Introduction to the Minor Introduction to the Minor Prophets and ObadiahProphets and Obadiah

Historical Books

2000 - 1500

Period of the Patriarchs

1500 - 1000 1000 - 500

Exodus and Sinai

Judges Kings of Israel and Judah

Ret

urn

Poetic Books

Torah

Prophetic Books

The Prophets Message• Their language and culture can make

interpretation difficult– Some of what they write is poetic

• The prophets spoke God’s message, not their own– “says the Lord” = 428 times in prophets

• Prophets message is unoriginal– They are “covenant enforcement mediators”

– Reiterating the law

– Reiterating the blessings and curses

Foretelling or Forthtelling?

• When a prophet announces the future it is usually the immediate future of Israel, Judah, and other nations surrounding them.

• Of the prophecies, less than 5% describes the New Covenant Age

• Less than 2% of Old Testament prophecy is Messianic

• Less than 1% concerns events yet to come

Isaiah 7:10-13Isaiah 7:10-13Then the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 “Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!” 13 Then he said, “Listen now, O house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well?”

Isaiah 7:14-16Isaiah 7:14-16Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. 15 He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. 16 For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken.

Matthew 1:20-23Matthew 1:20-23But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream,

saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took

place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and

bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

Studying the Minor ProphetsStudying the Minor Prophets1. Obadiah – “Servant of Jehovah” (845 BC)

2. Joel – “Jehovah is God” (830 BC)

3. Jonah – “Dove” (780 BC)

4. Amos – “Burden-bearer” (755 BC)

5. Hosea – “Salvation” (750-725 BC)

6. Micah – “Who is like the Lord?” (740-700 BC)

7. Zephaniah – “Jehovah Hides” (625 BC)

8. Nahum – “Consolation” (630-612 BC)

9. Habakkuk – “Embrace” (612-606 BC)

10. Haggai – “Festive or Festival” (520 BC)

11. Zachariah – “Whom Jehovah Remembers” (520-518 BC)

12. Malachi – “My Messenger” (445-432 BC)

Studying the Minor ProphetsStudying the Minor Prophets• Minor prophets of Israel

– Jonah– Amos– Hosea

• Minor prophets of Judah– Obadiah– Joel– Micah– Nahum– Zephaniah– Habakkuk

Studying the Minor ProphetsStudying the Minor Prophets• Post-exilic Prophets

– Haggai

– Zechariah

– Malachi

Oracle Oracle against against EdomEdom

Obadiah 1:1Obadiah 1:1The vision of Obadiah.

Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom–

We have heard a report from the LORD,

And an envoy has been sent among the nations saying,

“Arise and let us go against her for battle”

HistoryHistory• Gen 25:21-23 “And Isaac prayed to the LORD

for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. And the LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.”

HistoryHistory• Gen 36:1-8 “These are the generations of Esau

(that is, Edom)…Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his livestock, all his beasts, and all his property that he had acquired in the land of Canaan. He went into a land away from his brother Jacob. For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together. The land of their sojournings could not support them because of their livestock. So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir. Esau is Edom.”

HistoryHistory• Numbers 20:14 – They wouldn’t let Moses

pass though the Land

• 1 Samuel 14:47 – Opposed Saul

• 2 Samuel 8:14 – Ruled by David

• 1 Kings 11:14 – Fought against Solomon

• 2 Chronicles 20:22 – Opposed Jehoshaphat

• 2 Chronicles 21:8 – Rebelled against Jehoram

DateDate• Some favor a “late” date (585 B.C.)

– “The exiles of this host of the people of Israel shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath, and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad shall possess the cities of the Negeb.”

– However, “exiles” is used Amos 1:9 and doesn’t refer to the whole population

• Verse 11 favors an early date (848-841)– “On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that

strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them.”

DateDate• 2 Chronicles 21:16-17 “And the LORD

stirred up against Jehoram the anger of the Philistines and of the Arabians who are near the Ethiopians. And they came up against Judah and invaded it and carried away all the possessions they found that belonged to the king’s house, and also his sons and his wives, so that no son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest son.”

Vision against Vision against EdomEdom

• Defeated Defeated despite despite strength & strength & security, 1-4security, 1-4

• Thoroughly Thoroughly plundered, 5-plundered, 5-77

• Cut off Cut off forever, 8-10forever, 8-10

Warning against Warning against EdomEdom

Israel’s Israel’s VictoryVictory

1:11:1 1:121:12 1:151:15

Do not…Do not…• GloatGloat• Rejoice over sons Rejoice over sons

of Judahof Judah• Enter gate of Enter gate of

JudahJudah• Loot JudahLoot Judah• Hurt survivorsHurt survivors• Imprison survivorsImprison survivors

• Day of the Day of the Lord coming, Lord coming, 15-1615-16

• Israel will Israel will retake land, retake land, 1717

• Israel will Israel will rule the rule the nations, 18-nations, 18-2121