The Minor Prophets: The Book of the 12
Introduction
THE BOOK OF THE TWELVE
The God Who Keeps Promises
The Book of the Twelve
· There are 17 prophetic books in the Bible:
[the number of verses shown are from the NIV Bible]
§ Major Prophets = Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel
§ Lamentations (154 verses)
§ Minor Prophets = “The Book of the 12”
§ “Major” & “Minor” only relate to the length of the book, not its content or importance
§ The shortest “Major Prophet” book is 357 verses (Daniel)
ü Isaiah = 1292 verses
ü Jeremiah = 1361 verses
ü Ezekiel = 1272 verses
§ The longest “Minor Prophet” book is 210 verses (Zechariah)
ü The lengths of the other 11 books are shown on Page 1, above
ü Taken together, the 12 books = 1048 verses, making it comparable in size to the individual books of 3 Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel), a consideration not lost on Jewish scholars when they considered their unity as a single “Book of the 12”
· The English Bible considers the final 12 prophetic books (i.e., the Minor Prophets) as separate prophesies
· The Hebrew Bible considers these same 12 books a single prophetic work that unfolds in 12 parts, written together on the same scroll
§ The presumption is that the Jewish scholars viewed the “Book of the 12” as a single entity or corpus, a kind of anthology or collection
§ As early as 200 BC, the 12 books were viewed as 1 scribal unit, possibly to guard against loss of a smaller book (e.g., Malachi)
§ Since there was NOT a single author, as in the case of the Major Prophets, the unity of the “Book of the 12” needed to rest on other criteria
· How should we read the Minor Prophets?
§ Individually – Standing on their own, set in their historical context, with 12 different voices
§ Collectively – As one single book paralleling Isaiah, Jeremiah, & Ezekiel
§ Selectively – Memorizing a few quotations but not reading them regularly
· How could these books be arranged?
§ (1) Historically or Chronologically – By the dates they were written or by the timeframe they describe [Spreadsheet: “Timeline”]
ü Many of these writings are precisely dated & therefore linked to certain historical or political periods
o Hosea, Amos, & Micah are clearly writing when both Israel (northern kingdoms) & Judah (southern kingdom) still exist à Clearly corresponds to the time of Isaiah’s writings
o Example: Jonah graciously warns Nineveh before Nahum condemns it [so Jonah was clearly writing before Nahum]
ü Chronologically, books that came from the period of Assyrian power = Hosea, Amos, Jonah, Micah, Joel, Obadiah
ü Chronologically, books that came from the period of the decline of Assyria = Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah
ü Chronologically, books clearly dating from the post-exilic era = Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
ü Bottomline: There’s some chronological structure to the “Book of the 12”
§ (2) Thematically – Literary & thematic elements can & do create order
ü Hosea is 1st because it introduces judgment & salvation
ü Hosea & Malachi have similar features & function as introduction & conclusion (as in a book)
ü Presented throughout the “Book of the 12” are characterizations of Yahweh, the prophets, the Gentile nations, & Israel as rebel AND remnant
ü Key words or ideas can tie the 12 Books together logically
[Spreadsheet: “Link Words & Thematic Connects”]
ü Some very general themes in the “Book of the 12”:
[Spreadsheet: “General Overlapping Themes”]
o Sin = The cause of God’s judgment & salvation
o Day of the Lord = The timing of God’s judgment & salvation
o Zion = The place of God’s judgment & salvation
o David = The way of God’s judgment & salvation
o Restoration = The result of God’s judgment & salvation
ü Bottomline: There’s a clear thematic structure to the “Book of the 12”
§ (3) Theologically – We have the most comprehensive view about God when we read the “Book of the 12” together as a whole
ü God’s history is providentially ordered à It’s not random or accidental
ü There’s order to God’s Word which corresponds to His actions à God keeps His promises
ü God’s justice & mercy are on full display throughout the 12 Books
ü Redemptive history undergirds these prophetic writings à The “Day of the Lord” is a major unifying factor
ü Enables the reader to see both God’s promises & His fulfillment as the timeline for the Book of 12 is spread over 300 years, 760 BC to 460 BC à Timeframe is longer than any of the Major Prophets
ü The “Book of the 12” is a prophetic partner with Isaiah, Jeremiah, & Ezekiel (3 of the Major Prophets)
ü Bottomline: There’s a clear theological structure to the “Book of the 12”
Timeline for the 12 Prophets
· The order of the prophets in the Bible are different from the historical chronology (compare “Timeline” to Bible’s ordering)
· Joel & Obadiah have an ambiguous date
§ Argument for them being Pre-Exilic [YES]
ü Their placement in the Bible (i.e., the 2nd & 4th books) favors an early dating of their writings
ü Their vocabulary & themes also tend to be pre-exilic in nature (i.e., warnings about the COMING exile)
§ Argument for them being Exilic [NO]
ü Obadiah refers to the fall of Jerusalem in the past (Verse 11)
ü Joel doesn’t mention the king, puts the exile in the past (3:2), & doesn’t condemn the Temple
§ The “Day of the Lord” -- a central important topic in Amos, Joel, & Obadiah – dictates a logical placement early (i.e., pre-exilic) of Joel & Obadiah with Amos for thematic reasons
ü Joel & Obadiah mentioning past events can be explained as prophetic futuristic visions
ü As visions, they would be less weighty than the thematic reasons for their placement in the order of the 12 books
§ BOTTOMLINE: The date of Joel & Obadiah doesn’t change their message, so who cares where we place them?
