The MAJOR & MINOR Prophets - The 16 Writing Prophets Of The Hebrew Canon

Quick Summary of the 7 th Century B.C. Prophetic Books

Book

Meaning of Name

Key Thought

Approx Date BC

Audience # of

Key Verse(s)

NT References

Chap.

Zephaniah The LORD hides or has hidden

Judgment & Blessing in the Day of the Lord Destruction of Nineveh

632-628

Judah

3

1:14-15; 2:3, 10; 3:17

----

Nahum

Comfort or Consolation The LORD throws

664-654

Assyria

3

1:8

Rom 10:15

Jeremiah

Coming Judgment

627-580

Judah

52

7:23; 8:11-12 23:1-8 2:4; 3:17-19

Heb 3:19; 4:4; Mt 21:13; 1 Cor 1:31 Rom 11:27

Habakkuk One who

The just shall live by faith

609-605

Judah

3

Ac 13:41

embraces or clings

Themes of the 7 th Century BC Prophetic Books Zephaniah: A contemporary of Jeremiah and Habakkuk, Zephaniah was one of the eleventh-hour prophets WR -XGDK +H VSHDNV RI *RG¶V MXGJPHQW RI WKH ZKROH HDUWK DV ZHOO DV VXUURXQGLQJ QDWLRQV EXW KH HQGV KLV message with a glorious picture of God singing over His people. Nahum: One hundred years after Jonah, the formerly repentant Nineveh has returned to her sinful ways, and Nahum proclaims the downfall of the great city. Babylon will so destroy the city, no trace will remain. This is a message of comfort and consolation to all who feared the Assyrians. Jeremiah: Jeremiah labors for more than forty years proclaiming a message of doom to the stiff-necked people of Judah, telling them they must submit to Babylon to escape calamity. He suffers much persecution, EXW OLYHV WR VHH KLV SURSKHFLHV FRPH WR SDVV .QRZQ DV ³7KH :HHSLQJ 3URSKHW ´ EHFDXVH RI his great con- FHUQ IRU *RG¶V SHRSOH Habakkuk: 7KH SURSKHW TXHVWLRQV *RG DERXW ³:K\ GRQ¶W \RX MXGJH -XGHD" $QG *RG UHVSRQGV WKDW +H KDV WKDW SODQQHG XVLQJ WKH %DE\ORQLDQV 7KLV SURPSWV WKH TXHVWLRQ ³:K\ WKH %DE\ORQLDQV ZKR DUH PRUH wic NHG WKDQ WKH -HZV"´ *RG DVVXUHV +DEDNNXN WKDW WKH\ ZLOO EH judged as well. Those who are just will live by their faith, a revelation that bursts upon the prophet and causes him to rejoice in the purpose and salvation of God.

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