Below is a timeline of the prophets from Jonah through Malachi including key historic events:

Jonah (820-804 B.C.) - spoke to the Assyrians

Amos (810-785 B.C.) - spoke to the northern kingdom

Joel (800 B.C.) - spoke to the southern kingdom

Hosea (785-725 B.C.) - spoke to the northern kingdom

Micah (749-722 B.C.) - spoke to the northern kingdom

Isaiah (740-681 B.C.) - spoke to the southern kingdom

722 B.C.: Northern Kingdom of Israel destroyed by the Assyrians

Nahum (661-612 B.C.) - spoke to the Assyrians

Zephaniah (630 B.C.) - spoke to the southern kingdom

Habakkuk (610-599 B.C.) - spoke to the southern kingdom

Jeremiah (625-582 B.C.) - spoke to the southern kingdom

605, 597, 586 B.C.: Jerusalem is attacked in three waves and ultimately destroyed by the Babylonians

Daniel (605-534 B.C.) - spoke to captives in Babylon

Ezekiel (592-570 B.C.) - spoke to captives in Israel

Obadiah (585 B.C.) - spoke to the Edomites

539 B.C.: Babylon is conquered by Cyrus, and Jews allowed to return to Jerusalem

Haggai (520 B.C.) - spoke to the returned exiles of Babylon

Zechariah (518 B.C.) - spoke to the returned exiles of Babylon

Malachi (430-400 B.C.) - spoke to the returned exiles of Babylon

Author

Zephaniah’s name meant, “whom Yahweh has hidden and protected.” Zephaniah was born during King Manasseh’s reign, hidden from the atrocities King Manasseh committed against all who were godly in Judah. Manasseh was considered the most vile king who ever reigned in Judah (2 Kings 21:1-18; 2 Chronicles 33:1-20).

He was the son of Cushi, who was believed to be a descendant of Hezekiah, meaning Zephaniah descended from the royal lineage and was supposed to have been a resident of Jerusalem. 

His ministry was focused on the “days of Josiah” (1:1) and was written before the fall of the Assyrians (2:13) and the great spiritual reformation (2 Kings 22-23; 2 Chronicles 34-35) promoted by Josiah’s rule. 

The times before Josiah (pre-reformation and pre-Zephaniah), Manasseh, and Amon had ruled, Judah was a nation bloated and full of political corruption, obsessed with idols, dominated by lust, and without shame in the light of their degenerate and obscene practices. Manassah and Amon devoted themselves to destroying any good thing King Hezekiah had done in leading Judah to trust in Yahweh alone. The times of Zephaniah’s prophecy, and the surrounding culture he prophesied to, were rotten, and the nation was diseased to the core, yet prospering. 

Message

No doubt Zephaniah’s message had a huge impact on Josiah and was instrumental in Josiah’s reformation (2 Chronicles 34:29-30; 35).

The main purpose of Zephaniah’s book was to give Judah ample warning of the foreboding destruction, getting ready to blow in and lay waste to their nation. 

Second, Zephaniah gave a warning for all times to all sinners of an approaching day of judgment and wrath, which came with a redemptive promise for those who turn and trust. 

Half of Zephaniah’s book is devoted to predicting the fall of Jerusalem by Babylon, and Zephaniah predicted these events before the major capital of Assyria (Nineveh) had even fallen—a remarkable prophecy.   

The “Day of Yahweh” was Zephaniah’s main theme, and it takes on a double meaning:

• The “Day” when Judah will fall to Babylon in Judgment.

• The “Final Judgment Day” when the whole world will face Yahweh. 

King Josiah, on the energy of Zephaniah’s prophecy, did lead a great reform, but after his death, Judah went back to her old ways.

Outline

• The Day of the Lord (1)

• Nations Warned (2:1-3:7)

• God’s People Restored (3:8-20)