Zephaniah
The introduction to the book of Zephaniah makes it clear that Zephaniah was the great-great grandson of King Hezekiah, and he served during the reign of Josiah of Judah, but it is less certain whether he served before or after the reformation of Josiah in 621 B.C. However, judging from his relentless attacks on idolatry, it is likely that the reform had yet to begin and Judah was still struggling from the godless legacy of Manasseh. If such is the case, Zephaniah’s message would have made an impact on Josiah and contributed to his effort of reform. The name of Zephaniah means the Lord has hidden or protected. The theme of the book is clearly the “Day of the Lord” which appears to point both to punishment of Judah in the not too distant future and the End-time when God will gather them home and severely deal with their enemies.
1:1—The Introduction
(1) What is the relationship between Zephaniah and Josiah? (see 2 Ki. 21-22)
(2) What advantage might he have in the spreading of his message from the Lord?
1:2-6—Declaring World-wide Judgment
(3) Who and what will be affected in the coming judgment of the Lord? (vv. 2-3)
(4) Why does the Lord have to sweep away all living things for the sins of mankind?
(5) The sins of Judah (vv. 4-6)
a. What sinful legacy did Josiah have to deal with
- From his grandfather Manasseh? (2 Ki. 21:3-7)
- From his father Amon? (2 Ki. 21:20-21)
b. How will the Lord deal with these sinful practices one by one? (vv. 4-5; note the worship of Molech included the sacrifice of children in the fire)
c. Why would the Lord even destroy those who bow down and swear by Him? (v. 5)
1:7-13—The Day of the Lord—the Day of the Lord’s Sacrifice
(6) The day of sacrifice (v. 7)
a. Why should the people be silent as the Day of the Lord is near? (v. 7)
b. Why does He call His judgment a “sacrifice”? (a sacrifice is primarily meant to appease the wrath of God)
c. Why does He refer to those He is to judge as being “consecrated”?
(7) Those He has invited (vv. 8-9)
a. Why would He punish the officials and the king’s sons? (v. 8; the king’s sons likely refer to the sons of Manasseh and Amon)
b. Why would He punish those who are clad in foreign clothes? (v. 8b; see 2 Ki. 10:22)
c. Who are those who avoid stepping on the threshold of their gods? (v. 9a, see 1 Sam. 5:5)
d. Who else will God punish? (v. 9b)
(8) The Wailing Over the Judgment (1:10-13)
a. What will the judgment bring to the city of Jerusalem? (v. 10; it appears these locations mentioned all point to the north side of the city)
b. Why will all her merchants wail? (v. 11)
c. “The complacent” (v. 12)
- Why would the Lord punish the complacent?
- In what ways does the church in Laodicea which is rebuked by the Lord (in Revelation) resemble the complacent? (see Rev. 3:15)
- Why does the Lord use the imagery of searching with lamps to find out who are complacent?
d. How does the combined reference to merchants, wealth and complacency reveal the spiritual condition of the people of Judah?