The order of the books
· Seems to reflect an intentional arrangement & not a random ordering = Key words found at the end of one book often occur at the beginning of the next book to provide continuity [some modern scholars feel this unity may have been achieved via a common editor “linking” the 12 Books]
· Where there are not key words, there are thematic linkages (e.g., Nahum, who prophesies Assyria’s destruction is followed by Habakkuk, who prophesies Babylon’s destruction) [Spreadsheet: “Link Words & Thematic Connects”]
§ Thematic linkages seem to present the strongest evidence for unification of the “Book of 12” into a single entity, much as the Major Prophets have a unifying theme to them
§ Some modern scholars feel that “Book of the 12” is too strong a phrase & prefer “Thematic Anthology of the 12” as more accurate
· It also appears that whoever placed them in this order (Ezra as editor??) worked from what he had available vice inserting material that would establish these connections [God-directed activity, not a human one]
· There also seems to be a plot in this storyline that moves from sin to judgment/punishment to restoration
§ Sin = Hosea through Micah (1st 6 books)
§ Judgment = Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (next 3 books)
§ Restoration = Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi (last 3 books)
· Another view of the storyline based on a proposed plot framework:
§ Introduction = Hosea & Joel
§ Complication = Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, & Micah
§ Crisis = Nahum & Habakkuk
§ Falling Action = Zephaniah
§ Resolution = Haggai, Zechariah, & Malachi
· As you read through the 12 Books together, similar images & themes occur
§ Warnings – Judgments – Promises of Salvation
[Spreadsheet: “Similar Phrases & Concepts”]
· These linkages, connections, & similar concepts seems to indicate that these 12 prophets were aware of each other [or there may have been an editor who was aware of all of them]
§ Earlier prophets may have influenced the language & imagery of later prophets (e.g., reiterating the same ideas)
§ All the prophets indicted Israel on the terms of the Mosaic Covenant & calling Israel to repentance for breaking it à Obey God’s Law & be blessed (e.g., obtain salvation) or violate the Law & receive curses/doom
§ When the people didn’t repent, the prophets declared that the covenant curses would fall
§ But the prophets also announced hope & promises for the future [Salvation]
· The central theological idea in the “Book of the 12” = The glory of God in salvation through judgment [Spreadsheet: “Problems, Judge, Mercy”]
§ Judgment often refers to the judgment of God’s people through exile (the nation of Israel)
§ Once that judgment is complete, it falls on others
§ Salvation is primarily in the form of the return to the land (Israel) as God promised
§ Each prophet, influenced by their different backgrounds, responded distinctly to the way they viewed God’s glory in salvation through judgment
· The storyline of the Prophets is straightforward:
§ People of Israel enter the Promised Land, like a new Adam in a new Eden
§ Their task was the same as Adam’s = Rule over the earth & subdue it
§ Israel is subverted by the Canaanization of Israel (see Judges)
§ The nation rejects Yahweh (the personal name of God) for a king like the other pagan nations surrounding them
§ Yahweh removes Saul, raises up David, & promises that his seed will rule
§ Solomon builds the Temple, then worships the gods of his wives
§ The nation falls to Assyria (Israel, the northern kingdom) & Babylon (Judah, the southern kingdom)
§ Along the way, the people are called to repentance by the prophets
§ They also prophesy that Yahweh will redeem His people after their exile & restore them to the Promised Land
§ Yahweh will enter into a covenant with the nation of Israel, return to Zion, & protect Jerusalem with His glory in their midst
§ The Gentile nations will worship Him at the rebuilt Temple & a new David (Jesus) will reign over all the earth in peace, righteousness, & justice
§ Yahweh’s glory will cover the land & He will be worshipped by all
(i.e., every knee will bend & every tongue will proclaim the Lord)
§ Yahweh will have purged His people, brought them to final/eternal salvation, & His glory will be the centerpiece of praise
[The center of biblical theology]
· The entire Old Testament points us to Christ
1 Peter 1:10-12 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
Bottomline from the 12 Prophets:
· We can see the character of God in the “Book of the 12”
[Spreadsheet: “Book-by-Book Topics”]
§ The God who warns & loves = Hosea
§ The God who warns & promises = Joel
§ The God who roars against sin = Amos
§ The God who warns against pride = Obadiah
§ The God who warns the Gentiles = Jonah
§ The God who testifies against sin = Micah
§ The God who destroys Assyria = Nahum
§ The God who inspires faith in crises = Habakkuk
§ The God who punishes to create a remnant = Zephaniah
§ The God who renews the Temple = Haggai
§ The God who renews Jerusalem = Zechariah
§ The God who loves & renews Israel = Malachi
· Yahweh is a covenant-keeping God (i.e., God keeps His promises)
· God is merciful, gracious, holy, & wrathful
Exodus 34:6-7 6 And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
· Sin & covenant-breaking demands God’s holy judgment
§ Israel suffered for their covenant infidelity
§ We are judged according to our works, although man can never keep God’s Law perfectly
§ That’s why we need a Savior/Messiah
· The Day of the Lord is coming à Judgment & exile are imminent
· Restoration & redemption are promised through a divine Davidic Messiah (Jesus Christ)
· Repent from your sins & return to the Lord à You will be forgiven
Isaiah 1:18-20 18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; 20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Habakkuk 2:4 See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright — but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness [or faith] —
· So our hope lies in God’s grace à Look for a perfect Messiah who will rule with loving justice
Isaiah 9:6-7 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.