The minor prophets

THE MINOR PROPHETS

OBADIAH

EDOM/MT.

ESAUZION

OBADIAH

• Obadiah= “Servant of Yahweh”

• Possible Dates:

• 845 BC- the Days of Jehoram (2 Chron. 21:8-10, 16-17)

• 586 BC- the Deportation of Babylon• History of Edom:

• Descendants of Esau, Jacob’s twin brother• Sibling Rivalry to National Struggle

• Strife between brothers (Gen. 25:22-26; Gen. 25:27-34; Gen. 27)

• National strife (Num. 20:14-21).

LESSONS FROM OBADIAH

• Pride goes before destruction (Prov. 16:18)

• Do not rejoice when your enemy falls (Prov. 24:17-18)

• Do not mistreat your brethren (1 Cor. 8:12• You reap what you sow (Gal. 6:7-8)

JOEL• “Jehovah is God”

• Date: 830 BC- 400 BC ?

• Outline:

1. The Judgment against Judah and the Day of the Lord (1:1-2:17)

1. Locust invasion: forerunner of the day of the Lord (1:1-20)

2. Army invasion: the arrival of the day of the Lord (2:1-17)

2. The Mercy of the Lord and Judgment against the Nations (2:18-3:21)

1. Mercy: The Lord responds by restoring his people (2:18-32)

2. Judgment: The Lord’s judgment against the nations and his dwelling with his people (3:1-21)

JOEL“DAY OF THE LORD”

LESSONS FROM JOEL

• The value of natural calamities

• The nature of true repentance

• The nature of God

• Gracious • Merciful

• The Day of the Lord can be averted

JONAH:• Jonah: “Dove”

• Jonah is also mentioned in 2 Kings 14:23-25• Date:

• He prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam II (ca. 793-753 B.C.)

• Nineveh was the capital of Assyria

• It was located about 220 NNW of the present city of Baghdad

• The Assyrians were noted for their cruelty, especially to prisoners

JONAH: OUTLINE

1. Jonah forsakes his mission (1:1-2:10)

2. Jonah fulfills his mission (3:1-4:11)

JONAH: OUTLINE

I. "RUNNING AWAY FROM GOD" (1:1-17)

1. God commissions Jonah to preach in Nineveh - 1:1-2

2. Jonah rebels against God's plan - 1:3

3. God has a plan for Jonah - 1:4-17

a. He sends "a great wind on the sea" - 1:4-16

b. He prepares "a great fish" - 1:17

 II. "RUNNING TO GOD" (2:1-10)

1. Jonah's prayer - 2:1-9

2. Jonah's deliverance - 2:10 

JONAH: OUTLINEIII. "RUNNING WITH GOD" (3:1-10)

1. The Lord again commissions Jonah to preach in Nineveh - 3:1-2

2. Jonah obeys and proclaims God's message - 3:3-4

3. The people of Nineveh are moved to repent, including the king

- 3:5-9

4. The Lord takes notice, and relents of the disaster He had

intended to bring - 3:10

JONAH: OUTLINE IV. "RUNNING AHEAD OF GOD" (4:1-11)

1. Jonah vents his anger - 4:1-4

a. Angry because he knew that God would relent - 4:1-2

b. So angry that he desires to die - 4:3-4

2. God uses a plant, a worm, and a hot east wind to teach Jonah

- 4:5-11

a. A plant to provide shade for Jonah - 4:5-6

b. A worm to destroy the plant - 4:7

c. A vehement east wind that with the sun exhausts Jonah - 4:8

3. God uses the plant to teach Jonah an object lesson - 4:9-11

a. Jonah is angry about the plant - 4:9

b. Shouldn't he have similar pity on Nineveh? - 4:10-11

JONAH: MAP

JONAH: MAP

JONAH

AMOS: INTRO• Date: Amos 1:1

• “In the days of Uzziah (791-739 B.C.) king of Judah and Jeroboam (II) the son of Joash (796 B.C.)

• “2 years before the earthquake”• 760, 755 BC?

• Who was Amos?

• A shepherd from Tekoa (1:1)• Not a professional (7:14-15)

• Outline:

• A series of "oracles" concerning sin and judgment of eight nations (ch. 1-2)

• A series of "sermons" concerning the sin and judgment of Israel (ch. 3-6)

• A series of "visions" regarding the sin and judgment of Israel (ch. 7-9)

AMOS

“For three transgressions and for four”

PLUMB LINE

HOSEA: INTRO• Date: Hosea 1:1

• In the Days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah; (791-687 BC).

• In the days of Jeroboam II (753-746 BC)• Probably started late in Jeroboam and Uzziah’s reigns and ended early in

Hezekiah’s reign. • 750-725 B.C. (Intro to the OT- 715 BC).

• Contemporaries:• Amos- Israel• Isaiah and Micah- Judah

• Who Was Hosea?

