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The Rapture in the Prophecy of Zephaniah
Biblical Research Society
Dr. David L. Cooper
THIS issue our study of the rapture of the saints is based upon an investigation of a statement by Zephaniah, the prophet, who lived in Judah, during the declining days of the kingdom--more specifically, in the days of Josiah. We cannot be dogmatic in asserting that Habakkuk and Zephaniah lived at the same time. It is true that they engaged in their special ministry to Judah.
Visual aid is one of the modem methods of teaching truth. If I can see a picture of some scene or a drawing of some mechanism, showing the relation of the various parts, I receive a clearer idea of the material presented than I can if the subject in question is described in words only. All builders have a blue-print and plans and specifications drawn up by the architect for their guidance. In Zephaniah 1:14--2:3 we have a blueprint of the closing scenes of this present age. In order that the reader may see things clearly and have the facts in mind, I shall quote this passage.
14 The great day of Jehovah is near, it is near and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of Jehovah; the mighty man crieth there bitterly. 15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 A day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fortified cities, and against the high battlements. 17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men because they have sinned against Jehovah; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung. 18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he will make an end, yea, a terrible end, of all them that dwell in the land. *******
1 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation that hath no shame; 2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah's anger come upon you. 3 Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, that have kept his ordinances; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger" (Zeph. 1:14-2:3).
This oracle naturally falls into two divisions: first the graphic, vivid, description of the day of Jehovah, the Tribulation (1:14-18); the second, a special call to Israel to gather together into their own land before the day of Jehovah begins, before the Tribulation starts (2:1-3). The natural break in thought of this passage is reflected by the chapter division. In this instance the chapter division is put at the proper place, whereas in many instances the chapter division is not placed properly, according to the drift of the thought.
The Great Day of Jehovah a Period of Seven Years of Judgment
Frequently we read in the prophets of the day of Jehovah, which expression always refers to the Tribulation Period. On occasions, the prophet used the stereotyped phrase "in that day" in referring to the day of Jehovah. In a few instances, the expression "the great day of Jehovah" is used. This form of expression is found in Joel 2:31, "the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh." Malachi also used this same expression. "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come" (Mal. 4:5). Zephaniah, the prophet, was carried forward in vision from his day and time across the centuries by the Spirit of God and was brought to a period in the future immediately before the great Tribulation starts (II Peter 1:21; Zeph. 1:14). Zephaniah therefore said, "the great day of Jehovah is near, it is near and hasteth greatly ..." In the closing scenes of this age there will be an acceleration of the speed of events and a rapid changing of the scenes.
When we compare various statements regarding the day of Jehovah, we learn that it is a period of judgment lasting for seven years. This thought will come out more clearly in our study of the Book of Revelation in connection with certain statements from Daniel's prophecy.
One of the outstanding features of that time is that "the mighty man crieth there bitterly" (Zeph. 1:14). Men who under ordinary circumstances of life apparently have nerves of steel will break down and will at that time literally weep and cry bitterly. As a rule, by the judgments of the Tribulation men will be brought to their extremity. Then they will throw themselves upon the mercy of God. This truth we learn from related passages.
This Tribulation is characterized as "a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet and alarm, against the fortified cities, and against the high battlements" (Zeph. 1:15,16). We must remember what God says concerning His character as stated in Exodus 34:6,7. There God speaks of Himself as one who "will by no means clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation." By Moses the Lord declared, "Vengence is mine, and recompense." This statement is found in Deuteronomy 32:35.
Isaiah foretold the personal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ in which He engages, when He appears on earth the first time (Isa. 61:1). At the beginning of His ministry He is anointed "to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God ..." (Isa. 61:2). When the Lord Jesus was here, He foretold the Christian Dispensation, which by Isaiah is compared to a year and is designated as "the year of Jehovah's favor." This period of grace is to be followed by "the day of vengeance of our God." Thus the period of grace is thought of as a year, whereas that of wrath or vengeance is compared to a day. As we shall see by a further study of the rapture, the period of wrath is one of seven years, during which God pours out His wrath upon the world. Since this day of wrath is compared to a day, and since the period of grace preceding it is compared to a year of Jehovah's favor, we have a logical reason for believing that an approximation of the ratio existing between a year and day likewise obtains between this year of Jehovah's favor, the Christian Dispensation, and the day of vengeance, the Tribulation Period. It is to be noted that the period of grace runs its course and is followed by the day of vengeance, or wrath. Abundant are the statements scattered throughout the Word which speak of this period of judgment and wrath. This day of Jehovah will be a time of special trouble and distress to all people who live upon the earth. Moreover it will be a day of wasteness and desolation. These words are to be taken literally because there is nothing indicating a departure from their ordinary meaning. Thus we may expect the earth to be made waste and desolate during this period of wrath. On this point the reader will do well if he will study carefully Isaiah 24:1-20. Isaiah had a vision of this same day of wrath, when the civilization built up by man will be completely destroyed.
