(NRSV). Categories: Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Jeremiah, Old Testament Question. But especially in these last days, it is important to keep a clear head on what God said and didnt say about future events. There are four Major Prophets and twelve Minor prophets. https://www.facebook.com/bibleask The majority of their sermons dealt with the present and the past. The answer is yes, there are proclaimed prophets around the world today, but are they truly appointed by God like the major prophets? Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, We are going to study the minor prophets by examining their historical context to determine what their situation is (The fancy name for this among scholars is the. Did you remember to give the message to them? Is it possible that more books could be added to the Bible. Start your lesson planning by reading the "Lesson Prep" section about 5 days before you are scheduled to teach. Heather Riggleman calls Nebraska home (Hey, its not for everyone) with her three kids and husband of 20 years. And honestly, the only reason its kind of labeled that way, its not labeled that way in the Bible. One would think, if you look at the length of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel that "major" prophets had more to say since the minor prophets' books are very short. Using your finger, paint ashes onto the person's head. This is because they came later in Israel's history, as opposed to the earlier books of Joshua, Judges, 1st and 2nd Samuel, 1st and 2nd Kings. Zechariah prophesied to those who were returning to Judah from exile in Babylon. Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. There is also some debate about when various books were written. The terms "major" and "minor" are indicators of length, not importance. Their role was to make Gods will known, as well as his holiness, and to instruct Gods people to reject idolatry and sin. Speaker 1 And it's just the length of the books. 0000007529 00000 n Cook, Krista. Who Were the Major and Minor Prophets in the Bible? Mormons have distinctive beliefs on what a prophet is. To understand these concepts deeper, you have to first understand intervals.An interval is the space between two notes. The Major and Minor Prophets give us some of the richest glimpses and foreshadowing of Christ that we see in the entire Old Testament. 0000071838 00000 n Interestingly enough, women were also prophets. Quora User. The term "major" has nothing to do with the achievement or importance of the prophets, rather the length of the books. What Is the Meaning of Psalm 91 and Why Is it Popular? Some were called to speak to Israel and Judah in their captivities (we will learn more about that in the next lesson). Hosea called Israel back to God. Even today, we can see their prophecies as resourceful advice to guide us in living in a fallen world, knowing that what these prophets spoke of centuries ago is still as pertinent today as it was years ago. Those named the major prophets of the Bible Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel are favored prophets who, though their books were longer and harder to interpret than that of minor prophets, brought us the evidence of Gods truth and the importance of seeking His will instead of our own. Who were the authors? It is good to use an adult as the tagger because it allows for you to choose whom to tag out. Have students take turns putting on the sack. Dan 9: and the 70th week), but sometimes they were just claiming and proclaiming the promises of God to Abraham and David that he would make the nation great, send the Messiah and bring the Gentiles into the kingdom. There are constant warnings and condemnation of either Gods people going astray or what will happen to those who choose to reject God. The Major Prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Have students draw pictures of cars, houses, ways of living, 100 years from now. The Book of Lamentations and the Book of Daniel are included among the Ketuvim. He too, like Isaiah, received his prophetic writings and teachings from God through a vision. The prophets also proclaimed a salvation message. The English word for prophet comes from the Greek word prophetes which means to speak for another, especially one who speaks for a god.. Here's what to do*: Just wanted to point out here that you should follow all copyright laws when it comes to using videos. A Judgment speech which is made up of two parts: A Woe oraclelike a judgment speech, except that it starts with "Woe", Exhortation/ call to repentanceconsists of appeal with motivation (in the form of a promise and/or threat). HdTM0+F{i"%0pZUn,n FhG;XF7|n\TLPq Salem Media Group. 0000006102 00000 n Students often ask about the difference between major and minor. Jesus also fulfilled this advocacy of his father as a priest, prophet, and king. "Prediction and Power: Prophets and Prophecy in the Old Testament and Zimbabwean Christianity." They focused on the lack of morals in society which pointed to the problems. Then ask them what message they want to give to their parents, or what they would like to say to their parents in the picture. