All Bible verses referenced are NIrV unless otherwise noted. Learn Religions, Sep. 3, 2021, learnreligions.com/major-and-minor-prophets-old-testament-4048175. 0000003250 00000 n They also reminded the people of the results of disobedience. Prophets delivered messages to the Israelites. Do your research, ask questions, and pray for Gods guidance on whether to believe what is being shared with you or not. The Minor Prophets include Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. 1.Obadiah 2.Joel 3.Jonah 4.Hosea 5.Amos 6.Micah 7.Nahum 8.Zephaniah 9.Habakkuk 10.Haggai 11.Zechariah 12.Malachi 21. The labels "major and minor" mean the length of the prophecy recorded. The Major Prophets are described as "major" because of the longer lengths of their books, not their significance. The person of Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies in the Old Testament concerning the Messiah and he took the judgment we deserve for our sins on himself. We always encourage you to use a Bible storybook if you have one available (here is a list of ones we know about). 0000001793 00000 n We discover Gods first mention of a prophet in Deuteronomy 18:18-19. Sometimes these salvation messages were "crystal ball" visions describing a particular event which they had seen in a vision (e.g. We will learn about some of the more famous stories in the book Daniel in coming lessons. Give them each a sheet of paper and coloring supplies. Have the children write their message on the picture, or if they are not able, write it for them and sign their name. Remember, Edom was the name given to Esau, Jacob's twin brother. He gave some striking prophesies that were fulfilled in the person of Jesus (Zechariah 9:9-10). Many of the prophetic books are anthologies. Most often, it was a message of judgment (which is why prophets weren't exactly looked upon kindly sometimes). Because their prophetic writings can be hard to interpret at times, some people consider books written by the prophets (both major and minor) as the least desirable to read. She's usually found with a book in her hand or enjoying quality time with her husband Jeremy and dog Molly. We provide a "Cliff's Notes" version of the story to help you see the big picture. People did that later. He was called to prophesy against the city of Ninevah. The Book of Lamentations and the Book of Daniel are included among the Ketuvim. All rights reserved. Jeremiah 1:1-10; Isaiah 53:4-6; Obadiah 1, People chosen by God to tell Israel, Judah, or the surrounding countries his message, Repent and stop sinning or you will face judgment from God; there is a messiah coming who will bring salvation to Israel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations [of Jeremiah], Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, To show their deep desire to repent or to mourn something bad happening, person outline sheet (see below), pieces of burlap, ashes, scissors, glue, cut out sheet for each student (see below), Isaiah called Judah and its kings to repent and come back to God or face judgment. 3 TvahRJKiq3c"xhbwNK{* This was written by Baruch ben Neriah, a scribe of Jeremiah. What are the Apocrypha / Deuterocanonical books? The Bible doesnt explain how the word of the Lord came to a prophet, however, there are a number of examples where the Lord revealed his will through visions aside from an audible or internal voice (1 Samuel 3:1,15; 2 Samuel 7:17; Isaiah 1:1; Ezekiel 11:24) or dreams (Numbers 12:6). 1. Check with the video publisher for usage restrictions, whether you need to pay for a license to show a video, etc. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Mormons have distinctive beliefs on what a prophet is. For most of the prophets, their eschatology (or view of the future) was divided into now and then. Have them pass the message on fairly quickly. The only difference between the two is the number of pages written. If youre looking for a better understanding of the Messiah and the events that led to and foretold his coming, the Major and Minor prophets are must-reads. Israel had begun worshiping other gods and was unfaithful to the one true God. "List of Major and Minor Prophets of the Old Testament." Major Prophets. The list is roughly chronological. The major prophets fought to help people return to God, and modern-day prophets should have the same mission in mind also. Prophets do some foretelling. For full episode: What we have learned through the progress of revelation is that there are actually long periods of time between some of the future events predicted by the prophets. Have students take turns putting on the sack. This is due to the difficult and unusual prophetic language. of [1], The Tanakh, often called the Hebrew Bible, is separated into three sections: the Torah, the Nevi'im (Prophets), and the Ketuvim (Writings). Blair Parkeis a freelance writer for BibleStudyTools.com and freelance book editor who wrote her first book,"Empty Hands Made Full," in 2021 about her journey through infertility with her husband. All the students must turn around and run back to the starting line, without getting tagged by adult. The majority of their sermons dealt with the present and the past. Isaiah's 66 chapters is of significant importance, just as Obadiah's 1 chapter is of significant importance. So just basically the longer prophecy, like I said, like Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Daniel, those books are longer. Hosea is a good example. Their books are considered minor since each is much shorter than the writings of Isaiah (sixty-six chapters), Jeremiah (fifty-two chapters), and Ezekiel (forty-eight chapters). The Book of Ezekiel tells of the judgements on Israel and the nation and also the future blessings of Israel. She previously worked for eight years with Xulon Press as an editor. There are four major prophets listed in the Bible: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. The divine inspiration and instruction of the Old Testament prophets are affirmed in the New Testament, 2 Peter 1:20-21: No prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophets own interpretation of things. Contemporary of Lehi, Ezekiel, Hosea, and Daniel. Cook, Krista. https://youtu.be/I8ZOHNrXOP8, Would you like to have your question answered live? 0000009749 00000 n A Survey of the Old Testament by Paul Benware. The only difference between the two is the number of pages written. After we started the web site, I converted all these notes to HTML. The Major Prophets in the Bible are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. In this activity, children will deliver a message to their parents. The major and minor prophets are collectively known in the Hebrew Bible as the Latter Prophets (or Writing Prophets, because they authored their own works). The major theme of the prophets was that the people of Israel needed to repent or face judgment. The "major" prophets are so called not because the "minor" prophets are unimportant, but because the books of the Major Prophets are lengthier and cast a correspondingly longer shadow on Old Testament history and theology. God is going to send the Babylonians to destroy you unless you change your ways. Was also a seer. God makes it very clear what would happen if they were not faithful to Him. Once the city did fall, Ezekiel spoke with hope-filled knowledge that God was to bring restoration, revival, and a future in heaven to the people. 0000038941 00000 n The format of the book is poetic, with some laments (stanzas) are set to the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet. At some points in his writings, he scolds the people of Judah for their idolatry and child sacrifices, while at other points, he shared his love for the people of Judah and prayed for them, even when God said to not pray. 0000009030 00000 n 0000011074 00000 n Web. 0000003889 00000 n What are the Minor Prophets? 1 Notes from Hebrew class, Dr. Robert Chisholm, Spring 1993. Named the weeping prophet, Jeremiah writes full expression of his emotions at the difficulties and struggles of the world. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. God just uses a format that they were familiar with to give them the law. To understand these concepts deeper, you have to first understand intervals.An interval is the space between two notes. The post exilic prophets wrote to assure the people that God would deal with the restored community according to the same principles. During the time of his prophetic ministry, the people of Judah were back to idolatry and debauchery after the death of King Josiah. If you like our work, please consider supporting us: Answer (1 of 44): A2A - What is the biggest difference between both the minor and major prophets of the Old Testament? Heavenly Father blesses all his posterity: biological and adopted. They're all the same in God 's eyes. The only difference between "major" and "minor" prophets is the amount of written oracles collected. To see the complete list,& More. However, in many cases, we cannot say with any certainty that someone was not. Do the Apocryphal / Deuterocanonical books belong in the Bible? B. )kR-9a-; g^{q&`]XQqyF[Qr bzD#rs&13]lNh!VfoKI6DcVh`YIt3sn=##|"no((x3I2"~^LtZ< They're all prophets. 0000001147 00000 n 0000071838 00000 n The Minor Prophets of the Bible are shorter books with more specific content, compared to the broader subjects of the Major Prophets. Answer: The terms Major Prophets and Minor Prophets are simply a way to divide the Old Testament prophetic books. So as far as major and minor, just the length, but all of the prophecies are all important. They say that it doesnt make sense that some guy would come along and pronounce judgment and then turn right around and promise deliverance. https://youtu.be/fETbh4c6sFc. They also shared how the Saviors life, death, and resurrection were all part of Gods plan to reunite with His creation. Answer: There is no difference between a Major and a Minor Prophet. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Major_prophet&oldid=1100442484, This page was last edited on 25 July 2022, at 23:33. The Major Prophets are described as "major" because their books are longer and the content has broad, even global implications. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. They might have been tempted to think that because Babylonia had defeated Israel, the Babylonian gods were superior to Yahweh. They all spoke for God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and so nothing that they say can be discounted. [1], All the books of the major prophets took place during the "Period of Prophecy", which covers the time from the entrance of the Israelites into the Land of Israel until the Babylonian captivity of Judah. Did you remember to give the message to them? These terms have two applications in music theory. They use inclusiobegin and end a section with the same word or phrase. But above all, follow up with the student the next week or at the next opportunity and continue your discussion with your newfound information. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.. trailer << /Size 66 /Info 24 0 R /Root 27 0 R /Prev 103739 /ID[<69be74ebdd2720466daf856fea7485cb><07d4d487206d46f3f2dbdd79cffe04df>] >> startxref 0 %%EOF 27 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Pages 23 0 R /Metadata 25 0 R /PageLabels 22 0 R >> endobj 64 0 obj << /S 158 /L 271 /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 65 0 R >> stream Christian Author Bookstore - Xulon Press Publishing. The preexilic prophets came to warn of impending judgment. The Minor Prophets are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The Bible says that all of Scripture is given by inspiration and is profitable for correction, for instruction, for doctrine, for rebuke in righteousness. The lengths of the books that recorded their prophecies. Several days before you teach, choose the activities you want to do with your class. xZN0|}#ac[Z98;.|gJ{CR} G7:K['MQ0MDE[S3N)A@^^rOBqS>E&e#\D'-\v)QDg~.q'gN\J Exchange (Leiden, Netherlands) 41.4 (2012): 335-51. But that is because they dont believe the Bible is the inspired word of God which contains the promises of God. I'm glad they wrote the way they did. 0000002837 00000 n They are the accumulation of several years of messages and they are not always a cohesive unit with a distinct pattern. They wrote to remind the Israelites of the covenants and their responsibilities. Ezekiel was instructed by God to warn the people of Judah that Jerusalem was to fall because of their behavior and that they were not to mourn her fall. The Major Prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Before we go more in-depth, here is a list of the major and minor prophets mentioned in the Bible: The Four Major Prophets:Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel, The Twelve Minor Prophets:Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, The word prophet defines someone who gives the declarations of God. Lets look at these three goals in a little more detail. Cut a hole in burlap sack to fit over your head. More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! Both are related. This may include a snack suggestion if there is one that goes well with the story, props you might use in teaching the lesson, and the coloring sheet that goes with each lesson. What is the difference between the major prophets and minor prophets? Basically, a prophet is someone with gifted insight of the present and future that is more than an average person would have. DT[t&sL'4y We can then read how Christ will return in the books of Zachariah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. We typically include a memory verse every 4 or 5 lessons, so you can work for several weeks on the same verse. The Minor Prophets include Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. But the individuals welfare and the nations immediate welfare depended on the peoples faithfulness. In the Bible, there are four major prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. They assume that the Israelites remember the covenants and laws in Deuteronomy and make many references to them. "$,Nii>QrQQ@f0,F8~_Y4^O1BCZyz[)&9oRi~f;HdE'hH&@E{ys{QvBRHYV#I5[2n@ tBYv-0QMprU9Y_XXhZQ}- %s:Fm8#kxVu/,%RDK3[rN2 The prophets would usually give a message of doom and gloom and then tell the people about the light at the end of the tunnel to give them hope. OK folks, you are sinning again so God is going to have to judge you again. Theres no Bible verse that says this Prophet was major, this Prophet was minor. How Is Harry Potter a Literary Christ Figure? Lamentations is sort of like a long Psalm by Jeremiah about just one topic: Jerusalem and Judah's sin. Copyright 2011-2023 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. Have you ever had to take a message from someone for your parents? The Hebrew word for prophet is Nebi, which is derived from the verb action, to bubble forth like a fountain. They will feel how itchy it is and uncomfortable it makes them feel. The Minor Prophets are made up of the following 11 books: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The term "major" has nothing to do with the achievement or importance of the prophets, rather the length of the books. