MDTERM MODULE

C H A P T E R T H R E E

MINOR PROPHETS

The Book of Amos

Towards the middle of the 8th century BC, the kingdom of Israel was rich and prosperous:

1. Amos is a shepherd from Tekoa, a village, nine kilometers south of Bethlehem, in Judah.
2. God sends him to Israel in the north. Amos denounced social injustice and pagan practices.
3. Amos reveals to us a God who defends the rights of the poor.

In the Book of Amos, Yahweh roars from Zion, His voice thunders from Jerusalem, because of
the situation of the Northern Kingdom:

1. Small properties were disappearing, and wealth was in the hands of a few rich people.
2. The poor increase in number.
3. The luxury of the few was an insult to the destitute.

Focus Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel

Pronouncement of Promptings of Picture of Judgment Promises after

Judgment upon Judgment by God for Amos Judgment for God’s
Divisions

Israel People

Chapters Chapters
Chapters 3–5 6–7 Chapters
1–2 8–9
Topic Sermons and Indictment Signs and Encouragement
Place Neighboring Nations Northern Kingdom of Israel
 The Book of Jonah

The author of the Book of Jonah draws the central character of Jonah, the person who being real
and despite of his failings, manages to evoke certain sympathy in his struggle to understand what
God wanted him to do:

Jonah’s Rejection of God

1. He escaped from God.

2. He refused to follow God’s commands.
3. He embarked on a journey, boarded a ship but was shipwreck.
4. He was swallowed by a whale and dropped him in Nineveh.

Nineveh: A Sinful City of sinful inhabitants:

1. The city represents all that is hateful.

2. Repugnant and cruel oppressors.

The author of the book highlighted the actions of God showing His mercy and bestowing the
same to the Ninevites if they will repent.

The Book of Jonah

Running from God Running to God Running with God Running against
God
First Commission of Prayer of Jonah Second Commission of Prejudice of Jonah
Jonah Communication with the Jonah Lessons from the
Results of Disobedience Lord Results of Lord
Chapter 2 Disobedience
Chapter 1 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

God’s infinite mercy for all people; our reluctance to share His mercy.
 The Book of Joel

The Book of Joel informs its readers that “everything is temporary in our world”. Written around
the year 835 B.C. the book describes every event. The lives of people are threatened, and the
Lord comes to judge the world. Joel speaks when the land is invaded by locust. The people are
looking at their ruined fields and their lost crops. Joel announces the Day of Yahweh: Freedom
from the plague. God promises a happy age and give the Spirit of the prophets to all his children.

The Book of Joel

Focus The Day of the Lord

Divisions The Day of the The Day of the The Judgment of The Blessing of
Locust Lord the Nations God’s Nation
Chapter 3:1 and 3: Chapter 3:18 and
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 17 3:21
Topic Joel speaks of Locust’ Invasion and God’s Speaks” Valley of Decision
Description
Place Judah and Jerusalem

The Book of Hosea

Hosea began to preach around 746 BC, at the end of the prosperous reign of Jeroboam II, in the
Northern Kingdom of Israel. Hosea is a prophet deceived by his wife who he never stopped
loving despite her infidelities. God called Hosea to speak to an idolatrous and materialistic
Israelites. Hosea rises to accuse and threaten the Israelites who are unconcerned. He continues to
preach while the kingdom is collapsing and predicts the punishment of the people who are
irresponsible and unfaithful to the covenant with their God.

Personal National
The Agony of an Unfaithful Mate The Tragedy of an Unfaithful People
Marriage God: “Go, God” “Go Series of Nation is guilty
Children take yourself a again, love a Sermons God is Holy
Separation wife of woman who is Sins of the Nation needs judgment
Reunion harlotry and loved by her People God is Just
have children husband, yet an Character of God Nation has hope
Chapters of harlotry.” adulteress.” Hosea remains God is Love
1–3 (1:2) (3:1) true to his wife.

Chapters 4 – 14
Adulterous wife yet faithful husband Adulterous Nation yet faithful God
God’s faithful love towards His unfaithful People

MAJOR PROPHETS

The Book of Ezekiel

Ezekiel was a Babylonian exile but a witness in the final years of the Kingdom of Judah. He was
a young priest taken to Chaldea with the ten thousand exiles after the first siege of Jerusalem in
598. There he was called by God as he tells us. The first part of his book contains his discourse
predicting the destruction of his country. It is surprising at the language Ezekiel attributes to
God. God is vesting his resentment and jealousy by continually threatening his people and taking
delight in their predicament and agony.

God will be known through His judgment and restoration; God is sovereign over heaven and earth.
About the Prophet Judgment on Judgment on the Restoration of God’s People
Judah nations
Ezekiel’s Call and
Commission
God’s Glory All Nations answer to God’s Glory Returns
 God’s hand and word Departs God
in him

God’s message
through him

Chapters 1 – 3 Chapters 4 – 24 Chapters 25 - 32 Chapters 33 – 48

The Book of Jeremiah

The prophet Jeremiah originated from Anathoth and comes from a family of priests. God
entrusted him the mission not to speak, but to uproot and destroy, to build and to plant. God
gives him the mission to speed up history. Jeremiah cooperated with God and announced that
“the word should not frighten us, in his supreme decisions which gave direction to history”.