(9) What is the message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請細心慢慢讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
西番雅書
西番雅書一開始就告訴我們西番雅是希西家王的後裔，在約西亞統治時作先知的。雖然書中沒有清楚的交代，一般解經家按書中對猶大家偶像敬拜的責備，認為該是約西亞改革之前的信息。若是如此，相信西番雅書的信息對這改革運動有一定的影響。西番雅的名字是耶和華隱藏或保護的意思。書中明顯的主題是「耶和華的日子」，不過這日子顯然有雙重的意思：一是指到不久將臨猶大的審判；二是遙指世界末期神要重聚他們回故土和對他們的敵人—列國最後的審判。
1:1—引言
(1) 西番雅與約西亞王有什麼關係？(亦參王21-22)
(2) 既是這樣，神的信息藉西番雅可傳給那些人？
1:2-6—普世的審判
(3) 這將臨的審判是怎樣的全面性？(1:2-3)
(4) 犯罪的是人類，何以審判涉及一切生物？
(5) 猶大的惡行(1:4-6)
a. 約西亞在位時，要面對
i. 祖父瑪拿西遺留的什麼罪？(見王下21:3-7)
ii. 父親亞們遺留什麼罪？(見王下21:20-21)
b. 神要怎樣逐一的處理這些罪惡？(1:4-5; 註：瑪勒堪即摩洛，與使兒子經火的敬拜有關)
c. 為何連敬拜祂、指著祂起誓的也要剪除？(1:5)
1:7-13—耶和華（獻祭）的日子
(6) 獻祭之日(1:7)
a. 耶和華的日子既快到，為何當靜默無聲？(1:7)
b. 為何以獻祭來作審判之喻？(註：祭性的血是要止息神的憤怒)
c. 為何將祂的客（被審判者）分別為聖？
(7) 所被邀請的(1:8-9)
a. 為何要懲罰首領和王子（1:8; 王子相信是指瑪拿西和亞們的兒子）
b. 為何要懲罰穿外邦衣服的？(1:8b; 可參王下10:22)
c. 跳過（不踏他們的神的）門檻的是指什麼人？(1;9a; 見撒上5:5)
d. 神還要懲罰什麼人？(1:9b)
(8) 因被審判而哀鳴(1:10-13)
a. 這些審判會給耶路撒冷帶來什麼？(1:10; 魚門相信是指城北之地)
b. 為何特指商民要哀號？(1:11)
c. “安逸” 的人(1:12)
i. 如酒在渣滓上澄清的是什麼人？（可參今天的靈修小篇）
ii. 這樣安逸的人與主耶穌在啟示錄所責備的老底家教會有什麼相似之處？(啟3:15)
iii. 為何神要點燈巡查？
d. 這一小段所論到的人的景況可以叫我們看到耶路撒冷落到什麼屬靈的地步？
(9) 今天你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, ‘The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.’.” (Zeph. 1:12)
“Unlike Diogenes, the pre-Christian Greek philosopher who was searching for an honest man, Yahweh in this context does not seek righteousness but sin to punish and eradicate…In this case the sin is not of commission (cf. vv. 4-11) but of omission. The men who will be punished are described by using a metaphor which draws on part of the fermentation process of wine. When wine sits quietly, the heavier solid particles settle, leaving the dregs at the bottom of the cask or bottle. This can lead to thickening or coagulation if the wine is left too long…Rather than being of use like fine aged wine (cf. Is. 25:6), the rich and influential of Jerusalem, those with wealth…houses, vineyards and wine, will stagnate in indifference and quietism. G. A. Smith clearly expressed the problem when he wrote: ‘The great causes of God and Humanity are not defeated by the hot assaults of the Devil, but by the slow, crushing, glacier-like mass of thousands and thousands of indifferent nobodies. God’s causes are never destroyed by being blown up, but by being sat upon.'
“Rather than condemning the use of alcohol, as the passage could be understood (NEB), Zephaniah condemns apathy. This is exacerbated by the practical atheism of the people. While not necessarily denying the existence of Yahweh on a theoretical level, they deny His activity on a pragmatic level, either good or bad. Blessing or grief do not issue [sic] Him.
“This view of the non-involvement of God in national life is a serious heresy for Israel, flying in the face of the Israelite view of God as continually and actively involved in history, from the creation through the call of Abraham, the Exodus, His meeting with Israel at Sinai, the Conquest, and His constant attention to the affairs of the Israelite state. The lack of an actual historical intervention of God in the events of the world for blessing and punishment would render their faith as meaningless as the Christian faith would be if Jesus had not actually, historically risen from the dead.
“Zephaniah shows that this irresponsible theology is just as evil as an outright revolt against God. It will issue in the destruction and confiscation of the very sources of the power belonging to those who refuse to stir themselves to use it for good (cf. Dt. 28:30-43; Am. 5:11; Mi. 6:15).”
