Zephaniah's message is essentially one of judgment. Judah and, in particular, Jerusalem have sinned; and Jehovah's judgment upon them is at hand. . . .
As regards his conception of Jehovah, Zephaniah cannot be said to make any perceptible advance on his predecessors. He speaks of Judah's idolatry, mentioning her worship of the Baals, of the host of heaven, and of Milcom; but whether he himself actually believed in the existence of heathen deities, or is only assuming their existence, is not altogether clear. Their existence is nowhere questioned, nor is emphasis laid on the vanity of false worship as such.
On the other hand, there can be little doubt that like Amos Zephaniah thought of Jehovah as all-sovereign and powerful, as One who had strength to control the destiny of peoples; so that probably we shall not be far wrong if we regard him as practically a monotheist. What he lays stress on is Judah's apostasy from Jehovah in not seeking Him and Him alone. . . . Like Amos he comes forward essentially as a prophet of doom; he sees no hope that the judgment which Judah has merited may be averted; nor has he any doubt but that it will mean the end of Judah, though he does hold out the possibility—but it is only a bare possibility—that those who continue to seek Jehovah and Him alone may escape. That is his message. . . .
