Prophets of Israel II:

Part D
 Zephaniah and Habakkuk

Obadiah, Jonah, and Nahum predicted God’s

retribution on th3 nations surrounding Judah.
Zephaniah and Habakkuk later predict God’s
judgement on both Judah and the Gentile nations.
 Zephaniah
Zephaniah means: “hidden by Jehovah” or “the
LORD has sheltered.”
 Who Wrote the Book?

The book claims to be written by Zephaniah the son

of Cushi the great-grandson of Hezekiah (1:1). This
could be Hezekiah the king. Is so, Zephaniah is on
the only prophet of royal blood (Geisler, 257).
Not to be confused with the priest of the same name
mentioned several times in Jeremiah (e.g. Jer 21:1;
52:24) {Andrews Study Bible}.
 When Was Zephaniah
Written?
Date of the Book

Zephaniah (1:1) dates his

ministry more definitely: the
reign of King Josiah (640-609
BC) the time when Josiah
inaugurated his major reforms.
Hence Zephaniah may have
contributed to Josiah’s reforms
 When Was Zephaniah
Written?
Date of the Book

Internal evidence:

630-620

Kings

1. Josiah

Scripture

1. 11 Kings 21-23
 When Was Zephaniah
Written?
Historical Background

The world of Zephaniah is the

same with that of Nahum.

“Hosea and Amos had

announced a final message to
Israel just prior to her fall to
Assyria (722 BC). Now these
four prophets Nahum,
Zephaniah, Habakkuk and
Jeremiah were to do the same in
respect to Judah
 When Was Zephaniah
Written?
Historical Background

“The wicked rule rules of

Manasseh and Amon had taken
away the effect of the previous
warnings of Isaiah and Micah,
and now there was need for the
serious message of these four a
century later” (Wood, 32-320)
 Literary Features

Three judgement oracles (1:2-6; 1:7-2:3; 3:6-8)

One woe oracle of judgement (3:1-5)
Four oracles against foreign nations (2:4-15)
A promise of salvation (3:9-13)
And one oracle of salvation (3:14-20)
 Zephaniah’s Language
Literary style much in common with the styles of
the earlier prophets:

1. Names of cities (2:4-7; cf., Mic 1:10-15)

2. Assonance (2:9)
3. Description of the day of the Lord (1:14-16; cf.,
Amos 5:18)
4. Description of the Jerusalem leaders (3:3-4)
 Why Was Zephaniah Written?

Historical purpose
“This book serves to warn Judah of
the impending doom on both Judah
and the nations for their sins and to
call on them for repentance”
 Why Was Zephaniah Written?
The doctrinal purpose
“God desires to demonstrate holiness and hence
will be just in executing judgement on the
world.” Thus the prophets stresses on the “the
day of the Lord” (ch. 1). Nonetheless, God will
be faithful to all in every nation who call upon
Him (Rom 10:13). further God will keep His
promise and restore the fortunes of Israel,
regathering them as a nation (3:20).
 Why Was Zephaniah Written?

Christological purpose
“the Savior is presented as the righteous
Lord within Israel (3:5), the witness against
the nations (3:8), and ‘the King of Israel, the
Lord (3:15).
 What is Zephaniah About?

Zephaniah can be divided into three sections:

1. Retribution (ch. 1)
2. Repentance (chs. 2-3a)
3. Redemption (ch. 3b)
 Outline of the Book
I. Day of the Lord Prefigured (1:1-3:7)
1. In Judgement upon Judah and Jerusalem (1:1-2:3)
2. In Judgement upon surrounding nations (2:4-15)
3. Woe upon Jerusalem because of her sin (3:1-7)
II. Establishment of the future kingdom (3:8-20)
1. Judgement of nations (3:8–13)
2. Rejoicing remnant and the Messianic King (3:14-20)
 The Evils of Judah

Remnant of Baal
Sun/star worship (cf., Roman Calendar)
Molech (Heb. malcum, milcon): sacrificing
children
 Textual Commentary

1:1 "The word of the LORD which came"

“This is the same prophetic formula as Jer. 1:2,4;
Hos. 1:1; Joel 1:1; Jon. 1:1; Mic. 1:1; Hag. 1:1; Zech.
1:1. This is not simply a man's understanding of
history but it is a Divine communication from the
covenant God, cf. Zeph. 1:3e, 10. ()
 Habakkuk
History, time, composition” and message and theological contribution
 Date of the Book
Internal evidence:

