Chapter Twelve

The common title for these books is "minor prophets." This title originated in Augustine's time (late fourth-century A.D.). The books are "minor" only in the sense of being much shorter than such prophecies as Isaiah and Jeremiah (called "major prophets") instead of less important than the major prophets.

The Hebrew Bible (Law, Prophets, Writings) regards the twelve minor prophets as one book, and calls them simply "The Twelve." It was because of the books' brevity that the Jews in Old Testament times joined the twelve writings together into one scroll, so that the combined length was about the same as that of Isaiah or Jeremiah. Hence, it was very natural to consider them as one book, "The Twelve." This partly explains why the Hebrew Bible has a total of only twenty-four books, although those twenty-four are the exact equivalent of our thirty-nine.

In the English Bible, the minor prophets comprise twelve of the seventeen prophetic books. This is the order of the list of minor prophets in our English Bible:

It is unknown what originally determined the order of this list. There is a general chronological pattern as the first six books were written before the last six (see below chart).

(Source: Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament, Chicago: Moody Press, 1978 Edition, p. 394, by Irving L. Jensen)

As far as ministry is concerned, the twelve minor prophets may be identified as three groups:

When the books of the minor prophets are listed within each group in the chronological order of their writing, this is the order:

(Source: Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament, Chicago: Moody Press, 1978 Edition, p. 393, by Irving L. Jensen)

GROUP	BOOK	NO. OF CHAPTERS	TOTAL
1. PROPHETS OF ISRAEL	Jonah	4	27
	Amos	9
	Hosea	14
2. PROPHETS OF JUDAH	Obadiah	1	20
	Joel	3
	Micah	7
	Nahum	3
	Habakkuk	3
	Zephaniah	3
3. POST-EXILIC PROPHETS	Haggai	2	20
	Zechariah	14
	Malachi	4

Below are listed the dates of the reigns of Israel's kings and ministries of its prophets, between 798 and 713 B.C.:

(Source: Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament, Chicago: Moody Press, 1978 Edition, p. 395, by Irving L. Jensen)

Six of the twelve minor prophets ministered to the Southern Kingdom of Judah prior to the Babylonian Captivity. Below chart shows which kings were reigning over Judah during the times of these prophets. The shaded areas indicate the evil reigns; the unshaded areas, the righteous reigns.

(Source: Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament, Chicago: Moody Press, 1978 Edition, p. 420, by Irving L. Jensen)

Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi were the last writing prophets to minister to Israel in Old Testament times. They are called post-exilic prophets because they served after the Jews had returned to Canaan from exile in Babylon. The historical books which have the same setting as the post-exilic prophets are Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther. Therefore, it will be helpful to review the backgrounds of those books.

The messages of the minor prophets are generally the same as that of the major prophets, since their ministries were similar as to time, place, and people. Many chapters deal with sin, warning and judgment, but they do so because that is the very setting of God's Good News of redemption. There is a positive, bright evangel in every book of "The Twelve." The utterances of the prophets, for the most part, centered around four points in history:

The story of Jonah is one of the clearest demonstrations of God's love and mercy for all mankind. This universal love is a foundational truth of the whole Bible, taught by the most quoted verse, John 3:16. By studying Jonah before studying the other minor prophets, we will see the full view first - God's love for Gentile and Jew - and this will put the later studies about Israel and Judah in proper perspective.

The traditional view is that Jonah wrote this book about himself. The fact that the narrative does not use the first-person pronoun does not preclude this. Hebrew authors (e.g., Moses) often wrote autobiography in the style of third-person biography.

The book was written toward the end of Jonah's career, around 770 B.C. Liberal theologians usually date the book of Jonah at about 400 B.C.. They ordinarily discount the book's historical framework, treating it as an elaborate allegory in which the author uses religious symbolism to present his message:

In conclusion, any typical significance we may see in the story should be interpreted on the basis of the historical account.

Controversy concerning the book of Jonah usually centers on the account of Jonah and the fish in chapters 1-2. Here it should be noted that:

In 2 Kings 14:25 there is reference to Jonah's active ministry during the reign of Jeroboam II (793 - 753 B.C.). It is likely that Jonah preached near the beginning of Jeroboam's reign, or about 790 B.C.. Jeroboam coped with the Syrian menace quite successfully and the Northern Kingdom enjoyed a time of relative prosperity.

The rising power of Assyria was a source of genuine concern to the Northern Kingdom. Syria as a buffer state provided Israel a degree of protection, but there was always fear that Assyria would break through and attack the Northern Kingdom. The cruelty of the Assyrians was well known and we can understand Jonah's unwillingness to go to Nineveh, the capital city of the Assyrian Empire.

According to 2 Kings 14:25, Jonah was the son of Amittai, and his hometown was Gath-hepher. This village was located about three miles northeast of Nazareth, Jesus' hometown. There is a Jewish tradition that Jonah's mother was the widow of the town of Zarephath and that Elijah raised Jonah from the dead (1 Kings 17:8-24).

Jonah probably had the same general qualifications for the office of prophet as the other prophets had. Most of his character traits, revealed in the narrative of his book, are not commendable (e.g., disobedience and pouting). The story of Jonah's service to God underscores God's patience and willingness to work through men despite their frailties.

Jonah, Amos, and Hosea are the three minor prophets who ministered to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The messages of their books are extremely contemporary. Below chart shows Jonah (the dark area) and some of his contemporaries:

(Source: Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament, Chicago: Moody Press, 1978 Edition, p. 398, by Irving L. Jensen)

(Source: Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament, Chicago: Moody Press, 1978 Edition, p. 400, by Irving L. Jensen)

The style of Jonah is biographical narrative, similar to the stories of Elijah and Elisha (1, 2 Kings), whom Jonah succeeded as prophet. Hidden in the historical account is a predictive, typical purpose. The main type concerns Jonah and the large sea creature, which prefigured Christ's burial and resurrection (read Matthew 12:39-41). Jonah's deliverance from the belly of the large sea creature was also a sign to the Ninevites. What did it signify, according to Jesus (Luke 11:29-30)?

