Zephaniah's references to the coming of the Day of Yahweh anticipate in some respects the development of the eschatological and apocalyptic ideas that play such important roles in the centuries preceding the beginning of the Christian era. Because the concept of a just god who is supreme over the nations of the earth implies the giving of rewards and punishments commensurate with the deeds of the people, the question of when and how this reckoning would take place received more and more attention on the part of prophets and teachers.
The Book of Nahum, which describes in exquisite language the fall of the city of Nineveh, contains no lofty religious sentiments. Its inclusion in the Old Testament has led to various interpretations of the imagery used in the poem. When these expressions are given a symbolic rather than a literal meaning, it is possible to read into the poem whatever one wishes to find. However, interpretations of this kind are legitimate only when the context indicates that the writer intended the work to be used that way. Nahum's poem does not indicate that he is talking about anything other than the destruction of the city responsible for so many of the woes inflicted on the Hebrew people.
The problem of injustice that troubled Habakkuk became even more acute during the centuries that followed his life. The earlier prophets' teaching that the calamities that befall a nation should be regarded as punishments for its sins was questioned more and more in light of observed experiences. The strong, powerful nations were not more righteous than the ones that were subservient to them. A righteous person often suffered the most unjust treatment, while the wicked person enjoyed comforts and prosperity. No final solution to the problem was ever found, but Habakkuk's statement that "the righteous will live by his faith" has inspired some of the most important movements in religious history.