620-605

Kings

1. Josiah

2. Jehoahaz

3. Jehoiakim

Scriptures

4. 11 Kings 22-24
 God’s Portrait
God is portrayed as:
1. Lord of hosts (2:13)
2. Anointed (3:13);
3. God my salvation (3:18);
4. Lord God (3:19);
5. My Strength (3:19).
 Jesus’s Portrait
Jesus is portrayed as:
1. Holy One (1:12; 3:3; cf., Luke 1:35; Acts
2:27; 3:14; 13:35; 1 John 2:20);
2. Rock (1:12; cf., Mat 16:18; 1 Cor 10:4);
3. Also typified in the life of Habakkuk (his
intercession and prayer for his people)
(see Heb 8:6; 9:15; 12:24; 1 John 2:1).
 Literary Themes
First two chapters: Habakkuk’s Perplexity and
God’s answers
(1:1-3:2) Prophetic [poetic] style that make
use of:
Oracles (“burden” or “load”); (1:1)
Lamentations
Woes
 Literary Themes

Last chapter: prayer and praise

(3:3-15) Older poetic style
Difficult grammatical constructions and
Rare words used
Third chapter: prayer and praise
 Literary Themes

Main theme of the entire book: “God

sovereignly controls the affairs of history.”
The Babylonians used by God to discipline
his people
Why Was Habakkuk Written?

Historical purpose
“To comfort the faithful in Judah with
the justice of God’s coming judgment on
the evil Chaldeans.
Why Was Habakkuk Written?

The doctrinal purpose

“To teach the holiness of God and the necessity
of faith for the righteous, to show that God is just
and that the just live by faith in Him,”
intertextual: “but my righteous one will live by
faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be
pleased with him” (Heb 10:38; cf., Hab 2:3, 4).
Why Was Habakkuk Written?

Christological purpose
“Christ is pictured as the Holy One (1:12), the
One who justifies the righteous by faith (2:4),
and the One who will some day fill the earth
‘with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as
water cover the sea” (2:14)
Why Habakkuk Was Written?
Christological purpose
“Although often neglected, Habakkuk’s prophecy is
one of the most influential in the Bible. Habakkuk 2:4
is quoted three times in the new Testament (Rom 1:17;
Gal 3:11; Heb 10:38), more than almost any other
verse. It served as the basis for the Protestant
Reformation and, through Luther’s commentary on
Galatians, the conversion of John Wesley. Habakuk is a
book of faith” (Geisler, 260)
 Detailed Outline

I. The Prophet’s Perplexities and God’s

Explanation (1:2-2:20)
II. The Prophets Prayer and God’s Exaltation
(2:21-19).
 Detailed Outline
I. The Prophet’s Perplexities and God’s
Explanation (1:2-2:20)
A. First Perplexity (1:2-4)
B. First Explanation (1:5-11)
C. Second Perplexity (1:12-17)
D. Second Explanation (2:1-20)
 Detailed Outline

II. The Prophets’ Prayer and God’s

Exaltation (3:1-19)
A. The Prophets Prayer (3:1-2)
B. The Prophet’s Praise (3:3-15)
C. The Prophets Pledge (3:16-19)
What is Habakkuk About?

Brief Outline
“Faith tested” (1:1-4, 5-11)
“Faith taught” (2:1, 2-5, 6-20)
“Faith triumphant” (3:1-5, 6-12, 13-19)
(Geisler, 260-1)
 What is Habakkuk About?
Brief Outline
I. “Faith tested” (1:1-4, 5-11).
The prophet requested that God answer his cry about
violence and corruption in the land (vv. 1-4). God
replied that He would bring in the Chaldeans to
chastise Judah (vv. 5-11). But the prophet
remonstrated the God was holy and he could not
understand how God could use a nation more evil than
Judah as His instrument of justice
 What is Habakkuk About?
Brief Outline
II. “Faith taught” (2:1, 2-5, 6-20)
“I will take my stand to watch . . . and look forth to see what
he [God] will say to me,” wrote Habakkuk (2:1). So the
waiting prophet (v. 1) was mwt by a willing Lord (vv. 2-5)
who told him that while “the righteous live by faith,” “he
whose soul is not upright in him shall fail.” Therefore
Habakkuk lamented the sins of his woeful nation (vv. 6-20),
particularly the sins of those who rob the poor and spread
violence throughout the land”
 What is Habakkuk About?
Brief Outline
III. “Faith triumphant” (3:1-5, 6-12, 13-19)
“Habakkuk’s faith was both tested and taught; his faith then
gave triumphant expressed first to the person of God who
taught him (vv. 1-5): “His glory covered the heaven, and the
earth was full of his praise” ; then to the power of God (vv.
6-12): “though didst bestride the earth in fury, thou didst
tramp the nations in anger”; and finally to the purpose of
God (vv. 13-19): “Thou wentest forth for the salvation of
they people” (Geisler, 260-1)
 Evils of Judah

There is destruction, Hab. 1:3

There is violence, Hab. 1:3 (cf. Hab. 1:2,9;
2:8,17)
There is strife, Hab. 1:3
There is contention, Hab. 1:3
 Evils of Judah

The law is ignored, Hab. 1:4

Justice is not upheld, Hab. 1:4
The wicked surround the righteous, Hab.
1:4
Justice is perverted, Hab. 1:4