This group of twelve books are all relatively short (compared to the three big books of the Major Prophets). These final twelve books of the Old Testament have strange names and often use poetic language to introduce people and stories that are literally thousands of years old. Internally, the economic and political situation became ever more precarious as dynastic struggles preoccupied the ruling class. It is, as its name implies, not a unified whole but a collection of 12 independent books, by (at least) 12 different prophets. The tenth of the Trei Asar, Sefer Chagai, is the first book written after the first wave of exiles return to Eretz Yisrael in 536 BCE. 1:9 You have looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. The book can be divided into two sections of two chapters each. His name, from the Hebrew word to ‘embrace’, appears only here. Moreover, the Christian community can be a powerful force for economic, civic and social well-being if it can learn to bring the spiritual and ethical power of God’s word to bear on matters of work in the economic, social, governmental, academic, medical, scientific and other matters of work. “The vine withers, the fig tree droops. When God punishes Israel, they will be “first to go into exile” (Amos 6:7). a. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, and makes me tread upon the heights. Is it possible that we each try to place our own limitations on the reach of God’s blessings through our work? Most of the messages were warnings from God, who wanted His people to turn away from their sin and follow Him. . While we may seek a comfortable job with a reputable employer in a respectable profession, perhaps we can accomplish far more for God’s kingdom by working in morally compromised places. 1. In Ecclesiasticus (an Apocryphal book written c. 190 b.c. ~Michelle. The final three chapters describe in clear detail the prophet’s visions of the disasters that await the people should they refuse to heed his warning and repent. 3:17-19 Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vines; though the produce of the olive fails and the fields yield no food; though the flock is cut off from the fold and there is no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the God of my salvation. Jonah’s call is for the benefit of Nineveh. Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and a pleasant land was made desolate. There are other jobs that also raise the question, should this job be done at all? But the clouds were gathering for those with eyes to see, such as our prophets. Is a mortgage broker responsible to ensure the ability of a borrower to repay the loan without undue hardship? However, we do know that he prophesied sometime after the second Beit Hamikdash had been built in Yerushalayim. Mic. Theology of Work Project. When, a century later, Yirmiyhau is tried for sedition, the elders protested, reminding them: “Micha the Morashtite, who prophesied in the days of King Chizkiyahu of Yehuda, said to all the people of Yehuda: ‘Thus said God of Hosts: Tzion shall be plowed as a field, Yerushalayim shall become heaps of ruins, and the Temple Mount a shrine in the woods.’ “Did King Chizkiyahu of Yehuda, and all Yehuda, put him to death? They all generally deal with the same themes though: God’s pending judgment on both the people of Israel and the surrounding nations, as well as his coming restoration for Israel and the world. Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vines; Did God himself reveal the reasons for the tsunami to these commentators, or did they draw conclusions on their own? 3:1 See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. All rights reserved. James P. Recent Posts. There are true prophets of God and false prophets, but here are the top 12 Bible verses about the true prophets of God from Scripture. 4:3 He shall judge between many peoples, and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Unlike the others, however, Jonah rejects God’s call. According to God’s covenant with Israel, farmers were not allowed to glean their own fields, but were to allow poor people (literally “widows and orphans”) to glean them as a way of supporting themselves (Deuteronomy 24:19). The eighth of the Trei Asar, Sefer Chavakuk, is unique among the prophetic works of the Bible. God complains that because of the people’s impurity, “with every work of their hands…what they offer there is unclean” (Hag. As a result, the environment became degraded, and thus “a pleasant land was made desolate.” (Zech. Baruch Hashem. Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who do his commands; seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the Lord’s wrath. “You trample on the needy, and bring ruin to the poor,” Amos accuses them, “…selling the sweepings of the wheat” (Amos 8:4, 6). Will not your own creditors suddenly rise, and those who make you tremble wake up? While still outwardly powerful, the country’s foundations have been weakened and undermined during years of lawlessness and violence. What this small book does, however, is concentrate upon the upcoming downfall of the Assyrian empire, which had brutally dominated the Middle East for over five centuries. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet . The 12 prophets Greek scroll shows us that the Canon of the Old Testament was fully established long before the time of Christ. The book of Zecharya has three clear parts. 2:7-10) When Nineveh turns to the Lord, the animals and humans band together in harmony, and the socio-economic violations cease (Jon. Have we come to believe that success is a zero-sum gain? We know little about the prophet’s personal life. 1 Peter 1:10-12 English Standard Version (ESV). . Indeed, Yoel is one of the few prophets who successfully effects a transformation among the people. . However, Yoel’s message is clear: Through repentance, disaster can be averted and judgment can be transformed to mercy. 