Introduction to the Minor Prophets by Curtis Baker

Introduction to the Minor Prophets
By: Curtis Baker

As we begin a New Year here together in Slaton, I would like to begin a new series of studies with you. Over the majority of the last year we have studied together in the book of Romans. Certainly, one could say that Romans is one of the most well known and influential books of the Bible. But as we turn a leaf on a new year, I would like to take us to a more obscure portion of our Bible. It is probably not one that you read in all that often, although some of the greatest and richest portions of the Bible’s teaching come from there. What I am speaking of is a section of your Old Testament known as “The Minor Prophets.”

As I was looking back,I realized I have not done any Old Testament study with you. I am sure I have referred to the Old Testament now and again, but never have I taken it up as a specific subject for writing. It seemed to me that this shouldn’t be, so I hope to remedy my mistake this year. To properly understand the New Testament, one must be aware and conversant in the teaching of the Old Testament. What one finds when this task is undertaken, often much to our surprise, is there is a great deal of continuity between the Old and New Testaments. Unlike the common perception, where God is seen as angry and wrathful in the Old Testament, and kind and loving in the New Testament, when you read both Testaments in their fullness, you see the same God presented throughout scripture. As a matter of fact, here is the Old Testament’s own definition of God’s character: “He is patient, slow to anger, abounding in love.”

But that is not how we often perceive the God of the Old Testament. We tend to view him as angry; as searching for a reason to show his wrath. We perceive God to be temperamental, and unmerciful in his actions. Where do we get that idea? Several places…but one of the most common is from the prophetic writings of the Old Testament. It is there that God’s wrath is threatened and often displayed. Taken out of their original context, they seem to portray a God who is ready to smote people in an angry flash.

But context is everything when it comes to understanding the prophetic writings of the Old Testament. God is not a capricious God who is anxious to judge…instead, God is shown as one who has been greatly patient, holding off his wrath for hundreds of years. When seen in the appropriate historical context, one might even say that God is too patient, rather than being too quick to judge. God allows things in Israelite society to get so bad, most of us would not want to live in their society. And yet, as we look around at the things that are taking place in our own homes…in our own cities…there is little doubt that we are making many of the same mistakes that the Israelites did. This is not only true of secular society. Unfortunately it is also true in the church as well.

The Minor Prophets, therefore, is a section of scripture that seeks to critique and expose these individual and societal ills. Through twelve different prophets, each one writing from their own unique perspective, one by one they answer the call of God to deliver a message to their own people. Most of these men are not loved. Many of them were persecuted or killed. Why? Because they call people to recognize who they truly are, and what their actions say about them. It is a message that the people don’t want to hear. They would rather be left to their sinful ways. Little has changed today. The prophets are not all that likeable, but for that reason, they are all the more necessary to us. We must hear their preaching as the ancient Israelites did, and we must respond in ways that they often did not.

More next week as we begin with prophetic book of Hosea.

(Don’t forget to join me for A Message From the Heart radio program Sunday evening at 8:00pm on KJAK 92.7FM, or streaming live at www.kjak.com)

curtisbaker@hotmail.com)

Write to: P.O. Box 157, Slaton, TX 79364