Exploring the Minor Prophets The Book of the Twelve Exploring the Minor Prophets

What is the book of the Twelve? Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) divisions: Torah, Nevi’im, Ketuvim (Law, Prophets, Writings) Book = Scroll (סֵ֫פֶר- sepher) תרי עשר = “The Twelve” Emerged as a collection around 190 BC Intended to be read as an episodic unity.

Israelite History Exodus (15th or 13th centuries BC) Settlement & Proto-democratic Tribal Confederation United Monarchy – Saul, David, Solomon, Rehoboam (c. 1000 BC) Divided Monarchy (and decline) Fall of Samaria (N) to Assyria (c. 722 BC) Fall of Jerusalem (S) to Babylon (587 BC) Cyrus the Great invades Babylon (539 BC) Edict of Cyrus Allows Jews to return home and rebuild

Majoring on The Minors History – What really happened? Message – What does it say? Reception – How have others interpreted it? Significance – What does it mean for us?

In Review Hosea – God’s Faithfulness & Israel’s infidelity Joel – After the locusts and armies, let us seek the Lord. Amos – Against the North’s opulence Obadiah – Oracles against Edom for aiding Babylon Jonah – An allegory about exile and forgiving one’s enemies Micah – Doom and hope... for Judah

Common THemes Doom / Exile Hope / Return / Paradise Political Corruption Economic Injustices Idolatry Punishment Hope / Return / Paradise God will not ultimately abandon Israel A blessed future without violence

The Path Ahead July 23 – Zephaniah July 30 – Issues in the Minor Prophets ( Dr. Robin McCall, Guest Teacher) Aug 6 –   Issues in the Minor Prophets (Dr. Don Polaski, Guest Teacher) Aug 13 – Haggai Aug 20 – Zechariah Aug 27 – Malachi Sep 3 –   Closing the Scroll May 21 – Intro to the Book of the Twelve May 28 –  Hosea June 4 -   Joel June 11 – Amos June 18 –Obadiah June 25 –Jonah July 2 –   Micah July 9 –   Nahum July 16 – Habakkuk

Timeline of the book of the Twelve Christian Bible (Masoretic Text) Ancient Greek OT (Septuagint) Chronology (all BC) Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi ---- Amos (mid-8th) Hosea (mid-8th) Isaiah (late 8th) Micah (late 8th) Nahum (late 7th) Habakkuk (late 7th) Zephaniah (late 7th) Jeremiah (late 7th or early 6th) Lamentations (early 6th) Ezekiel (early 6th) Obadiah (early 6th) Haggai (late 6th) Zechariah (late 6th) Malachi (late 5th) Jonah (5th – 4th) Joel (4th ?) Daniel (2nd)

This Time in History The first Olympics (according to tradition) in Greece (776 BC) The City of Rome is founded (753 BC) Homer’s Illiad and Odyssey are put to writing (c. 750 BC) Fall of Samaria/Northern Kingdom to Assyria (722 BC) Greeks add vowels to Phoenician language (700 BC) Book of Nahum written (between 663 & 612 BC) Fall of Jerusalem/Southern Kingdom to Babylon (586 BC) Leonidas reigns in Sparta (530 BC) Socrates born (470 BC) Alexander the Great born (356 BC)

Nahum’s history Nahum derived from word for “comfort.” Perhaps a shortened form of Nehemiah 7th c. Southern Prophet Contemporary of Jeremiah & Zephaniah? From Elkosh (location unknown) Only prophetic collection called a “book” (1:1) At the End of the Assyrian Empire Thebes conquered by Assyria in 663 BC Babylon conquers Assyria in 613 BC No condemnation of Israel or Judah Nahum a court prophet?

Nahum’s history Nineveh’s crimes Thebes (and sieges like them) Siege crimes Rape and infanticide Feminization of enemies Amassing wealth like prey

Nahum’s Message Outline I – Hymn to the Divine Warrior (1:1-8) II – Warnings against Assyria (1:9-15) III – Sarcastic Warning of Siege (2:1-2:10) IV – The Hunters become the Hunted (2:11-3:3) V – Taunts Shamed Whore, Thebes, Locusts, Rulers to people

Nahum’s Message Partial Acrostic in 1:2-8 (aleph through caph) He dries up all the rivers (1:4) (God vs. the gods) The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of calamity; he protects those who take refuge in him. (1:7) Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more. And now I will break off his yoke from you and snap the bonds that bind you. (1:12c-13) 1:14 uses masculine pronoun, addressing to Ninevite king No end to Assyria’s plunder (3:1) “I will lift up your skirts…and make you a spectacle.”(3:5, 6) Play on “Nahum” no comforters for Nineveh (3:7)

Nahum’s Reception Ancient Reception Micah’s link with Nahum 18 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of your possession? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in showing clemency. 19 He will again have compassion upon us; he will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. 20 You will show faithfulness to Jacob and unswerving loyalty to Abraham, as you have sworn to our ancestors from the days of old. Nahum 1:1 An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh. 2 A jealous and avenging God is the LORD, the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and rages against his enemies. 3 The LORD is slow to anger but great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. From Jonah to Nahum Isaiah’s mention of beautiful feet (40:9 & 52:7)

Nahum’s Reception Late Ancient (New Testament) Early Church How beautiful are the feet of them that bring good tidings (good news) (Romans 10:15) Babylon the Whore (Rev 17-18) Early Church Comparison with Jonah Messianic Prophecies Walking on Water (1:4); Easter feasting (1:14-15)* Holy Spirit foretold (2:1) Punishment for believers & heretics

Nahum’s Reception Nahum: 1:14 The LORD has commanded concerning you: "Your name shall be perpetuated no longer; from the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the cast image. I will make your grave, for you are worthless." 15 Look! On the mountains the feet of one who brings good tidings, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your festivals, O Judah, fulfill your vows, for never again shall the wicked invade you; they are utterly cut off. Athanasius of Alexandria (4th c. AD): “Once again, dear friends, God has brought us to the Easter season. By His lovingkindness we are once more about to assemble for it. The same God who brought Israel out of Egypt, now calls us to the feast, saying though Moses, ‘Take note of the month of new fruits, and keep the Passover to the Lord your God.’ (Deut. 16:1) And through the prophet he calls, 'Keep your feasts, O Judah; pay your vows to the Lord.’ (Nah. 1:15) So if God Himself loves the feast, and calls us to it, it is not right, brothers and sisters, to postpone it, or observe it carelessly. We should come to it eagerly and zealously, so that with a joyful beginning here we will experience a foretaste of the heavenly feast that is to come.”

Nahum’s Significance God’s Power, Justice, and Sovereignty Depiction of Women (3:5-7 & 4:13) Sexual Violence Karma The Evils of Empire (amassed prey/plunder)