(TOTC, Zephaniah, 98-99)
「那時，我必用燈巡查耶路撒冷，我必懲罰那些如酒在渣滓上澄清的，他們心裡說：『耶和華必不降福，也不降禍。』。」(番1:12)
“希臘哲學家Diogenes在世上尋找誠實的人；神與他有所不同。耶和華在這經文說明祂不是在找尋義人，乃是巡察罪孽，加以審判和根除……祂在這裡尋找的不是行出來的罪（參1:4-11），乃是沒有作當行的事的罪。神用一個比喻來形容那些要受審判的人，就如釀酒過程中的酒渣。當酒有時間去發酵時，較沉重的部份就在釀酒缸中沉澱成為渣滓。若然讓這些渣滓停留缸中太久，會影響酒的質素……與其釀出陳年純酒（參賽25:6），那些在耶路撒冷的富豪、貴冑—那些擁有房屋、葡萄園和美酒的，就如酒渣落在漠不關心、安逸的心態中。G. A. Smith就這問題說個清楚：「神與人類的大使命不是被那惡者正面的攻擊所打敗，乃是被那慢慢溶化的雪山，以千計漠不關心的冰塊所摧毀。神的工作從不會因為人的行動被破壞，而是因人安逸地坐著不動所致。」
西番雅在這裡並沒有責備他們喝酒，乃是責備他們的冷漠，失卻了情懷。這種情況因無神論而弄得更壞。世人不一定否認神的存在，卻否定祂的參與—不降福、也不降禍。福與禍都無影響。
對以色列家來說，這種認為神不會理會國人的生活的觀念是異端，是與以色列一直的神觀有違的。神自創世、到呼召亞伯拉罕、到出埃及、到西乃山與以色列人會面、到進迦南和及後不斷的參與以色列人的民情國事，祂是積極的參與的。（反而），若然神在歷史上沒有以祝福和審判來參與世事，那麼我們的信仰就絕無意思的—就好像主耶穌在歷史上若沒有從死而復活，基督教的信仰就絕無意義了！
西番雅顯示這樣的神觀是與直接叛逆神一樣的醜惡。它會使屬於那坐而不動的人失去那叫他們行善的力量的源頭（申28:30-43；摩5:11；彌6:15）。 ( TOTC, Zephaniah, 98-99)
The theme of the Day of the Lord continues which appears to extend beyond Judah to the whole earth.
1:14-16—The Great Day of the Lord
(1) How does the Lord reinforce the urgency of the situation? (v. 14)
(2) We know that Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 B.C. Do you think the people of Judah realize the nearness of their destruction?
(3) What will that day be like (vv. 15-16): Imagine you are one of the first audience and you hear the following description like rapid fire, one after another:
a. The cry is bitter
b. The battle cry of a mighty warrior
c. A day of wrath, distress, anguish
d. A day of trouble and ruin
e. A day of darkness and gloom
f. A day of clouds and blackness
g. A day of trumpet and battle cry!
Will you be shaken? Why or why not?
What then is the meaning of “the Great Day of the Lord”?
1:17-18—A Day of Wrath on All People
(4) How widespread will the distress be?
(5) This distress will cause the people in the world to grope like the blind:
a. What does it mean?
b. What is the reason given?
c. What then will the people of the world be like as they face the wrath of God at the End-time?
(6) How does the Lord depict the scene of death and destruction in v. 17b?
(7) On what do people normally depend for their sense of security? (v. 18a)
(8) Is it of any use on the Day of the Lord?
(9) How does v. 18b sum up this Day of the Lord?
2:1-3—A Call to Repentance
(10) What does the Lord call the nation of Israel? Why?
(11) Why does the Lord call them to gather themselves together?
