Prophet
Prophet Prophet Zephaniah
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Prophet Zephaniah — ninth of the Twelve Minor Prophets, a descendant of King Hezekiah, contemporary of the pious King Josiah's reforms, who proclaimed the coming Day of the Lord as both judgment and joy for the faithful remnant.
The Prophet Zephaniah, ninth of the Twelve Minor Prophets, was the son of Cushi, grandson of Gedaliah, great-grandson of Amariah, and great-great-grandson of the pious King Hezekiah of Judah (Zephaniah 1:1). Of the tribe of Simeon, from the hill country of Sarabatha, he was of noble, even royal, descent.
He prophesied during the reign of King Josiah, son of Amon, who zealously restored true worship of God and rooted out idolatry throughout Judah; Zephaniah's prophecies reinforced these reforms. The central theme of his book is the coming "Day of the Lord" — a day of terrible judgment upon Judah and the surrounding nations for idolatry and injustice, but also, ultimately, a day of restoration and joy for the faithful remnant.
He is remembered for the consoling words: "The LORD your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness... He will exult over you with loud singing" (Zephaniah 3:17). Zephaniah is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox, Catholic, and Oriental churches.