The Prophets – Major and Minor There are 17 prophetical books in the Old Testament classified into 2 divisions: The Major and The Minor. Their classification has nothing to do with their individual value as a person or as a prophet or the value of their messages but is solely due to the relative length of the contents of the book. Below you will see the names of the prophets under which division they are under and the Hebrew meanings of their names.
3 Prophets preceded the classical prophets and they are Moses, Samuel & Elijah. The classical prophets addressed all people and some are literary and non-literary prophets. Informed them of God’s wrath against their sin. They foretold the coming judgement of God as a warning and call for repentance and proclaimed God’s salvation to all who would turn unto Him. They are messengers of God not fortune tellers or crazy strange people as media tells us. They are strongly devoted to God and a great sense of calling from God for ministry in declaring truth (Cf. Deut. 13:1-13), revealed future by use of different literary or oral methods to communicate their messages. As we study the Old Testament prophets we can understand why one of Jesus’ offices is that He is also a Prophet of God for He displayed the same qualities. We can even say that the classical prophets, at least some of them were a type of Christ to give us a foreshadowing of the coming ministry of Jesus (Cf. Deut. 18:15 & Jn. 1:45)
Isaiah 740-690 B.C Isaiah prophesied in the time when North Israel had less than 20 years left before Assyria would overtake them. Isaiah prophesied to the Southern kingdom of Israel which is Judah to warn them of the coming destruction if they continue to rebel against God. Though Judah was relatively better than the N. Kingdom who were filled with so many evil kings compared to theirs. However God saw otherwise and sent Isaiah to proclaim His message of Suffering and Future Glory. God called Isaiah to speak of the Sins of Judah, Sovereignty of God as well the Salvation from the Messiah. As we read the book of Isaiah we should reflect how we may have sinned against God as individuals and as a nation. The sins of the ancient world are still prevalent and even stronger in our times and if we are not careful we will be like the nations that God have already judged in the past. So while there is time, let us hear Isaiah’s call for repentance and salvation in Jesus Christ and look ahead to the coming millennial reign of the Lord.
Jeremiah 627-586 B.C. His prophetical ministry was at the latter part of King Josiah’s reign who took the initiative for a spiritual reform. When King Josiah died, Judah rebelled against the Lord and followed the religious customs of the pagans surrounding them. And so from the time of Jehoahaz up to the reign of Zedekiah. A unique trait of Jeremiah is that he is both compassionate and courageous. What we can learn from Jeremiah is that as men who are entrusted the handling and preaching the very words of the LORD, we are called to: 1) Discover the Truth and ideals of God. We ought to this so that we can first reflect it to ourselves and 2) To relay the Truth and ideals of God to the people and help them apply & understand it. As a pastor, preacher, evangelist, teacher, elder or bible study group leader it is your responsibility to never mishandle the words of the Lord by carefully seeking first God and studying the scriptures. As a worker of the Lord, we ought to devote ourselves to Him because the eternity of our people depends on hearing the words of God. Lamentations (A Literary Work of the Prophet Jeremiah) I personally like Jeremiah and somehow I have seen myself in him in the past, because of the similarities of our personality and calling. Sometimes as Christians we get sad, frustrated and a little helpless when we are trying to bring the good news of God to other people most especially to our loved-ones. We are even willing to suffer for them if needed and not abandon them. However the work of God sometimes take its toll on us that we feel neglected, weak and hopeless. Sometimes the victory is still on its way and we are having a hard time