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. For example, we can read of Christs birth being foretold in Micah and Isaiah. One of the postexilic prophet's jobs was to point out that Yahweh was superior and the only reason Israel was defeated was because Yahweh was disciplining them. We can then read how Christ will return in the books of Zachariah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Some prophets overlap, lived in different areas, or the chronology cannot be estimated with any accuracy. And of course we want to find out how the message of the books applies to us. The Mosaic covenant of Deuteronomy follows the same structure of the Susserain-Vassal Treaty which was popular in that day between a king or lord and his subjects. They focused on people's failure to keep the law. The message gets mixed up by the time it gets to the end! someone pointed out that it looks like the prophetic telescope below is a bad example. see the powerpoint for the cartoons I was referring to. The 12 books of the Minor Prophets include 67 chapters. The Hebrew word for prophet is Nebi, which is derived from the verb action, to bubble forth like a fountain. The Major Prophets in the Bible are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. % What are the major prophets? 0000007550 00000 n Wq1qa4'+4aftG |^PohSD{8yF-ElGR Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, Habbakkuk, Zephaniah and Jeremiah wrote to warn Judah. They were more concerned with the past and present failings of the nation in their relationships to God and man. 4:4) and Huldah (2 Kings 22:1420). She's usually found with a book in her hand or enjoying quality time with her husband Jeremy and dog Molly. When they wore it as clothing and placed ashes on their head, they were intentionally making themselves uncomfortable to show their deep inner discomfort - either in mourning or because they were deeply sorry for their sins. 1 Notes from Hebrew class, Dr. Robert Chisholm, Spring 1993. https://youtu.be/I8ZOHNrXOP8, Would you like to have your question answered live? The Minor Prophets are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. But the individuals welfare and the nations immediate welfare depended on the peoples faithfulness. 0000004582 00000 n Haggai prophesied to Judah as they were coming back from exile in Babylon and beginning to rebuild Jerusalem. Ask the child to say more about their question. The Minor Prophets of the Bible are shorter books with more specific content, compared to the broader subjects of the Major Prophets. The "major" and "minor" labels do not really imply that one set of prophets are more important than the other. The only significant difference which sets the major Prophets apart from the minor Prophets is the length of their scrolls. Take note of any supplies that are needed. The person of Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies in the Old Testament concerning the Messiah and he took the judgment we deserve for our sins on himself. They use inclusiobegin and end a section with the same word or phrase. Since the study was originally intended just for teaching in a local church and not for publishing, I was not as careful to note my sources as I should have been, but I still want to give credit where credit is due. https://youtu.be/fETbh4c6sFc. Also, another theme was that a coming Messiah would soon deliver them. Once the city did fall, Ezekiel spoke with hope-filled knowledge that God was to bring restoration, revival, and a future in heaven to the people. Keep in mind that elementary school children are rarely capable of abstract thought, so don't boil it all down to a simplified principle for them. What does it mean do not be overly righteous. But above all, follow up with the student the next week or at the next opportunity and continue your discussion with your newfound information. 0000001977 00000 n There are many stories in the Old Testament about prophets. Answer: There is no difference between a Major and a Minor Prophet. The Book of Lamentations tells of the mourning the desertion of the city by God, its destruction, and the ultimate return of the divinity. In order of occurrence, the Major Prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel. But it is not always present. All rights reserved. But the only reason some are called major, like Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, those are considered more the major profits, while Malachi, Obadiah, those ones are considered minor. It is important to become like the Bereans with those who claim to be divinely appointed prophets. The post exilic prophets wrote to assure the people that God would deal with the restored community according to the same principles. Isaiah is the first major prophet to be featured in the Bible, considered the prince of the prophets of the major prophets or Latter Prophets as they are also referred because his writings were one of the most favored. 