The book of Jonah is unique among the minor prophets in that the emphasis is on the messenger rather than the message. The narrative is a message in itself, showing Israel's responsibility to the nations. In an age of intense nationalism, it stressed the truth that the nation Israel, by virtue of its relationship with God, did have a responsibility to other nations. This prophecy emphasizes that:

God's call to Jonah (1:2) is clear and unmistakable. Jonah is to take a message of judgment to the great city of Nineveh. Verses 3-17 tell of Jonah's attempt to evade this awesome responsibility. There are three major emphases in this passage:

God was not awed by the military might or the cultural achievements of Nineveh. He was concerned with its great iniquity (1:2). Cities have always been centers of sin, not because urbanization is evil in itself, but rather because a high density of population provides many opportunities for sin and crime. Cities of today are confronted with a vast array of problems. And many of these are directly caused by the sins of men. We must remember that God is actively concerned for the cities of today, as He was for Nineveh. The exodus of Christians from the city to the suburbs has caused many of us to overlook our spiritual responsibilities to the inner city.

God commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh, but Jonah ran in an entirely different direction, toward Tarshish. We see in Jonah an attitude that is too prevalent among God's people today. We are willing to obey God with certain reservations. We all have Ninevehs - places where we would rather not go and tasks we would rather not do. The rest of the chapter illustrates this principle in Jonah's case.

Jonah has deliberately run away from God, and God takes steps to bring him back. God's hand is seen in the big things (the storm and the fish) and in the little things (the lots that were cast). In God's providence, Jonah is cast overboard by the sailors who are anxious to have the sea calmed. God has a fish prepared to swallow Jonah (l:l6). He remains inside the fish for three days and nights.

Chapter 2 is a prayer that Jonah utters from the belly of the fish. Many critics think this chapter is out of place in the narrative, but it seems to fit logically into the context at this point. Jonah has reflected on his behavior and is sincerely penitent for his disobedience. His poetic description of this experience (2:5-6) shows that he realizes the proximity of death. But God delivers him from this extremity. Jonah promises obedience to God (2:9) and the fish disgorges him onto dry land.

Jonah hears the call of God again and this time responds without reservation. He travels to Nineveh and preaches the message that God gave him. The greatness of the city is emphasized (compare 3:2 with 1:2). The city is obviously more important to God than it is to Jonah. The statement that Nineveh was a city of "three days journey" has been interpreted in various ways. But it is known that the city and its suburbs encompassed an area of about 60 miles, which would be a three-day journey if one were to travel around its perimeter.

The response to Jonah's message is positive and complete. The entire city turns to God and judgment is postponed.

The response of Jonah to this mass revival is perplexing. Instead of rejoicing in the mercy and longsuffering of God, Jonah grieves because Nineveh has been spared. His explanation for his attitude is recorded in verse 2. He fled to Tarshish in the first place because he was afraid that God's longsuffering and grace would win out. He is obviously concerned about the threat Assyria poses to his own nation. Thus, he would have been relieved if God had destroyed Nineveh.

In an attitude of self-pity, Jonah asks God to take his life. The great strain of the preceding days undoubtedly contributed to Jonah's emotional depression. Jonah's spirits revive somewhat as God ministers to his physical needs by supplying a gourd to shade him from the intense heat (4:6). When the gourd withers, Jonah again voices a wish to die (4:8).

The final words of Jehovah (4:9-11) reveal Jonah's basic problem. He is more concerned for his own physical comfort than for the thousands of souls in the city. God's attitude is one of compassion for the city. Jonah's intense nationalism contributes to his selfish attitude. Israel's national welfare is more important to him than Nineveh's spiritual welfare.

The story of Jonah was designed to bring Israel to face an important issue. Did they consider physical comfort and political safety to be more important than the thousands outside the fold of Israel who did not know the one true God? This is a probing question for us today. Has our affluence made us indifferent to the spiritual needs of men? Jonah is a lesson to us. It is easy to slip into narrow nationalism. We tend to identify our Christian message with our middle class. The book of Jonah ends abruptly. It causes us to face this question for ourselves as Jonah did for himself. After all, the field is the world.

Amos was God's prophet to prosperous Israel, steeped in religiousity, immorality and complacency. Amos was one of the most colorful personalities among the prophets. He was humble and rugged, a son of the wilderness, like Elijah and John the Baptist.

Amos wrote this book toward the end of Jeroboam's reign, around 760 B.C.. Most of the nine chapters are "the words" (i.e., messages, or sermons) of Amos (1:1). One narrative section appears at 7:10-17.

Amos writes that he prophesied during the reigns of Jeroboam II of Israel and Uzziah of Judah "two years before the earthquake" (1:1). The exact date of this earthquake is not known, but it was a memorable event, as the reference made to it centuries afterward indicates (Zechariah 14:5). The social conditions reflected in the book indicate a date late in the reign of Jeroboam II. Thus the prophecies may be dated approximately 760 B.C.

Jeroboam's reign was one of material prosperity, but this should not lead us to infer that all the subjects of the Northern Kingdom experienced this prosperity. The book reflects the fact that although a condition of prosperity prevailed, the enjoyment of the wealth was limited to a few, while the majority of the people lived in poverty. The prosperity of Israel was "a thin veneer over a mass of poverty and misery."

It is against this socio-economic background that Amos utters his prophecies. Many of his indictments are directed toward this small class of wealthy rulers which was taking advantage of the rank and file citizens who lived in oppressive conditions.

No reference is made in the book to any relative, including Amos's father. The fact that his father is not named may suggest a very humble birth.

Amos was a native of Tekoa, a small village some six miles south of Bethlehem, overlooking the Dead Sea. The town was just a few miles from the busy caravan route linking Jerusalem with Hebron and Beer-sheba. In this barren hill country, Amos was a herdsman of sheep and goats, and a grower of sycamore figs (1:1; 7:14). As a wool merchant he probably made many trips into the northern cities of Israel and saw firsthand the religious and social corruption of its people.

Amos, by his own admission, was not a prophet by virtue of study at the prophetical schools of his day. God called Amos to be a prophet while he was tending his flock (7:15). Recall that David's commission came as he tended his sheep (1 Samuel 16:11-13). Amos's ministry was mainly to the Northern Kingdom of Israel (1:1; 7:14-15), even though he also preached to Judah and the surrounding foreign nations.