Judah’s Sin and Judgment Prophesies against the A Sobering Ending

Nations
Jeremiah’s Call Exhortations to
Judah Egypt, Damascus, Jerusalem in ruins
Idolatry Promises of Philistia, Kedar &
Restoration Hazor, Moab, Elam,
Corrupt Leadership Ammon, Babylon,
Fall of Jerusalem and Edom
aftermath
Moral Compromise
Chapter 52
Chapters 46 - 51
Chapters 1 -45

Judgment is coming; repent

The Book of Isaiah

1 Isaiah’s son of Amoz was active in the Kingdom of Judah.

2 He began his ministry around 740 BC – 700 BC.
3 The book is the largest work of prophecy in the Bible.
4 The richest in prophetic thought, it is the source of Jesus’ meditation and prayer.
5 Isaiah was against oppression and injustice.
6 Isaiah hates vain worship and wanted Israel to return to God.
7 Isaiah spoke freely of Assyria as God’s instrument sent to punish the Israelites.

The Book of Isaiah and his disciples is the most important of the prophetic book. Isaiah’s words
are found in chapters 1 – 39 of the books bearing his name. The second and third parts of the
book, namely chapters 40 – 66, bring together the words of other prophets who wrote a century
and a half later.

Author Isaiah, the Prophet Deutero (Second) – Isaiah to Trito (Third) – Isaiah
 The Judgment of The Supremacy The Servant of the Lord The Future
God of the Lord Plan of the
Servant Songs: Lord
42: 1 – 9
49: 1 – 13
50: 4 – 11
52: 13 – 53: 12
Chapters
Chapters 40 – Chapters 49 – 53 54 – 66
Chapters 1 - 39 48
Emphasi The law and God’s grace and Deliverance
s judgment for Comfort……….. Promise…………
disobedience Hope………..
Old Testament New Testament
Theme The justice and mercy of God

The Book of Daniel

1. Daniel is a teacher of the law in the days of the great persecution at the time of the
Maccabees.
2. The Book of Daniel depicts the Jews who settled in foreign countries and serve the king.
3. The author of the Book warns the Israelites that they should not compromise the demands of
faith
And the practices of the law under my circumstances, whether in terms of food or idolatrous
worship.
4. The Book of Daniel and his vision was not a historical account, but literary fiction.
5. The author used the art of using symbolic numbers and symbolic colors and having angels
intervene
was prevalent. This category of books is called “Apocalypse” or “Revelations”.

Part One
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6

Daniel’s Daniel Daniel’s Nebuchadnezzar Belshazzar’s Daniel

Historical
Section

Education and interprets friends ’s second dream, banquet and miraculous

the captivity of Nebuchadnezzar’ spared from interpreted and fall of deliverance
his friends s dream the fiery fulfilled Babylon from the
furnace lions’ den

Part Two
Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapters 10 – 12
Prophetic
Section

Prophecy: Four Prophecy: Ram, Goat Prophecy: 70 Prophecy: Warring Kings of

Mythical Beast & Little and 2300 Days Weeks & Daniel’s the North & Southern
Horn prayer Kingdoms
 THE WISDOM BOOKS

The Book of Job

1. The Book of Job heads the wisdom books of the Bible.

2. Job is a wealthy man from Uz.
3. Job’s wealth is outstood he is reduced to utter misery.
4. God tested Job by taking away everything from him.

 Human life is not satisfying.

 Suffering and death would not be so scandalous if it were not for us the absence of
God in our world.
 To contemplate nature to believe in God and is Providence.

5. Job remained steadfast, trusting God who always rewards the just.
6. In the end, God gave everything back to Job.

The Book of Job

Introduction to the Discussion of the Correction in the Suffering
Suffering Suffering

Job’s Purity & Words of Job: Eyes on Self Words of Elihu: Eyes on Words of Yahweh:
Prosperity. Curses Birth Yahweh. Sovereignty.
Curses Life
Satan’s proposition, To Job and his friends: “Whatever is under the
persecution & Words of Three Friends: whole heaven in Mine.”
persistence. Eliphaz, Zophar, Bildad: “God does great things (41:11)
Eyes on Humanity which we cannot
Job’s Poverty & Plaque comprehend.”
(37:5)
Chapters 1 -2 Chapters 3 – 31 Chapters 32 - 37 Chapters 38 – 41

Submission under the Suffering Restoration from the Suffering

 Job’s admission & Confession: Yahweh’s anger with Job’s three friends.
Yahweh’s blessing on Job.
“Therefore, I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.”
(42:6) “The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his
beginnings.” (42:12)
Chapter 42: 1 - 6 Chapter 42: 7 – 17

God’s sovereignty and humanity’s struggle in the midst of suffering

The Book of Psalms

1 The Psalms come from the collections of songs used in the Temple of Jerusalem.
2 The book of Psalms is a prayer book in ancient Israel, and it fed the Jew’s piety.
3 Tradition states that David regulated the liturgy just as he composed all the psalms.
4 But the Levites – the Sons of Asaph and Yedutun, had a greater role in the writing and
selection of
the psalms.

