NOTES for Zep 3:15

The assertion of the prophet that Israel "shall not see evil any more", in a historical perspective it seems too optimistic. Indeed, this prediction, judging by what we know today about the prophet and his period, was connected to the collapse of the Assyrian empire, which brought in Judea (as, moreover, in all the Middle East) a lot of evil. But the historic misfortunes of Judeans and Jewish people as is known, are far from ending in it: in front was the Babylonian captivity, the conflict with the Samaritans and Persian authorities in the years of the restoration of Jerusalem and the Temple, the persecution of Antiochus Epiphany, finally, the disaster of 70 after J.C., ending the history of the old Judea.

It could have of course been possible to localize the prediction of Zephaniah in the time and take it only to this concrete situation, which developed in Palestine in the middle of VII s before J.C. when nothing really threatened the Judea directly. But then it would have been necessary to recognize that this prediction has only a historic interest. And however, the prophet sees not only a closer perspective; he also speaks about this trial, which will arrive at the people for the denial.

And the joy of getting rid of the terrible enemy turns out for him only a prototype of the celebration, which awaits those who resisted this trial to come. And unites them something already goes beyond the borders of the historical existence, as such: the presence of God among His people, which actually, makes of the Jewish people the people of God in all the sense of these words. Well then all the history becomes the history of this presence, the history of the revelation, current at all periods.