The message God wanted to deliver to Israel was strong and severe, so God chose for His messenger a man who had withstood the rigors of a disciplined life and who knew what hardness was. In the howling wildernesses around Tekoa, life was full of poverty and danger - it was an empty and silent world. Amos knew God, and he knew the Scriptures, even though he was not trained in the school of the prophets (7:14). Living in Tekoa was ideal preparation for his task and was just as much of God as was his call. His prophetic ministry lasted about ten years (765-755 B.C.).

Under divine compulsion, he left his pastoral setting in the south and traveled to the Northern Kingdom to pronounce a message of judgment. The historical narrative in 7:10-17 describes how he delivered his message in the religious center of Israel. The religious authorities opposed the message and also the messenger, who possessed no official credentials. Amos not only condemns the social and religious sin of the Northern Kingdom, but he also prophesies the imminent death of King Jeroboam (7:11) and the collapse of the entire kingdom.

(Source: Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament, Chicago: Moody Press, 1978 Edition, p. 408, by Irving L. Jensen)

(Source: Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament, Chicago: Moody Press, 1978 Edition, p. 406, by Irving L. Jensen)

Amos's main audience was Israel, which politically and economically was at a zenith of power. The threat of war was eased, and business was booming. A spirit of self-sufficiency and smug complacency thrived on material prosperity. The rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer. Idolatry, hypocrisy, moral corruption, and social injustices were everywhere. The nation was truly on the brink of disaster. In fact, on God's timetable, destruction was due in about three decades (722 B.C.). Such was the soul and destiny of the audience of Amos the prophet.

Amos makes social injustices and class distinctions the leading topic of his messages. He preaches that social injustice is a symptom of empty religiosity. The obvious social inequities reflect the barren spiritual condition of the people.

God is angered by oppression, cruelty, and injustice in any nation, as chapters 1-2 clearly show. And this is especially true regarding God's own people. As we read this book we must be impressed with our social responsibilities in a country where most of us have more material comforts than any subject in Jeroboam's kingdom.

1 - 2	3 - 6	7 - 9
Indictment Against the Nations	Apathy of the Northern Kingdom	Certainty of Judgment and Restoration
8 Warnings	3 Messages	5 Visions

The first section contains a series of eight short messages which indict the surrounding nations, Judah, and finally Israel. Amos circles Palestine with his messages of condemnation before directing his rebuke to Israel and Judah.

Each of the messages is prefaced by the phrase, "For three transgressions... yea, for four." This indicates the accumulative nature of the sins of the people. It is a statement which emphasizes God's longsuffering, since the sin described is not the first that the nation has committed.

The sins described - desecration of graves, slave trade, murder of women and children - show utter disregard for human life. The sins of Israel and Judah are not as monstrous, but are just as serious as those of the surrounding nations.

Judah is castigated (2:4-5) for disregarding God's law: Israel's sins are rehearsed in more detail. Social injustice is so rampant that the poor are trampled into the dust (2:7). Religious immorality is also widespread. An ironic picture is painted in 2:7-8. A father and son indulge in the religious prostitution so prevalent among the heathen. Both go to the same woman and lie on a garment that has been seized from a poor man. Such activities are further elaborated in chapters 3-6.

In this section, Amos exposes the hypocrisy and apathy of the Northern Kingdom in three sermons. Each sermon begins with the formula, "Hear this word" (3:1; 4:1; 5:1).

The first emphasizes that great privilege entails great responsibility. This is especially true for Israel, since, of all the nations. God had chosen Israel to know Him in a special way. Thus, Israel is especially responsible for sin and judgment must come. This is difficult for Amos's listeners to grasp. Amos states that it is a matter of cause and effect. A lion roars for a reason - he has caught his prey (3:4). So God's judgment is coming for a reason - Israel's sin. Israel's punishment will be severe. After this judgment it will resemble a leg and an ear of a sheep which were rescued from a lion's mouth (3:12).

The second sermon demonstrates that the social inequities and spiritual injustice are intertwined. Amos depicts the well-nourished women of Israel as cows that crush the poor under their feet (4:1-2). Israel's spiritual sins are treated ironically (4:4ff.). "If we are going to sin," Amos says, "we should all come together and do it in a religious setting." This describes the situation in the religious centers of the north. Because of its sin, social and spiritual, Israel should prepare to meet God in judgment (4:12).

The last address of this section is in chapters 5-6. Israel's apathy is seen to be due to the luxurious position of the rulers (6:1-6). These men will be the first to go into captivity because they have not sought the Lord.

The final section of the book is a series of visions that illustrates the truth Amos has been preaching. The sequence is interrupted by a historical interlude describing the reaction he encountered when he delivered these messages.

7:1-9	7:10-17	8:1-9:10	9:11-15
(1) Locusts	Historical Parenthesis	(4) Basket of Fruit	Epilogue
(2) Fire
(3) Plumbline		(5) Lord by the Altar

The first three visions are grouped together and are thought by many to parallel the messages preached by Amos in chapters 1-2. There is a progression in these first three visions that may explain Amos's words in chapters 1-2. The first two visions, one of a locust plague (7:1-3) and one of a great drought caused by fire (7:4-6), are symbolic of coming judgment. In both cases the prophet intercedes for his people and the judgment is averted. In the third vision, a plumbline is put on a tottering wall (7:7-9). This judgment is not averted. God will no longer pass Israel by (7:8). Israel does not measure up to God's absolute standard and so the full force of judgment will fall. This sequence of visions would be a fitting answer to those who heard the sermon of chapters 1-2 and asked: "Has God no pity?" Verses 1-9 of chapter 7 point out that God has already stayed judgment in mercy. Now the blow will fall.

A historical interlude in 7:10-17 describes how Amos was received when he went to Bethel to proclaim these truths. Judgment of sin is not an unpopular message if the preacher makes it clear that he is not talking about our sin! Amos's message was too pointed for his listeners' comfort, so he encountered religious opposition from the false prophet Amaziah. This message of destruction against the house of Jeroboam had offended the king, and Amos was instructed to go back to Judah and make his living there. Amos's reply is that he did not appear at Bethel for personal reasons. He preached there only because the Lord had instructed him to do so.

