As we begin this series, I have a confession to make: I absolutely love the minor prophets!
As a congregational rabbi, the ONLY part of the Bible that I actually did a series on twice was the Trei Asar (Trei Asar is Hebrew for “the twelve”…and it’s how Judaism refers to the minor prophets).
In many ways, this series builds upon those prior two series. But here’s the good news: the 12 minor prophets never get old! Every time we go through them, there is something new to learn…and something timely for the moment we find ourselves in. That’s because these prophetic books contain some of the most timeless and powerful messages in all of Scripture. Yet for many Christian and Jewish readers, they remain among the least familiar portions of the Bible. Here’s a quick test: Have any of you read Obadiah recently? Come on, be honest! I’m pretty sure that for most of us the answer is no.
The lack of emphasis and familiarity with the Trei Asar is unfortunate, because their message is every bit as relevant today as it was when these prophets first announced their prophetic words to the Jewish people.
As we journey through the twelve, our goal will not be a comprehensive study of each prophet. True, each of these books could justify weeks of close study! Rather, we’ll focus on the major themes that run throughout the Trei Asar and discover how their message can speak to the people of God today.
In the next blog in this series, we’ll jump into the book of Hoshea/Hosea. But before we do that, let’s get oriented. And we need to ask a key question: why are these books called the Minor Prophets? The answer is actually not complicated. They are not minor from an importance standpoint…as if they are less important than Isaiah, Jeremiah, or Ezekiel. Rather, they are called “minor” simply because they are shorter in length. Honestly, I’m not crazy about the title “Minor Prophets” because it inevitably gives the impression of “less important.” But just keep in mind that this title only has to do with their length. Their message is anything but minor.
Another question that we should tackle before diving into the individual books is this: What exactly is a prophet?
Understandably, many think of a prophet primarily as someone who predicts the future. While the prophets certainly do speak about future events, that is not their primary role. More basic to the role of a prophet is their service as God’s messengers, bringing timely instruction, warnings, or encouragement to a present generation. That is exactly what we see throughout the Trei Asar. These prophets were not only concerned with what would happen in the future. They were calling the people of their own time back to a right relationship with God and His Torah. This framing of prophets also has relevance to how we understand Yeshua.
Deuteronomy 18 promises that God would raise up a prophet like Moses who would faithfully speak God’s words to His people. The gospels record that the crowds recognized this connection after witnessing Yeshua’s signs, declaring, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world” (John 6:14). Simply put, Yeshua was the ultimate Navi! At the same time, the Torah also gives the Jewish people a way to test anyone claiming prophetic authority. Deuteronomy 13 warns that even if someone performs signs and wonders, that person is to be rejected if he leads Israel away from the mitzvot/commandments of God. And sadly, this is one reason many Jews throughout history have viewed Jesus with deep suspicion. If Jesus is presented as setting aside the Torah or leading Israel away from the mitzvot, then according to Deuteronomy 13, he would be a false prophet. Of course, we know that Yeshua did not set aside the Torah…and he was not a false prophet! But this underscores why it is so important that we recover the Jewish Yeshua.
As you’ve likely heard Rabbi Jason emphasize many times, the real Yeshua did not call the Jewish people away from the Torah. On the contrary, as the prophet like Moses and the ultimate Navi, he called God’s people back to the Torah and back to the heart of the mitzvot. And very importantly, Yeshua called His people back to chesed (God’s lovingkindness or mercy). When Yeshua is rightly understood in His Jewish context, His message stands in perfect continuity with the prophets who came before him! As we move through the Trei Asar, I think we’ll see that again and again. Yeshua’s proclamation of the Kingdom is perfectly aligned with the prophetic message of the Twelve.
Also, an important introductory point for this series is highlighting the setting of the twelve. To say the least, they lived in a world that was very different than our own.
Most of the Trei Asar operated during the First Temple period, which began around 1000 BC. At that time, Jerusalem and the Temple s were standing. This was the case until the Babylonians destroyed the Temple in 586 BC. The Second Temple was rebuilt roughly a century later. The Second Temple was the Temple that Jesus would visit much later.
The earliest prophets among the Trei Asar (Hosea, Amos, and Joel) operated during the middle of the eighth century BC. Isaiah was also prophesying during this same general period. Contextually, it’s important to remember that by this point, Israel had been established in the holy land for several generations. The sacrificial system in the Temple was functioning. And there was plenty of religious devotion.
But there were also some big problems.
If I had to summarize the great message of the prophets during this period with only a few words, two immediately come to mind: teshuvah and chesed. The word “teshuvah” is is typically translated into English as “repentance.” And “chesed” is God’s lovingkindess or mercy – which is often expressed in relation to His covenant love.
Now, with a big smile and some sarcasm, another way to sum up the message of the prophets is this: “Be nice!” Of course, “be nice” doesn’t capture the depth of what the prophets were saying. But it does point us in the right direction. The prophets were reminding Israel that faithfulness to God involves much more than maintaining a vertical relationship with Him. Yes, the Temple was important. And yes, the priesthood and sacrifices were important. Of course, keeping God’s commandments mattered a great deal also. But all of these acts of devotion were never meant to exist apart from lives characterized by justice, mercy, humility, and genuine love for other people.
Perhaps no verse captures the heart of the Trei Asar better than Micah 6:8:
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
Centuries later, Yeshua reiterated this same basic prophetic message when he rebuked the religious leaders:
“You tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the Torah: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” (Matthew 23:23)
That final phrase in Matthew 23:23 is important. Yeshua said, “Without neglecting the others.” In other words, Yeshua was not dismissing the commandments of the Torah. And the prophets weren’t either. They were calling God’s people to do “teshuvah” and “return” to the kind of relationship with God that involved their hearts and their actions. That is the essence of the Trei Asar. And this is why their message remains so timely.
Sound doctrine and truth are important, even critical. But truth must be lived out in communities characterized by love, humility, care for one another, and faithfulness to God. God desires people whose lives reflect His heart. Right beliefs are not enough. And the prophets remind us of this.
My hope is that our journey through the Trei Asar will help us grow in what Yeshua called “the weightier matters of the Torah”…justice, mercy, faithfulness, and walking humbly with our God without neglecting the others (lighter commandments).
If that happens, then the voice of the Twelve will not fill our minds but will touch our hearts and impact our steps!
