Intro Part 1: The Prophets, Holy Men of God

Who were these men? The Bible gives little to no information about them. We do not know most of their backgrounds, tribes, family histories, or social status.

Hosea (Salvation/Deliverance) - Son of Beeri

Joel (Yah(weh) is God) - Son of Pethuel

Amos - A Judean shepherd (Amos 7:14)

Obadiah (Servant of YHWH) - Nothing

Jonah (Dove) - A Prophet of God. Son of Amittai (2 Kings 14:25)

Micah (Who is like God?) - From Moresheth Gath

Nahum - From Elkosh (which we don’t even know where it was)

Habbakuk - Perhaps a priest or levite, but that is only based on conjecture because of his familiarity with the Temple practices.

Zephaniah - Son of Cushi, Son of Gedaliah, Son of Amariah, Son of Hezekiah. Not likely that he was related to the king Hezekiah as Amariah is not mentioned as a son of the king. Timeline is rather short to have 4 generations between. Possible that he was cushite (Cushi) or African.

Haggai - Nothing. (Mentioned in Ezra 5:1-2)

Zechariah - Probably a descendant of the priest Iddo (Neh 12:4; Ezra 5:1-2)

Malachi - Might not even be a proper name. From the word for “angel, messenger.” Could be a title.

Their Accomplishments Were Not Memorable

Most of these appeared for a short time before disappearing from the Biblical story. Perhaps God used some of them as continuing prophets, but their lives are not recorded for us. Jonah is unusual because he IS mentioned in another part of the Bible, but it is just in passing in one verse! Haggai and Zechariah are also mentioned in passing.

Their powerful impact and memorable ministry did not come from themselves but rather from the what they were entrusted with and who entrusted them.

God’s Calling Empowered Them

Their Authority and Message Were From God

Hosea 1:1 “1 The word of the Lord that came to Hosea the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.”

Joel 1:1 “The word of the Lord that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.”

Amos 1:1 “The words of Amos, who was among the sheepbreeders of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.”

Amos 1:3 “Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they have threshed Gilead with implements of iron.”

Obadiah 1:1 “The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom (We have heard a report from the Lord, And a messenger has been sent among the nations, saying, “Arise, and let us rise up against her for battle”):”

Jonah 1:1 “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,”

Micah 1:1 “The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.”

Nahum 1:1 “The burden against Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.”

Nahum 1:12 “Thus says the Lord: “Though they are safe, and likewise many, Yet in this manner they will be cut down When he passes through. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more;”

Habakkuk 1:1-2 “The burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw. O Lord, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will not save.”

(Unusual Case. Habakkuk is calling out to God with questions)

Zephaniah 1:1 “The word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.”

Haggai 1:1 “In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,”

Zechariah 1:1 “In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,”

Malachi 1:1 “The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.”

What is “The Word of the LORD?”

It is more than just a simple message. Where else do we see God’s Word in the Bible? God’s Word is powerful. It is His action in the world. It accomplishes HIs purposes. He created the world and upholds the world with the “word of His mouth.”

Deut 8:3

Deut 8:3 “3 So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.”

Psalm 33:6

Psalm 33:6 “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.”

Isaiah 55:1

Isaiah 55:11 “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

God never speaks with empty words.

And what do we see in the New Testament? God’s ultimate act in the World - that which accomplishes His ultimate purpose - is a specific person, Jesus Christ.

John 1:1

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Hebrews 1:1-3

Hebrews 1:1-3 “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

Hebrews 4:12

Heb 4:12 “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

This was the weight that they carried. The NKJV translates it as burden, where others translate it as oracle or pronouncement. But this actually does give us a good insight into the reality of being God’s prophet.

God chose them. They did not chose themselves.

God placed on them on a message and the responsibility to speak it.

They were to function as God’s mouthpieces.

God was their source of authority and the one who dictated their message. It was Divinely-sourced and not human-created.

The prophet of the Lord was primarily a preacher, sent from God, with a message from God to His people.

The Message

Judgment, Repentance, Restoration

Read Joel 2:1-13

Historical Context

Exodus. 1500BC

The Entrance into Canaan.

The Judges & Samuel.

The Kingdom United (Saul, David, Solomon). 1050 - 920 BC

The Kingdom Divided (Rehoboam & Jeroboam). 922 - 901 BC

Assyrian Exile of Northern Kingdom. 734 - 722 BC

Babylonian Exile of the Southern Kingdom. 608 - 586 BC

Return to Jerusalem and Rebuilding of the Temple. 538 - 332 BC

Theological Context

God’s promise of judgment for disobedience.

Leviticus 26 (27-35, 40-45)

Deuteronomy 28 (36, 49-51, 63-65)

The Prophets were God’s messengers of His covenant with Israel. They were sent to accuse Israel of its rebellion against their God. They called Israel to repentance while also prophesying God’s promised judgment. They reminded Israel that God was merciful and would accept true repentance with restoration. Finally, the post-exile prophets called the chastised Israelites to continue in faithfulness to God and promised God’s favor and future blessings for His people.

Note: These notes are informally produced. They are not mean to be reproduced or published. Works Cited:

Lexham Bible Dictionary

The Message of the Twelve: Fuhr & Yates

Interpreting the Minor Prophets: Chisholm Jr

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