Zephaniah 2

(1) Chase After God Before it’s too Late

Call for an assembly! I’m talking to you: the nation that doesn’t even feel ashamed. Assemble yourselves before God’s decree comes into effect. The time is passing by like particles in the wind, and you need to assemble before the Existing One’s fury burns against you. Chase after the Existing One! I’m talking to anyone here who is humble—anyone who has been carrying out His instructions. Pursue integrity, and pursue humility. Maybe you’ll be able to hide when the Existing One’s fury comes. 

(4) God will Give Cannan to Judah

Gaza will be abandoned, and Ashkelon [a Philistine city] will be devastated. Ashdod [city] will be driven out at noon, and Ekron [city] will be uprooted. Trouble waits for those who live on the coast—the Cherethite nation. The Existing One has bad things to say about you, Canaan, the Philistine territory. He’ll destroy you until all your inhabitants are gone. The coastline will become meadows with cottages for shepherds and fences for their flocks. The coast will be for whatever’s left of Judah’s family. They’ll graze their livestock on the land and lie down at night in the Philistine city of Ashkelon. Their God, the Existing One, will take care of them and restore their captives. 

(8) God’s People will Defeat Moab and Ammon

“I’ve heard the scolding from Moab along with the insults coming from Ammon’s descendants. Those guys taunt My people while puffing themselves up against My people’s territory. As surely as I live, Moab will become like Sodom and Ammon’s descendants will become like Gomorrah⁠—places covered in weeds and salt pits that are perpetually desolate. Whatever is left of My people will raid them and capture them.”

(10) God will Overshadow other gods

That’s what they’ll get in exchange for their arrogance, because they’ve been taunting and puffing themselves up against the Existing One’s people. They’ll be terrified of the Existing One, because He will cause all the other gods to dwindle. Every country will bow down to Him from wherever they’re located.

(12) God Will Beat Ethiopia & Assyria

“Ethiopians, you guys will be fatally wounded by My sword. [Ethiopians are a descendant of Cush, Noah’s grandson]. I will bring My power against the north and destroy Assyria. I will make Nineveh [Assyria’s capital] as desolate as the desert. Sheep will lie down where Nineveh used to be. All kinds of animals like birds and hedgehogs will make their homes in the tops of her pillars. Birds will sing in her window frames. Desolation will live on her doorstep since God has stripped off her cedar panels. This is the bustling city that currently sits so securely, thinking to herself, ‘No one else compares to me.’ She’ll become such a wasteland—a place where wild animals will live. Everyone who passes by her will tisk and dismissively wave their hand at her.”