The last book in the Hebrew canon of the Prophets is simply called 'The Twelve' being a collection of twelve short books attributed to different prophets. Its title in the Greek Bible is 'Dodekapropheton', The Church knows it as 'The Minor Prophets' not because the collection is of less importance than the 'major' prophets but because the books are shorter. These books already formed a collection when Ecclesiasticus was being written - Sirach 49:10 - The Hebrew Bible, followed by the Vulgate, arranges these short books in the historical order assigned to them by tradition. The order is somewhat different in the Greek Bible which, moreover, places them before the major prophets. In these Introduction notes they are treated in what is most probably their true historical order.

PROPHETS : AMOS, HOSEA, MICAH, ZEPHANIAH, NAHUM, HABAKKUK, HAGGAI, ZECHARIAH, OBADIAH, MALACHI, JOEL, JONAH.

Hosea's ministry began under Jeroboam II and continued under his successors possibly until the fall of Samaria in 721. A key to his prophecies is Hosea's own life with his unfaithful wife from which he was able to describe the love of Yahweh for his people whose unfaithfulness was plain from their kings' policies of expedience, their unworthy priest and their worship of gods.

The Book of Hosea has had a profound influence on the Old Testament; there are echoes of Hosea in the exhortations of later prophets to a religion of the heart with God's love its motive force. It is not surprising that the New Testament quotes Hosea or; not infrequently, imitates him.

HOSEA - (1) The Marriage of Hosea and its Symbolism - Hosea's marriage: his three children - Yahweh and his unfaithful wife - Hosea takes his unfaithful wife back and tests her fidelity. The symbol explained - The great future - Chapter 1 to 3 - (2) The Crimes and Punishment of Israel - General corruption - Against the priests - Worship in Israel is now idolatrous and debauched - A warning to Judah - Israel the stubborn heifer - Priests, nobles and king are the ruin of the nation - The brothers' war - The folly of foreign alliances - Yahweh abandons his people - Israel's short lived and shallow repentance - The past and present sins of Israel - Conspiracy the order of the day in Israel - Israel ruined by relying on foreign powers -

The ingratitude and punishment of Israel - Sound the alarm - Civil anarchy and idolatry - Israel ruined by relying on foreign powers - Against the outward show of worship and extravagance in building - The sorrows of exile - Persecution, the prophet's reward for foretelling the punishment - Punishment for the crime at Baal-peor and Gilgal - The destruction of Israel's cultic objects - Against Gibeah - Threats and an invitation to repentance - The end of Israel - God's love despised: his vengeance - God's love proves stronger than his vengeance - The return from exile - Israel's religion and policy both alike perverse - Against Jacob - Greed and the punishment of Israel - The prospect of reconciliation between Yahweh and Israel - New threats - Against Jacob and Ephraim - Idolatry punishment - The punishment for ingratitude - The end of the monarchy - The inevitability of ruin - Chapter 4 to 14 - (3) The Repentance and Reconciliation of Israel. A Promise of future Happiness - The sincere conversion of Israel to Yahweh - Concluding admonition -

In summary : The message of Israel's condemnation followed by God's forgiveness. The New Testament and the early Christian community apply it to the union between Christ and his Church. Christian mysticism has extended the application to the individual soul.

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -