Minor Prophets

Malachi was the final prophet of the Old Testament who confronted the spiritual apathy of the post-exilic community and predicted the coming of a forerunner who would prepare the way for the Lord.

Zechariah was a priest-prophet who used vivid apocalyptic visions to encourage the rebuilding of the Temple and provided the most detailed Old Testament prophecies regarding the rejection, death, and ultimate reign of the Messiah.

Haggai was the pragmatic prophet who successfully mobilized the apathetic exiles to rebuild the Second Temple by linking their economic hardships to their spiritual negligence and restoring the promise of the Davidic line.

Zephaniah was a royal prophet who spurred King Josiah’s reforms by warning of the terrifying “Day of the Lord” while promising that God would ultimately rejoice over a humble remnant with singing.

Habakkuk was the “wrestling prophet” who questioned God’s justice in the face of evil but ultimately moved from complaint to a historic declaration that the righteous shall live by faith.

Nahum was a prophet of Judah who delivered a vivid, poetic decree of doom against the brutal city of Nineveh, declaring that God’s justice would finally destroy the oppressor and bring comfort to Judah.

Micah was a rural prophet who championed the poor against the corrupt urban elite, summarized true religion as doing justice and walking humbly, and famously predicted the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem.

Jonah was a patriotic Israelite prophet who tried to flee from God’s call to preach to his enemies, only to be swallowed by a great fish and brought back to lead the city of Nineveh to repentance, a mission he resented to the end.

Obadiah was the prophet who pronounced a singular, crushing judgment upon the nation of Edom for their pride and for betraying their brother nation, Israel, during the destruction of Jerusalem.

Amos was a shepherd-turned-prophet who fearlessly traveled from Judah to the Northern Kingdom to condemn the wealthy elite for their oppression of the poor and their empty religious rituals.