The Minor Prophets of the Bible are shorter books with more specific content, compared to the broader subjects of the Major Prophets. The only significant difference which sets the major Prophets apart from the minor Prophets is the length of their scrolls. 0000009030 00000 n The goal of Bible Study is not head knowledge. They never spoke on their own authority nor did they share their own opinions. Students often ask about the difference between major and minor. That's it really. The Minor Prophets include Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Keep in mind that elementary school children are rarely capable of abstract thought, so don't boil it all down to a simplified principle for them. The Hebrew word for prophet is Nebi, which is derived from the verb action, to bubble forth like a fountain. Now, just because a book is referred to as a Major Prophet doesn't mean that the prophet was more important than one of the Minor Prophets. DT[t&sL'4y By Genelle Austin-Lett. Theyre at least twelve, if not 66 chapters in length, whereas books like Malachi, thats only, I think four chapters Obadiah, I think is just one chapter. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/major-and-minor-prophets-old-testament-4048175. Unfortunately, they didn't repent and the judgment he foretold came true. Prophets heard a message directly from God and had to be obedient to give that message to the people, Prophets told the people to repent or stop sinning or God would judge them (show sackcloth and ashes as you make this point), Prophets told the people of things that would happen in the future (including the coming Messiah, Jesus), Many books in the Old Testament were called Major or Minor Prophets, depending on the length of the book, and they recorded the messages God gave the people. They all spoke for God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and so nothing that they say can be discounted. If youre looking for a better understanding of the Messiah and the events that led to and foretold his coming, the Major and Minor prophets are must-reads. So teach the lesson first, then let them read the Scripture out loud. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. How Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the End Times. [2], Along with the books in the Hebrew Bible, the Catholic Bible includes the Letter of Jeremiah which is found in Chapter 6 of the Book of Baruch. We just learned about Jonah in the last lesson. https://instagram/bibleask <> The major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel) have long books, while the minor prophets have shorter ones. }JOLk^&qQ4IL1 Perhaps they have the right answer and they just need confirmation. The Book of Lamentations and the Book of Daniel are included among the Ketuvim. We discover Gods first mention of a prophet in Deuteronomy 18:18-19. someone pointed out that it looks like the prophetic telescope below is a bad example. see the powerpoint for the cartoons I was referring to. God sent appointed messengers throughout history to warn and guide his people. The Minor Prophets are made up of the following 11 books: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The only difference between the two is the number of pages written. The Hebrew Bible does not include the Book of Baruch. nW78v1b5D I?iIE#"R>o&;b5 "mN8Ho^:v{rWzC46/B([9p?3oFf/q79v,]. title: major & minor prophets.pmd author: dr. donnie s. barnes created date: The list is roughly chronological. Have you ever had to take a message from someone for your parents? Lessons from OT Books of Prophecy Page 3 REVIEW QUESTIONS True or False ____1. 0000002837 00000 n (Amos 5:4-6; Joel 2:12-14), Salvation announcementoften alludes to a lamentable situation and focuses on the Lord's saving intervention (Amos 9:11-12), Salvation oracleintroduced by the exhortation "fear not" (Isa 41:8-16). This section helps you structure your teaching time. All Bible verses referenced are NIrV unless otherwise noted. (2021, September 3). Have students take turns putting on the sack. Ask them what they think the answer may be. The prophets would usually give a message of doom and gloom and then tell the people about the light at the end of the tunnel to give them hope. But especially in these last days, it is important to keep a clear head on what God said and didnt say about future events. At some points in his writings, he scolds the people of Judah for their idolatry and child sacrifices, while at other points, he shared his love for the people of Judah and prayed for them, even when God said to not pray. Some were called to speak to Israel and Judah in their captivities (we will learn more about that in the next lesson). When people fail to recognize this fact, they end up confusing the first and second coming of Christ and other important events. Also, another theme was that a coming Messiah would soon deliver them. We include these videos as options for you to consider and for your own personal study. The Minor Prophets are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. They are recognized voices from the Bible, sharing with readers both in their time and today what Gods judgment would be like for those who disregard Him. 1. Do you think of someone who tells what is going to happen in the future? Real Questions. The Major and Minor Prophets give us some of the richest glimpses and foreshadowing of Christ that we see in the entire Old Testament. During the time of his prophetic ministry, the people of Judah were back to idolatry and debauchery after the death of King Josiah. Haggai prophesied to Judah as they were coming back from exile in Babylon and beginning to rebuild Jerusalem. The preexilic prophets came to warn of impending judgment. 