The Book of Psalms

Book One Book Two Book Three Book Four Book Five
41 Psalms 31 Psalms 17 Psalms 17 Psalms 44 Psalms

Psalms 1 – 41 are Psalms 42 – 72 are Psalms 73 – 89 are Psalms 90 – 106 are Psalms 107 – 150
1490 BC, Days of Moses

444 BC Days of Ezra

Analogy on the Analogy on the Analogy on the Analogy on the are Analogy on
Book of Genesis in Book of Exodus in Book of Leviticus in Book of Numbers in the Book of
relation to relation to relation to Sanctuary relation to the Reign Deuteronomy in
Humanity Deliverance of God relation to the
Word of God

The Authors The Authors The Authors The Authors The Authors
emphasized a stressed a stressed a Liturgical stressed a General stressed a
Personal character Devotional character and Historical character in the text. Prophetical and
in the text. in the character in the text. Natural character
text in the text.
We worship God for who He is and what He has done.

The Book of Proverbs

We must not forget that the authors (King Solomon, Agur ,and Lemuel) of the Book of Proverbs
did nothing more than editing the “proverbs” or “maxims” of popular wisdom. Their writings
would encourage every effort to develop the instruction and the moral sense of generations to
come. These books which were preserved and recognized by the religious community are no less
a work of God than are prophetic books.
 The Book of Proverbs
Prologue to Wise Living Principles for Wise Personification of Wise
Living Living

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of “The fear of the Lord is “Charm is deceitful and
knowledge.” (1:7) the instruction for beauty is vain. But a woman
wisdom. And before who fears the Lord, she shall
honor comes humility.” be praised.” (31:30)
(15:33)

Chapter 1–9 10: 1 – 31: 9 31: 10 – 31

Emphasis Wisdom especially for Wisdom for All
youth
Framework Subjects & Statements People & Problems Counseling & Correction
Style A book filled with short statements that declare a profound truth providing wisdom for
life
Theme

The Book of Ecclesiastes (Qoheleth: Abbreviation: Qo, Hb. Preacher)

Ecclesiastes lived in the 3rd century BC when Greek culture began to influence the Jewish
people. Ecclesiastes wrote that we are in a world where the human person is a limited mortal
being. The author of the book signed his work with a pseudonym, or made-up name. However,
he presented his teaching as if were the work of King Solomon. The word Ecclesiastes is the
translation of the Hebrew Qoheleth and many prefer to use this word to avoid confusion with
Ecclesiastes (Sirach).

The author of the book of Ecclesiastes undertakes the investigation of experience at all levels and
asks questions about creation, justice, the wise versus the fool, just and unjust, and even quotes
many proverbs that he thinks will work in life. The author insists that we cannot know what God
is doing or why, and so our proper human response is to enjoy what God gives us now and use it
the best we can.
The Book of Ecclesiastes (Hebrew: Qoheleth)
Introduction Investigation and Discoveries Admonition Conclusion
“I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom.”
(1:13)
 Writer PERSONAL CONCLUSIONS A warning to THE END OF
Theme PURSUITS the young THE SEARCH
Questions Without God’s help:
Illustrations Knowledge Humans cannot discover A picture of Fear God

VANITY
Amusements what is good for them to the Old
Possessions do. Obey Him
Madness & Folly A final
Labor Without God’s Admission Someday you
Philosophy Revelation: Humans do will face Him!
Riches not know what will come
after them.
Chapters 1:1 – 11 1: 12 – 6: 12 7: 1 – 11: 6 11: 7 – 12: 8 12: 9 – 14
Search Nature Philosophy, Materialism, Fatalism, Relationships Theology
Style Proverbial Personal Poetical
Theme The meaninglessness of life apart from God

The Book of Songs of Songs

The Song is a Poem. It is about the Lover, God, and the beloved, Israel. The book is a poem
about a love encounter. The author lets this encounter happen as in a dream to unveil its mystery
and the call of love comes from elsewhere. The Songs of Songs, in Hebrew, forms the
superlative degree. The Song is both the intuition and the experience of the search for the unique
beyond every veil. The Song is presented as being the work of Solomon: it is only a borrowed
name as is the case with other books in the Bible. The author was a “spiritual” and a sage of the
3rd century BC.

The Book of Song of Songs (Song of Solomon)

The The Wedding The Maturing Marriage
Courtship

Bride muses Groom speaks Wife longs for Husband Both partners
about her tenderly to His and describes speaks of his declare a
Emphasis beloved Bride her loving wife in permanent seal
husband intimate terms on their love
Chief The Bride The Groom Wife Husband Duet
Speaker (“Darling”) (“Beloved”) (“Darling”) (“Beloved”)
Chapter (s) 1: 2 – 3: 5 3: 6 – 5: 1 5: 2 – 8: 14
Theme The joy and intimacy of love within the committed marriage relationship.