2:14). [1] Farming communities became vulnerable to annual variations in production, and the cities were correspondingly subject to vagaries in their food supply (Amos 4:6-9). 1:6). . His contemporaries include the prophet Chagai, who began prophesying two months before him, and the high priest Yehoshua. [1] It is the urgent environmental responsibility of the faithful to learn in concrete ways how to ground their work, in the worship of God. 12. Zechariah, too, draws a link between human sin and desolation of the land. 2:3 Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who do his commands; seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the Lord’s wrath. The prophet Micha was a strong opponent of these wealthy and powerful men, denouncing them at every opportunity. It would be interesting to see them laid out on a time line of the history of Israel. With respect to the Twelve, let us give a brief outline. . Thanks for an interesting summary of The Twelve Prophets. They come because Jonah refuses to accept the blessings of “a gracious God [who is] merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing” (Jon. From the Dead Sea Scrolls and the work of Ben Sirach, we know that these twelve prophetic texts were grouped together as one book already by the second century BCE. Indeed, in quite different circumstances, Zechariah has a very similar vision to that of Amos during the time of Israelite prosperity: people experiencing wellbeing in the form of sitting under the fig trees that they planted. Rabbi Yaakov Beasley has been lecturing passionately on Bible in different venues in Israel and abroad for almost twenty years. In the final chapter, Hashem punishes the nations who hated Israel and threatened Yerushalayim. The entire city, “everyone great and small” (Jon. “Can I tolerate wicked scales and a bag of dishonest weights?” says the Lord (Micah 6:11). / The cup in the Lord’s right hand will come around to you, and shame will come upon your glory. That being the case, five of the first six books of the Twelve—Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Micah—reflect on the effect of the people’s sin, both on the conduct of the covenant and on the events of the world. What use is an idol once its maker has shaped it—a cast image, a teacher of lies? Consider what awaits those who defraud others in banking and finance. Habakkuk and Zephaniah declare that an essential part of God’s punishment is that the people’s ability to make an adequate living is diminished. And my people shall never again be put to shame. Hi Rabbi. Zeph. Despite the apparent triumph of the wicked, God is ultimately in charge, and “the kingdom shall be the Lord’s” (Obadiah 21). But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen. 2:9). The enthusiasm that had accompanied the original pilgrims and returnees had dissipated, and the people’s moral standards had slipped. The sixth of the Trei Asar, Sefer Micha, records the prophecies of Micha the Morashite. Yona, son of Amittai, is mentioned in Melachim II (14:25) as a prophet who lived during the reign of Yerovam II in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Apparently, God’s intent is to use the people of Israel to bless all nations, not just themselves (see "Blessing for All Peoples (Jeremiah 29)" in Jeremiah & Lamentations and Work). 3. As described in Sefer Ezra (chapter 6), Chagai’s efforts were not in vain; through his encouragement and that offered by his contemporary prophet Zecharya, the people completed building the Temple and dedicated it in 516 BCE. The superscription to his book mentions that he prophesied “two years before the earthquake.” Excavations at Hazor have uncovered evidence of a major earthquake that caused extensive damage to the region in the year 760 BCE. 6:6-7 With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Most scholars place him near the end of Assyria’s reign. They feed on the sin of my people . The Twelve Prophets carry a fundamental optimism that God is active in the world to change it for the better. After the return from exile, the prophets challenge Israel to maintain godly priorities as they re-establish themselves in the land and rebuild it from a place of desolation. “Whoredom” is the term the prophets often used to describe Israel’s breaking of the covenant (e.g., Jeremiah 3:2, Ezekiel 23:7). We believe that the Jews are the chosen nation and that God gave them the Land of Israel as an eternal inheritance. If Jonah’s case is any example, God’s call to serve others in our work need not come at the expense of our own well-being. Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Hosea 1:2 When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.”. When the prophet complains, God demonstrates to him that His mercy extends to all the world’s inhabitants and creatures. There is no faithfulness or loyalty, and no knowledge of God in the land. i am in Zimbabwe i worship only one God the God Yisrael and please help me to learn His Holy commandments and Statutes. The first chapter describes God’s judgment – those who trust in God will find shelter while the rest of the world trembles. Should a photographer take pictures of anything a client asks, without regard for its effect on its subject and viewers? What is commonly known as the "minor prophets" is a collection of writings in the Old Testament from twelve different men inspired by God. If we accept that we are all called to serve God in our work—which is probably different from Jonah’s work, but no less important to God (see Theology of Work Project article Vocation Overview)—then we recognize that failing to serve God in our work also diminishes our communities. Justice in work is not only an individual matter. Given the importance of work and work practices to the wellbeing of the environment, if Christians were to do their work according to the vision of the