enduring against sin. But the Lord said He is faithful, and if we are faithful God will keep His promise of reward for us in Christ Jesus. In enduring the times where it seems God has not heard or times when everything seems in vain, I am still trying to learn how to trust God more and not give in to doubts and impatience but I know the Lord is our Comforter and He is faithful in keeping us to the very end even when the people around us are falling away from Him. Ezekiel 597-571 B.C. Ezekiel was a priest and was part of the exiles living in Babylon in 597 B.C. as part of Jehoiachin’s deportation. The current king of Babylon at the time was Nebuchadnezzar and Ezekiel’s message was about the glory of God. Seeing God’s glory as a priest in exile under a very powerful king is quite unique and sets the theme that the book gives us. The book of Ezekiel should lead us to reverence and fear of the Lord and how he is greater than the kingdoms of the earth and their false gods. That they are all subject to his will whether they are aware of it or not. God being holy, does not dwell in sin and when the Lord’s Spirit departed from the Temple of Jerusalem it was to complete His judgement over their sins. But because God remains sovereign even when He judges His own chosen people, He promises the restoration of a better temple. Jesus in Matthew 26:61 pertains to Himself as this temple that is filled with fullness of God’s glory. For us in the New Testament we are to keep in mind that God’s character is that He is Holy and no sin does He leave unjudged whether the sins of His people or of His enemies. But in God’s holiness there is always a promise of restoration/salvation and we can find that in Jesus who is the Tabernacle of God, the Priest and the Perfect Offering that we may all have the chance to see that glory if we come to him faithfully knowing that He will defeat all false gods and live with us in peace. Daniel 605-536 B.C. Like Ezekiel, he was also a captive Israelite in Babylon though he may be years younger than the priest. He lived through the Neo-Babylonian Empire up to the coming of the Persians over the Babylonians. Daniel and his friends remained faithful to God in their keeping of the law though they were in the heart of the Babylonian governance. Daniel and his friends remained faithful at a time when it is most unsafe. One of the greatest stories of the Bible that I really look up to for courage & bravery in standing up for God is the faithfulness of Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego. They are my heroes of the faith, they were perfect in showing their fear of God even in their fear of the fire. They remained respectful of the king in their response but it was clear to which King they truly answered to –the LORD! And in spectacular fashion the Son of God appeared amongst them in the fire! Their faith in their weakness became the stronger testimony of God’s sovereignty, existence & presence in the life of the believer and it demands great honour, worship & respect even from an earthly king. I also liked Daniel’s story of faith when he was set down to the lion’s den. When I imagine myself in his position I intentionally wonder and ask myself the question “How would I be as they lower me down and feed me to the lions? Would I keep my faith in God or deny Him?” I want to say I won’t deny God but I have to be honest to myself and to God that I am weak compared to anyone especially to Daniel and his friends but at the same time I know I want to be like them someday. With God’s help I can be a faithful man wherever God takes me as long as God keeps me and we are together. Amen.
The book of Daniel also speaks of many apocalyptic prophesies. A separate study of the book is needed if we would like to go any further but it is a delight and at the same time sobering to read, study and get the whole picture of Daniel’s prophesies knowing that these are truths declared by God. There will be tough times ahead and as Christians it is best that we are prepared wearing the Armour of God. Below is an image of how Daniel’s vision of beasts & an idol may have looked like and what it represented.
