Zephaniah: The Day of the Lord, Judgment, Repentance, and Restoration

Zephaniah: The Day of the Lord, Judgment, Repentance, and Restoration is a focused 10-lesson study of Zephaniah 1-3. Students examine Judah's idolatry and complacency, the Day of the Lord, the call to seek righteousness and humility, judgment on the nations, corrupt leadership, the purified remnant, and the book's powerful conclusion in which God saves, gathers, restores, and rejoices over His people.

Learning Objectives

• Understand Zephaniah's historical setting during the reign of King Josiah.
• Explain the Day of the Lord as a central theme of judgment and moral urgency.
• Identify Zephaniah's warnings concerning idolatry, divided allegiance, violence, corruption, and complacency.
• Explain the call to seek the Lord, righteousness, and humility.
• Understand God's sovereignty and judgment concerning surrounding nations.
• Evaluate Zephaniah's critique of corrupt officials, judges, prophets, and priests.
• Explain the purification and humble-remnant themes of Zephaniah 3.
• Interpret Zephaniah 3:14-17 as a promise of divine presence, salvation, love, and joy.
• Trace the book's movement from judgment and shame to gathering, praise, and restoration.
• Apply Zephaniah responsibly to repentance, humility, worship, leadership, spiritual complacency, and Christian hope.

Course Content

Ten substantial self-study lessons cover Zephaniah 1-3: the prophet's setting under Josiah, idolatry and compromise, the nearness of the Day of the Lord, wrath and distress, seeking the Lord in humility, judgment on the nations, corrupt Jerusalem, a purified and humble remnant, the Lord rejoicing over His people, and final gathering and restoration. Each lesson includes substantial HTML teaching, one plain-text assignment, and four multiple-choice review questions.