• Son of Beeri (1:1)• Possibly a preist? • Husband of Gomer (1:3), Father of Jezreel (1:4), Lo-Ruhamah (1:6); Lo-Ammi

(1:8-9); His basic message will be illustrated through his family• Outline:

• Object Lesson: Hosea’s Family (1:1–3:5)• Hosea Spells Out His Parable with Accusations, Warnings, and Promises (4:1–

14:9)

HOSEA

GOD

SINHARLOTRY

ISRAEL

CHPS 1-3: CHIASTIC STRUCTURE• Examples of chiastic structures are the A,B,C...C,B,A

pattern or A, B, B1, A1 pattern.

A. n 1:2-9 – Literal Marriage FrameworkHosea and Gomer: The Children of Literal Harlotry

B. 1:10-2:1 – Spiritual Marriage: Future Redemption FrameYaweh and Israel: The Children of Spiritual Harlotry Restored

C. 2:2-13 – Spiritual Marriage: Present Infidelity and PunishmentYaweh and Israel: The Judgment of the Spiritual Harlot

B-1. 2:2-14-23 – Spiritual Marriage: Future Redemption FrameYahweh and Israel: The Spiritual Harlot Herself Restored

A-1. 3:1-5 – Literal Marrriage FrameworkHoseah and Gomer: The Literal Harlot Redeemed

HOSEA

GOD

SINHARLOTRY

PATIENCEMERCY LOVE

ISRAEL

“MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE” • The Bible possesses the power of:

• A lack of knowledge has always destroyed the people of God- Hos. 4:6

• But the YOUNG can keep their ways pure by the Word of God- Ps. 119:9

• And the ELDERS were exhorted to keep the church by the Word- Acts 20:28-32

• The Bible possesses the power of “Salvation” and “Condemnation”

• Received properly, it can save our souls! - James 1:21• It will be the standard by which we will be judged - John

12:48

SUGGESTIONS FOR BIBLE STUDY • SET A REGULAR TIME!

• PRAY AS YOU STUDY!

• USE A “SPOTTER”

• UTILIZE VARIOUS HELPS

• REFERENCE WORKS AND BIBLES• VINES DICTIONARY• HOLMAN BIBLE DICTIONARY• ESV STUDY BIBLE (CROSSWAY)• NASB STUDY BIBLE (ZONDERVAN)

• ONLINE TOOLS• ESWORD (FREE DOWNLOADABLE VERSION)• BIBLEGATEWAY.COM• EXECUTABLEOUTLINES.COM (MARK COPELAND-

SUBJECTS STUDIES).

MICAH: INTRO• “Micah”: means “who is like Yahweh” (7:18)

• Date:

• During the reign of these Judean kings; Jotham (750–735 b.c.), Ahaz (735–715), and Hezekiah (715–687).

• Around 735-700 B.C.• Outline:

• The coming judgment, with a promise of restoration - Mic 1: 1-2:13

• God's condemnation of Israel, with a glimpse of the future hope – Mic 3:1-5:15

• God's indictment of Israel, with a plea for repentance and promise of forgiveness – Mic 6:1-7:20

• Summary: Present judgment, future blessing

MICAHPRESENT

JUDGMENT FUTURE

BLESSING

DELIVERER FROM BETHLEHEM

THE MINOR PROPHETS

REVIEW

OBADIAH

EDOM/MT.

ESAUZION

JOEL“DAY OF THE LORD”

JONAH

AMOS

“For three transgressions and for four”

GOD

SINHARLOTRY

ISRAEL

HOSEA

GOD

SINHARLOTRY

PATIENCEMERCY LOVE

ISRAEL

MICAH

PRESENT

JUDGMENT FUTURE

BLESSING

MICAHPRESENT

JUDGMENT FUTURE

BLESSING

DELIVERER FROM BETHLEHEM

ZEPHANIAH: INTRO• “zephaniah”: means “Yahweh has hidden/protected” (2:3)

• Descendant of king Hezekiah? (1:1)

• Date:

• During the days of Josiah (good king of Judah)• 640-609 B.C. • Prophesied to Judah alone, following the downfall of the northern

kingdom Israel• Contemporaries: Jeremiah, Nahum, Habakkuk

• A good summary:

• 1:1-2:3 Look within (examine sinful self and repent)• 2:4-3:7 Look around (consider punishment of nations- understand

that punishment is coming)• 3:8-20 Look beyond (future blessing)

• Theme: Day of the Lord

ZEPHANIAH:

• WITHIN

• AROUND

• BEYOND LOOK!

THE DAY OF THE LORD:

• JUDGMENT AGAINST THE WICKED • VINDICATION FOR THE RIGHTEOUS

NAHUM• “Nahum” meant “comfort”/ “consolation.”

• Date: 664/3-612 B.C.

• During Zephaniah and Jeremiah

• Theme: Destruction of Nineveh, Deliverance for Judah.

NAHUM

Comfort

NINEVEH