Hosea to Malachi
The Minor Prophets include those from Hosea to Malachi. They are so called, not because of their lesser importance, but because of the comparative smallness of their writings - the whole twelve not equalling in extent either of the first three of the greater Prophets. They are placed in their chronological order, with, perhaps, the exception of Jonah, whom some believe to be the earliest of all the prophets.
Of the twelve, three - Hosea, Amos, and Jonah - belong to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and the remaining nine to the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The period over which their prophecies extended was from around 810-400 B.C. the historical information concerning them is nearly all gathered from their several writings. These we will now look at.
Hosea: -
Hosea - or, Hoshea - the son of Beeri, is supposed to have prophesied for a period of fifty-nine years, or from B.C. 784 to B.C. 725. This would have covered the period from the reign of Jeroboam II to the last king of Israel, and he would probably have died before the destruction of the northern kingdom.
The burden of his prophecies was the idolatrous practices of the people. Most commentators reckon him the most obscure of all the prophets, on account of the spasmodic brevity of his style. He is, however, a distinctly Messianic prophet, and is referred to by Paul as predicting the gathering in of the Gentiles. Romans chapter 9 verse 25, "As he saith also in Hosea …"
Joel: -
Joel, the son of Pethuel, is supposed to have prophesied during the reign of Uzziah, king of Judah, and was contemporary with Hosea, who was prophesying in the northern kingdom of Israel. His prophecies centre around a plague of locusts which was then about to afflict the land. In the light of this, the people are called upon to weep and repent.
Joel is remarkable as having predicted the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and is referred to by Peter on that occasion - "... this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel, and it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh...." (Acts chapter 2 verses 16 forward.)
Amos: -
Amos was a native of Tekoah, a city of Judah, about six miles from Bethlehem. He was the son of a herdsman and was himself a gatherer of sycamore fruit, and not brought up in the "schools of the prophets." Though belonging to the southern kingdom of Judah, his prophecies are directed against Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II when that kingdom was enjoying an exceptional period of prosperity. He is also the messenger of judgment to the Syrians, Edomites, Moabites, and the city of Tyre. The object of his prophetic warnings was the calf-worship at Dan and Bethel, introduced by Jeroboam I, and which, in the prophet's time had begun to corrupt the people of Judah.
As the prophecy of Hosea was used by Paul, the prophecy of Amos was taken up by James at the Council of Jerusalem to display the gathering of the Gentiles into the Church. When Paul and Peter have related their own experiences concerning the salvation the Gentiles under their ministry and without the necessity of Jewish circumcision, the apostle James then turns to the prophecy of Amos to verify what they said from the Word of God. "And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, after this I will return, and build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen down ...." (Acts chapter 15 verses 15 forward)
Obadiah: -
Obadiah the prophet is one of twelve men of that name in the Old Testament. The name means "Servant of Jehovah," and the prophecy of Obadiah forms the shortest book in the Old Testament. The burden of the words of Obadiah is the judgment that will befall Edom on account of Edom's failure to come to Israel's rescue in the days of "calamity." At Israel's "restoration" Edom and all the nations will be judged, and in this sense, the message of Obadiah is prophetic of the final judgment at the end and the final establishment of God's eternal kingdom forever.
Jonah: -
Jonah, the son of Amittai, was a native of Gathhepher and is generally held to be the first of the prophets. He is principally remarkable as being the only known prophet who was sent to a heathen nation, thereby predicting the reception of the Gentiles into the Church of Christ, and being thus the unconscious means of foreshadowing the universal mercy of God. In attempting to evade his mission, he was cast into the sea and swallowed by the great fish for three days before his recovery. This incident is referred to by our Lord as illustrative of His own burial and resurrection.
(To be continued)