Another characteristic of that time is expressed by these words, "a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness." There will be several occasions when there will be a complete black-out of the sun, moon and stars. For instance, this thought is attested by Joel in chapter 2 and verse 31. It is also mentioned by our Lord in Matthew 24:29,30. Another reference to a black-out at this period is found in Revelation 6:12-17. Zephaniah therefore is right in calling this period of wrath a time of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. The first black-out, according to Joel, chapter 2, will occur before the great and terrible day of Jehovah comes--before the Tribulation begins--but this condition will clear up and the sun will shine again normally. Then there will be a second black-out in the latter part of the first quarter of the Tribulation as we shall see in a subsequent article in this series. These various black-outs will last for some time and then will clear up. In no period of the world's history have there been any such things. Hence Zephaniah characterizes this period of wrath as a time of special black-outs, gloominess, clouds, and thick darkness.
This great day of Jehovah is also spoken of as "a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fortified cities and against the high battlements." In Israel during ancient times the trumpet was sounded to give the people warning that an enemy was approaching. Hence the words, "trumpet and alarm," indicate war. When will wars cease? They will continue until the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth at the end of the Tribulation and stops all conflicts and wars. From a study of the prophetic word, we learn that there are to be four wars during the Tribulation. The first, the third, and the fourth are to be world wars; the second will be a local one, which affects only one fourth of the world's surface. The world wars which we have had, we may believe, were nothing but sham battles in comparison with these three mighty sanguinary wars that will devastate and wreck the civilization of the globe. Who will stop wars? Can the United Nations? Can the good men who are backing the U.N. program, and who are sponsoring the idea of establishing peace in our day--can these good men stop wars? The answer is a most emphatic denial. Jehovah, the Lord Jesus Christ, and He alone, can stop wars and establish a period of peace, plenty, and prosperity. According to Zephaniah 1:17 God declares that He "will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against Jehovah; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung." According to this statement the period of the Tribulation will be a time of distress for men, that is, upon man in general. They will be stunned, figuratively speaking, by the terrific judgments so that they will stagger like blind men. Many of them will be killed and their blood will be poured out as dust and their flesh as dung.
At that time their money, gold and silver, and their possessions will avail nothing--"in the day of Jehovah's wrath." The whole land of Israel and of the world will be devoured by the jealousy of God's wrath.
In the Book of Revelation, the great Tribulation, or period of wrath, is described in chapters 6 through 19. The chronological order of events as they will occur during the Tribulation is set forth in chapters 6, 8, 9 and 16. These chapters give us the three series of judgments: Chapter 6, the seal judgments; The seventh seal develops into the seven trumpet judgments; The seventh trumpet likewise develops into the seven bowl judgments. When the bowl judgments will have spent their force on the world, the wrath of God will be finished, will be completed. Since the bowls are symbols of judgments, the finishing of them, together with the preceding trumpets out of which the bowls come, and the seals, out of which the trumpets come, are certainly all symbols of judgments.
The Tribulation will be brought to a close by the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in power and glory, who will come as a warrior, Jehovah the Warrior. He will then conquer the world and set up His regime of righteousness.
The Rapture in the prophecy of Zephaniah
The Regathering of Israel--a Process, or an Advancement
Too often, students of the prophetic word assume that the regathering of Israel in the end time is simply one event. They see various statements about the regathering of Israel. Since they see that the Jews are returning to their own land now, they jump to the hasty conclusion that the present return of a portion of the nation to the land of their fathers is the fulfillment of those predictions which foretell the return and the restoration to Jehovah's favor to the nation of Israel. This interpretation is an unfortunate one because it is a deduction made from too narrow a study of the prophecies that deal with the regathering of Israel.