0000002615 00000 n These questions help the children think about how this story applies to their own life today. This coloring sheet depicts an Old Testament prophet praying and receiving a word from God and then telling that word to the people. 25}, "|z~C]32VE "List of Major and Minor Prophets of the Old Testament." What did they have in common? Cut a hole in burlap sack to fit over your head. Their primary role was as "enforcers of the . The Prophets: First of all it must be emphasised that the title of 'Minor Prophets' does not in any way place these individuals and the instructions that they gave, in an inferior category to the 'Majors' such as Isaiah or Jeremiah. It can be hard to determine if a person is truly a prophet, especially if they quote from the Bible and what they say seems to line up with what is currently happening. When you outline the prophets you find that they all have the same basic ingredients: If you want to outline a prophetic book how do you recognize where one unit begins and ends?1. Heather is a former national award-winning journalist and is the author of Mama Needs a Time Out and Lets Talk About Prayer. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Major_prophet&oldid=1100442484, This page was last edited on 25 July 2022, at 23:33. But it is not always present. The Minor Prophets were not less important than the Major prophets, they were just more concise. Have the students cut out the names of the prophets and glue onto the appropriate side (Major or Minor prophet), All of the Major prophets are represented there, and a selection of Minor prophets. The distinction pertains to the length of the books, nothing else a. OOPS! The Minor Prophets are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The Minor Prophets are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. The book discusses the destruction of Jerusalem because of the peoples behavior while also celebrating the love of God and His everlasting reign. 0000007550 00000 n Answer. Lets look at these three goals in a little more detail. As with every part of the Bible, the Major and Minor Prophets shouldnt be skipped over. He is the Technical Director for bible.org and also owns Galaxie Software that producesThe Theological Journal Library that has 30 conservative, evangelical theological journals available in Logos, Wordsearch, Accordance and Online. That is sometimes difficult, because we are reading about events that took place 3000 years ago. This may include a snack suggestion if there is one that goes well with the story, props you might use in teaching the lesson, and the coloring sheet that goes with each lesson. 0000003829 00000 n "Prediction and Power: Prophets and Prophecy in the Old Testament and Zimbabwean Christianity." Hn0~ Students must listen carefully to find the clock. The major prophets is a grouping of books in the Christian Old Testament that does not occur in the Hebrew Bible. I think it makes it more convicting. Perhaps one of the most famous passages is Micah 6:8 which says, He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Here is an overview of the prophetic books and their major themes (adapted from Bible Gateway's tour of the Bible: Major Prophets and Minor Prophets). Be sensitive to the age of your children and tell the story in a way they can understand. [1], Most Protestant Bibles include only the Book of Isaiah, the Book of Jeremiah, the Book of Lamentations, the Book of Ezekiel, and the Book of Daniel. God's word is powerful (much more powerful than our summary is!) Since the study was originally intended just for teaching in a local church and not for publishing, I was not as careful to note my sources as I should have been, but I still want to give credit where credit is due. F(d5x[=}*QIx#xf1$ly Hosea is a good example. 26 0 obj << /Linearized 1 /O 28 /H [ 1240 346 ] /L 104387 /E 74666 /N 5 /T 103749 >> endobj xref 26 40 0000000016 00000 n The Minor Prophets, in alphabetical order, are Amos, Habakkuk, Haggai, Hosea, Joel, Jonah, Malachi, Micah, Nahum, Obadiah, Zechariah, and Zephaniah. The difference is related to the length of the book rather than the importance of the message that the prophet told. 0000011074 00000 n h/f,om%'|d)+sDbC*.RViIXUk I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.. Their role was to make Gods will known, as well as his holiness, and to instruct Gods people to reject idolatry and sin. I guess the Bible would be a lot shorter. 