lord, she drew not near to her God” (3 2) This admonition is also relevant to us, for at times we tend to overlook one or more of these facets of our discipleship. Zephaniah is stressing that a loose commitment to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ and the God of Israel inevitably leads to false worship
Baal worship had survived
In the Judah of Josiah’s day, false worship was present m many forms Verses four through six of chapter one list what God saw taking place in Judah Baal worship had been weakened by Josiah’s reforms, but apparently a remnant of Baal worshippers continued to exist (1 4) Josiah had faithfully applied the commandments he found in “the book of the law” (II Kgs 22 8) and physically removed the Baals (v 23).
By his actions he showed that he “obeyed the voice” of God Unfortunately, not all Judah’s citizens took God as seriously as Josiah Those who continued to worship Baal in secret showed that they “trusted not m the LORD” and “drew not near to God” Since they received not correction they would be punished in the day of the Lord (Zeph 1 8) It follows that much that was evil remained in the hearts of citizens of Judah in spite of the reforms of Josiah
Worshipping the host of heaven
Yet Baal worship was only one thing that aborted Judah’s devotion to Yahweh Another form of idolatry, imported from Assyria, offered a convenience denied the worshipper of Baal In this idolatry there was no need to leave your house and visit the high places of Baal (1 5) Conveniently, the host of heaven (celestial bodies, planets, stars, etc ) could be worshipped from the comfort of your own housetop.
Worshipping God and idols
A third “alternative” seems to have been available to those who wished to appear “respectable” or keep their feet simultaneously in two camps These “worshippers” swore by the Lord, and by Malcham (Molech, the god of the Ammonites that demanded child sacrifices) They swore whichever form of oath was most convenient at the time Such an abominable habit was not new, it had originated with the gentiles who had settled in Samaria “They feared the Lord, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence” (II Kgs 17 33) Jesus instructed, “No man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt 6 24) Let us then choose to serve with singleness of heart
Some reneged on their repentance
Besides these three foolish ways of opposing God’s will, there were some citizens who supported Josiah’s reforms at first but m time “turned back from the LORD” Such imprudent behavior is not fitting for a servant of God Our Master warns, ” No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9 62) “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Mark 13:13)
Some chose ignorance and apathy
The final groups mentioned by Zephaniah were content to live their lives in ignorance of God’s ways Zephaniah says that these sought not “the Lord, nor inquired for him” (1 6) While this should not describe us, many in our generation have chosen this hopeless path Instead of living a life of uncertainty or ignorance, our responsibility is to “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near” (Isa 55 6)
Final consolation
Although much of this prophecy presents a warning and dreadful picture of events that take place in the “day of the Lord,” the final picture is one of great consolation for Israel and the faithful “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty, he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest m his love, he will joy over thee with singing” (3:17)
May we see that day when God will make Israel “a name and a praise among all people of the earth ” (3:20)
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One