Minor Prophets

The twelve books of the minor prophets are all relatively short (compared to those of the Major Prophets). They all generally deal with the same themes, however.

• Hosea explores God’s loyalty to Israel, even though Israel has been disloyal to him.
• Joel compares a plague of locusts to God’s coming judgment, while also looking forward to God pouring out his spirit on mankind.
• Amos warns the people of Israel that their oppressive ways have made an enemy of their own God.
• Obadiah foresees a day when Israel will have justice against its oppressors.
• Jonah tells the story of how despite people’s tendencies to stray from God, God is compassionate, and prefers to prevent disasters if people repent.
• Micah encourages the people to pursue justice and mercy.
• Nahum sees the violence of a world empire, and anticipates that they too will meet a violent end.
• Habakkuk recognizes the way violent, oppressive cultures fall to even more violent, oppressive cultures. He encourages the people of God to live differently.
• Zephaniah anticipates a coming "reset" of the nations, with God restoring everything.
• Haggai encourages the people of Jerusalem to reconstruct the Temple destroyed by the Babylonians.
• Zechariah tells the people of Israel that they have an opportunity to return to God and allow Him to restore them.
• Malachi chastises the people of Israel for straying from the Torah and calls the people to recommit to living by God’s laws.