Hosea 755-722 B.C. Hosea prophesied during the latter years of Jeroboam the 2nd (793-753 B.C.) and during the period of instability that followed immediately after (753-722 B.C.) This was a time when Israel as a whole nation was thriving agriculturally and territorially as Judah expanded its borders to the coast of Philistia. However during their economic prosperity they were becoming spiritually troubled and served other gods. God commands Hosea to marry a woman of whoredom as a way of prophesying the pain & hurt that God feels because of their spiritual adultery against the LORD who is their husband. Here we can see again just like in the Songs of Solomon that God sees Israel and now with the gentile believers as His bride. It’s difficult to imagine God experiencing the heartaches of seeing all of us every day turning away from Him in our idolatries. I’ve experienced something similar before and it was a devastating heartache that I’ve felt. But when I spoke to the Lord, He made me realize that the pain I felt towards that girl is almost the same as the pain that God feels towards us every time the people that He created and died for (Cf. Jn 3:16) blasphemes His name and treats Him with contempt but He treats us with so much grace that He can continue to love us and bless us and keep His promise to those who would return His love. Joel 835 B.C. Joel is one of the LORD’s prophets that ministered to Judah in the South. The content of the book of Joel will put it somewhere at the time of king Joash’s reign. This would then favour a date around 835 B.C. The prophet Joel is the prophet of the “Day of the Lord” (Ref. 1:15; 2:1,11,31; 3:14) Joel spoke of the coming judgement of God through a plague of locusts in his time and to a greater judgement of a greater scale in chapter 2. Joel teaches us that while there is time let us listen to the Lord. Let us hear His call before everything is too late. God can and will give us punishments if we are disobedient to Him or take Him for granted to stop us from what we are doing because God knows that if we continue on with our current rebellion we are walking towards death. God is holy and to choose to live outside of His holiness is impossible, because apart from the Lord there is no life. And God is jealous for us because He loves us that though He slay us for the time being, God also promises a day of blessing where He will save His people against those who attack them. Amos 760-753 B.C. Amos was a herdsman from Tekoa (Southern Kingdom) and prophesied approx. 760 BC during the latter time of Jeroboam the 2nd of the Northern Kingdom (and Uzziah of the South). This was 2 years before the great earthquake mentioned in chapter 1:1 and though the exact date of this earthquake is unknown, references were made centuries afterwards even in the book of Zechariah chapter 14 verse 5. It’s important to understand the background to build the context. Amos was not a formal prophet of his time, but during this time of economic prosperity he was called by God to minister to N.Israel to deliver a message of Indictment regarding social-injustices. Just like in our time, the Philippines claim to be a Christian country but ironically we are also one of the most corrupt countries in the world! As Bible believing Christians –just like Amos, we have a responsibility. We are to be the salt & light of our country, to teach the people what it really means to know the Lord not just in religiosity but in the fullness of the individual believer.
Obadiah 845 B.C. (or 586 B.C.)
The composition of Obadiah does not easily give us the date of it’s composition but since this is a book about the judgement of Edom, it may be from 845 B.C. recorded in 2 Kings 8:20-22 and 2 Chronicles 21:820 when Edom revolted against Judah making Obadiah a contemporary of Elisha. The Edomites were the descendants of Esau, it is located southeast of the Dead Sea. We should understand in this book of judgement that those who are living a life of wrong or taking advantage of people that are weak and unable to defend themselves, especially relatives and close neighbours, may flourish for a time being but God will eventually cut them off. Edom as a nation was relatively secure due to its location but God was saying no one is safe from Him. All of our deeds will be recompensed according to God’s omniscience and righteous judgements. So if we are victims of corrupt men or hardships because of other people, let us not grow weary of doing good.
Jonah 782 B.C.
In 2 Kings 14:25 a reference to Jonah and his ministry is made during the reign of Jeroboam the 2nd approx. around 793-753 B.C. This was a time when Assyria was a rising power and concerned the Northern Kingdom. By knowing these things we get the picture why Jonah was hesitant to go to Nineveh which is the capital city of the Assyrians. But you see the Israelites were a nation for a purpose. Israel was to show the LORD to the nations around them and lead people back to God but they failed. As Christians we are to remember who we are and what our purpose is. We are to take care of God’s name by being aware of how our actions and speeches may affect other people in their faith and coming to God. Our very lives should be the reflection of how true the Lord is in us and for the rest of us especially in dealing with out own personal weaknesses.
Micah 735-700 B.C.
The message of Micah’s prophecy is somehow similar to Amos’ but Micah specifically calls the attention of the corruption in the high offices. He prophesied in the 8th century B.C. duting the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah which probably been a helpful influence to the revival in Hezekiah’s day. Micah ministered in Moresheth, south-west of Jerusalem while Isaiah his contemporary ministered inside the city of Jerusalem. As Christian’s we are called to influence our government and even pray for our leaders. And if we are called and blessed we are to take initiative in taking action as part of the society in leading people back to God. As pastors and minsters we can do this by targeting leaders in the local and the national government by being organized first in our churches! We should be able to come to a unity as Christians so that we can become a strong unit of change in our towns and cities and eventually take back out government for God through the Gospel. Jesus said we are to make disciples (teach) and so we should as Joshua did in the land of Canaan.