Two more visions follow (8:1-9:10). The subject of the fourth vision (8:1-14) is a basket of summer fruit, perhaps overripe, which would be a common sight in Israel at the end of the harvest season. The point is that the end has come for Israel, just as the basket of fruit means the end of the harvest. Israel will soon be in the clutches of famine that will be worse than anything ever experienced. This famine will be spiritual rather than physical. The people will hunger for God's Word and will hunt for it as a hungry man hunts for bread. But they will not find it (8:11-12).

The Word of God is readily available in our nation today, but it may not always be. If His Word is persistently rejected, God may withdraw it. The result would be spiritual starvation.

The fifth vision is of the Lord standing before the altar (9:1-10). This vision shows that judgment proceeds from God Himself and is not just an accident of history. Amos sees a group of hypocritical worshipers in the Temple. As they sit, the columns supporting the roof are smitten and the roof falls in. This depicts the fate of the religious worshipers in the Northern Kingdom.

Verses 11-15 form an epilogue which is a contrast to the message of judgment. In a coming day God will restore His people. Just as a man puts up a tent that has fallen, or repairs a ruined wall, God will restore His people. In a future day He will bring them back to the land to leave it no more.

Hosea was the last writing prophet to minister to Israel before they fell to the Assyrians in 722 B.C.. He has been called the prophet of "Israel's zero hour," because the nation had sunk to a point of such corruption that a major stroke of divine judgment could no longer be staved off. But even though judgment is a main subject of Hosea's message, the book is remembered mostly for its vivid pictures of God's love and grace.

The name Hosea (Hebrew, Hoshea) means "salvation." It is interesting to observe that the names Joshua (Numbers 13:16) and Jesus (Matthew 1:21) are derived from the same Hebrew root as Hosea.

The traditional view is that Hosea wrote this book about himself. The liberal critics attribute substantially all this prophecy to the historic Hosea.

The messages of the book of Hosea, delivered sometime between 754 and 714 B.C., were probably compiled by Hosea into one book toward the end of that period. Gleason Archer suggests 725 B.C. as a possible date. If that is so, Hosea completed the book before the Assyrian Captivity (722 B.C.). That judgment was foretold in the book; it was not reported as having already taken place.

In the days of Hosea, the Northern Kingdom of Israel was politically plagued by anarchy, unrest and confusion. The quick succession of kings suggests such an instability. One political faction favored alliance with Egypt; another, with Assyria.

Economically, the nation was prosperous. Spiritually, it was the darkest hour of Israel. Idolatry, immorality and haughty rejection of God's love spelled disaster. Israel was a backslidden people when Hosea preached to them (14:4). Read 2 Kings 15-17 to feel how black the darkness was.

The history of Israel after Jeroboam's death is a tangled web of murder and intrigue. Several of the kings who reigned between 753 B.C. and 722 B.C. occupied the throne less than a year before being swept away in bloody purges. Passages in Hosea such as 7:1-7, 8:4 and 10:3 record the effects of such events on the nation. Tiglath-pileser had once again stirred Assyria into action and frightened the smaller nations of the Near East, which added to the chaos in the Northern Kingdom. One writer aptly describes the effects of these political happenings on Israel: "Her ship of state, leaking at every seam, without compass or competent helmsman and with its crew demoralized, was sinking."

We are not certain that Hosea witnessed the actual shipwreck in 722 B.C. We do know that he accurately analyzed the conditions which led to the fall of Samaria.

Hosea's father was named Beeri (1:1). We do not know what Beeri's occupation was. He may have been a middle-class merchant, or a farmer. Hosea used many illustrations of agricultural settings when he wrote, which suggests that the prophet lived close to the soil in his young life (cf. 4:16; 6:4; 10:12). His home may have been in a town of Ephraim or Manasseh, though this also is only speculation.

Hosea probably had no formal training in a school of the prophets, but his writings show him to be a very knowledgeable man. We do not know precisely when God originally called him to be a prophet. The messages recorded in the book were given to him probably between 754 and 714 B.C..

Hosea was one of the tenderest of the prophets in his contacts with Israel. He has been called "the prophet of the broken heart." His divine commission was to plead with the people of Israel to return to God. They did not respond, and so captivity came (read 2 Kings 17). Although his message went unheeded, he did not fail as a prophet. He was obedient to God who called him, delivering God's message to the people.

A comparison of Hosea 1:1 and Amos 1:1 indicates that both Hosea and Amos prophesied during the latter years of Jeroboam II's reign. Since both passages also mention contemporary kings of Judah, we may date Hosea's ministry a little later than Amos's. The advanced state of moral deterioration reflected in Hosea gives support to a later date for Hosea. Jonah, Amos and Hosea ministered during the reign of Jeroboam II. Below chart shows who his contemporaries were.

(Source: Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament, Chicago: Moody Press, 1978 Edition, p. 414, by Irving L. Jensen)

(Source: Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament, Chicago: Moody Press, 1978 Edition, p. 413, by Irving L. Jensen)

God's command in 1:2 is a problem for many in that Hosea is told to "take a wife of whoredoms." Is it conceivable that God would command the prophet to do something inherently sinful - to marry a prostitute? This would be out of keeping with the holiness of God and the character of the prophet.

This has led some to treat the marriage of Hosea as an allegory or parable rather than a historical incident. The symbolic names given to Hosea's children, mentioned in chapter 1, would support this view. This interpretation would also eliminate the moral problem involved if God directly condoned a sinful act. However, there is no indication that the incident is anything but historical. Symbolic names for children were also used by Isaiah in a historical situation with no allegory in view.

It seems best to consider the incident an actual event which Hosea is describing in retrospect. Hosea married a pure bride in good faith. In time she became unfaithful and was estranged from him. The incident in chapter 3, in which Hosea goes to the marketplace and buys back his wife, reveals the intensity of his love for her. As the prophet reflects on the experience later in life, he realizes that he married a woman who was to become a harlot. This would explain his statement in 1:2.

