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One of the books of the Minor Prophets that make up the Old Testament.
Structure of the book:
- Prophecy of God's judgments (Zephaniah 1:1-2:3)
- God's judgment of the nations (Zephaniah 2:4-3:8)
- Promised blessings (Zephaniah 3:9-20)
Tropes:
- Call-Back: In Zephaniah 2:9, God's judgements against Moab and the children of Ammon shall be in the respective manner of Sodom and Gomorrah.
- Conflicting Loyalty: "I’ll wipe out those who worship the stars that they view from their housetops, those who bow down and swear to the Lord and who also swear by Milcom." (Zephaniah 1:5, International Standard Version)
- Earth-Shattering Kaboom: God states a couple of times to the sinners that He will destroy everything in the world.
- Money Is Not Power: God says in Zephaniah 1:18: "Moreover, their silver and their gold won't be able to deliver them on the day of the LORD's fury." (Common English Bible)
- Mood Whiplash: For all of the chapters, God plans on carrying out His judgements against His people, until the conclusion in Zephaniah 3:14-20 where He announces hope and joy for His people through a song.
- Rape, Pillage, and Burn: What God plans on doing to the land of Judah in Zephaniah 1:2-13.
- Sinister Minister: God speaks of Jerusalem: "Its prophets are arrogant and treacherous. Its priests have contaminated the sanctuary. They give perverse interpretations of the Law." (Zephaniah 3:4, International Standard Version)
- Vice City: Jerusalem as described in Zephaniah 3:1-5"Ah, sullied, polluted, overbearing city!
She has been disobedient, has learned no lesson; she has not trusted in the LORD, has not drawn near to her God.
The officials within her are roaring lions; her judges are wolves of the steppe, they leave no bone until morning.
Her prophets are reckless, faithless fellows; her priests profane what is holy, they give perverse rulings.
But the LORD in her midst is righteous, He does no wrong; He issues judgment every morning, as unfailing as the light. The wrongdoer knows no shame!"