0000008498 00000 n }JOLk^&qQ4IL1 It wouldn't be very interesting to read either. Hn0~ Use props. What are some different methods of Bible study? nW78v1b5D I?iIE#"R>o&;b5 "mN8Ho^:v{rWzC46/B([9p?3oFf/q79v,]. What message do you think God wanted to send to Israel and Judah? Copyright 2011-2023 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. Named the weeping prophet, Jeremiah writes full expression of his emotions at the difficulties and struggles of the world. They constantly exhorted the people to an internal righteousness rather than an external adherence to the law. Most of the Prophets were self-appointed. Christian Author Bookstore - Xulon Press Publishing. Their books are considered minor since each is much shorter than the writings of Isaiah (sixty-six chapters), Jeremiah (fifty-two chapters), and Ezekiel (forty-eight chapters). and that you will get back to them next week, but only if they will also think about it and do some research during the week as well. What Is the Proper Way to Dispose of an Old Bible? What is the difference between major and minor prophets? What Is the Significance of Not the Letter but of the Spirit? You don't want your slowest children to be the only ones tagged each time. We typically include a memory verse every 4 or 5 lessons, so you can work for several weeks on the same verse. A Survey of the Old Testament by Paul Benware. In this activity, children will deliver a message to their parents. They are short but it doesn't mean that are of minor consequence. Salvation portrayala description, often idealized and in hyperbolic terms, of God's future blessings on his people (Amos 9:13). 0000005396 00000 n The major prophets is a grouping of books in the Christian Old Testament that does not occur in the Hebrew Bible. [1], All the books of the major prophets took place during the "Period of Prophecy", which covers the time from the entrance of the Israelites into the Land of Israel until the Babylonian captivity of Judah. The prophets would usually give a message of doom and gloom and then tell the people about the light at the end of the tunnel to give them hope. But, oh yeah, after a while, God will restore the nation to the land, destroy all our enemies and will reign over us in righteousness and there will be peace in the land forever. The adult at the other end calls out a time. D#8z=&Ilu vQMF-,8B]>V-b =~_[T Og endstream endobj 39 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /TrueType /FirstChar 32 /LastChar 148 /Widths [ 304 0 331 0 0 0 0 0 347 347 0 0 304 329 304 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 304 304 0 0 0 532 0 657 715 0 767 696 0 789 0 328 615 693 628 868 718 0 623 0 700 658 667 0 0 910 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 634 609 497 630 555 343 585 613 312 310 604 301 946 625 554 613 0 425 499 363 625 544 864 550 586 570 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 231 412 412 ] /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding /BaseFont /GPHIHL+BookmanITCbyBT-LightItalic /FontDescriptor 40 0 R >> endobj 40 0 obj << /Type /FontDescriptor /Ascent 938 /CapHeight 671 /Descent -235 /Flags 98 /FontBBox [ -271 -236 1230 939 ] /FontName /GPHIHL+BookmanITCbyBT-LightItalic /ItalicAngle -15 /StemV 98.854 /XHeight 500 /FontFile2 57 0 R >> endobj 41 0 obj 628 endobj 42 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 41 0 R >> stream Answer: There is no difference between a Major and a Minor Prophet. Obadiah is just one chapter long and is a prophecy against the nation of Edom because they were hostile to Jacob's descendants. The exilic prophets wrote to assure the people that God would restore them to the land. Major Prophets. The Bible uses the terms majorand minor simply as a way to divide the prophetic books of the Old Testament. The Minor Prophets are made up of the following 11 books: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. (iI@{{m(.C<3 Tf}X5[&b'ysRAX~m3$X You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Finally, there is the prophet Daniel, one that many do lengthy studies on and even seek to follow his diet to bring glory to God. The Major Prophets come first in English versions of the Bible and include Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel. 0000006123 00000 n All rights reserved. The person of Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies in the Old Testament concerning the Messiah and he took the judgment we deserve for our sins on himself. The Minor Prophets are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. 0000022009 00000 n The prophets works held many prophecies given by God, so the determination of major and minor prophets was based on how long their books were in the Old Testament. Also, if you are not using a storybook Bible, you can use this summary as an outline for your own teaching in class. Hide a loud ticking clock or other object that makes a quiet noise. Bible Based.We believe in solo-scriptura. Malachi prophesied to Judah after they returned from Exile in Babylon and called for them to repent. Today, we are going to learn about the men in the Old Testament who had a job to bring a message from God to the people of Israel and Judah. Zephaniah called Judah back to God and promised that the faithful could look forward to when God judged the wicked. The Minor Prophets are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. For younger students, you might write down their question on a piece of paper and send it home with them. Lessons from OT Books of Prophecy Page 