Hosea's domestic tragedy is the key to an understanding of the book. God uses the tragedy Hosea suffered in his marriage to equip him for a special ministry. The pain and sorrow that he experienced enable him to more fully appreciate God's heartbreak over Israel. Transcending personal sorrow in Hosea's life is his intense, unfailing love for his unfaithful wife, which continued regardless of her treatment of him. This helps Hosea to understand God's love for Israel, which prevailed despite her many sins. The dominant message of the book is the love of God. The nature of this love cannot be altered, not even by sin.

Chapters 1-3 center around the personal tragedy in Hosea's life. Chapters 4-14 show how the same tragedy is reproduced on a larger scale in the life of the nation. We will follow this twofold division in our study of the book.

1 - 3	4 - 14
Personal Tragedy	National Tragedy
Hosea's Love for His Wife	God's Love for Israel
Marital Infidelity	Spiritual Infidelity

The story traces the marriage of Hosea and Gomer, explaining why they became estranged. Chapter 3 describes their reunion after a long separation. Some believe that the wife of chapter 3 is a different woman than the wife of chapter 1. But in the context there is no warrant for such a view. Thus, we consider the two incidents as involving the same persons.

The subject of chapter 1 is Hosea's children, and the subject of chapter 2 is the infidelity of his wife. It is important to understand the symbolic significance of the names of Hosea's children:

Hosea's wife, Gomer, is described in chapter 2. She uses the material provisions from her husband in her deeds of infidelity. She does not even acknowledge that these favors have come from the hand of Hosea (2:7). In a similar way Israel would not acknowledge that her favors came from God's hand. He supplies Israel's material needs and yet she, like unfaithful Gomer, uses these very provisions to worship Baal (2:8). As a result, God will expose Israel to great hardships and "hedge up thy way with thorns" (2:6).

Hosea is commanded to retrieve Gomer and take her back as a wife. The long period of separation is over. He goes in love to purchase her as a slave. Similarly, Israel will be separated from God for many days. But God's love for His people is no less intense, and "afterward" they will be reunited (3:5).

God equipped Hosea for his particular minitry through personal tragedy. He learned three important lessons through this bitter experience:

Gomer's injustices to Hosea pale in comparison to Israel's offenses to God. The major portion of the book (4-13) elaborates this. But just as Hosea took his wife back, Israel will also be restored to God's favor.

Chapter 4-5 recount Israel's sins. Chapters 6-13 reveal the Father's heart. Israel's offense is that she has rejected the knowledge of Jehovah (4:1-10). The people are "destroyed for lack of knowledge" (4:5). In place of the knowledge of God they have substituted sanctioned religious prostitution and idol worship (4:llff.). God's judgment is described in chapter 5 as a moth that slowly eat clothing (5:12); rottenness that destroys an object from within (5:12); a lion that suddenly attacks its prey (5:15). The first two examples show slow, silent deterioration from within the nation. The third shows the suddenness with which the final blow will come.

God's heart is revealed in several places in chapters 6-13. He agonizes over Israel as a father over a wayward son (6:4). Israel is like a child whom He has taught to walk and reared with care (ll:lff.). But Israel has rebelled and God must give her up, which causes Him the great sorrow of any parent who has lost a child he reared (ll:8ff.).

Again in this section, Hosea catalogs Israel's sins. Israel is characterized as superficial, senile and worldly. Israel is superficial in that her goodness is like morning dew which quickly vanishes (6:4). The word "goodness" in this verse is hesed, a significant word in Old Testament studies. It has the idea of a steadfast love or inner loyalty. Israel's loyalty is short-lived. The nation is like a half-baked wafer or cake (7:8), whose spirituality is no more than skin deep.

The nation is also pictured as a senile old man with gray hair, who is weak and tottering, but does not realize it (7:9). Sin has mortally sapped the spiritual life of the nation.

Israel is also worldly. The nation flits about as a silly dove, seeking to enter into entangling political alliances (7:8-11). She has not maintained political separation from the surrounding powers. At this time Israel had entered an alliance with Rezin, king of Syria, which may be the situation to which Isaiah refers (cf. Isaiah 7:1-9).

Just as Hosea sought and reclaimed his sinful wife, so God will someday restore Israel. In a coming day, Israel will return to Jehovah with words of confession (14:1-3). She will acknowledge her iniquity and God will freely love and forgive His people (14:4-9). Hosea understands that the joyful reunion which took place between his wife and him will someday happen between Israel and God.

Joel was the prophet who focused his message primarily on the great and terrible "day of the LORD." His book of three chapters is a clear and strong presentation of the world-history view which sees all history culminating in Christ and Israel as a prominent participant in end-time events.

The name Joel (Hebrew, Yoel) means "Jehovah is God." The name Joel was very common in Old Testament times. This is borne out by the fact that there are about a dozen persons in the Bible with the name.

The composition dates assigned to the book of Joel vary widely, ranging from 850 to 300 B.C.. The lack of specific historical references in the book makes the establishment of an exact date impossible. Liberal scholars usually place the date of composition later because there is no reference to the Northern Kingdom or to any of the kings of the south. This is an argument from silence.

However, there are other prophetic books of the kingdom period that do not mention the kings who were contemporary with the prophets (Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habbakkuk). The content of the book and its place in the canon between Hosea and Amos would lend support to the view-point of conservative scholars, who favor a date of around 835 B.C. This would place the date of composition in the reign of Joash. Joash is the shortened form of Jehoash. Both names appear in the Bible, referring to the same king.

The backdrop of Joel's prophecy is a locust plague. As a boy, Joash was protected from the treachery of his grandmother Athaliah, who coldly murdered all other heirs to the throne (2 Chronicles 23-24). At the age of seven Joash was publicly declared king. Athaliah was put to death. At approximately this time, Judah was struck with the locust plague mentioned by Joel.

Joash was king of Judah when Joel ministered as the nation's prophet. He began his forty-year reign when he was only seven years old, and his guardian-instructor in the early years was the godly high priest Jehoiada. Up until Jehoiada's death, Joash's reign was mainly a righteous one (2 Kings 12:2). When Jehoiada died, Joash defected to idolatrous ways, even slaying Jehoiada's godly son (read 2 Chronicles 24:15-25). Joel probably wrote his book while Joash was still a minor under Jehoiada's tutelage. This may partly account for the absence in Joel of long descriptions of national sin, usually found in the messages of the prophets. During Joash's reign, Judah was not free from the threat of invasion by foreigners. Read 2 Kings 12:17-19 and 2 Chronicles 24:23-25, which describe the Syrian invasion toward the end of Joash's life.

