Prophetic Books of the Old Testament. Micah Nahum Zephaniah Habakkuk Zechariah Haggai Malachi

Prophet

• Also called Seers, Watchmen, Men of God, Messengers, Servants of the Lord

• English word comes from 2 Greek words which mean “speak for” • Speaks a word in God’s name, revealed to him by God

Prophetic Books of the Old Testament

Exodus 34:10-28

God’s Promise:

- He will do marvelous and awesome things for them….so that ALL people groups will see the work of the LORD.

- God will drive out before them the Amorites, the Canaanites…. And the Israelites are commanded to:

- Not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land…..lest they be a snare

- Tear down their altars, for they shall not have any god before the Lord their God

- Keep the 10 Commandments

Prophetic Message

1. Rebuke - The prophet would expose the sinful practices of the people

2. Repent - The prophet would call the people back to the moral, civil, and ceremonial law of God, reminding them about the character of God and urging them to trust him.

3. Resulting judgment - The prophet would warn of the coming judgment.

12 Minor Prophets Chronological Order

Obadiah 848 Joel 835 Jonah 760 Amos 760 Hosea 760 Micah 750 Nahum 663 Zephaniah 632 Habakkuk 630 Haggai 520 Zechariah 520 Malachi 432 6

Israelites Exodus – 1446 BC

Israelites Enter Canaan – 1406 BC Saul 1st_{Israelite King – 1350 BC}

Tiglath-Pileser I – 1114-1076 BC

Israel’s Divided Kingdoms – 931 BC

Shalmaneser III – 858–824 BC –This king attacked Israel & received tribute from Jehu

Ashur-dan III – 772-754 BC –Jonah preached to the Ninevites in this king’s reign.

Tiglath-Pileser III (Pul) – 745-727 BC –This king attacked Israel and Aram

Shalmaneser V – 727-722 BC –This king besieged Samaria for 3 years & destroyed It in 722 BC – carried many to exile

Sargon II – 722-705 –This king engaged in mopping-up Samaria in 721 after Shalmaneser V died.

Nineveh

• Built by Nimrod – great grandson of Noah – Genesis 10:11-12 • From 1100 BC – it was the royal residence for the kings

• During Assyrian King Sargon II (722-705 BC) it became the capital of Assyria

• Was destroyed in August 612 BC

• 2 month siege carried out by the Medes & Babylonians • Destroyed the city by releasing the river into the city • HINT: Watch for this prophecy in Nahum!

• City remained lost of over 2,000 years

Day of the Lord

• The Day that God Comes!

• Final – Comprehensive WorldWide reckoning and reconciliation • Final Day Represents Judgment and Salvation

• The book of Revelation…..describes the Final Day of the Lord • There are many “mini” Days of the Lord

• May be called: Day of Judgment; Day of Mercy; Day of Salvation……etc

• Any Day when the Lord approaches His people for Salvation or Judgment……and sometimes both

Other Key Words to Watch…..

• Hear……or Listen - he is warning you to sit up and listen to what God has to say…..often repeated for the “list “ of concerns

• Woe - what God has to say has escalated in the passion with which the prophet speaks

• Bethel…….remember back in 1 Kings 12 where the first thing Jeroboam did after the Northern Kingdom split from the Southern Kingdom was to set up a golden calf for worship……one in Dan…….and one in Bethel, so that the Israelites wouldn’t go to Jerusalem any more. So……Bethel often is used as a reference to worship of idolatry.

• Adultery/Prostitution/Whoredom – often used to symbolize man’s betrayal of God in idolatry

Bible Study Tips

• What is the literary style……and what do I know about that

• What does the Bible tell me about the time period, the author, the audience…

• If the text you are studying give you some of these keys – use your Bible’s Cross Reference to look up those passages

BC 850 840 830 820 810 800 790 780 770 760 750 740 730 720 710 700 690 680 670 660 650 640 630 620 610 600 The Southern Kingdom of Judah Ahaziah Joash Amaziah Uzziah Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah Manasseh Amon Josiah Jehoiakim Zedekiah The destruction of Jerusalem and exile to

