The Book of Zephaniah is important because of the unique emphasize that it places on the impending day of the Lord. On that day the Lord will personally deal with those who have forsaken him and become corrupt. The day of the Lord would be a day of awesome destruction in which very few will escape.

Zephaniah prophesies a warning of coming judgment in order to encourage repentance. Judah had become complacent in their wicked lives. They had suffered under wicked kings in the past and now they would suffer under the judgment of God. The day of the Lord was near. Even so, Zephaniah also delivered a message of hope that the nation would be restored.

In chapter 1, Zephaniah foretells of God's coming judgment upon the world and upon Judah and Jerusalem. Desolation awaits Judah if the people did not turn back to God. He also predicted the destruction of Nineveh.

In chapter 2, Zephaniah announces that judgment is coming to the nations surrounding Judah with a warning to seek righteousness and humility and perhaps you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger. God calls for repentance and He brings judgment upon the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Ethiopia, and Assyria.

In chapter 3, Zephaniah describes how God extends mercy and he foretells of a day of hope when the remnant of Israel would come out of captivity under God's protection to fulfill His promise.

The Lord has taken away His judgments against you. He taken away your enemies. The Lord is in your midst so you will no longer fear disaster. God's judgment upon Jerusalem is followed by salvation and blessings and God is praised in the kingdom.

The blessings of the day of the Lord are revealed so that everyone will be able to call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent. God will do away with their sins, lies, and deceitful tongues, and they will have peace and rest and no one will make them afraid any more. God will bring a time when all the nations will call on the name of the Lord and they will dwell together in peace, justice, and joy.