Zephaniah 2 changes the focus from Judah to other nations. Before doing this, He urges Judah, who he calls a shameless nation, to gather together before the anger of the Lord comes upon them. He urges the humble of the land to seek the Lord, seek righteousness, seek humility. This may allow them to be hidden on the day of the Lord. This shows that there are those in Judah who follow His commands and who are humble. This is also the main point of this entire book. This prophecy is designed to show Judah their sin and to cause them to humble themselves and turn back to God, seeking Him and His righteousness. I believe that this is also the message we should get from Zephaniah. God is the only God we should seek and follow. The only God we should trust. If we have lost sight of that, we need to turn back to Him. This is similar to 2 Chronicles 7:14 which says, "if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." It should also be noted that this judgement will still happen. They cannot stop God from judging Judah, but they can separate themselves from others in Judah who have turned away from God. This is also the only command in this book. Zephaniah mostly consists of warnings and promises.
The book then begins describing what will happen to other nations on the day of the Lord. The section begins with the word "for". This shows that the coming warnings back up the call to repentance. This is why they should repent. These are mostly neighbors and enemies of Judah. In many ways, this section is good news for Judah and they would have been happy to hear it. Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, and Ekron were four city states of the philistines, also known as the Cherethites. God says he will destroy the philistines and give their land to the remnant of Judah. The idea of a remnant is interesting. It implies two things. It implies that all that will be left of Judah is a small remnant, but it also implies that God will be merciful enough to leave a remnant to be His people. His justice and mercy are both required when He promises to give the land to the remnant of Judah. Verse 7 says the "The Lord their God will be mindful of them and restore their fortunes."
God then turns his attention to Judah's east to Moab and Ammon. He will make the Moabites and ammonites like Sodom and Gomorrah. This is because of their taunting of God's people and their boasting. Once again, God's remnant will plunder them and possess their land. This is because of their pride; because they taunted and boasted against the people of the Lord of hosts. I like verse 11. "The Lord will be awesome against them; for He will famish all the gods of the earth, and to Him shall bow down, each in its place, all the lands of the nations." As it was with Judah, ultimately the nations will be judged for serving other God's than the true God. On the day of the Lord, He will put their gods in their place. They will all bow down to Him.
The focus then turns to Cush and Assyria. Cush was Northeastern Africa. It could include Ethiopia and Egypt. Assyria was north of Judah. It was Assyria that conquered Israel in 2 Kings 17. God promises to destroy Assyria and their capital of Nineveh. Only animals will inhabit Nineveh. Nineveh's sin is laid out in verse 15. They lived securely and said in their heart "I am and there is no one else". This phrasing is essentially claiming divinity. Nineveh denies the existence of a God and have made themselves their god. Their security was in their own strength. For this reason, God will destroy them as well.
Ultimately, I think chapter 2 is very interesting because it lays out the reasons why the nations will be destroyed and it is very similar to the reasons Judah will be judged. Israel and Judah may be the people of God, but God is the God of all nations. Anyone who turns from Him and follows other gods or money or their own strength will be judged by Him for that. There is no use trying to run away. This judgement is global. the Philistines to the west, the Assyrians to the north, the Moabites and Ammonites to the east and the Cushites to the south are all being judged for the same thing. God is promising there will remain a remnant. This chapter also shows why it is crucial to humble ourselves. We see what God's justice demands happen to the arrogant. This entire chapter, and honestly book, are summed up by Zephaniah 2:3. "Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who do His just commands, seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the Lord."
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