The last twelve books of the Old Testament are referred to as The Minor Prophets. These books are called Minor not because the material contained in them is less important than that in other portions of the Bible, but rather because they are shorter in length the Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel) of the Bible. There are twelve books grouped together as Minor Prophets: Hosea; Joel; Amos; Obadiah; Jonah; Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah; Haggai; Zechariah; and Malachi. In the Hebrew Old Testament these twelve prophetic books are grouped together as one book and simply referred to as, "The Twelve." When you study these 12 books you find that truly there is nothing minor about what these prophets said. These last twelve books of the Old Testament contain words from the heart of God to us. Can anything from God be minor? Nothing from God can ever be dismissed as minor!

These twelve relatively short books have major messages that pack a spiritual wallop! A brief overview of these books shows that they cover the following topics:

• Hosea – God’s Overcoming Love
• Joel – Blitzkrieg and Blessing - The Day of the LORD and the Outpouring of His Spirit
• Amos – The Roar of the LORD
• Obadiah – Poetic Justice For the Proud
• Jonah – God’s Mercy To the Lost
• Micah – God’s Indictment On His People
• Nahum – The Character of God
• Habakkuk – Doubt and Faith
• Zephaniah – The Day of the LORD
• Haggai – The Plan of God and Our Priorities
• Zechariah – When Messiah Comes
• Malachi – What Offends God?

These are all very important topics and as we study through these books verse by verse and chapter by chapter you will be challenged, encouraged and edified. When you are done studying this material, hopefully you will have received major messages from the minor prophets. May God guide us through these precious portions of His Word and may His Holy Spirit use the message of the Minor Prophets to make a major difference in our lives.

(1) W.A. Criswell, Believer’s Study Bible [computer file], electronic ed. , Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1991 by the Criswell Center for Biblical Studies.