STUDIES IN JONAH- part 1

                              7/13/03

 

        INTRODUCTION TO MINOR PROPHETS

     

                                LAW

Luke 24:44                PROPHETS

                                WRITINGS (Psalms)

 

LAW- 5 books (Gen,Ex,Lev,Num,Deut)

PROPHETS- 17- (Isa,Jer,Lam,Ezk,Dan,Hos,Joel,Amos, Obad.,

                 Jonah, Micah, Nahum,Habk,Zeph, Hag,Zech,Mal)

HISTORY-12-(Josh,Judg,Ruth, I & II Sam, I & II Kings, I & II Chron,

                  Ezra,Neh, Esth)

POETRY-5- (Job,Psa, Prov, Ecc., Song)

 

               Prophets are divided into Major and Minor:

Major- Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lament., Ezekiel

Minor-Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum,

   Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

 

The Minor Prophets may be divided into 4 groups, each expressing a

call of God.           

Call to Israel- Hosea, Joel, Amos, Micah

   Call to nations- Jonah, Nahum (both to Nineveh), Obadiah (Edom)

       Call to returning exiles- Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

           Call to both Israel & nations- Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Daniel

 

 

Time line:

 

760             722   Joel            586                     430

Hosea                   Nahum                       Obadiah

Jonah                    Habakkuk                      Zech.

Micah                    Zeph.                                      Malachi

                  Fall of                 Fall of

            N.Israel                  Judah

 

 

CONSIDERATIONS:

1) The book of Jonah is more narrative than prophecying.

2) There is less focus on Israel’s covenant privilege and responsibility

   and more focus on Jonah as an individual.

3)  The “prophecy” of Jonah is more by historical parallel- see Matt.12

page 2

 

4) The commission of Jonah as a “missionary evangelist” is the

  backdrop for the developing relationship between the LORD and

  his servant.

5) Prominent in Jonah is how God “prepares” natural phenomena-

  see 1:4 (wind), 17 (fish), 4:6 (plant), 7 (worm), 8 (wind)

6) The sovereignty of God is expressed as acting for our benefit

  as well as for God’s behalf.