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

2. 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.

3. Israelite History Exodus (15th or 13th centuries BC)
Settlement & Proto-democratic Tribal Confederation
United Monarchy – Saul, David, Solomon, Rehoboam (c 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

4. 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?

5. The Path Ahead
July 23 – Zephaniah July 30 – Issues in the Minor Prophets ( Dr. Robin McCall, Guest Teacher) Aug 6 –   Biblical Archaeology (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

6. 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 (mid-to-late 7th)
Zephaniah (mid-to-late 7th)
Habakkuk (late 7th or early 6th)
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)

7. 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)
Zephaniah probably active between 640 & 609 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)

8. Zephaniah’s history Zephaniah means “the Lord has hidden/stored up”
7th c. Southern Prophet (from Jerusalem?)
Genealogy – ancestor of King Hezekiah?
A reforming king
During the reign of King Josiah (probably early)
Contemporary of Jeremiah & Habakkuk?
During the collapse; before the fall. (2:13)

9. Zephaniah’s history King Josiah (2 Kings 22)
Josiah was 8 years old when he became king, and he ruled for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jedidah; she was Adaiah's daughter and was from Bozkath. 2 He did what was right in the LORD's eyes, and walked in the ways of his ancestor David--not deviating from it even a bit to the right or left. (2Ki 22:1 CEB)
8 The high priest Hilkiah told Shaphan the secretary: "I have found the Instruction scroll in the LORD's temple." Then Hilkiah turned the scroll over to Shaphan, who read it. 9 Shaphan the secretary then went to the king and reported this to him: …
10 Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll," and he read it out loud before the king. 11 As soon as the king heard what the Instruction scroll said, he ripped his clothes. 12 The king ordered the priest Hilkiah, Shaphan's son Ahikam, Micaiah's son Achbor, Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the royal officer as follows: 13 "Go and ask the LORD on my behalf, and on behalf of the people, and on behalf of all Judah concerning the contents of this scroll that has been found. The LORD must be furious with us because our ancestors failed to obey the words of this scroll and do everything written in it about us." (CEB)

10. Zephaniah’s history King Josiah (2 Kings 22)
14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the prophetess Huldah. … When they spoke to her, 15 she replied, "This is what the LORD, Israel's God, says: Tell this to the man who sent you to me: 16 This is what the LORD says: I am about to bring disaster on this place and its citizens--all the words in the scroll that Judah's king has read! 17 My anger burns against this place, never to be quenched, because they've deserted me and have burned incense to other gods, angering me by everything they have done.
18 But also say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to question the LORD: This is what the LORD, Israel's God, says about the message you've just heard: 19 Because your heart was broken and you submitted before the LORD when you heard what I said about this place and its citizens--that they will become a horror and a curse--and because you ripped your clothes and cried before me, I have listened to you, declares the LORD. 20 That's why I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will go to your grave in peace. You won't experience the disaster I am about to bring on this place." When they reported Huldah's words to the king, (CEB)

11. Zephaniah’s Message
1:2 I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth, says the LORD. 3 I will sweep away humans and animals; I will sweep away the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. I will make the wicked stumble. I will cut off humanity from the face of the earth, says the LORD.4 I will stretch out my hand against Judah, and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests; 5 those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens; those who bow down and swear to the LORD, but also swear by Milcom; 6 those who have turned back from following the LORD, who have not sought the LORD or inquired of him. 7 Be silent before the Lord GOD! For the day of the LORD is at hand; the LORD has prepared a sacrifice, he has consecrated his guests.

12. Zephaniah’s Message Outline
I – Superscription & Day of the Lord (1:1-2:3)
Superscription (1:1)
The “Day of the Lord” (1:2-2:3)
II – OAN’s – Oracles Against the Nations (2:4-15)
III – Oracles for Jerusalem (3:1-20)
Against Jerusalem (3:1-8)
Oracle of Restoration (3:9-13)
Oracle of Rejoicing (3:14-20)

13. Zephaniah’s Message God as King & Deliverer (3:15)
Only prophet that describes destruction of “the Day of the Lord” in all three categories:
Natural World
Enemies of Israel/Judah
Israel & Judah themselves
God’s response

14. Zephaniah’s Reception
Late Ancient (New Testament & Other Writings)
No explicit New Testament quotations
Rev 14:5 borrows language from 3:13 (no lies)
The Day of the Lord in the NT
1 & 2 Corinthians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians; 2 Peter
The Apocalypse of Zephaniah
Zephaniah’s Tour of the Hell and Heaven
Early Church
Divine Judgment (on heretics, Jews, evildoers, etc.)
The adornment of women (1:18)
Waiting on God for spiritual sacrifices (3:8)
Christological interpretation
Oracles against the nations as hopeful

15. Zephaniah’s Reception
That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, (Zep. 1:15)
Medieval/Reformation
Dies Irae (“day of wrath”) – 13th C.
Modern
Shoa (שׁוֹאָה ) – Jewish word for the Holocaust

16. Zephaniah’s Reception
Modern (cntd)

17. Zephaniah’s Significance
Does (or should) divine rage know any limits?
A message received (sort of)
Justice in “the nations”
“Seek humility” (2:3; 3:12-13a)
Judgment is not the final word
The Day of the Lord?