Zephaniah

Zwphaniah is a short book that deals mostly with the great and terrible day of the Lord.  There are two interpretation of what the great and terrible day of the Lord is.  Some theologians think it is just a figure of speech used to refer to God's judgment upon each individual nation at the time that the cup of their wrath was full.  Others think that it refers to the final judgment of all nations of mankind which would occur after the tribulation.  I think that the term is cooperative and can be used to refer to both.  Many people look at various scriptures and see just their own interpretation as the right interpretation when in many cases several interpretations can be right for a passage or a phrase.  Such is the case with this book.  Zephaniah begins by prophesying a day of judgment and coming destruction against the Southern Kingdom of Judah.  He then switches to speaking about the great and terrible day of the Lord and tells all the people to gather together.  He tells all the people of the land to seek after humility and righteousness that God might restore their fortunes in the land.  Zephaniah prophesided 40 years before the nation of Judah was destroyed and taken into the Babylonian Captivity.  After his exhortation to the people to seek humility and righteousness, he prophesieds against Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Cush, and Assyria.  He then speaks of the city of Jerusalem as having people in it that do not trust God.  He focuses on the false prophets.  This leads into another prophecy about the terrible day of the Lord in which after being in captivity Israel would be restored to ther land and at this time God will deal with all those who opressed the nation of Israel.  Often times, it seems that we go into captivity in certain matters.  Many times as much as we hate to admit it, it is because we have turned from God.  However, if we return to him to seek after humility and righteousness, then we can be asured that he will restore the fortunes of our faith.