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Zephaniah 1:7
Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORDis at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.

Jeremiah 30:7
Alas! for that dayis great, so that noneis like it: itis even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.

Ezekiel 30:3
For the dayis near, even the day of the LORDis near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.

it is.

Ezekiel 7:6,7,12
An end is come, the end is come: it watcheth for thee; behold, it is come…

Ezekiel 12:23
Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.

Amos 8:2
And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the LORD unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more.

even.

Zephaniah 1:10
And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD,that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.

Isaiah 22:4,5
Therefore said I, Look away from me; I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people…

Isaiah 66:6
A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies.

the mighty.

Isaiah 15:4
And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heardeven unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him.

Isaiah 33:7
Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without: the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.

Jeremiah 48:41
Kerioth is taken, and the strong holds are surprised, and the mighty men's hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.

near and coming quickly.
The repetition of "near" and the addition of "coming quickly" underscore the urgency and certainty of the approaching judgment. This reflects the prophetic tradition of warning God's people to be vigilant and ready for His intervention. The swift approach of the Day of the LORD is meant to stir the hearts of the people towards repentance, as seen inIsaiah 13:6 andEzekiel 30:3. The rapidity of its coming suggests that there is little time left for complacency or delay in turning back to God.

Listen, the Day of the LORD!
This call to "listen" is an imperative for the people to pay attention and heed the warning. It is a prophetic summons to be aware of the seriousness of the situation. The Day of the LORD is not just a future event but a present reality that demands immediate attention. This echoes the call to hear and respond found throughout the prophets, such as inJeremiah 6:10 andHosea 4:1. The emphasis on listening highlights the importance of being spiritually alert and responsive to God's voice.

Then the cry of the mighty will be bitter.
The "mighty" refers to warriors or those in positions of power who are typically seen as strong and fearless. The fact that their cry will be "bitter" indicates the severity of the judgment and the reversal of expected roles. Even the strongest will be overwhelmed by the terror of the Day of the LORD. This imagery is consistent with other prophetic descriptions of the day, such as inIsaiah 13:7-8, where the hearts of the mighty melt in fear. It serves as a humbling reminder that no human strength can withstand the power of God's judgment.

- Zephaniah stacks the word “near” to stress immediacy. The coming judgment was not a distant concept for his listeners but an approaching reality they had to face.

- “Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD, for the Day of the LORD is near” (Zephaniah 1:7) echoes the same urgency—silence, awe, and readiness are the proper responses.

- Isaiah uses identical language: “Wail, for the Day of the LORD is near; it will come as destruction from the Almighty” (Isaiah 13:6). Joel adds, “Alas for the day! For the Day of the LORD is near” (Joel 1:15).

- Though first fulfilled when Babylon swept Judah away (cf.2 Kings 25), the prophecy also points forward to the climactic Day when Christ returns in glory (2 Peter 3:10;1 Thessalonians 5:2).

- Application:

• Urgency—no time for complacency (Romans 13:11–12).

• Certainty—God’s timetable may be hidden, but His promise stands (2 Peter 3:9).

• Comfort—those in Christ look for deliverance, not destruction (1 Thessalonians 1:10).

- “Listen” (literally “Hark!”) is a prophetic trumpet blast demanding attention. Amos offers a similar wake-up call: “Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” (Amos 4:12).

- Revelation begins with a heaven-shaking summons: “I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet” (Revelation 1:10). Both scenes call God’s people to alertness, separating them from a distracted world.

- Jesus warned, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed… the end is still to come” (Matthew 24:6). The noise of judgment is not background chatter; it is God’s megaphone to summon repentance and faith.

- Practical takeaways:

• Pay attention to God’s Word before circumstances force your attention.

• Filter the world’s noise through Scripture so you hear His voice clearly.

• Let the certainty of the Day shape daily priorities (James 5:8).

- Strength, status, and self-confidence evaporate when God confronts sin. “Flight will perish from the swift… even the bravest warriors will flee naked on that day” (Amos 2:14–16).

- Isaiah pictures the same collapse: “Every man’s heart will melt… they will writhe like a woman in labor” (Isaiah 13:7–8). Jeremiah hears “a cry of panic… terror, not of peace” (Jeremiah 30:5).

- Zephaniah singles out the “mighty” because society often assumes the powerful are immune. God flips that assumption: the stronger they seem, the louder their lament.

- Lessons:

• Human power offers no refuge from divine justice.

• Genuine security is found only in God’s mercy revealed in Christ (Romans 5:9).

• The bitterness of the mighty contrasts with the joy promised to the humble who seek the LORD (Zephaniah 2:3).

Zephaniah 1:14 piles urgency upon urgency: the Day is “near,” it is “coming quickly,” and we must “listen.” God’s warning is clear—His judgment is inevitable and His timetable is short. Those who heed His voice find safety in His grace; those who trust their own strength discover too late that even the mighty weep. The passage calls every generation to sober reflection, wholehearted repentance, and confident hope in the saving work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who alone turns the bitter cry of judgment into everlasting joy.