Following the reign of Hezekiah, Judah lapsed into idolatry and moral degeneracy; during the reign of Manasseh, spirituality was almost completely drowned by the grossest forms of idolatry. These sins are denounced by Zephaniah, and he contributed much to the temporary revival under Josiah. Zephaniah recognized the temporary character of any reforms wrought under Josiah, pointed out the moral delinquencies which inevitably result in the downfall of the nation, and interpreted the coming invasion of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar as a figure of the great day of the Lord. His prophecy is Messianic in its predictions concerning the judgment of God upon the nations, followed by the blessings of the Messianic kingdom.

Outline - In analysing Zephaniah, four divisions are suggested: I. The Coming Invasion of Nebuchadnezzar (1:1-2:3) II. Predictions of Divine Judgment upon Evil Nations (2:4-15) III. The Moral State of Israel for Which the Judgment of Captivity Was Inevitable (3:1-7) IV. Further Judgment of the Nations to Be Followed by the Messianic Kingdom Blessings (3:8-20)