That the regathering of Israel is a process, a development, is very clear from Ezekiel 37:1-14. In this chapter we have a record of the vision which God granted to Ezekiel. In it he saw a very dry valley which was covered with bones, exceedingly dry. The Lord asked the prophet if these bones could live. In reply, the prophet said that the Lord knew, implying that he himself did not. Then the Lord instructed him to utter an oracle over these dry bones and to command them to be gathered together, which thing the prophet did. When he did so, the bones (scattered over a vast area) began to move, bone to its bone, moving as if by some magical power. When each bone took its position in its proper relation to other bones, they began to form skeletons. Then skeletons were scattered over the valley. The next thing occurring was that sinews began to appear upon these bones, uniting them. The next step in the process was the appearance of flesh upon the bones. Next, skin appeared, covering the flesh. Thus the valley was covered with lifeless bodies. The final step in the process was the operation of the Spirit of God in breathing life into these lifeless bodies. Then they arose, a mighty army of the Lord. What is the significance of all this vision?
According to verse 11, these bones (explained the Lord), are the whole house of Israel, that say "our hope is lost; we are clean cut off." Thus we see that this vision is a symbolic representation of scattered Israel's being brought back into the land and into right relationship with God and Messiah. Everyone paying casual attention to the prophecy notes that in this regathering and restoration of Israel, there are stages, or that there is a growth, a development of Israel nationally.
The initial stage of the restoration of Israel to the land is set forth in Zephaniah 2:1,2. Note the language:
1 Gather yourselves together, yea gather together, O nation that hath no shame; 2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah's anger come upon you.
It is obvious that the prophet is here addressing the people of Israel. They are the nation that has no shame nor longing. The longing to which he refers is the longing and thirsting for God, the fountain of all life. The present motivating objective of Israel's movement back to Palestine is to build up a national home. It is not primarily, as it should be, to do the will of God. Zephaniah implies that they do not have a hungering and thirsting for God.
Today there are approximately twelve million Jews in the world. According to various reports which I have received, there are approximately 1,700,000 who have returned to the land. In other words, approximately one out of every seven Jews today is in the land of the fathers.
The initial gathering together of Israel is to be "before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah's anger come upon you." This statement is equivalent to an affirmation--put in the form of a command--that Israel begins to gather back to their own land before the Tribulation starts. The inference is that they are to gather back there immediately before the Tribulation begins, before the decree of Almighty God is set into motion, in the pouring out of His wrath upon the world.
After Israel is restored to the land by this initial regathering, he is to be scattered or driven out again:
1 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring back the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will execute judgment upon them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations: and they have parted my land, 3 And have cast lots for my people, and have given a boy for a harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they may drink (Joel 3:13).
This prediction is also set forth in such passages as Revelation, chapter 12. The woman mentioned in this prophecy is a symbol of Israel, as is proved by the context. In the middle of the Tribulation the woman flees from the land to a place prepared of God for her and is there protected for 1260 days.
In Deuteronomy 29:22-29 is an unusual and rather enigmatic prophecy regarding Israel's being cast out of the land and of its being overthrown with fire and brimstone, as was Sodom and Gomorrah. Just where to locate this prediction in the unfolding of the plan of the end time is a difficult thing to do. It may refer to the raining down of fire and brimstone upon Palestine when the forces of Russia and the nations behind the iron curtain invade the Holy Land--according to Ezekiel 38:1--39:16. The prophet knew that fire and brimstone will rain down upon the land together with other judgments of the Lord at that time. The invasion of the land of Israel by Russia and her satellites occurs before the Tribulation. The prophecy of Deuteronomy, chapter 29, therefore may refer to that event, or it may refer to some other episode in the middle of the Tribulation. It is impossible, for me at least, to locate this prediction. I therefore shall pass it by.
At the very end of the Tribulation Israel will be largely in the Fertile Crescent, in the land extending from Egypt to old Assyria. This prophecy is shown in Isaiah 27:12,13:
12 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Jehovah will beat off his fruit from the flood of the River unto the brook of Egypt; and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel. 13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great trumpet shall be blown; and they shall come that were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and they that were outcast in the land of Egypt; and they shall worship Jehovah in the holy mountain at Jerusalem.
The only fruit that is beaten off by rods is the olive. Thus God thinks of the Jewish people as His olive grove, which will be located in Egypt, Palestine, and Assyria (modern Iraq). God beats off the fruit from His grove and gathers it, "one by one, O ye children of Israel."
Thus at the end of the Tribulation Israel will be largely gathered out of those nations, which are known as the Fertile Crescent and will be brought back into their own land. But from other passages we see that there will be Jews, though small in numbers, scattered all over the world.
The final restoration of Israel at the end of the Tribulation is seen in Isaiah, 49:8-26, a vivid, graphic prophecy of Israel's being regathered at the end of the Tribulation. Still another prophecy is set forth in Isaiah 60:1-22. Once again, in Isaiah 66:15-17 we see the second coming of Christ in glory and power at the end of the Tribulation. Then we see in verses 18-21 the final regathering of the nation into their own land.
