AN INTRODUCTION TO THE MINOR PROPHETS

A. To strengthen our faith:
a. by observing how God has dealt with His believers through the ages and,
b. by seeing the Messianic prophesies and relating them to their fulfillment in Christ.

B. To give courage to the faithful through an understanding of how the prophets dealt with the religious, political, social, and moral corruptions of their time.

C. To make us aware of the fact that God has always attached consequences to disobedience, and to have a better understanding of the principles on which those consequences were and are based.

D. To improve our abilities to deflect and defeat modern day interpretations of OT prophecy.

I. Who are the Prophets? (condensed from Harkrider's outline)

A. Five classes of Old Covenant instructors.

1. The lawgiver: Moses
2. Counselors: Wise men
3. Lawyers: Priests
4. Speakers: Prophets
5. Poets: Psalmists

B. Prophet defined as a spokesman on another's behalf.

C. Examples of some designated as prophets

1. Abraham
2. Moses
3. Deborah, Judges, Miriam
4. "Sons of the prophets"
5. Samuel

II. How are the Prophets Classified?

A. Two classifications: (see Chart 1-1)

1. "Earlier Prophets" Joshua, Judges, 1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings
2. "Later Prophets"
a. "greater prophets" Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel
b. "lesser prophets" "The Book of the Twelve."

B. The Major and the Minor Prophets

C. Oral and Literary Prophets


III. How Can We Understand the Message of the Prophets?

A. Must Keep Three Ideas in Mind:

1. What were the conditions at the time the prophet lived?
2. What was God's relation to the heathen nations?
3. Observe the teachings concerning the King and Kingdom to come.

B. Important Themes Developed by the Prophets

1. Holiness of God
2. Sovereignty of God
3. Immutability of God's Word
4. God's attitude toward sin
5. Repentance and righteousness
6. Worship

IV. Purpose of Studying the Books "Out of Order." (see Chart 1-2)

A. Chronological order versus Textual order.

B. Order of Our Study (chronological):

1. Obadiah
2. Joel
3. Jonah
4. Amos
5. Hosea
6. Micah
7. Zephaniah
8. Nahum
9. Habakkuk
10. Haggai
11. Zechariah
12. Malachi

V. References for Additional Study

A. A Commentary on the Minor Prophets , Homer Hailey (commentary)

B. The Minor Prophets: Spokesmen of God , Robert Harkrider (workbook)