Babylon - 586 BC 850 840 830 820 810 800 790 780 770 760 750 740 730 720 710 700 690 680 670 660 650 640 630 620 610 600 The Northern Kingdom of Israel Joram Jehu Jehoahaz Jehoash Jeroboam II Zechariah Menahem/Pekah Hoshea

The siege and Fall of Samaria - 722 The Minor Prophets

HOSEA AMOS JONAH =Assyria OBADIAH =Edom MICAH NAHUM ZEPHANIAH HABAKKUK 12

1 - Obadiah

Name means: Worshipper of Yahweh Audience: Edom

Date: 848-841 BC

Setting: Vs 11-12 – 2 Chronicles 21:8-20; 2 Kings 8:16-24 Theme: Doom of Edom

Key Verse(s): Vs 21 – “Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s”

Edom

• Gen 25:21-26 – Rebekah (Isaac’s wife) is told the twins in her womb represent 2 nations, and that the “older shall serve the younger” • Esau born first, with Jacob fast behind.

• Gen 27 – Isaac blessed Jacob…..resulting in Esau’s hating Jacob.

• Gen 36:6-8 – Esau acquired land in Canaan in an area east of where the Israelites will ultimately settle – Nation of “Edom” are Esau’s descendants

• Num 20:14-21 – Edom refused to let Moses and the Israelites pass through their country when the Israelites were in the wilderness

1 - Obadiah

Name means: Worshipper of Yahweh Audience: Edom

Date: 848-841 BC (during the Reign of Jehoram)

Setting: Vs 11-12 – 2 Chronicles 21:8-20; 2 Kings 8:16-24 Theme: Doom of Edom

1 - Obadiah (cont)

Outline: The Judgment of Edom – 1-18 The Restoration of Israel – 19-21

Of Interest: Herod the Great, King of Judea from 37 to 4 BC was an Edomite (Idumean….which is where the Edomite remnant was carried off to when destroyed)

2 - Jonah

Author: Jonah, son of Amittai

2nd _{Kings 14:25 – “…..which he spoke by his servant Jonah the}

son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath-hepher.” Name means: Dove

Audience: Nineveh, the capital of Assyria Date: 760 BC – 2 plagues - 765 & 759

Setting: 2 Kings 14:23-29 – Jeroboam II (Northern) Theme: Salvation to the Gentiles

2 - Jonah (cont)

Outline: The First Commission of Jonah – 1 & 2 The Second Commission of Jonah – 3 & 4 Of Interest: The book of Jonah is unique because:

1. Jonah is the only prophet to whom Jesus likened to Himself. 2. Jonah the only prophet told to GO to the people

3. One of 2 books, where God is teaching the prophet in addition to the “audience”. Habakkuk is the other.

3 - Amos

Author: Amos – Shepherd and “tree dresser” from Tekoa…..days of Uzziah, King of Judah…..Jeroboam, King of Israel

Name means: To lift a burden, to carry Audience: Northern Kingdom

Date: 760-750 BC

Setting: 2 Kings 14:23-15:7

Archeological evidence of an earthquake in 759 BC (1:1, 8:8) Assyrian history – Lunar eclipse in 763 BC (8:9)

Theme: Judgment of Israel

3 - Amos (cont)

Outline: 8 Prophecies – 1-2 3 Sermons – 3-6 5 Visions – 7-9:10

5 Promises – 9:11-15

Of Interest: “Listen” for the compassion from God. When He says “yet you did not turn to me”… hear the compassion in His voice….this is not a Declaration….but a sad plea.

A remnant will be preserved…and through them….God will draw ALL nations to His Name.

4 - Hosea

Author: Hosea – son of Beeri…in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah and Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel Name means: Salvation

Audience: Primarily the Northern Kingdom (sometimes refers to as Ephraim), but some references to the Southern Kingdom

Date: 760-715

Setting: 2 Kings 14:23-18:12 & 2 Chronicles 26-32 Theme: Loyal Love of God

4 - Hosea (cont)

Outline: The Adulterous Wife and Faithful Husband – 1-3

The Adulterous Israel and Faithful Lord – 4-14 God is Holy (4-7)

God is Just (8-10)

God is loving and gracious (11-14)

Of Interest: There are 30 “I Will” statements spread through out the book, many of which give us insight into God’s character and His plan of salvation.

