Sunday AM Sunday School Lesson on Zephaniah

Zephaniah means “Hidden in the Lord”
Date that it is written about – The time of King Josiah – 640-609 BC ref. v.1 of ch. 1
Date written – about 627 BC
Zephaniah’s contemporaries –
Jeremiah – about 627 BC
Nahum – about 627-620 BC
Habakkuk – about 612-605 BC
Ezekiel – 593-568 BC BC
Daniel – 605-520 BC
The Kings of Zephaniah’s time –
Josiah – 640-609 BC
Jehoahaz – 609 BC 3 mths – deposed and taken prisoner by Pharaoh Necho – Egypt
Jehoiakim (Eliakim) – 609-598 BC – a vassal king under Necho and then Nebuchadnezzar
Jehoiakin – 598 BC 3 mths – vassal king under Neb then captive to Babylon
Zedekiah (Mattaniah) – 598-586 BC – the last vassal king who is an Israelite
End of the kings
NOTE: Israel is taken captive by the Assyrians 732-722 BC, Zephaniah is some 80 + years later
NOTE: Judah is taken over by the Babylonians in 605 BC and captive in 587 or 586 BC
Jerusalem is destroyed in 587 or 586 BC
NOTE: To the Jews the J is pronounced as a Y
Zephaniah is of the line of the Kings, he is the great, great, grandson of King Hezekiah who reigned 729-699 BC – the best, last greatest Godly king in Judah or Israel. Isaiah was a prophet during Hezekiahs” reign.

Josiahs’ record is listed in 2 Kings 22 and 2 Chronicles 34.
Josiah, son of Amon, king of Judah begins to reign at age 8. He reigns 31 years as a godly king. Josiah and Hezekiah were the most Godly kings to reign in Judah. (2 Kings 18:5 and 23:25) When he is 26 the Book of the Law is found by Hilkiah the High Priest in the temple. Josiah repents when the Law is read to him. He destroys Bethel (2 Kings 23:15) and Jeroboams’ golden calves (a repeat of wilderness).
In his 31st year of reign, Josiah messes up. 2 Chron 35:20- records that Pharaoh Necho, King of Egypt, came up to fight to defend the Assyrians who Josiah had decided to go to war against. Necho declares that God told him to defend the Assyrians and that Josiah was inadvertently fighting against God. Josiah did not listen but disguised himself (like Ahab did) and went to war anyway. By a chance arrow (Saul-1 Chron 10:1-3 & 1 Sam 31:1-3, Ahab-2 Chron 18:28-33), Josiah is killed at Migiddo. Jeremiah laments the death of Josiah. 2 Chron. 35:25.
During his reign Josiah actually took control of Israel too for awhile.

Jehoahaz is put in prison by Pharaoh Necho.
Necho makes Jehoiakim(Eliakim) his vassal king. Then in 605 Neb takes over. In 600 BC Neb lets Jehoiakim be his vassal for 3 years till 598 BC. Then he rebels against Neb.
NOTE: If a event happened in that year they called it a year even if it is less than a year.
Jehoiakin is taken captive to Babylon where he remained.
Zedekiah rebels against Neb and Jerusalem is destroyed in 586 BC. He also refused to humble himself to Jeremiah when warned about his rebellion.

The “Day of the Lord” is 70 AD for them in Zephaniah. When Vespasian destroys Israel, Jerusalem and the temple. There was no more Israel. The now day Israel is different from then.