3 REVIEW QUESTIONS True or False ____1. A correct study of the prophets will first seek to understand the conditions existing at the time the prophet lived. Isaiah is spoken about in 2 Kings, about his interactions with the different kings reigning during his ministry. During the time of his prophetic ministry, the people of Judah were back to idolatry and debauchery after the death of King Josiah. My order of presentation is that of one of my professors and is certainly not inspired. These names are a reference to when the prophets spoke in relation to the Babylonian captivity. The short way would only appeal to our intellect. The list is roughly chronological. Perhaps one of the most famous passages is Micah 6:8 which says, He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Every activity has a Scripture that helps you see the tie-in from the activity to the story. Israel had begun worshiping other gods and was unfaithful to the one true God. What do you think the future will be like? The only difference between the two is the number of pages written. Our study will be divided between the Major Prophets and Minor Prophets. Real Answers. They're all prophets. We should read the 15:20), as are Deborah (Judg. F(d5x[=}*QIx#xf1$ly OOPS! 58mR?TMi!X)4jhR 0000001147 00000 n The Major Prophets in the Bible are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. They only shared their message as God instructed them. People also found it unbelievable that Daniel spoke long-term prophecies of Jesuss ministry, yet his prophecies line up to the events of Jesus and the future. The Minor Prophets include Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The Prophets not only had to listen to God, they also had to be obedient in speaking His words to the people. A second use relates to scales (modes). In fact, unless you understand Dueteronomy 28-30 you cannot appreciate or perhaps even understand what the prophets are talking about. But the only reason some are called major, like Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, those are considered more the major profits, while Malachi, Obadiah, those ones are considered minor. Friend and advisor to King David. That student will whisper the same message in the ear of the person next to them and so on down the line. The labels "major and minor" mean the length of the prophecy recorded. Make sure to help the students see the tie-in so they don't think you are just playing a random game. What did they have in common? Gods promises were unconditional and He would eventually keep them. What to do if you don't know the answer? 0000002615 00000 n These questions help the children think about how this story applies to their own life today. More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! Warning of impending judgment because of the nations sinfulness, They use introductory or concluding formula"This is what the Lord says". ")4Gm0FgT1LCo =y/tFh#j'DfF,@h$Gc@p1uY4\?52LY0DZ=3[L>7e iug>km1!OK@I`(-lM,^.J6*P"h+"@ @M=L#~}K This is due to the difficult and unusual prophetic language. The Minor Prophets include Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Begg, C. T., Graybill, R., & Urbrock, W. J. All expound valuable, biblical insight that foretold important events that were to happen, that had already happened, and how they all reflect Gods love, care, and discipline of us. In order of occurrence, the Major Prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel. This Bible-related article is a stub. Blair Parkeis a freelance writer for BibleStudyTools.com and freelance book editor who wrote her first book,"Empty Hands Made Full," in 2021 about her journey through infertility with her husband. She writes to bring bold truths to marriage, career, mental health, faith, relationships, celebration, and heartache. It was kind of like when you read Pauls letters in the New Testament, its obvious that its just a really long letter. DT[t&sL'4y What are the Major Prophets and Minor Prophets? HtMr1N!8I*)4DIk>p$+$]@Sk>XI(}x KZnvyJ.zvys(rF tqvQ~&`28pEA/a2T/ZgbK'/c) EBz`pc^KFr~N'G]\U#cSF,InS{E5cd Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. I think it makes it more convicting. The divine inspiration and instruction of the Old Testament prophets are affirmed in the New Testament, 2 Peter 1:20-21: No prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophets own interpretation of things. The Minor Prophets are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. I guess the Bible would be a lot shorter. For example, some think Obadiah was written first, others think it was one of the last books written. The lengths of the books that recorded their prophecies. 0000003829 00000 n Do the Apocryphal / Deuterocanonical books belong in the Bible? Prophets were traditionalists who proclaimed a doom and gloom message. If adult says 10:00, then students take 10 steps forward. THE LITERARY PROPHETS ARE CATEGORIZED AS MAJOR AND MINOR PROPHETS. The use of the term "Major Prophets" mean that they are more important than the "Minor Prophets." ____2. 0000003889 00000 n g &']{Z2@!