Zephaniah is calling the people of Judah to repent of their idolatry and their immorality that had become prevalent in the nation, and he exhorts the rebels to hide from God’s wrath by repenting of their sin, and he encourages the remnant (the faithful) to be hopeful for restoration. So he exhorts the rebels to hide from God’s wrath by repenting of their sin, and he encourages the remnant to be hopeful for restoration, that if you’re faithful to the Lord, he will restore you and it will be good… 

Most of the book is about the day of destruction where God proclaims wrath and judgment on all who rejected him for idols, both among the nations and in Judah, the southern kingdom. So that’s Zephaniah 1:2-3:8, the day of destruction, and then Zephaniah 3:9-20 we have the day of restoration, where rather than prophesying wrath and judgment, God promises healing and joy for all who repented and hide themselves in him by faith, both among the nations and also in Judah.

—Garrett Kell

Source: Garrett Kell, quoted from his message, “Introduction and Zephaniah 1:1-18” on the book of Zephaniah from his course Study Zephaniah. This video originally appeared here at The Gospel Coalition.

So the main point of Zephaniah’s prophecy is to call everyone who reads it to a deep humility, which frees a person to seek refuge in God, which in turn produces a righteous life. 

—John Piper  

Source: By John Piper. © Desiring God Foundation. Source: desiringGod.org.

The prophecies of Zephaniah were delivered to the Jews during the reign of Josiah. The promised judgment would come upon Judah in 587 BC. It came again in AD 70 when Jerusalem was attacked and the temple destroyed. While the prophecies delivered through Zephaniah have reference to both of these historical events, the prophet introduces a judgment that expands to include the entire world (Zephaniah 3:8, 10). This is the final judgment still to come. It brings into view the judgment of Noah’s day, when God judged the entire world for sin (Genesis 6:17–18). The Lord promised never again to destroy the world by water, but a judgment is coming in which the earth will be destroyed by fire (Malachi 3–4; Matthew 24:3–44; 2 Peter 3:10).

—Camden Bucey

Source: Content taken from Lamentations, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah: A 12-Week Study © 2018 by Camden Bucey. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

This passage makes clear that God is the one who saves (Zephaniah 3:17). Salvation is based not on works of the law or human merit but on God’s grace (Romans 4:1–5; 9:16; Galatians 2:15–16; Titus 3:4–6). Clearly, mankind has not merited salvation. All humans have transgressed the law of the Lord and deserve his wrath and curse. Despite this, God saves those who look to him in faith and repentance.

—Camden Bucey

Source: Content taken from Lamentations, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah: A 12-Week Study © 2018 by Camden Bucey. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

The prophet concluded with the wonderful promises of Israel’s future restoration and of the happy state of the purified people of God in the latter days. The redeemed remnant—cleansed, humbled, trusting, and rejoicing with their offerings—will return to Zion. They will be established in their land, and God will be with them (see Zephaniah 3:15, 17). Zion will then be a delight among nations and a blessing to the whole earth, as was foretold in the promise God originally made to Abraham (see Genesis 12:1-3). The rejoicing of Zephaniah 3:14-20 must refer to something besides the day when the remnant will return after the captivity of Babylon. Judah’s worst judgment followed that return. She has seen little but misery ever since. Neither did anything like this occur at Christ’s first coming. It must refer to the day when the Lord himself shall sit on the throne of David, when his people shall be gathered from the four corners of the earth (see Zephaniah 3:19). This prophecy will be blessedly fulfilled in the kingdom age, when Christ comes to this earth to reign in power and great glory.  

—Henrietta Mears  

Source: This content is from What the Bible Is All About, written by Henrietta Mears. Copyright © 1953, 2011 by Gospel Light. Copyright assigned to Tyndale House Publishers, 2015. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God’s holiness and justice will be a fierce and terrifying reality on the day of the Lord. Yet those who trust in God’s merciful way of salvation by grace through his own Son, Jesus, are given the confidence that their judgment day has already taken place—on the day when Jesus died on the cross. Jesus himself endured “a day of distress and anguish” in our place (Zephaniah 1:15 ESV; cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21). Be at peace. In Christ, sinners are forgiven and secure. 

—Crossway 

Source: Content taken from the Gospel Transformation Bible. This article first appeared on Crossway.org; used with permission.

But the most amazing promise of all is in Zephaniah 3:17: “The Lord will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love (or better: he will be silent, i.e., make no accusations, in his love), he will exult over you with loud singing (or: a shout of joy)” (RSV). Jesus said, “There is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7 RSV). And Zephaniah tells us that when all those repentant, humble, lowly sinners gather before God—what will he do? Will he look down with disapproval, and glower at our guilt, and frown with malevolence? Will he ignore us and look over our heads in sublime indifference? Will he grieve that his flock is so shabby? NO! “He will rejoice over you with gladness . . . He will exult over you with loud singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). “As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you” (Isaiah 62:5 RSV).

—John Piper

Source: By John Piper. © Desiring God Foundation. Source: desiringGod.org.