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a prophet is one who utters divinely inspired revelations; one gifted with more than ordinary spiritual and moral insight; one who foretells future events; an effective or leading spokesman for a cause, doctrine, or group.. For younger students, you might write down their question on a piece of paper and send it home with them. God had made promises to Abraham that he would make his seed into a great nation, that he would give him the land of Israel and that through his seed the nations of the world would be blessed. It wouldn't be very interesting to read either. JpukUD]O3^ We have some idea of prophets who are lost to history. Even today, we can see their prophecies as resourceful advice to guide us in living in a fallen world, knowing that what these prophets spoke of centuries ago is still as pertinent today as it was years ago. Isaiah is spoken about in 2 Kings, about his interactions with the different kings reigning during his ministry. Have an adult go to other end of playing area, with back to students. What are the Major Prophets and Minor Prophets? Who were the authors? Here's what to do*: Just wanted to point out here that you should follow all copyright laws when it comes to using videos. She writes to bring bold truths to marriage, career, mental health, faith, relationships, celebration, and heartache. Real Questions. But yeah. THE LITERARY PROPHETS ARE CATEGORIZED AS MAJOR AND MINOR PROPHETS. You can also make prayer requests and our team would pray for you. That is sometimes difficult, because we are reading about events that took place 3000 years ago. Very little revelation was given about the future. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. I guess the Bible would be a lot shorter. Her work has been featured on Proverbs 31 Ministries, MOPS, Today's Christian Woman, and Focus On the Family. Categories: Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Jeremiah, Old Testament Question. Scripture mentions them, but their records are not found in the Old Testament. 0000060864 00000 n Obadiah is just one chapter long and is a prophecy against the nation of Edom because they were hostile to Jacob's descendants. Perhaps they have the right answer and they just need confirmation. Have students line up on one end of playing area. Ask them what they think the answer may be. By Genelle Austin-Lett. About UsContact UsPrayer RequestsPrivacy Policy, Latest AnswersBible LessonsBibleAsk LIVEOnline Bible. What is the difference between "major" and "minor" prophets? California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. These were men who listened to the voice of God and were faithful to tell the word of God to those who needed to hear it, even if it meant they weren't very popular. 5 0 obj The term prophet is something that many have likely heard of, both within Christian and non-Christian circles. Amos, Hosea and Joel wrote to the northern kingdom. Isaiah 1:1 explains that the prophet Isaiah received his revelations from God in a vision, one way that prophets can receive messages from God. Every activity has a Scripture that helps you see the tie-in from the activity to the story. Arthur Gregory Former Social Worker (1965-2001) Author has 6K answers and 1.5M answer views Updated 4 y The difference is related to the length of the book rather than the importance of the message that the prophet told. Zephaniah called Judah back to God and promised that the faithful could look forward to when God judged the wicked. The prophets were eloquent writers. Some prophets overlap, lived in different areas, or the chronology cannot be estimated with any accuracy. Dan 9: and the 70th week), but sometimes they were just claiming and proclaiming the promises of God to Abraham and David that he would make the nation great, send the Messiah and bring the Gentiles into the kingdom. 0000008276 00000 n This is a question that goes along with the story for the day. And honestly, the only reason its kind of labeled that way, its not labeled that way in the Bible. 