Severe plagues of locusts and drought had recently devastated the land of Judah when Joel penned his prophecy. In the opening lines of the book he asks the elders, "Has anything like this happened in your days or in your fathers' days?" (1:2). He is referring to the locust plagues, described in the next verse 3. Only those who have witnessed a locust plague can fully appreciate why it is so dreaded. Joel could not have used a better symbol than this to prefigure the coming "terrible day of the LORD."

Very little is known of this prophet. According to 1:1, Joel was the son of Pethuel ("persuaded of God"). This is the only appearance of Pethuel in the Bible.

Joel lived in Judah, possibly Jerusalem, during the reign of King Joash. Some think he was a priest when God called him to be a prophet.

While Jonah, Amos, and Hosea prophesied in the north, Joel, Micah, and Zephaniah were God's witnesses in the south. Obadiah was Judah's prophet just before Joel appeared on the scene. Below chart shows who his contemporaries were. The shaded areas indicate the evil reigns; the unshaded areas, the righteous reigns.

(Source: Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament, Chicago: Moody Press, 1978 Edition, p. 420, by Irving L. Jensen)

The geographical setting of the minor prophets of Judah is shown in below map:

(Source: Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament, Chicago: Moody Press, 1978 Edition, p. 422, by Irving L. Jensen)

Five times in Joel the phrase "the day of the LORD" appears (cf. 1:15; 2:1, 1, 31; 3:14). Joel uses the phrase to refer to end times. Even when the New Testament writers referred to that day, it was still future. For example, read 2 Thessalonians 2:2 and 2 Peter 3:10. In the Old Testament the phrase occurs over thirty times, in such verses as Isaiah 2:12; 13:6, 9; Joel 1:15; Amos 5:18; Ezekiel 13:5; 30:3; Zephaniah 1:7, 14. Read these passages, observing that the descriptions of this "day" are usually about judgment and war against sinners, a necessary purge before righteousness can reign. Saints are involved in this day in the sense that when the Lord brings judgment upon unbelievers, the saints are associated with their Lord in the victory. (For example, the Millennium, issuing out of the Battle of Armageddon, may be considered a part of this "day of the LORD." In this connection it should be observed that it will be during the Millennium that the many Old Testament promises to Israel will be fulfilled. Thus, the Millennium is especially Israel-oriented.) Joel's prophecies of "the day of the LORD" are about the Messianic Kingdom at the end of the world, which will begin when God's final judgments will fall upon unbelieving nations, and when believing Israel will be delivered from their enemies.

For further information on the Day of the LORD, please study Section 10 of Chapter 5 of the course: Eschatology.

Joel uses a judgment known to the people of his day - a locust plague - as a historical background for a discussion of the prophetic Day of the LORD. The book may be analyzed as follows:

The locust plague in chapter 1 is prophesied to be imminent, and this prophecy was fulfilled in Joel's own day.

Many classes of people - the old men, the drunkards, and the farmers - are called upon to mourn because of the locust invasion. Different varieties of locusts are described in 1:4. They stripped all vegetation from the land.

In 1:13-14, Joel calls for the people to come together in an expression of national repentance. The spiritual leaders are called upon to take the initiative in dressing in sackcloth and crying to God for mercy.

2:1-11	2:12-17	2:18-32	3:1-17
Invasion of the Land	Invitation to Repent	Intervention of God	Indictment of Gentiles

Joel uses the imagery of chapter 1 to describe an invading army in chapter 2. Some believe that chapter 2, like chapter 1, is a description of an actual locust plague. But the description in chapter 2 encompasses more than a plague of insects. The invaders are called "a great people" in 2:2, and an "army" in 2:11. In the Near East the figure of a locust plague often symbolized an advancing army that would swarm over a land and strip its resources. It seems best to understand this section as a prophecy of an army invading Palestine in the latter days. The rest of the chapter bears out such an interpretation.

Another invitation to turn back to God is found in 2:12-17. It is not yet too late for the people to repent. God is slow to anger and may withdraw judgment. This repentance must be genuine, which requires an inner rending of the heart, not a mere outward rending of the garments.

God is jealous for His land and for His people. Even if they do not respond now, there is a day coming when God will intervene for His people (2:18-32). He will scatter Israel's invaders (2:18-20), make the land productive (2:21-27) and pour out His Spirit upon them (2:28-32).

The last prophecy mentioned has been a point of some disagreement. Peter quotes it in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost, saying "this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel" (Acts 2:16). The Holy Spirit, promised to Israel in Joel 2, did come on the day of Pentecost. There is a problem in that not all the signs Joel mentioned were seen at that time (the sun darkened, the moon turned to blood, etc.). But this would not rule out the day of Pentecost as one fulfillment of the prophecy in Joel 2. Since Israel as a
nation did not respond to Jesus Christ in belief, the appropriation of the provision of the Holy Spirit will not take place until the second coming of Christ. At that time, the phenomena in the heavens will occur, along with the other factors that were absent in Acts 2:1.

Connected with this outpouring of blessing on Israel will be an outpouring of judgment on Gentile nations gathered in the valley of Jehoshaphat (3:1-17). The valley of Jehoshaphat is situated just outside Jerusalem and will be the scene of a final battle of the Tribulation period. God will move in judgment to demonstrate to the nations that He is God.

The final paragraph depicts a scene of blessing for Israel, in contrast to the desolation of the Gentile nations (3:18-21). The land, which was laid waste to in chapter 1, is now a fertile countryside producing in abundance.

The book of Micah is especially noted for its predictive messages. For example, Micah predicted the exact location of Jesus' birthplace, Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; cf. Matthew 2:5). No Old Testament prophet exceeds Micah in the proportion of predictions concerning Israel's future and the Messiah's advent and Kingdom.

The name Micah means "Who is Jehovah like?" or "Who is like unto Jehovah?" Read the first words of 7:18. Do you think the prophet may have been thinking of his own name when he penned those words?

