"Humble Yourself Now" Zephaniah 2: 1-7

Another week among the minor prophets, this time with Zephaniah.  We are moving from the 8th century to the 7th century, approximately 75-100 years since the prophets have been heard. The world is shifting as Assyria loses power and abandons its outposts in several cities in Philistia and Judah.  Egypt is on the rise.  The world is waiting to discover who will be the next great power.  In Judah, there may have been thoughts of regaining more of its independence (it basically was a vassal state to Assyria) and perhaps even reclaiming some territory that had been lost over the years (This description of Zephaniah's era comes from Theology of Prophetic Books, Donald E. Gowan, 80).

The prophetic voices have been silenced for close to a century.  Now Zephaniah comes to the scene.  He brings up the Day of Yahweh, and gives a dismal picture of what it might be like.  He also introduces a theme of humility.

Zephaniah's familiarity with Jerusalem suggests that he lived there.  The supersciption to Zephaniah indicates he is prophesying in the time of Josiah, who was the last great and righteous king of Judah according to the books of Kings and Chronicles.  Josiah had introduced reforms.

I am intrigued by the idea that as Judah sees Assyria lose its power, Judah believes that it is ripe for getting ahead in the world.  They are deluding themselves into thinking that if Assyria becomes less threatening, that means that God is happy with Judah. Judah's perspective reveals the faulty theology that if everything is going well, Judah must be right with God.  It also makes Judah ignore the call to come back to God.  Zephaniah's call to humility may work as a corrective against this attitude.