`}$)1VEa %PDF-1.4 Do you think that their writings are obscure and difficult to understand? Does the Bible Mention What to Give Up for Lent? Before we move forward in discussing the major prophets, lets first understand what a prophet is. "List of Major and Minor Prophets of the Old Testament." What was the message? Learn Religions. It is similar to the Psalms as it is an honest conversation Habbakkuk is having with God about the evil in the world. What is the difference between the major prophets and minor prophets? b@iIO,[J3Fy" v Prophets delivered messages to the Israelites. Ph.D., Public Administration and Public Affairs, Virginia Tech, M.L.S., Library and Information Science, Emporia State University, M.P.A., Political Science and Public Administration, Brigham Young University, B.A., Political Science, Brigham Young University. h.W`1PlwZv=dUr{. But theres really nothing in the Bible or that was how it was originally written. %PDF-1.3 % (2020). Subscribe to the CompellingTruth.org Newsletter: What are the Major Prophets in the Bible? The Major and Minor Prophets are typically the least popular for Christians to study or read. List of Major and Minor Prophets of the Old Testament. Have you ever had to take a message from someone for your parents? Although he sees the details as part of the same event, there may in fact be separate events. You might consider trying out crafts to make sure you know how to do them before you get to class. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. Just because someone was mentioned in scripture, it does not mean they were a prophet, per se. Heavenly Father blesses all his posterity: biological and adopted. That is sometimes difficult, because we are reading about events that took place 3000 years ago. All Bible verses referenced are NIrV unless otherwise noted. They never spoke on their own authority nor did they share their own opinions. God is going to send the Babylonians to destroy you unless you change your ways. 2:00 means take 2 steps, etc, Before any student reaches the end, yell out "REPENT!". 0000010478 00000 n And so theres not one prophecy or Prophet thats more important than another because all Gods word is written basically under the inspiration of the Holy and the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth. They say that it doesnt make sense that some guy would come along and pronounce judgment and then turn right around and promise deliverance. [1], The Tanakh, often called the Hebrew Bible, is separated into three sections: the Torah, the Nevi'im (Prophets), and the Ketuvim (Writings). Will God forgive me for losing hope and the will to live? Tell them to draw a picture for their parents. h/f,om%'|d)+sDbC*.RViIXUk Also, use this time to take the topic where the students want to go. 0000010457 00000 n The list is roughly chronological. The Minor Prophets, in alphabetical order, are Amos, Habakkuk, Haggai, Hosea, Joel, Jonah, Malachi, Micah, Nahum, Obadiah, Zechariah, and Zephaniah. The Major Prophets are described as "major" because their books are longer and the content has broad, even global implications. These terms have two applications in music theory. Exchange (Leiden, Netherlands) 41.4 (2012): 335-51. God's word is powerful (much more powerful than our summary is!) Major Prophets Material taken from books in print are noted in the footnotes. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a prophet is one who utters divinely inspired revelations; one gifted with more than ordinary spiritual and moral insight; one who foretells future events; an effective or leading spokesman for a cause, doctrine, or group.. 30 Verses to Reflect on in the Book of Hebrews. Before we go more in-depth, here is a list of the major and minor prophets mentioned in the Bible: The Four Major Prophets:Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel, The Twelve Minor Prophets:Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, The word prophet defines someone who gives the declarations of God. Many of their works are literary masterpieces. 0000009728 00000 n The major theme of the prophets was that the people of Israel needed to repent or face judgment. 0000001586 00000 n By the prompting of the Holy Spirit in response to His Word, you can encourage your children to surrender their lives to God and present the Gospel to them. The key things to get across to them are: The Egermeier's Bible Story Book contains a nice summary of some of the Minor Prophets in their story called "Five Other Prophets" that you could read to the children as well. At some points in his writings, he scolds the people of Judah for their idolatry and child sacrifices, while at other points, he shared his love for the people of Judah and prayed for them, even when God said to not pray. The major and minor prophets are collectively known in the Hebrew Bible as the Latter Prophets (or Writing Prophets, because they authored their own works). It is important to understand what is going on in the nations history, which enemy nations are threatening Israels borders (Assyria, Babylon, etc. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. 0000005127 00000 n stream We are also going to see if we can break the literary code so we will understand why they said what they did and so we can appreciate some of the beauty in the way they said it.