The “Minor Prophets”
Friday, September 14th, 2007The “Minor Prophets”
The last twelve books of the Bible were grouped together as a unit in ancient times. While their order has had some variation, these twelve books were often found together on a single scroll. As early as 190 BC, these books were referred to as a unit that was comparable to Isaiah or Jeremiah or Ezekiel. Augustine was the first to refer to them as the “Minor Prophets” only because the length of the books is much shorter than the other larger prophetic books. Certainly the message of each book is as important as any other prophetic book. As you read these short books, I will try to place in the overviews found below a date range and audience for you. That way you can place each book in the proper historical setting.
[A funny side note here is that when I was a youth in my church, we had two basketball teams because we had too many youth for a single team. We called the older taller team the “Major Prophets” and the young shorter boys the “Minor Prophets.”]
Hosea
Hosea is the first of the so-called “Minor Prophets.” Hosea’s ministry took place in the middle of 700 BC. He followed Amos and identified the enemy of Israel as Assyria. He prophesied for 38 years and is the only prophet who writes a Biblical book to come from the northern kingdom of Israel. While his message concerns the northern kingdom, his book is dated from the references to the Kings of Judah found in the book. This suggests that the book was written in Judah some time after the fall of Samaria in 722 BC. All we know about Hosea is found in his book. We cannot be sure he actually wrote the book that contains his prophecy. The time of Hosea is the turbulent time leading up to the fall of the northern kingdom. Six kings reign in 25 years, one following another in bloodshed. God, as judgment for their sins, brings on this punishment.
In chapters 1-3, Hosea is commanded to marry an adulterous wife named Gomer. They have three children whose names represent the judgment message of God. Like the books we have completed, this marriage represents God’s relationship with Israel. When she is driven from the house, Hosea is commanded to go and bring her back and restore and love her even in the face of her unfaithfulness. All of this is a symbolic representation of God and his love for the covenant people of Israel. The last chapters of the book detail Israel’s unfaithfulness with foreign Canaanite gods and Hosea’s call for the people to return and acknowledge God and seek repentance and forgiveness. Even in the face of Israel’s apostasy, God cannot turn his back on his covenant people; his love endures.
Joel
Not much is known of Joel. He is mentioned in his book and in the book of Acts. Because his concern is mainly about Judah, it is likely that he lived in that area and probably wrote there as well. Unfortunately, there is no internal evidence to point to a date for this book. It is probably written in the 9th century but scholars disagree. In any event, it is probably written prior to the fall of Judah to Babylon in 586 BC. The locust plague and the drought are viewed by some commentators as symbolic. Others believe that there was a real locust plague and drought that simply were forerunners to the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon. Again we have a prophet that delivers a heavy word of judgment that will be followed by restoration.
Amos
Amos was not a priest or member of the court as some prophets were, but worked with flocks and sycamore and fig trees. Even though Amos was not trained as a prophet, he had a vast knowledge of international events and the Law of God. He lived in Judah but was mainly called to prophecy to the northern kingdom of Israel in Bethel. He prophesied around 760 to 750 BC during the reign of Uzziah (Judah) and Jeroboam II (Israel). While Amos spoke to the nation during a time of prosperity and wealth, his message was one of judgment and warning. God was about to punish Israel for her idolatry. The nation had mixed their God-given faith in with Canaanite practices. If the nation did not repent, God would bring his hand of wrath upon her. Amos is also concerned with Israel’s lack of social justice, which was an outgrowth of an upright life. Amos points out that God will judge Israel just as he does the pagan nations. He is sovereign over all.
Obadiah
We do not know anything about Obadiah except from this book. His name is a common Old Testament name, which means “servant of the Lord.” Dating this book is also difficult since we have no specific information within the book to be exact. However, because the book discusses the fall of Jerusalem by the Edomites, it must be dated either in 853-841 BC, when Jerusalem was attacked by the Arabs and Philistines, or about 586 BC when the Edomites participated with the Babylonians in the destruction of Jerusalem. The later date seems most likely since there is a great parallel with a Jeremiah passage from that time. While written to the people of Judah, it addresses the Edomites who are proud of their participation in Judah’s destruction. God promises judgment on them. They are related to the people of Judah but have not helped them, and instead played a role in Judah’s fall. As part of God’s judgment on the nations, he will bring punishment on Edom for their sin. Obadiah wants to assure the people of Judah that God is bringing his justice to Edom for them.
Jonah
Jonah is perhaps the best-known “Minor Prophets” book. We have all studied the story of Jonah and the whale from the time we were children. The author of the book is unknown, although tradition supports that the author was the prophet himself. We do know that Jonah was a prophet during the reign of Jeroboam II. He prophesied great military blessings on Jeroboam. Since the story revolves around Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, we should probably date the book before that city’s destruction in 612 BC. Jonah prophesied between 800 BC and 750 BC.
Many scholars doubt the historicity of the book because of the story. It has been viewed as a parable or allegory. However, it should be read as an historic narrative. Jesus adds validity to this interpretaion by referencing Jonah during his ministry. The message of the book is that God’s mercy and grace are universal. Jonah suffers from a nationalism that was felt by most Jews. In receiving a call to brings God’s call to repentance to Nineveh, Jonah runs from God and experiences God’s judgment on himself. God is sovereign over the entire world as Jonah found out.
