Minor Prophets, Major Power
Lesson 1 Background and Survey OT Prophecy
Habakkuk 3:16 When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips
quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in
myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the
people, he will invade them with his troops. 17
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the
vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat;
the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the
stalls: 18 Yet I will rejoice in the
LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19
The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet,
and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.
The Old Testament Books of Prophecy
The OT concludes with 17 books of prophecy, beginning with
Isaiah. These represent the ministries of 16 men of God who warned, exhorted,
and encouraged a divided Israel and Judah in the troubled 400-year period of
their decline, downfall, exile, and restoration:
Event or Person(s)
|
Date(s)
|
Historical Record
|
Israel and Judah divide
|
931 b.c.
|
|
Elijah and Elisha (major "nonwriting" prophets)
|
875-800
|
|
The 16 "writing" prophets (Isaiah-Malachi)
|
850-450
|
2 Kings
8-Nehemiah
|
The OT canon divides the prophetic books into the four
longer or "major" prophets (including Lamentations), which are in
chronological order, followed by the 12 "minor" prophets, whose
chronology is less exact.
Following are the approximate dates of each prophet's ministry:
Obadiah (850-840 b.c.)
Joel (835-796)
Jonah (790-760)
Amos (760-750)
Hosea (760-720)
Isaiah (740-690)
Micah (740-690)
Fall of northern kingdom (Israel) (722)
Nahum (630-612)
Zephaniah (632-621)
Habakkuk (612-605)
Jeremiah (627-580)
Fall of southern kingdom (Judah), exile (586)
Lamentations (586)
Ezekiel (592-570)
Daniel (580-536)
First return of exiles from Babylon (538)
Haggai (520)
Zechariah (520-480)
Second and third returns from Babylon (457 and 445)
Malachi (430) - Willmington's Bible Handbook.
The Twelve Minor Prophets
The Books - List the 12 minor prophets.
Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk,
Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Why are they called “minor?”
Title originated in Augustine’s time (late 14th century) and
refers to their size in comparison to the larger books of prophesy.
How does the Hebrew Bible title these books?
They are considered as one book and entitled “The Twelve.” Originally,
they were contained in one scroll.
Reason for Prophets
God uses prophets in four ways.
Instruction of the great truths about God and man.
Warning and appeal to those living in sin.
Comfort and exhortation to those trusting and obeying God.
Predictions of events to comes.
Three Groups of Minor Prophets
Prophets of Israel from 931 to 722 BC
Jonah, Amos, Hosea
Prophets of Judah from 931 to 586 BC
Obadiah, Joel, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk
Post-Exilic Prophets (after the restoration of Judah)
Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Main Subjects of Prophets
Instruction and Exhortation (forthtelling)
Prediction and Exhortation (foretelling)
The Four Prophetic Points
Two Messianic Themes
The suffering Messiah (Zech 13:7)
The Reigning Messiah (Zech 14:9,16)
Why were the prophets not aware that there were two comings
separated by thousands of years?
God did not grant them that knowledge. They saw the events
but not the amount of time in which those events would transpire.
The Minor Prophets are more frequently quoted in the New
Testament than the Major Prophets.
Story of Jonah – Mat 16:4; Luke 11:30; Mat 12:39-41
Amos 9:11-12 – Act 15:16-17
Hosea 1:9-10 – Rom 9:25; 1Pet 2:10
10:8 – Luke 23:30 11:1 – Mat 2:15 6:2 – 1 Cor 15:4
13:14 – 1Cor 15:55; 6:6 – Mat 9:13; 12:7
Conclusion
The “Minor Prophets” are minor only in the amount of writing
they did in comparison to Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel. The themes they expound
and the sins they condemn are powerful and just as relevant today as they were
when Israel and Judah were turning from God.
In our nation today we need to hear the words of men like
the minor prophets. Men who are not afraid to say, Thus sayeth the Lord and
without apology speak the truth of God’s judgment against sin and His mercy to
forgive if those who hear will but repent.
Well done Brother!
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