Minor Prophets Essay

The Old Testament ends with the Minor Prophets. These prophets provided insight on many issues the Jews were facing. All of the prophets had the same ideas of a warning of impending judgment because of the nations’ sinfulness, the coming judgment, a call for repentance, and a promise of future deliverance of God’s grace. Idolatry, social injustice and religious ritualism are three issues that the prophets emphasized on in their teachings and can be inspired in the minds and hearts of believers today. The prophets’ teachings are just as important today as they were in the past. The teachings about God, the way man lived, social issues, and religious rituals are all relevant in the today’s society.
Idolatry is the worship of anything else other than God. It separates the relationship between humans and God. Idolatry was a prominent issue among the Jews. God had confronted this issue early in Exodus 20:4-6 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments”. It is clear that following God requires us to completely devote our total attention on Him and nothing else. One teaching of this is Hosea. Hosea was commanded to marry a promiscuous and unfaithful wife to represent Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. Israel had chosen to turn away from the God and worship other gods. Hosea taught through his marriage the similar acts that Israel had with their relationship with God. Hosea’s marriage was an example of how strong God’s love was still for His people, regardless of their unfaithfulness to Him. Hosea 11:9 states that “God’s fatherly love would trump His anger, and He would not completely destroy His people.