Micah
The Prophet Micah was from a city south of Jerusalem. He was a contemporary of Isaiah and preached sometime between 750 BC and 686 BC. His message is one of God’s promises to bring judgment on Israel and Judah for their sin and idolatry. He promises punishment, but also calls for repentance to delay judgment. God again promises to restore his covenant. The book is arranged in cycles of prophecies of doom and hope, each beginning with the Hebrew word “to hear” or “listen.” Micah sees that salvation for Jerusalem from Sennacherib and Assyria depends on repentance of sin. At the very last moment, Hezekiah does repent and Jerusalem is saved from the Assyrian army. From a literary standpoint, Micah is like Isaiah in that he uses vivid language.
Nahum
Nahum is our next “Minor Prophets” book. We know nothing of Nahum except his hometown and even that we are not even certain of the location. His name means “comforter.” Nahum ministered to Judah sometime between the fall of Thebes in 663 BC and the fall of Nineveh in 612 BC. He was a prophet during the reign of Josiah in Judah and was a contemporary of Jeremiah and Zephaniah. He prophesies that the fall of Nineveh is close at hand. His work is to bring comfort to Judah by telling of the judgment that is about to come to Nineveh and the Assyrians. His book is poetic and judicial in nature. It is interesting that in 1:1, the book is called both an “oracle concerning Nineveh” and “the vision of Nahum.” It is a judgment on Nineveh and a vision of comfort and hope for the people of Judah. Nahum proclaimed God’s sovereignty and rule over all of history. History is truly His story.
Habakkuk
We don’t know much about Habakkuk except that he probably ministered in Judah around 605 BC. This date makes him a contemporary with Jeremiah. Habakkuk is a unique book. In the three chapters that make up the book, Habakkuk is having a discussion with God. In this one on one dialogue, Habakkuk represents the faithfulness of Judah in questioning what God is doing. In chapter one he asks God how he can allow the evil in Judah to go unpunished. After God answers that he will judge them by use of the Babylonians, Habakkuk asks how God can use the wickedness of the Babylonians if he is just. Again God answers in that he will judge all wickedness. The book closes with a beautiful confession by Habakkuk. He is consumed by his Holy God and hates the sinfulness he sees all around him. When he finally comes to see God’s providential guidance of history, Habakkuk is overwhelmed with praise and joyfulness.
Zephaniah
Our next book is the prophecy of Zephaniah. We know from the book that this man was very familiar with the royal court and was probably related to the former king Hezekiah. He ministered in Judah sometime between 640 BC and perhaps as late as 609 BC. This dating would make his ministry come during the first stages of Josiah’s reign. His contemporaries would have been Jeremiah, Nahum, and maybe even Habakkuk. In his message of “the day of the Lord,” he pronounced that God was about to judge the wickedness of his people. In all probability, he prophecies before the fall of Nineveh in 612 BC, which would mean that he was at work early in Josiah’s reign. If this is the case, the Lord’s word through Zephaniah may have helped bring about the reformation that Josiah brought to the nation, including the reading of the law that was found in the temple. Like the other prophets, he ends his message of judgment and doom with the hope of restoration in time.
Haggai
Haggai is the second shortest book in the Old Testament but it carries a big message. We know from his book the very year and even the very day that he begins to minister. According to 1:1, he starts to prophecy in 520 BC, the second year of the reign of Darius. His message was delivered along with that of Zechariah to the exiles that had returned to Jerusalem. Remember that in 538 BC, the Jews had begun to return to Jerusalem under the order of King Cyrus. They had begun to rebuild the temple and after two years had finished the foundation, but work halted when complaints against the rebuilding had risen up from the Samaritans. It did not begin again until Darius confirmed Cyrus orders in 522 BC. Haggai and Zechariah spoke to the Jews to encourage them to be faithful to God. His message was one that told of blessings for faithfulness and blessings withheld for unfaithfulness. His message is broken into four sections. He believes that the unwillingness to complete the temple was a sign of a lack of zeal for God himself. Haggai speaks of the Messiah as one who will bring great glory and peace back to God’s people. Some believe that Haggai actually witnessed the destruction of Solomon’s temple by Babylon which would make him at least 70 when he ministered.
Zechariah
Like Haggai, Zechariah ministers in 520 BC in the second year of the reign of King Darius. His audience is the returning exiles from the Babylonian captivity. Like Ezekiel and Jeremiah, Zechariah was both a prophet and priest. He was the head of the priestly family. He had returned to Jerusalem in 538 BC and ministered with Haggai in encouraging the people to rebuild the temple. His ministry dates from about 520 BC to perhaps as late as 465 BC. He most likely wrote the entire book but liberal scholarship believes that a different writer wrote chapters 9-14. Zechariah is, in part, apocalyptic literature with visions that are similar to Daniel and Ezekiel. An interesting side note is that in 2:12, Judah is called the “holy land.” This is the only place in all of Scripture where this designation is used.
Malachi
Our final Old Testament book is Malachi. The author was probably the prophet as well. His ministry takes place during the time of Nehemiah. Ezra returned to Jerusalem in 458 BC with more exiles. In 445, Nehemiah, who was cupbearer to the king of Persia, returned to Jerusalem as governor. The walls are rebuilt under his leadership. Nehemiah returns to the service of the king in 433 BC but returns again later to be governor again. During his absence, the exiles again fall back into sin. Malachi preaches against these sins found in both Malachi and Nehemiah. His time period is probably during Nehemiah’s return to Persia. The Jews had not seen a glorious re-establishment of their nation and they failed to take their faith seriously which led to great sinfulness. Malachi speaks against their doubt of God’s love for them and their loss of hope. The Messiah is coming and he will judge all the earth.