BIBLE SURVEY - Zephaniah

​"Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice.  Seek righteousness
seek humility..." Zephaniah 2:3
 
Who was Zephaniah?
Zephaniah was the first of the 7th Century B.C. prophets, beginning his ministry earlier than Jeremiah and Nahum.  The prophecies of Zephaniah come after 70 years of silence.  Since the murder of the prophet Isaiah there had been no Word from God until Zephaniah delivered these prophecies in the days of King Josiah. Zephaniah is the only prophet whose descent is traced back four generations.  Zephaniah 1:1 makes clear that the prophet was a direct descendant of King Hezekiah, his great, great grandfather.  Therefore Zephaniah was a cousin of the reigning King Josiah. 
 
Hidden by God
Hezekiah was the last good king of the Southern Kingdom of Judah (Isaiah 36-39).  During the reign of king Manasseh, who reigned for 55 years, royal offspring were sacrificed to the god Molech, under the king's direction.  The name Zephaniah means "hidden by God".  The fact that Zephaniah survived the slaughter under the wicked king Manasseh is a testimony to the truth of his name.  God had hidden and preserved Zephaniah to be a prophet for His people.  

Read More