The Basics of: Zephaniah & Zechariah
The two z's and possibly more if these books bore you..
Welcome back to another episode of
“God Judges Stuff!”
I’m your host, the honorable Reverend Doc.
Listen….if you like juicy reads, I highly recommend reading these together.
“I’m so tired of reading about judgment though.”
It’s a big theme of the Bible, I won’t lie to you, but each book varies in the judgment.
“What do you mean?”
It varies by who is judged, why they are judged, what they are judged for, and when they will be judged.
Bottom line…they get judged. I don’t know what to tell you. Just hang in there.
Let’s learn about Zephaniah:
Here’s the deal with Zeph…he is really entranced with, not just judgment, but the Day of the Lord.
Quick Reminder from the Rev. Dr.: Read the Basics of Joel if you need a refresher on what that means…but for a quick Rev. Dr. summary, the Day of the Lord is a very specific day of judgment.
He doesn’t just focus on the Day of the Lord though; he focuses on what comes of it.
People will be judged and cursed, yes…
But people will also be judged and blessed.
Didn’t think you’d ever read that, did you?
Again, as if you haven’t had to read it a thousand times already from me, judgment isn’t a negative thing. It will be if you’re an ax murderer, for sure, but for the average Joe-Schmo? Judgment is a good thing.
We get the blessings because God keeps His promises, which happens to be another major point Zeph is trying to push. He’s a covenant keeper (covenant is a fancy word for an extreme pinky promise).
Other things to consider about this book is how specific Zeph is about who gets judged. In chapter 2, he lists every nation that is warned about the impending doom and gloom.
It’s three chapters, so read ‘em.
Let’s learn about Zechariah:
I’m not going to say too much about Zech because this book is a really cool read.
It’s cool. It’s wild. It’s unhinged. It’s got everything you could possibly want, including some cool imagery and some fun lil easter eggs for you to find.
But, I digress.
It’s set around the reign of the famous king of Persia, Darius I (some time around 500 BC give or take), and is technically your first little bit of apocalyptic literature.
“APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE??”
YOU BET! It’s like watching the movie 2012 through the eyes of Woody Harrelson!
Quick FAQ with the Rev. Dr.: Yes, this is apocalyptic literature. No, not everything means something in Zech’s visions. Because this is deemed as apocalyptic, remember that it isn’t the details that matter, but rather why the details are there. When you read, consider doing a little critical thinking and ask yourself, “what is the main reason for this?” It’s never meant to be scary. Every book of prophecies, judgment and apocalyptic themes is meant to point to something much bigger, i.e. renewal of the human heart.
Fun fact about Zech: he’s a priest! Wow! That’s a first! He comes from a fancy priest family that was exiled thanks to Babylon, but got to return to his homeland. Good for Zech!
This is the longest book in this little section of the Prophetic Books, being 14 chapters. Read it in two parts:
Zech Is Seein’ Stuff (1-8)
Zech’s Version of Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (9-14)
Go read with confidence. Thanks for being here.
Also…my podcast will be launching soon, so keep an eye out.
