Zephaniah 1:1

The prophet’s pedigree.

Zephaniah 1:2

You’re not looking at some dumb local deity here, you jerks— When the God gets mad…. everything breaks!

Zephaniah 1:4

Now that I’ve got your attention, let me tell you who I’m mad at and why …. hometown folks and their religious phonies.

Zephaniah 1:8

Your high-class social climbing has gone too far, boys!

Zephaniah 1:12

If you think God doesn’t care what goes on down here…. you’ve got another think coming.

Zephaniah 1:15

It won’t be fun when the boss gets home…. no good news here.

Zephaniah 1:18

Cosmic destruction—no escape.

What good is all your money now, fancy pants?

Zephaniah 2:3

A ray of hope:  possibly the humble will be spared.

Humility==obedience==righteousness==humility (your only hope)

Zephaniah 2:5

Let’s not neglect to condemn the neighbors…

Zephaniah 2:7

The promise of Restoration sneaks in here by the back door — as an explanation of the judgment on the Philistines.

Zephaniah 2:8

Down with the Cubans and the Lybians!

[ed.: that was 1985; in 2006, the names might change]

Zephaniah 2:13

Here the word of judgment on a foreign power must have sounded like promise to Judah.

Zephaniah 3:1ff

Is this still Ninevah, or have we shifted to Jerusalem?

Zephaniah 3:5

It’s not as though they had no spiritual guidance — yet the unrighteous know no shame.

Zephaniah 3:8

Because My people have been unfaithful, I will punish the whole earth.

Zephaniah 3:9

Once the punishment is complete, the gathering of the peoples begins — with no nationalistic distinctions.

(The preacher sees the church in this — can’t help it!)

Zephaniah 3:11

The primal sin is pride—with its converse, meekness and humility, the characteristic of those who inherit the promise.  Shades of Matthew 5:5!

Zephaniah 3:17

One of the most poetic pictures of divine love in the Bible.

Zephaniah 3:19

Role-reversal is a recurring theme of God’s judgment and promise, making them two sides of the same coin.