Twelve Prophets, we could have a profoundly beneficial impact on the planet and all those who inhabit it. The Israel Bible is the world’s first Tanakh (Bible) centered around the Land of Israel, the People of Israel, and the dynamic relationship between them. Those in power “oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien or the poor” (Zechariah 7:10). The cup in the Lord’s right hand will come around to you, and shame will come upon your glory. Should a surgeon perform any kind of elective surgery a patient might be willing to pay for? Two of these are the Major Prophets and the Minor Prophets. If our work is a form of service under God, we cannot ignore such questions. and makes me tread upon the heights. The truth is that God is always working to care for and comfort Jonah. In the next two chapters, Zecharya answers questions from the Jews who remained in Babylonia, about how to adapt religiously to the new reality of a rebuilt Israel. The purpose of a call from God is to serve other people. Meyers and E.M. Meyers, Haggai, Zechariah 1-8: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary (AB 25B; New York: Doubleday, 1987), xxxi-xxxii. The book contains five sections in its three chapters. though the produce of the olive fails and the fields yield no food; When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not wrong? 3:11). [1] Yet in Jonah’s case, the hardship arises not from God’s call, but from Jonah’s disobedience to it. Nonetheless, this is God’s will. They shall eat, but not be satisfied; they shall play the whore, but not multiply; because they have forsaken the Lord . His essays and articles on Bible study appear regularly in leading magazines. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh. At the same time, like the prophets of Israel, we need to call individuals to repent of wilfully engaging in sinful labour. Investing in social capital reminds us that there is no such thing as a “self-made man.” Although individual effort may create great wealth, each of us relies on resources and social infrastructure that originate ultimately in God. The book has an easily identifiable structure. Though his message is stark and dire, his belief in the people’s ability to repent and return is even greater, and Hoshea tries to convince them of the possibility of salvation, even when all seems lost. Unlike his predecessor Nachum, who rejoiced in Assyria’s upcoming downfall, Chavakuk saw that an even crueler and more vicious foe, Babylonia, would arise and take its place. “Put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing” (Malachi 3:10). (Hab. They have abandoned God’s covenant, which both breaks their connection with God and breaks the just social structures of God’s law, leading directly to corruption and economic decline. 3:11a), God promises, and then “you will be a land of delight” (Mal. Therefore great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. . Final defeat came at the hands of the Babylonians in 587 BC. It appears that many of the messages that they brought in their day are still relevant to this day. This applies to individuals and also to corporations, governments and other institutions that use their wealth to exploit others’ vulnerabilities, rather than to create anything useful in proportion to their wealth. Despite these failings, the people lulled themselves into a false sense of security because of their covenant with Yahweh to be his people. Eventually it threatens their very lives (Jon. We are left to imagine what making a household and raising children with a “wife of whoredom” must have been like. The comments below do not necessarily reflect the beliefs and opinions of The Israel Bible™. 3:4-10). Then you will be booty for them. There is some evidence of a trend towards cash cropping as a way of meeting the growing urban demand for food. They are first in dissolution, he observes, as they, “lounge on their couches” (Amos 6:4) and “sing idle songs to the sound of the harp” (Amos 6:5). Do the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree still yield nothing? Prosperity is not a matter only—or even primarily—of personal effort, but of a community grounded in God’s covenant. I would like to thank Rabbi for a very educative and inspiring easy of the 12 Prophets, Hi Rabbi, I am new here, God has put the reality of Isreal and praying for Isreal on my heart. Thus purity entails a fundamental respect for the integrity of the whole created order, the health of its ecospheres, the viability and wellbeing of its species, the renewability of its productivity. Mal. The first two chapters describe an impending invasion of locusts in Yehuda, a manifestation of God’s judgment. says the Lord of hosts. In the Hebrew ordering of the Old Testament, which Christians also observe, the Book of the Twelve Prophets has the last word before the pages of the New Testament open. Are they right? Those who work in the arts or humanities or leisure industries, or put money towards the creation of parks and playgrounds and theatres are making every bit as much of a contribution to the world of which God dreams as the businessman or carpenter. What does it take to glorify God in today's world?". The number twelve in the Bible is associated with governmental perfection and sometimes … The excitement of the giant fish that swallows the runaway prophet, the suspense about whether or not the people of Nineveh will repent, and the question if God will carry out his threat to overturn the city, all tend to overshadow the resounding moral message contained in the book: Hashem is merciful, patient, and forgiving, even to the worst scoundrels and enemies that humanity knows, as long as they take steps towards justice, righteousness, and repentance. But more is possible than simply staying at one’s post, valuable as that may be. Then you will be booty for them. 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