Walk Through the Bible: Hosea

Scripture Texts: Hosea 1:1-9; 2:23; 3:1-2; 6:4-7; 14:4-7

Minor Prophets

This evening we turn to the final twelve books of our English OT, called the Minor Prophets.  When we hear minor we might be tempted to think of minor league baseball, vs. major league baseball.  The only thing minor about the Minor Prophets is how much attention they are given.

The Major Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, are listed first not because of importance but because of the length of their books.  The Minor Prophets are minor only because their books are shorter, and all fit on one manuscript or papyrus scroll (sort of like how they all fit on our reading schedule in the month of December).

There are three major historical events around which all the writing prophets prophesied.  Each of these three events have a group of prophets who addressed these key events.

Hosea and Amos are the only two to prophecy to the northern kingdom of Israel before northern Israel was led into exile by the Assyrians.  This would be from around 760 to 722 BC.

All the rest of the Minor Prophets prophesied to Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel.  Six prophecy before Judah goes into exile in 587BC, Joel, Obadiah, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk; and the last three, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi are prophets in Judah after Judah returns from exile under Ezra and Nehemiah from around 536 to 430 BC.