Zephaniah 1:1-6--The Coming Judgment on Judah

Zephaniah 1:1-6
English Standard Version

1 The word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

The Coming Judgment on Judah
2 “I will utterly sweep away everything
    from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.
3 “I will sweep away man and beast;
    I will sweep away the birds of the heavens
    and the fish of the sea,
and the rubble with the wicked.
    I will cut off mankind
    from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.
4 “I will stretch out my hand against Judah
    and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal
    and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests,
5 those who bow down on the roofs
    to the host of the heavens,
those who bow down and swear to the LORD
    and yet swear by Milcom,
6 those who have turned back from following the LORD,
    who do not seek the LORD or inquire of him.”

---

Another short letter to the people of Judah--probably right before the time of judgment as a summary of everything the people have been told and neglected to heed or outright rejected.  The judgment is coming, and its practically on their doorstep at this point.

The LORD will sweep away (destroy) all of the things that he filled the earth, sky, and sea with.  Man is mentioned both first and last here to emphasize that the judgment will be focused on them, but all of creation will feel it.  Why the focus on man?  Because he's not the same as the plants and animals.  He was made in the image of God with the responsibility of being God's image-bearer and viceroy over creation.  He was made different than all of the other animals as God fashioned him and breathed His Spirit into him.

When Man fell, all of Creation fell with him.  Now the people are extremely rebellious.  They should be God's people and His ambassadors, but they worship other gods, have priests and priestesses to idols, and the people bow down to the sun, moon, stars and planets and worship them as they celebrate and pray on their rooftops.  No longer do they ask for the LORD's help with they don't understand something, nor do they listen to His prophets when He sends them.  Instead they turn to the comfort of their idols and their false prophets that tell the people what they want to hear (usually for the right price).  For all this and more the people of Judah will be judged.