The document discusses the minor prophets of the Old Testament. It defines them as the 12 shorter prophetic books that are often overlooked compared to the major prophets. It provides background on some of the individual minor prophets, such as their occupations and the historical time periods they prophesied. While called "minor," the document emphasizes they were not minor in importance or message. It encourages studying the minor prophets because they are part of God's word, quoted in the New Testament, can teach from history, and show how God has acted and will act.

1. TONIGHT:
Why study the minor prophets?

2. What are the minor prophets?

Short answer: The books we never study

Old Testament

5 Books of Law

12 Books of History

5 Books of Poetry

5 Major Prophets

12 Minor Prophets

3. Who are the minor prophets?

Lesser known – from all walks of life

Joel – a priest

Habbakuk – a Levite

Micah – simple villager

Amos – a shepherd

Zephaniah – great grandson of Hezekiah

4. Who are the minor prophets?

We know very little about some of them

Obadiah

Some we know well -

Jonah and the whale

Some cover a very short span of time

Haggai covers about 4 months

5. Why are they called “minor”?

NOT minor in inspiration

NOT minor in importance

NOT minor in significance

MINOR in size of their writings in relation to
Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel

In the Hebrew Bible it was one book – “The
Writings of the Twelve”

6. Why are they called “minor”?

Important in content

Luke 12:29-30 – mentions Jonah

Habakkuk 2:4 – Just shall live by faith

Micah – Jesus born in Bethlehem

Hosea – Jesus would go to Egypt

Zechariah – betrayed for 30 pieces of silver

Malachi – John the Baptizer coming to prepare
the way for Christ

7. Where do they fit in history?

They span from the 9th to 5th century BC

Three major groups

Assyrian Period – during the fall of the northern
kingdom of Israel

Obadiah, Joel, Jonah, Hosea, Amos, Micah, Naham

8. Where do they fit in history?

They span from the 9th to 5th century BC

Three major groups

Assyrian Period – during the fall of the northern
kingdom of Israel

Babylonian Period – Before and during the
Babylonian Captivity

Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Haggai

9. Where do they fit in history?

They span from the 9th to 5th century BC

Three major groups

Assyrian Period – during the fall of the northern
kingdom of Israel

Babylonian Period – Before and during the
Babylonian Captivity

Persian Period – The 2nd half of their captivity and
their return to rebuild the temple and Jerusalem

Zechariah, Malachi

10. Why study the minor prophets?

They are part of God's Word

11. Why study the minor prophets?

They are part of God's Word

Often quoted in the New Testament

12. Why study the minor prophets?

They are part of God's Word

Often quoted in the New Testament

They are unfamiliar to us

13. Why study the minor prophets?

They are part of God's Word

Often quoted in the New Testament

They are unfamiliar to us

To learn from history or repeat it

14. Why study the minor prophets?

They are part of God's Word

Often quoted in the New Testament

They are unfamiliar to us

To learn from history or repeat it

Learn how God judges a nation

15. Why study the minor prophets?

They are part of God's Word

Often quoted in the New Testament

They are unfamiliar to us

To learn from history or repeat it

Learn how God judges a nation

See how God acted in the past – A
measure of how God will act in the
future