Minor Prophets
Title: Minor Prophets. Originally it was
one book – most likely “Book of Prophets” or “Book of 12” (cp. Acts 7:42-43).
Date of
writing: From Hosea
(8th century BC) to Malachi (5th century BC).
Structure:
|
Isaiah, the kingdom |
Jeremiah, social issues |
Ezekiel, Temple |
|
8th century BC |
6th century BC |
Late 6th – 5th century BC |
|
Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah |
Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah |
Haggai Zechariah Malachi |
The books of
the first block are daisy chained:
Hosea 14:7 – 1:5,9 Joel 3:16 – 1:2 Amos 9:12 – 1:1
Obadiah 1:19,20 – 1:1 Micah
`-> – 1:2 Jonah
Main
themes:
Test of
suspicious wife/bride – based on Num. 5:11-31. We begin with the marriage
between Hosea the prophet and a wife of whoredom as a symbol of unfaithfulness
of Israel to her Bridegroom – YHWH. The book of 12 ends with the discussion of
marriage and liturgical faithfulness in Malachi.
The Day of
the LORD. The term is more than a dozen times
just in the Book of the 12.
Reflection
in other parts of the Bible:
Triumphant
entry to Jerusalem – all Gospel writers build up on the prophesy of Zechariah
(9:9).
Stephen
(Steven) uses the abandonment of God by Israel as a pivotal point of his sermon
(7:42-43).
Paul uses
the statement from Habakkuk in Romans (1:17), Galatians (3:11), and in Letter
to Hebrews (10:38).
Lutheran
teaching:
A part of
Jonah’s prayer [2:8] is important in two confessional statements. First it used
to reinstitute the idea of justification by grace. Apology V (III):209/330
commenting on the verse says: that is, all confidence is empty, except
confidence in mercy. Mercy delivers us; our own merits, our own efforts, do not.
Then, second, Luther uses the same verse in his explanation of the Second
Commandment in his Large Catechism [LC, I:54]: but the greatest abuse occurs in
spiritual matters. They have to do with the conscience, when false preachers
rise up and offer their lying vanities as God’s Word.
Zech. 9:10
is an important passage in the discussion on the Person of Christ. Formula of
Concord, Solid Declaration VIII brings up the questions of His miracles during
earthly life [25] and the power He has after ascension to heaven where He rules
not like “any other saint… He rules from sea to sea and to the ends of the
earth, as the prophets predict” [27].
Lutheran
hymnody:
361 – O
Little Town of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)
462 – All
the Earth with Joy is Sounding (st. 1 He [Jesus], the greater Jonah)
Relevancy
of the Book:
Historical
prophesies are important for two reasons at least. First, seeing how they were
fulfilled gives us assurance that the Word of God is strong and inerrant. The LORD is going to complete what He decided. The blessings
will be bestowed, and discipline will be applied. Second, learning from the
saints of the past can give us wisdom and encouragement to be steadfast in the
midst of the troubles.
Memory
verses:
Hab. 2:4 – Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not
upright within him,
But
the righteous shall live by faith(-fulness).
Zech. 9:9 – Rejoice greatly. O daughter [of] Zion!
Shout aloud, o daughter [of] Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; Righteous
and having salvation is he, Humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal
of a donkey.
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