Page 142 - Advanced OT Survey Student Textbook

will still trust in YHWH (17-19). “Just as deer travel through difficult terrain without stumbling, Habakkuk
would endure hardships of the coming invasion sustained by his trust in sovereign Lord”.
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The Book of Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Prophet: Zephaniah, ‘YHWH hides’ (son of Hezekiah, royal descent)

Date: late 7th B.C. (during reign of Josiah, 640-609 B.C., prior to fall of
Nineveh, 612 B.C., cf. 2:13, likely prior to Josiah’s reforms, 622 B.C.)

Theme: The Day of the LORD: Purge and Purify

Message: The day of the LORD will purge all evil and purify all peoples to worship and rejoice in Him
alone!

Purge Evil (Three Cycles)

Purify Peoples World (2-3) In response to the evil of mankind, YHWH will unleash universal devastation,
“I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth.” The fallout- man, beast, birds, fish,
recalls flood (6:7, 7:23) as a reversal of God’s original creation (1:22)

Jerusalem (4-13) YHWH decrees judgment on His people for three reasons: idols, influence, and
injustice. He desires pure worship, not syncretism (4-6). Because of their idols, influence and injustice,
they will be His festal sacrifice (7-9). On unjust, complacent practical atheists- He promises to unleash
the covenant curses (10-13, Dt. 28:30)

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