0000005396 00000 n And so thats why some are considered major, just because of the length of the chapters or the length of the book, because when theyre first written, the Bible wasnt ever written in chapters and verses. (NRSV). And its just the length of the books. That's it really. But theres really nothing in the Bible or that was how it was originally written. The Minor Prophets are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. Just because someone was mentioned in scripture, it does not mean they were a prophet, per se. If you would like to have your students read out of the Bible themselves, these are good verses to do it. There are constant warnings and condemnation of either Gods people going astray or what will happen to those who choose to reject God. That student will whisper the same message in the ear of the person next to them and so on down the line. stream The Minor Prophets are also sometimes called The Twelve. We are also going to see if we can break the literary code so we will understand why they said what they did and so we can appreciate some of the beauty in the way they said it. Begg, C. T., Graybill, R., & Urbrock, W. J. When they wore it as clothing and placed ashes on their head, they were intentionally making themselves uncomfortable to show their deep inner discomfort - either in mourning or because they were deeply sorry for their sins. While we provide a summary of the story, we strongly encourage you to read the story directly from the Bible from yourself. 0000006806 00000 n Pose the question to the whole class and see what discussion ensues. Have one child call out "What time is it?". Haggai prophesied to Judah as they were coming back from exile in Babylon and beginning to rebuild Jerusalem. Who Were the Major Prophets and What Did They Do. Learn Religions. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. Be sensitive to the age of your children and tell the story in a way they can understand. 0000002402 00000 n Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. Hopefully we can do a better job of it. The Major Prophet books are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel. What was the message? 1 Kings 12:22, 1 Chronicles 3:22, 2 Chronicles 11:2, 2 Chronicles 12:5, 7, 2 Chronicles 12:15, Nehemiah 3:29. It is good to use an adult as the tagger because it allows for you to choose whom to tag out. List of Major and Minor Prophets of the Old Testament. Although he sees the details as part of the same event, there may in fact be separate events. The term "Major" refers to the length of each book, not their importance. Bible Based.We believe in solo-scriptura. Learning about the major and minor prophets may sound like a reference to the major and minor leagues of baseball, but thats where the similarities end. A Judgment speech which is made up of two parts: A Woe oraclelike a judgment speech, except that it starts with "Woe", Exhortation/ call to repentanceconsists of appeal with motivation (in the form of a promise and/or threat). Many of the major outlines of the books come from class notes taken from classes on the minor prophets taught by Dr. Charlie Dyer and Dr. Mark Bailey of Dallas Theological Seminary. This is designed to get your kids talking and to build a connection with them. someone pointed out that it looks like the prophetic telescope below is a bad example. see the powerpoint for the cartoons I was referring to. The book discusses the destruction of Jerusalem because of the peoples behavior while also celebrating the love of God and His everlasting reign. There are five books in the Major Prophets. Unlike the other prophets, Daniel was part of a tradition in which young men of noble families were brought before the king to become teachers and advisors to the king. The Transfiguration Bible Story Study Guide, Classic Books Every LDS Member Should Read, Understanding the Philistines: An Overview and Definition, Biography of Eusebius, Father of Church History, Definition of Crucifixion, an Ancient Method of Execution, ass was able to talk to him and save his life. They only shared their message as God instructed them. nW78v1b5D I?iIE#"R>o&;b5 "mN8Ho^:v{rWzC46/B([9p?3oFf/q79v,]. Our aim is to share the Word and be true to it. The person of Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies in the Old Testament concerning the Messiah and he took the judgment we deserve for our sins on himself. Their writings comprise five books of the Bible in the Old Testaments: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations (possibly written by Jeremiah), Ezekiel, and Daniel. However, there is valuable truth to be gleaned from each book. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/major-and-minor-prophets-old-testament-4048175. Some of the prophets were told to speak God's word to the Northern Kingdom, and some to the Southern Kingdom. It is understood from all versions of the books that during this time, the four major prophets were chosen by God to be spoken to and speak the divine word to the people.