Hosea Map

26 Source: NIV Study Bible

5 - Micah

Author: Micah of Moresheth – in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, King of Judah Name means: Who is like the Lord?

Audience: Southern Kingdom and Northern Kingdom Date: 750-686

Setting: 2 Kings 15:32-20:21; 2 Chronicles 26:23-32:33 Theme: Judgment and Restoration of Judah

Key Verse(s): 1:6 – prophecy regarding the exile of the Northern kingdom (722 BC)

6:8 – “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”

7:18 – “Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in

5 - Micah (cont)

Outline: The Prediction of Judgment – 1-3 The Prediction of Restoration – 4-5 The Plea for Repentance – 6-7

Of Interest: There are about 20 judgment and salvation prophecies using the motifs of accusation and judicial sentencing. They are presented in 3 cycles of judgment prophecies, with each cycle beginning with “hear” or “listen”

BC 850 840 830 820 810 800 790 780 770 760 750 740 730 720 710 700 690 680 670 660 650 640 630 620 610 600 The Southern Kingdom of Judah Ahaziah Joash Amaziah Uzziah Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah Manasseh Amon Josiah Jehoiakim Zedekiah The destruction of Jerusalem and exile to

Babylon - 586 BC 850 840 830 820 810 800 790 780 770 760 750 740 730 720 710 700 690 680 670 660 650 640 630 620 610 600 The Northern Kingdom of Israel Joram Jehu Jehoahaz Jehoash Jeroboam II Zechariah Menahem/Pekah Hoshea

The siege and Fall of Samaria - 722 The Minor Prophets

HOSEA AMOS JONAH =Assyria OBADIAH =Edom MICAH NAHUM ZEPHANIAH HABAKKUK 30

6 - Nahum

Author: The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh Name means: Consolation or Comfort

Audience: Nineveh (Assyria)

Date: 663-612 (3:8-10 – fall of Thebes (Egypt) – 664 BC)

Setting: 2 Kings 21:1-18 & 2 Chronicles 33:1-20 (Manasseh) Theme: The Judgment of Nineveh

Key Verse(s): 1:7-8 – “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him. But with an

6 - Nahum (cont)

Outline: The Destruction of Nineveh is Decreed – 1 The Destruction of Nineveh is Described – 2 The Destruction of Nineveh is Deserved - 3

Of Interest: There are 12 specific prophecies of Nahum against Nineveh. All 12 of them have been authenticated in archaeological finds and historical accounts!

7 - Zephaniah

Author: Zephaniah the son of Chushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah. Name means: Yahweh has hidden (Childhood under Manasseh 2 Kings 20:21-21:18)

Audience: Southern Kingdom (…and the World!)

Date: 630-620 (based on Josiah’s reforms around 628, Book of the Law found 622)

Setting: 2 Kings 22:1-23:25 & 2 Chronicles 34:1-35:19 Theme: The Day of the Lord

7 - Zephaniah (cont)

Outline: The Judgment in the Day of the Lord – 1:1-3:8 The Salvation in the Day of the Lord – 3:9-20

Of Interest: Zephaniah makes it clear that 2 judgments are certain – the near judgment against Judah through Babylon (1:4-13 and others) and the future judgment against the entire world due to pervasive sin against the God of all the earth (1:14-18). Yet Yahweh will protect

those who have humbled themselves and called on His name (2:3 & 3:9-11). Chapter 3 is key – both judgment and restoration in the Day of

Zephaniah map

36 Source: NIV Study Bible

8 - Habakkuk

Name means: One Who Clings (3:16-19) Audience: Southern Kingdom

Date: 612-605 (Babylon destroyed Nineveh – 612; 1st _{invasion of Judah}

– 605)

Setting: 2 Kings 23-24:6 & 2 Chronicles 36:1-8 (Josiah/Jehoiakim) Theme: The Righteous Shall Live by Faith (verse 2:4b)

8 - Habakkuk (cont)

Outline: The Problems of Habakkuk – 1-2 The Praise of Habakkuk - 3

Of Interest: The book is a conversation between Habakkuk and God, similar to the book of Job.

Why Read These?

• 1st Peter 2:2-3 – Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

• Next week: Considering sharing a verse(s) and how it spoke to you regarding Jesus Christ and/or our salvation.

Judgment Wrath

Grace Mercy