Introduction to the Minor Introduction to the Minor ProphetsProphets

© John Stevenson, 2010Maps by David P. Barrett, used by permissionMaps by David P. Barrett, used by permission

Dr. John T. StevensonDr. John T. Stevenson

• Family Life

• Academic Life

• Family Life

• Academic Life

• Professional Life

Dr. John T. StevensonDr. John T. Stevenson

• Family Life

• Academic Life

• Professional Life

• Spiritual Life

• Ministry Life

Dr. John T. StevensonDr. John T. Stevenson

Group IntroductionsGroup Introductions

• Your name

• Your home church

• Where are you in the TIU process?

• What is your current ministry within the Kingdom?

Course ObjectivesCourse Objectives• Gain an appreciation for the Minor

Prophets and their relevance both to the Old Testament message as well as to Christian ministry today.

Exhibit an understanding of the flow of thought and major turning points in the books that make up the Minor Prophets.

Demonstrate a familiarity with the historical, cultural, and theological back-ground of the Minor Prophets.

Course ObjectivesCourse Objectives• Gain an understanding of the key themes

found in the Minor Prophets and how they relate to the rest of the Biblical message.

Develop a series of Bible studies and/or sermons from the Minor Prophets that demonstrate both an understanding of the issues faced by the original authors as well as applications relevant to the needs of a 21st Century congregation.

Christ of the Christ of the ProphetsProphets

byby

O. Palmer RobertsonO. Palmer Robertson

Unexpected Unexpected Wisdom:Wisdom:

Major Insights from Major Insights from the Minor Prophetsthe Minor Prophets

byby

Dan SchmidtDan Schmidt

Preaching from Preaching from the Minor the Minor

Prophets to a Prophets to a Postmodern Postmodern GenerationGeneration

byby

John StevensonJohn Stevenson

Expositor’s Bible Expositor’s Bible Commentary Commentary

(Revised Edition):(Revised Edition):Volume 8Volume 8

Daniel - MalachiDaniel - Malachibyby

Longman & GarlandLongman & Garland

Dr. John T. StevensonDr. John T. Stevenson

http://JohnStevenson.net

JohnStevenson@Bellsouth.net

Jstevens@mail.tiu.edu

Historical Books

2000 - 1500

Period of the Patriarchs

1500 - 1000 1000 - 500

Exodus and Sinai

Judges Kings of Israel and Judah

Ret

urn

Poetic Books

Torah

Prophetic Books

Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel

Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk,

Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Sargon the Great

• Died 2330 B.C.• Birth legend• Name

• Prince• Legitimate

• Empire

Medes

Elam

Akkadians

Third Dynasty of UrThird Dynasty of Ur

2100 – 2000 B.C.2100 – 2000 B.C.

ZigguratZiggurat

The Law-code of UrThe Law-code of Ur• Lex Talionis: “An eye for an eye”

• Semi-private administration of justice

• Inequality before the Law: The law code divided people into three distinct classes:

• Aristocrats

• Commoners

• Slaves

Sir LeonardSir LeonardWoolleyWoolley

• 1880 - 1960

• Began at Ur in 1922

• Ziggurat of Ur

• Flood layers

Amuru

Elam

Ur

Ur

Haran

Ur

Haran

1750 B.C.1750 B.C.

• Found at Susa Found at Susa by de Morgan in by de Morgan in 19021902

• Caste systemCaste system

• Lex TalionisLex Talionis

• WagesWages

• Trial by ordealTrial by ordeal

MarriageMarriageLawsLaws

• Only legal Only legal when in writingwhen in writing

• Penalty for Penalty for adultery is adultery is deathdeath

• Wives own Wives own propertyproperty

Mari

Babylon

Mari TabletsMari Tablets• Andre Parrot excavated

from 1933-1938 and 1952-1956

• More than 20,000 tablets

• Akkadian from 1800-1750 B.C.

• Biblical names

Mari TabletsMari Tablets• Travel and commerceTravel and commerce

• Covenant: “To kill a Covenant: “To kill a young donkey”young donkey”

Mari

Babylon

Nuzi

Nuzi TabletsNuzi Tablets• Smaller townSmaller town

• Destroyed around 1450 B.C.Destroyed around 1450 B.C.

• Customs and culture similar to Customs and culture similar to that of the Patriarchsthat of the Patriarchs

Mari

Babylon

Nuzi Ugarit

• Royal palace with 90 roomsRoyal palace with 90 rooms

• Two templesTwo temples– Baal, son of ElBaal, son of El– DagonDagon

• Cuneiform Tablets dating to 1450-Cuneiform Tablets dating to 1450-1200 B.C.1200 B.C.

• Discovered by a farmer in 1928Discovered by a farmer in 1928

The Gift of the NileThe Gift of the Nile

THENILE

Step Pyramid of Djoser

Bent Pyramid of Snefru

Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops)

PyramidsPyramids

• Served as tombs

• More than a hundred in Egypt

• All on the west bank of the Nile

Valley of the Kings

ThebesValley of the Kings

• Monotheist

• Father to Tutankhamen

Mesopotamia

Egypt

Hatti

LandBridge

DESERT

Independent Independent TribesTribes

A Unified A Unified KingdomKingdom

ASSYRIAASSYRIA

EGYPTEGYPT

Solomon’sKingdom

Bethel

Dan

Samaria

Jerusalem

TorahTorah ProphetsProphets

Samaria

Jerusalem

IsaiahIsaiahHoseaHoseaJoelJoel

AmosAmosMicahMicah

JonahJonah

Shalmaneser & JehuShalmaneser & Jehu

SamariaSamaria

Hezekiah’s TunnelHezekiah’s Tunnel

It was Hezekiah who stopped the upper outlet of the waters of

Gihon and directed them to the west side of the city of David

(2 Chronicles 32:30)

2nd Kings 19:35-36Then it happened

that night that the angel of the Lord went out, and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men rose early in the morning, behold, all of them were dead.

So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home, and lived at Nineveh.

Taylor Prism“As for Hezekiah, the

Jew, who did not submit to my yoke, 46 of his strong walled cities, as well as the small cities in their neighborhood, which were without number, by escalade and bringing up siege engines... Himself, like a caged bird, I shut up in Jerusalem, his royal city.”

Carchemish

Carchemish

CarchemishJeremiahJeremiah

HabakkukHabakkukZephaniahZephaniah

ObadiahObadiah

NahumNahum

DanielDaniel

EzekielEzekiel

HaggaiHaggaiZechariahZechariahMalachiMalachi

• Conqueror

• Perpetual victory

• Fall of Persia

• Marched to India

• Died in Babylon

• “To the strongest”

PompeyPompey

PompeyPompey

TorahTorah ProphetsProphets N.T.N.T.