A probable date of writing is after the Assyrian conquest of Damascus (734-732 B.C., 2 Kings 16:5-9; Isaiah 7-10) and before the fall of Samaria (722 B.C., 2 Kings 17).

Micah prophesied in the latter part of the eighth century B.C., during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. He may have been instrumental in the great revival that came in Hezekiah's day. Although mention is made of the Northern Kingdom, his remarks are directed primarily to Judah.

To learn about the political setting of Micah, read 2 Kings 15:17—20:21 and 2 Chronicles 26-30. King Uzziah's reign was a successful one, but toward the end of his life he strayed far from God (2 Chronicles 26:16-23). His son Jotham, who succeeded him, "did right in the sight of the LORD" (2 Chronicles 27:2). Although he was not able to lead the people out of their corrupt ways, Jotham apparently supported Micah's spiritual program. But when, at his death, his son Ahaz mounted the throne, affairs took a different turn.

During Jotham's reign, clouds had begun to gather on the political horizon in the shape of a military coalition of Syria and Israel against Judah (2 Kings 15:37). When Ahaz became king of Judah, instead of searching out and dealing with the national sins for which God was allowing this chastisement, he formed an alliance with Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, an alliance which in the days of his son Hezekiah would prove almost fatal to the kingdom. He also introduced idolatry, with all its attendant evils, and even caused God's holy altar to be set aside, and one of heathen design put in its place (2 Chronicles 28:22-25).

King Hezekiah, who succeeded Ahaz, honored Jehovah in his administration of the kingdom. But such leadership and example brought only a measure of obedience on the part of the people. Though the outward form and ceremony of Temple worship was kept up, all manner of sins were being committed by the people - sins of idolatry, covetousness, impurity, injustice, and oppression. Against all this, the prophet's voice needed to be lifted. Micah and Isaiah were God's spokesmen for such a time as this.

Micah's hometown was Moresheth-gath (1:1, 14), a village twenty-five miles southwest of Jerusalem. The name Moresheth-gath means "possession of Gath," which suggests that the town was an annex of nearby Gath. The busy highway from Egypt to Jerusalem went through this area, so the "country boy" Micah was not too far removed from the city ways of his contemporary, Isaiah.

Micah was a prophet mainly to Judah, though his messages did involve Israel (cf. 1:1; 3:8). He had a clear conviction as to his prophetic calling (3:8). His messages were directed to various evils: moral corruption, idolatry (1:7; 6:16), formal religion, corrupt leadership by false prophets (3:5-7) and by priests (3:11). There was social decay, with the rulers and wealthy people oppressing the poor (2:2; 3:1-3). There was a haunting political unrest, especially over fear of invasion by foreign powers (see Isaiah 7-12).

Micah's sermons are quite similar to those of Amos. Amos spoke out against social evils that were prevalent in the north in a time just prior to Micah's ministry. Micah watches the ungodly social trends of the north slowly creep south and infect Judah.

Micah was a contemporary of Isaiah, as evidenced by a comparison of Micah 4:1-5 and Isaiah 2:1-6. The passages are almost identical. Isaiah's ministry was largely directed to the city dwellers in Jerusalem, whereas Micah was a rustic prophet with a rural ministry.

Observe from below chart that Hosea and Isaiah were contemporary prophets with Isaiah (cf. Isaiah 2:1-6; Hosea 1:1; Micah 4:1-5).

(Source: Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament, Chicago: Moody Press, 1978 Edition, p. 327, by Irving L. Jensen)

Corruption in offices of authority and leadership has been a major concern of godly people in every age. Today we are well acquainted with the politician who grasps for personal power and the judge who is willing to sacrifice due process of law if it furthers his own advancement. Positions of leadership have special pitfalls. It is quite easy for a selfish man to abuse the authority and the powers that are entrusted to him with a position of leadership.

This kind of corruption in the national life of Judah caught the attention of Micah. He cites the abuse of authority in civil and spiritual realms as one of the key problems in the kingdom. He also points beyond to a solution to governmental corruption; namely, a perfect rule under an ideal ruler. This will be accomplished through one who would someday be born in Bethlehem (5:2).

Chapter 1 presents a courtroom scene in which God has a case against Israel. God calls all people to listen as He delivers His charge. His main concern is the capital city of each kingdom, Jerusalem and Samaria (1:5). The centers of government, in which justice and righteousness should prevail, are centers of sin. Micah responds with great mourning and grief when he sees these capital cities subjected to special judgment.

The sins are detailed in chapters 2-3. Micah singles out certain groups of the ruling class for censure:

He pictures the corrupt, grasping landowners in chapter 2. They lie awake at night scheming how to cheat someone out of his property (2:1). At dawn they rush out to put their plans into operation. They do not hesitate to use violence and even strip the clothes from a passerby if it suits their purpose (2:8). It is little wonder that they will not tolerate Micah's scathing denunciations and try to silence him with cries of "prophesy not." The prophet's words have an uncomfortable relevance to property owners of today who are willing to debase and degrade other people to make a profit.

Civil leaders are castigated in 3:1-4. Of all people, you "heads of Jacob and rulers of Israel" should know justice, states Micah (3:1). Yet, it is in the supposed administration of justice that we often uncover the deepest injustices. Such was the case in Judah, where the custodians of justice used their positions to oppress the common people.

The religious leaders are also corrupt (3:5ff.). In contrast to Micah, who is "full of power by the Spirit of Jehovah" (3:8), the prophets and priests wander in darkness, lead the people astray and relieve them of their money in the process.

Chapters 4-5 present a contrast to abuses in the present leadership. In this section is given a vision of the ideal state in which conditions of peace prevail. This is followed by a description of the ideal ruler who will come and minister to the people.

The ideal conditions of the messianic kingdom are described in 4:1-8. Jerusalem will be the world capital and the nations of the earth will flow into it. Justice will finally prevail among nations and universal disarmament will ensue (4:3). The presence of the King will bring about a period of general prosperity.

Before these events are realized, however, Israel will experience indignities at the hands of foreign powers, including Babylon (4:10). God will ultimately deliver His people, but not before Israel's leader or judge suffers indignities (5:1).