The conversion of Israel, or the spiritual regeneration of the nation, occurs at the second coming of Christ, as in indicated by Ezekiel 37:1-14. In our looking at this passage, we have seen that the restoration of Israel to the land and to fellowship with God is a process, or a development. The last item of this development is the spiritual regeneration of the nation, when the Spirit of God breathes life into the bodies and they arise a mighty army for God. Numerous are the passages to deal with this final act in the drama of Israel's restoration to God.
God's Special Call to Israel Before the Tribulation
Let us now come back to the concluding verse of the prophecy under consideration, namely, Zephaniah 2:3: "Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, that have kept his ordinances; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger." But let us examine it in its connection:
1 Gather yourselves together, yea gather together, O nation that hath no shame; 2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah's anger come upon you. 3 Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, that have kept his ordinances; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger.
In connection with the call of God to Israel to gather together into the land before the Tribulation, the Lord also gives the people of Israel an invitation to seek "Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, that have kept his ordinances; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger." The connection shows positively that the invitation is given in connection with the prophecy regarding Israel's regathering before the Tribulation. The people addressed are the ones who are urged at that time--at the time of the initial regathering of Israel to the land--to seek Jehovah, their God. Having seen that this seeking is in connection with the regathering before the Tribulation, we are now in a position to go forward with this investigation.
Those who are urged to seek the Lord are "all ye meek of the earth, that have kept his ordinances ..." Only the meek and humble ones are really eager for truth. The prophet therefore is addressing particularly those who are the meek of the household of Israel. The reason for this statement is that these meek ones of the earth, who are invited to come, are the ones who "have kept his ordinances." The ordinances here referred to doubtless are the regulations and commands that God through Moses gave to Israel. The Jews were given the ordinances of God and accepted the law and are still under it (Rom. 2:12-16). Those who are under the law shall be judged by the law. The law of Moses is still in effect in so far as those who have accepted it and received it are concerned. Thus there is a clarion call for the earnest honest truth seekers among Israel to seek Jehovah in dead earnest. They are endeavoring to keep the law of Moses and the commandments the best they can. They are sincere in what they are trying to do--to please the Lord. God recognizes that fact and therefore addresses them and pleads with them to make a special effort to find Him, Jehovah.
They are urged not simply to seek Jehovah, but to seek in righteousness and meekness. God loves righteousness and meekness, but resists those who are proud and haughty. When Christ comes, as we see in Psalm 45:3-5, He will champion the cause of those whose lives are the very embodiment of truth, meekness and righteousness.
According to Joel's prophecy, chapter 2:28b-32, there will be a revival bursting forth in Israel, which will result in the first installment of his national conversion. This turning to God will occur in connection with the miraculous signs and wonders which will occur before the great and terrible day of Jehovah comes. In view of this fact, it is quite evident that Joel was speaking of this same movement back to God in Israel as that mentioned by Zephaniah, the prophet, in chapter 2:1-3.
The Promise of Being Hid During the Tribulation
To those who are of Israel, and who seek the Lord before the Tribulation begins, is promised the hope of their being hid in the day of Jehovah's anger. This promise implies that there is something that will protect them from the judgments of that day of Jehovah's anger. Of course, this hiding is spoken of in terms of a material place. When, however, we read in the New Testament that the people of God will not go into the period of His wrath, we are convinced that the ones who are addressed and are promised escape from the wrath threatened are those who accept His grace and are beloved in the Lord. This promise is given us in I Thessalonians 1:9,10:
9 For they themselves report concerning us what manner of entering in we had unto you; and how ye turned unto God from idols, to serve a living and true God, 10 And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivereth us from the wrath to come.
Then again the Apostle Paul foretold the coming of the Lord for His saints before the Tribulation begins (I Thess. 4:13-5:11). This promise assures us Christians, the saved ones, the born-again ones, that we are not appointed unto wrath, but unto the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Saved people are thus assured that they are not appointed unto wrath but unto the obtaining of salvation--that is a salvation deliverance from this wrath, which is coming upon the world.
Thus when we study Zephaniah's prophecy, we see a clear reference to the rapture of Jewish believers before the Tribulation bursts forth upon the world. Hence the idea of being delivered from the coming wrath is clearly set forth in the Scriptures and is an Old Testament expression indicating what is given in the New Testament by the passages that deal with the rapture of believers.
We have therefore the profound conviction that the rapture of the saints of God will occur before the Tribulation begins.
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