Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: HOPE (10/29/20)
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TITLE: Message from the Minor Prophets | Previous Challenge Entry
By Shanta Richard
11/02/20 -
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The Minor Prophets have written twelve books in the Old Testament. Although they comprise of about one third of the thirty nine books of the Old Testament, very little mention is made of them from the pulpit or Christian literature. I wanted to make a study of these books, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to find out.
I separated these books into those addressed to Israel and and those addressed to Judah and the rest. Hosea and Amos warned Israel of coming judgment if they did not repent of their evil ways. But if they would repent God promised them that they would be restored (Hosea 14:4&7), and they would prosper (Amos 9:14). They did not heed the warning and were defeated by the Assyrians.
Joel, Micah, Habakkuk , and Zephaniah also prophesied against Judah in the same way. But again God promised that they would dwell forever in their land(Joel 3:20), God would be merciful ( Micah 7:28), would make them walk on high places (Habakkuk 3:19), and make them a name and a praise (Zephaniah 3:20). They did not repent and were taken captive to Babylon.
Years later when the captives retuned home, they found their temple in ruins and started to rebuild. God sent Haggai, Zechariah , and Malachi to advise, to encourage and to be committed to their work as they were building the Lord's temple for His glory.
Of the other books, Jonah and Nahum, are addressed to the people of Nineveh. Jonah preached only eight words and the King, all his subjects and animals fasted and prayed. God forgave them and gave them a second chance. But in a hundred years they forgot and went back to their evil ways. God sent Nahum to warn them. He preached a longer message but they did not repent and were destroyed by the Assyrians. This was a blessing to the Jews who were freed from their yoke. (Nahum 1:18.)
The last book is the prophesy of Obadiah . God was angry with the Edomites, the children of Esau, who gloated over the misfortune of the Jews, the children of Jacob. This was manifestation of pride which God abhors. They did not heed the warning God sent them through Obadiah and they were destroyed and the Jews were blessed.(Obadiah 1:17).
Throughout the fabric of these prophesies run the golden threads, the hope of forgiveness and restoration, the promise of God's abundant love, mercy and grace. His promises cannot be activated unless they are believed and hoped for. Hope keeps the focus on the promise and energizes perseverance and patience. The Israelites and the Jews lacked this hope and God had to send His prophets again and again to warn them .
Today's world is no different than the world of the Minor Prophets. God's promises then are still valid today. Can we act upon them with faith and obedience and with hope patiently wait for their fulfillment ? This is the major question the minor prophets are posing to us.
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