[3]. Malachi prophesied to Judah after they returned from Exile in Babylon and called for them to repent. Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi were writing to the people who had returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. The minor Prophets are in the books of Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, these books form that last segment of the Old Testament cannon. The only difference between "major" and "minor" prophets is the amount of written oracles collected. The Minor Prophets were not less important than the Major prophets, they were just more concise. You might consider trying out crafts to make sure you know how to do them before you get to class. So its all good. From 4:-13: there is a cyclical pattern of sin, judgment and restoration and it is difficult to find a distinct movement through the book. Their writings comprise five books of the Bible in the Old Testaments: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations (possibly written by Jeremiah), Ezekiel, and Daniel. What are the major prophets? To give an idea of the size difference between these sections of Scripture, the five books of the Major Prophets include 183 chapters. Their unique vocation allowed them to authoritatively speak on Gods behalf. These activities are not just crafts and games. The Minor Prophets are also sometimes called The Twelve. Lessons from OT Books of Prophecy Page 3 REVIEW QUESTIONS True or False ____1. I think it was Chrysostum, a 4th century scholar, who first proposed this model, but this is what is often what is going on when a prophet tells of future events. [1], Most Protestant Bibles include only the Book of Isaiah, the Book of Jeremiah, the Book of Lamentations, the Book of Ezekiel, and the Book of Daniel. What do you think the future will be like? 0000003868 00000 n There are four Major Prophets and twelve Minor prophets. You don't want your slowest children to be the only ones tagged each time. Minor prophets are shorter in length and greater in number. Salvation portrayala description, often idealized and in hyperbolic terms, of God's future blessings on his people (Amos 9:13). Hide a loud ticking clock or other object that makes a quiet noise. The Book of Isaiah tells primarily of prophecies of the judgments awaiting nations that are persecuting Judah. i(` All of these books are traditionally regarded as authored by a prophet such as Jeremiah, Isaiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel. Jesus also fulfilled this advocacy of his father as a priest, prophet, and king. When people fail to recognize this fact, they end up confusing the first and second coming of Christ and other important events. I-:Dn,IUV'Xu z Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. The prophets also proclaimed a salvation message. There are four major prophets listed in the Bible: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Gods promises were unconditional and He would eventually keep them. The Book of Lamentations tells of the mourning the desertion of the city by God, its destruction, and the ultimate return of the divinity. But especially in these last days, it is important to keep a clear head on what God said and didnt say about future events. I think it makes it more convicting. Ezekiel prophesied to Judah during their time in exile in Babylon. Salem Media Group. They are short but it doesn't mean that are of minor consequence. Now, just because a book is referred to as a Major Prophet doesn't mean that the prophet was more important than one of the Minor Prophets. What does it mean do not be overly righteous. The Minor Prophets, in alphabetical order, are Amos, Habakkuk, Haggai, Hosea, Joel, Jonah, Malachi, Micah, Nahum, Obadiah, Zechariah, and Zephaniah. What are some different methods of Bible study? and you should know the story well before you teach it. 2:00 means take 2 steps, etc, Before any student reaches the end, yell out "REPENT!". The terms "major" and "minor" are indicators of length, not importance. Submit your question at bibleask.org/live. As we explore the teachings of these godly men, we will learn what God did in their lives to impact not only their ministries but also their work for the kingdom of God, then and today. A correct study of the prophets will first seek to understand the conditions existing at the time the prophet lived. The prophets works held many prophecies given by God, so the determination of major and minor prophets was based on how long their books were in the Old Testament. Their primary role was as "enforcers of the . The Minor Prophets are described as "minor" because their books are shorter (although Hosea and Zechariah are almost as long as Daniel) and the content is more narrowly focused.