(12) How should they repent? (v. 3a)
(13) While the Day of the Lord will still come, what might their repentance bring? (v. 3b)
(14) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請細心慢慢讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
繼續下來有關耶和華的日子的信息，由猶大延伸到全地：
1:14-16—耶和華的「大日」
(1) 耶和華如何再肯定這日子的緊迫？(1:14)
(2) 我們知道耶路撒冷是在主前586被毀的：你以為猶大曉得這毀滅真的如此快臨嗎？
(3) 這日子的可怕（1:15-16）—試想象自己是當時信息的聽眾：這如連珠發炮、緊迫的風聲會叫你有什麼感受？
a. 勇士痛痛的哭號
b. 是忿怒的日子
c. 是急難、困苦的日子
d. 是荒廢、淒涼的日子
e. 是黑暗、幽冥的日子
f. 是密雲、烏黑的日子
g. 是吹角、吶喊的日子
你會感到驚懼嗎？為什麼？
你明白稱之為「大日」之意嗎？
1:17-18—是耶和華向全地發怒的日子
(4) 神的怒氣是單單針對猶大嗎？
(5) 這災禍要使人如瞎眼的行走：
a. 這是什麼意思？
b. 原因何在？
c. 那麼，在神憤怒的審判下，世人在末期落在什麼景況中？
(6) 這末期帶來的遭遇有多可怖？(1:17b)
(7) 一般人把安全感放在什麼事物的身上？(1:18)
(8) 這在耶和華的日子有用嗎？
(9) 1:18b如何總結這日子？
2:1-3—悔改的呼籲
(10) 神如何稱猶大的百姓？
(11) 要他們聚集的意思是什麼？
(12) 他們當如何悔改？
(13) 這不是說耶和華的日子就不臨到他們，但悔改會帶來什麼結果？
(14) 今天你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“The great day of the Lord is near—near and coming quickly.” (Zeph. 1:14)
We read about the nearness of the second coming of the Lord all the time, and there are times we do sense the nearness of His coming, especially after listening to an inspiring sermon on the subject. But it is just for a moment or two, and then we get back to our lives as usual.
I suspect that was the case of the people of Judah before the destruction of Jerusalem. By the time of Zephaniah, many prophets had already risen up to warn them of the coming judgment of the Lord, especially through the prophet of Isaiah. Presumably, even if the people believed that the judgment would eventually come, they did not sense the urgency, and their lives went on as usual.
Out of His mercy, the Lord sent Zephaniah to them again during the reign of Josiah. Even if these prophetic words of Zephaniah were preached before Josiah’s reformation of 621 B.C., the eventual fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. was only 35 years away. Frankly, it could have happened even earlier had the people not responded to Josiah’s reformation and repented, likely with the influence of the vivid warning of Zephaniah of distress, anguish, trouble, ruin, darkness, gloom, clouds, darkness and battle cries like rapid fire (1:15-16).
I wonder how long we will have to wait for the Lord’s return on that Great Day of the Lord. It is a “Great” day because as Zephaniah sums up in 1:18
- It will be like a consuming fire of God’s jealousy which cannot be put out;
- It will consume the whole world, indeed as one global village,
- It will be sudden, totally unexpected; and
- God’s wrath will fall on “all who live in the earth”— no one can run from it!
Even if the Lord does not return tomorrow, what if, like the time of Josiah, He comes within 35 years. How then should we live?
「耶和華的大日臨近，臨近而且甚快。」(番1:14)
我們在聖經中常常讀到主要快來的信息。有時，我們確會感到主的確會快來，特別是在聽到一篇動人、有關末期的信息時。但這感覺只維持一、兩天，過後我們又照常的生活。
我相信在耶路撒冷失陷前，這也是以色列人的心態。到了西番雅的時代，神已興起了不少的先知向他們發出滅亡警告的預言，特別是藉先知以賽亞。百姓似乎不一定不相信這些審判的預言，而是沒有一個「快臨」的感覺，故依舊如常的生活。
神憐憫他們，在約西亞年代再差西番雅到他們當中。我們要知道，如果西番雅這些信息是在約西亞王的復興運動之前發出的（即主前621年），耶路撒冷的陷落只在35年之遙（主前586年）。其實，如果百姓沒有響應約西亞復興的運動、聽從西番雅可怖審判的信息（1:15-16）而悔改、轉回，耶路撒冷的被毀會更早的發生。
我們當然不曉得主耶穌何時再來，但這裡稱耶和華的日子為「大日」是值得我們注意的。西番雅是這樣的把這「大日」總結起來，說(1:18)：
- 這是神忿怒的火—無人能擔當得起的；
- 這火必燒滅全地—世上沒有可躲避之處；
- 這毀滅是迅速和突然的(NIV這樣把原文之意譯出) —這也是主耶穌的提醒（太24:44）
- 要毀滅地上一切的居民！
如果像西番雅發出這信息的時代一樣，只待35年左右，這「大日」便臨到，我們該如何活我們的命呢！