Nahum 650 B.C. After Jonah’s outreach to Nineveh we come to the prophet Nahum’s ministry in delivering a message of judgement. Internal factors indicate that he prophesied between 661-612 B.C. The book contains 2 poems speaking of God’s moving in greatness and majesty and the other the description of Nineveh’s destruction. Nineveh was known for many bad things being the capital of Assyria. But in God’s judgement they were destroyed something that was difficult to expect but happened as prophesied when Babylon conquered them. In life there are chances that God gives us and in God’s grace we are forgiven. But for the generations to come or even for the individual believer who’s sins have now been cleansed, if they turn away the good that they have done will not be counted unto them (Cf. Ezekiel 3:17-21). Even though Nineveh repented at the time of Jonah, Nineveh at the time of Nahum was still destroyed for the sins of the people in his time. Habakkuk 609-605 B.C. It was written around the date 609-605 B.C. at the time of the Babylonian empire when Nebuchadnezzar established himself as a world leader with his victory in the battle of Carchemish. This is also the time when Jehoiakim reigned in Judah during these years before the Babylonians swept through Palestine in 610 B.C. Personally sometimes I am filled with so much weight that I feel that I need to just let it all out on God. Not doubting His goodness or realness but with just so much evil and unfairness I ask God why He continues to bless bad people or Christians who are not really serious in serving Him. But after I let all my emotions to God, I feel thankful that God is patient with a worm like me and that He does not destroy me or turn His back on me when I am filled with so much negativity against Him and my circumstances. I thank God that He can understand me and my weaknesses and works out the changes that needs to happen in the world and especially in me to become Christ-like and burn away the imperfections of my character. In the end God causes us to just be still and wait for His work and trust that He knows what He is doing. Zephaniah 640 B.C. He prophesied during the godly king of Judah that is Josiah, before the religious reforms of 621 B.C. to be exact. Like Joel, Zephaniah emphasized the Day of the Lord which usually pertains to a wide day of judgement from God followed by a time of blessing. This again sets the theme of darkness and light as the Jewish reckoning of day. Uniquely the judgement described in Zephaniah’s prophecy included animals as well as mankind. He prophesies the coming of the Chaldeans also known as Babylonians due to the severe baal worship done by the Israelites. The prophet urges the people to “seek the LORD” and as almost all prophets REPENTANCE is their common message, that the people are called to seek the LORD before His judgement comes and rightfully so! Let us never get tired and treat the call for repentance a common thing. It is the very thing that saves us from eternal punishment for us first and to the hearers of the Gospel we bring. As Christians we are ever called to come boldly to the throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy, to labour to enter God’s rest and not come short of it. And we should never feel complacent of our standing with the Holy God just because we were faithful in the past because God calls out commitment for eternity.
