God Will One Day Bring The World Into Judgment (Zephaniah 1:2-3).
These first two verses speak of the apocalyptic future when YHWH will finally bring His judgment on the world because of their sin. This coming ‘Day of YHWH' had first been spoken of by Amos (Amos 5:18; Amos 5:20). There the people of Israel were looking forward to the day when God would act to bring in His final kingdom and Amos has to warn them that in view of their sinfulness they should recognise that such a day would be darkness for them rather than light. It is echoed by Isaiah, although in the latter case more connected with historical events such as the destruction of Babylon (Isaiah 13:6; Isaiah 13:9) and the destruction of Edom (Isaiah 34:8). But note Isaiah 2:12 where it is more general and has in mind God's final judgment on mankind.
The two ideas continually intermingled in the minds of the prophets because each had the final hope of God establishing His everlasting Kingdom, and each hoped that the coming ‘Day of the Lord' that they saw as coming on the nations or on Israel/Judah might be the final one. So in their minds it had a near and not so near perspective. Zephaniah also has that idea. Thus he can commence with a declaration that the final Day of the Lord will come, and move on to deal with a Day of the Lord coming on Judah and Jerusalem. We must not simply apply every reference to the Day of the Lord as referring to the final one. They are simply one more portent of the fact.
“I will utterly consume all things from off the face of the ground, says YHWH.
I will consume man and beast.
I will consume the birds of heaven and the fish of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked.
And I will cut off man from off the face of the ground.”
Note the balance of the verses. All things will be consumed off the face of the ground (first lien), man will be cut off from the face of the ground (fourth line). Man and beast will be consumed (second line). All else will be consumed (third line)
This is a general declaration and can be compared with Genesis 6:7 on which it is probably based. It is a picture of world-wide judgment, with the known world in mind. Here however the fish replace the creeping things. This will not be by a flood. It is a general reminder that all creation is subject to the judgment of God, and will one day be judged and destroyed by Him. The world is temporary and not permanent. It is dependent upon God's will.
Such a judgment is also declared in Isaiah 24:1-13; Isaiah 24:17-23 where it will be by fire (see Zephaniah 1:6 and compare 2 Peter 3:10-12)
But also included are ‘the stumblingblocks together with the wicked'. The stumblingblocks in this case are probably to be seen as the idols of mankind, although in Ezekiel 7:19 it is man's silver and gold, which have gripped their hearts, which were in mind. So it may mean all things that cause man to stray from God. Both idols and idolaters are to be swept away, together with all that distracts man from God, and those who are so distracted. And finally it is emphasised that man himself will be cut off from the face of the ground.
This is all another way of saying ‘I am the Judge of all the earth (Genesis 18:25), who will one day bring all into judgment, and will totally destroy sinful mankind and all creation because they have turned away from me to evil, just as I did in the days of Noah'.
But that does not exclude the sparing of some, for in the days of Noah the remnant, that is Noah and his family, were spared. It is always understood that the righteous, the elect of God, will survive (as also in Isaiah 24:23).
In the light of this how we should examine our lives to see how we will stand before the searching light of the judgment of God when it comes to us, and opens up our very hearts and inner thoughts. For we will all have to give account, and everything is open to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.