0000001147 00000 n The English word for prophet comes from the Greek word prophetes which means to speak for another, especially one who speaks for a god.. Isaiah's 66 chapters is of significant importance, just as Obadiah's 1 chapter is of significant importance. The "major prophets" include the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel b. All rights reserved. This list details all the major and minor Old Testament prophets, though not necessarily in perfect chronological order. Minor prophets are shorter in length and greater in number. Here's what to do*: Just wanted to point out here that you should follow all copyright laws when it comes to using videos. It is good thing prophets got a direct message from God to pass on to His people! The Bible uses the terms majorand minor simply as a way to divide the prophetic books of the Old Testament. They were people chosen by God to speak his message to the people (mostly to Israel and Judah, but sometimes to foreign countries as well). Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi were writing to the people who had returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. There are constant warnings and condemnation of either Gods people going astray or what will happen to those who choose to reject God. prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and the twelve minor prophets), and the New Testament prophets actually involved God's messengers speaking the word of God to a 0000009728 00000 n 1 Kings 12:22, 1 Chronicles 3:22, 2 Chronicles 11:2, 2 Chronicles 12:5, 7, 2 Chronicles 12:15, Nehemiah 3:29. (& [O( &VN943UA(cyULO(a#bA_!WYkdH-g ~:`+E:HoqQ(K$b(d:ov0|EKf4|K# m`26'xvRNhc1W'?w5m%%0x67{b=+$ 2[\RQ|j6_sIU+RVgjA#F/,. Jeremiah was a "doom and gloom" prophet who warned Judah of judgment if they did not repent. But let the Scripture and the Holy Spirit speak to them and be sensitive to where the conversation can go. These terms have two applications in music theory. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. It is understood from all versions of the books that during this time, the four major prophets were chosen by God to be spoken to and speak the divine word to the people.[3]. For full episode: Cook, Krista. Keep in mind that only your oldest elementary school children will be able to think in abstract terms, but you can ask some basic questions that will hopefully open up a conversation about what the children believe. Those named the major prophets of the Bible Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel are favored prophets who, though their books were longer and harder to interpret than that of minor prophets, brought us the evidence of Gods truth and the importance of seeking His will instead of our own. The only difference between "major" and "minor" prophets is the amount of written oracles collected. The major and minor prophets are collectively known in the Hebrew Bible as the Latter Prophets (or Writing Prophets, because they authored their own works). Material taken from books in print are noted in the footnotes. What is the difference between major and minor prophets? >RxO4|uV`A74cFw'8Z=pr",4]+ u/ArNd4a@-jA]\YEx4nBt4Yiia Hb```f``sAX,-@NPCREP hDIq2\S:{#k9a One use relates to chords (harmony). If you like our work, please consider supporting us: I'm glad they wrote the way they did. What to do if you don't know the answer? These are my notes from a series I taught on the minor prophets for my church. You may ask a question and get back the answer in your email. Quora User. What about these major prophets led to them being classified as major, as opposed to the twelve minor prophets also featured in the Bible? Ask the child to say more about their question. 0000006806 00000 n One would think, if you look at the length of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel that "major" prophets had more to say since the minor prophets' books are very short. 0000005396 00000 n 0000006123 00000 n We will learn about some of the more famous stories in the book Daniel in coming lessons. Real Answers. Jesus also fulfilled this advocacy of his father as a priest, prophet, and king. clap and pat a rhythm and have students listen and copy the rhythm. They might have been tempted to think that because Babylonia had defeated Israel, the Babylonian gods were superior to Yahweh. 4:4) and Huldah (2 Kings 22:1420). Warning of impending judgment because of the nations sinfulness, They use introductory or concluding formula"This is what the Lord says". Do your research, ask questions, and pray for Gods guidance on whether to believe what is being shared with you or not. And so thats why some are considered major, just because of the length of the chapters or the length of the book, because when theyre first written, the Bible wasnt ever written in chapters and verses.