Haggai 520 B.C. Was a prophet during the time of the 2nd temple, it is best read with Ezra 1-6 where the Israelites started building the 2nd temple but halted for 16 yrs. Then came Haggai bringing a message of encouragement. His prophecy was about the encouragement of the people to fix their eyes on God’s work and away from a materialistic lifestyle that is a common thing now in our generation. But Haggai was also Christo-centric in that when the Israelites complained that though they obeyed they were still not experiencing God’s blessing, his answer was that God’s ultimate blessing for His people will be found in the coming of the Messiah. As believers we are guilty of looking at our physical realities especially when we need to provide for our family and this is very natural but God calls us to do the supernatural by entrusting physical realities to a Spiritual God. No natural man can do this but God encourages us this way because He has given us His Spirit to be able to look towards Him as Matthew 6:33 teaches us. Prayer: Lord it’s very easy to speak of trusting You when it is not us facing the troubles but Lord teach us to trust that You will provide for our needs and secure our future here on earth for the necessaries of earthly life. Encourage us Father and comfort us with the truthfulness of your promises that You will provide for our needs and that all of this will be made full in Jesus Christ and that we need not to worry. We say this because Lord, we are very weak and though we choose to soldier on for You, we are and will always remain dependent on You Lord. So please, do not forget us, forgive our sins against you and each other and please provide Your salvation for us in Jesus here on earth as it is in heaven. Amen Zechariah 520-518 B.C Zechariah is a contemporary of Zechariah and so the same historical back drop is what we take in context when reflecting on his ministry. Though Haggai and Zechariah prophesied at the same time, people and place their message was had its own focus towards a same goal: encouragement for God’s people to be faithful. Zechariah’s message was about his name, “God remembers”. He reminded the people that their faith is not in vain and that God is for them and is on their side even though it may not seem like it God is at work and always is. True enough as history tells us, many good (and bad) things happened after the time 2nd temple was built because God remained faithful to His people in showing them mercy and graciousness (and being holy and just at the same time; Cf. Intertestimental period). This also applies to us, personally, sometimes I doubt the Lord’s goodness because I don’t see Him working for me and I feel my work is in vain because I feel the Lord has turned His face and favour away from me. But in my mind and I guess with the Lord’s help He is still reminding me of His promises and for a weak person like me, I have no other choice and no one else to hold on to except the Lord because though I know life is hard as a Christian, it is even hard away from the Lord. That though life in this physical world with earthly needs is hard especially if we are being sanctified, I can not deny the reality that there is the LORD. I can not deny it, so whatever it is that we face regardless if me and my family can survive it or not. By God’s grace we will live and die for the name of the Lord because we can not deny Him. I have to believe His promises, because there is not other that gives true promises except Him. Because He is God alone. Amen
Malachi 433 B.C. The book of Malachi must be dated between Ezra and Nehemiah, after the time of Haggai and Zechariah around 433 B.C. as the normal religious practices of the Temple of God was again in operation. Malachi addressed the same issues that Nehemiah addressed in the last chapters of his book. Again the people of Israel acquired an indifferent attitude toward the worship ordinances of the Lord and intermarriage was an issue, coming from Babylon. The primary sins that were called out were Dishonouring God’s name in worship, withholding tithes and criticizing God and all of this is because Israel after coming from a harsh punishment of God and a delay in receiving God’s blessings felt cynical towards the Lord. In reality we are all guilty of this when we do not put God in the highest pedestal of our lives. When we spend time with the Lord or bring Him offerings sometimes if not often what we give is the extras. In our schedules we have become so preoccupied with the rat race of life and we have given in because we may have thought that serving God does not pay. We may have felt bitterness in our hearts towards the Lord thinking that He has been unfair with us and has forgotten us. Personally there are times, though not often, there are times when I am like this to the Lord. Where I feel hurt because I feel that God forgets to bless me when my heart is desires to give back to the Lord. But in times like this, I’d rather speak to the Lord plainly because it is better than keeping it inside. The book of Hebrews has taught me that I should come to the Lord because Jesus is our High-priest and we can talk to the LORD as our Father. I’m scared of God that He will punish me but I have to be honest with Him and tell Him what is bothering me because all I have is the Lord, to whom shall we run to? In all of this, though we are shaken and struck down at times in our pilgrimage, let’s just continue to ask the Lord for help because if we turn away from Him no one else will we find eternal life
References:
Thomas Nelson KJV Study Bible
Willmington's Guide to the Bible
Nelson’s Complete Book of Bible Maps & Charts
Encountering Biblical Studies: Encountering the Old Testament
Opening Up God’s Word: The Compact Survey of The Bible
An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophets
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