The ideal ruler and rightful king is described in 5:2. His birthplace is to be Bethlehem. This is a truly remarkable and accurate prophecy, recorded 700 years before it was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ. Although He would be born in Bethlehem, His beginning is not there, since His goings forth are from of old; that is, He is an eternal personage.

The remaining prophecies in this chapter will be fulfilled at His second coming, although there is no indication of a time gap here. God will execute vengeance on His enemies and He will stand in the strength of Jehovah protecting His flock (5:3-4).

Chapter 6 reveals God's thoughts toward Israel. What has God done to them to merit their shameful treatment of Him (6:3)? In 6:6-8 God describes the characteristics He truly seeks in His people. Israel is to do justly, love kindness and walk humbly. God emphasizes the importance of inner spiritual qualities over ritualistic observances. But instead of justice and kindness, God finds corrupt business practices - wicked balances and deceitful weights (6:11).

God's plea in chapter 6 is followed by the prophet's cry in chapter 7. The chapter begins on a note of discouragement (7:1-6), but concludes with a song of hope (7:7-20). In the opening verses, Micah likens the nation to a vineyard after the harvest. His heart is burdened for his people because righteousness is as scarce as a good cluster of grapes in a well-gleaned vineyard. Intrigue and betrayal of confidence are characteristic of the day (7:5-6).

But there is hope as Micah looks beyond the present circumstances to the God of salvation (7:7). This God is a God of infinite mercies who will someday bury Israel's sins in the depths of the sea (7:19). Then Israel will enjoy the reign of the Eternal One born in Bethlehem. Corruption and abuse of authority will be gone forever.

Zephaniah was one of the last prophets of Judah before the nation fell to the Babylonian invaders. Josiah, who reigned over Judah during Zephaniah's ministry, was the last of the righteous kings of this Southern Kingdom. So the Jews had the offer of much spiritual guidance and help in those years. Their sin in rejecting this light from God is a dark chapter of their history.

The name Zephaniah means "hidden, or protected, by Jehovah." Could it be that his parents gave him this name in gratitude for his life being spared during the atrocities of King Manasseh (2 Kings 21:6; cf. Hebrews 11:37)? It is interesting to note that an important part of Zephaniah's message concerned the protection of Judah from harm in the day of God's judgment (see 2:3).

Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of godly King Josiah. Josiah assumed the throne at an early age, but the reforms that brought about his great revival were not begun until 622 B.C.. The prophet probably wrote his book during the early part of Josiah's reign, since there is no reference in the book to Josiah's reform of 622 B.C. (For example, the idolatrous practices condemned in 1:3-6 were dealt with in the reforms.) The book reflects conditions in the early part of Josiah's reign. It may be that God used this prophet's active ministry to bring the nation back to Himself.

King Josiah was a great-grandson of Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32:33; 33:20, 25). How then was Zephaniah possibly related to Josiah? Josiah was only eight years old when he began to reign over Judah (2 Chronicles 34:1). At age sixteen he "began to seek the God of his father David" (2 Chronicles 34:3). It may very well be that Zephaniah's access to the royal court gave the prophet ample opportunities of witness to the king. In fact, he may have been the key spiritual influence in Josiah's early life.

King Hezekiah was one of Judah's righteous kings. He may have been the Hizkiah of Zephaniah 1:1(KJV). If so, he was the great-great-grandfather of Zephaniah, the only prophet with royal blood.

If the prophet Zephaniah was about Josiah's age, he was born around 648 B.C. (cf. 2 Kings 22:1). This was during the wicked reign of Manasseh.

Zephaniah's home may have been in Jerusalem. Suggested dates for the term of his public ministry are 636 to 623 B.C.

Below chart shows the historical background as well as Zephaniah's vision into the future:

(Source: Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament, Chicago: Moody Press, 1978 Edition, p. 442, by Irving L. Jensen)

The book of Zephaniah is similar to the book of Joel in that it emphasizes the Day of the LORD. The Day of the LORD is a period of judgment for Israel followed by a time of blessing, just as by Jewish reckoning, a day consists of a period of darkness followed by a period of light.

Zephaniah wrote from the vantage point of Jerusalem, where he lived. The scene of judgment described in this section may be charted as follows:

The judgment is universal in that it touches the animal kingdom as well as mankind. Baal worship, which is firmly entrenched in the nation, must be rooted out. And God is about to take extraordinary measures. The Chaldeans are pictured as attacking from the fish gate on the north side of the city. The destruction is complete. It is as if God had searched out the people of the city with a lamp. But the people have settled so deeply into indifference that they are like dregs, or "lees," which settle to the bottom of liquor after it stands awhile (1:12). They do not realize that this period of wrath, gloominess and darkness will soon be upon them. But the imminence of the judgment is emphasized in 1:14-18. Then it will be too late to repent and their money will not deliver them.

The detailed description of judgment is interrupted as God urges the people to repent (2:1-3). They are exhorted to "seek Jehovah" (2:3), but the nation feels no shame and has no consciousness of sin.

In 2:4-3:8, God shows the justice of His actions. He will deal with the nations, specifically Gaza, Moab and Ethiopia, for their rejection of the truth. Likewise Israel has brought the coming judgment on herself (3:1-8). Her princes, prophets and priests have violated the law of God. The fourfold sin of Jerusalem is listed in 3:2:

The daylight will someday break for Israel. It will be a time of purity (3:9-13) and pardon (3:14-20). The people in that day will speak a "pure language," calling on Jehovah, not foreign gods. God will dwell in Jerusalem, the city that in Zephaniah's day was filled with pollutions. God's love for His city will be overwhelming in that day, the city being a source of continual joy to Him (3:17).

4 - 13	14
The Rebellion of Israel	The Restoration of Israel

The Day of the LORD
1	2 - 3
The Historic Phase	The Prophetic Phase

The Coming Plague	1:1-12
The Call to Repentance	1:1-14
The Complete Destruction	1:15-20

1 - 3	4 - 5	6 - 7
Declaration of Judgment	Promise of Restoration	Exhortation to Repentance

Darkness 1:1-3:8	Light 3:9-20
Judgment	Blessing

1:1-18	2:1-3	2:4-3:8
Nature of the Judgment: Universal Imminent	Invitation to Repent	Necessity for the Judgment: On Gentiles On Jews