Prophetic Books of The Bible

Prophetic Books Buble Survey

Kenneth Malenge 



Bible Survey – The Prophetic Books

Major Prophets (Isaiah–Daniel) & Minor Prophets (Hosea–Malachi)

Introduction to the Prophets

  • The prophetic books contain the messages of God’s chosen spokesmen to Israel and the nations.
  • Prophets were both:
    • Forth-tellers – proclaiming God’s truth for their present generation.
    • Foretellers – predicting future events, especially concerning Christ and God’s kingdom.
  • Main responsibilities of prophets:
    • Call people back to covenant faithfulness.
    • Warn of God’s coming judgment.
    • Announce God’s mercy and future hope through the Messiah.
  • Divided into:
    • Major Prophets (longer writings: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel).
    • Minor Prophets (twelve shorter writings: Hosea–Malachi).

📖 PART ONE – The Major Prophets

1. Isaiah

  • Author: Isaiah (ministered c. 740–680 B.C.).
  • Theme: Salvation through the Holy One of Israel.
  • Key Verse: Isaiah 53:5–6.
  • Outline:
    1. Judgment and Warning (1–39).
    2. Comfort and Redemption (40–66).
  • Message: God is holy and just; sin must be judged; but the coming Messiah (the Suffering Servant and reigning King) will bring salvation.

2. Jeremiah

  • Author: Jeremiah, the “weeping prophet” (ministered 627–586 B.C.).
  • Theme: Judgment for sin, yet hope in the New Covenant.
  • Key Verse: Jeremiah 31:31–34.
  • Outline:
    1. Call of Jeremiah (1).
    2. Oracles of Judgment (2–45).
    3. Oracles against Nations (46–51).
    4. Fall of Jerusalem (52).
  • Message: Outward religion without heart obedience is worthless. God promises a New Covenant fulfilled in Christ.

3. Lamentations

  • Author: Traditionally Jeremiah.
  • Theme: Mourning over Jerusalem’s destruction (586 B.C.).
  • Key Verse: Lamentations 3:22–23.
  • Outline: Five poetic laments (1–5).
  • Message: Sin brings sorrow, yet God’s mercies are new every morning.

4. Ezekiel

  • Author: Ezekiel (exiled prophet in Babylon, 592–570 B.C.).
  • Theme: God’s glory revealed in judgment and restoration.
  • Key Verse: Ezekiel 36:26–27.
  • Outline:
    1. Judgment on Judah (1–24).
    2. Oracles against Nations (25–32).
    3. Restoration of Israel (33–48).
  • Message: God judges sin, but promises a new heart and Spirit to His people.

5. Daniel

  • Author: Daniel (exile in Babylon, 605 B.C. onward).
  • Theme: God’s sovereignty over kingdoms and history.
  • Key Verse: Daniel 2:44.
  • Outline:
    1. Daniel’s Life of Faith (1–6).
    2. Daniel’s Visions of the Future (7–12).
  • Message: Kingdoms rise and fall, but God’s everlasting kingdom will triumph. Christ is the ultimate ruler and deliverer.

Bible Survey – Prophetic Books (Part 2)

Minor Prophets (Hosea – Malachi)

Introduction to the Minor Prophets

  • Known as the “Book of the Twelve” in the Hebrew Bible.
  • Called “Minor” not because they are less important, but because they are shorter in length compared to the Major Prophets.
  • They span different historical settings:
    • Pre-exilic: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah.
    • Post-exilic: Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.
  • Common themes: sin, judgment, repentance, mercy, restoration, the Messiah, the Day of the LORD.

1. Hosea

  • Author: Hosea (Northern prophet, c. 755–715 B.C.).
  • Historical Context: Final days of the Northern Kingdom (Israel), full of idolatry and political corruption.
  • Theme: God’s covenant love in spite of Israel’s unfaithfulness.
  • Key Verse: Hosea 14:4.
  • Outline:
    1. Hosea’s Marriage to Gomer (1–3) – symbol of God’s love.
    2. God’s Case Against Israel (4–13).
    3. Promise of Restoration (14).
  • Message: Like an unfaithful wife, Israel betrayed God, yet His love remains steadfast. This foreshadows Christ’s redeeming love for His church.

2. Joel

  • Author: Joel (little is known).
  • Date: Possibly 9th or 7th century B.C. (debated).
  • Theme: The Day of the LORD – a day of judgment and blessing.
  • Key Verse: Joel 2:28–29.
  • Outline:
    1. Locust Plague and Call to Repentance (1).
    2. Day of the LORD Announced (2).
    3. Judgment and Restoration (3).
  • Message: God’s judgment is sure, but His Spirit will be poured out on all flesh (fulfilled at Pentecost, Acts 2).

3. Amos

  • Author: Amos, a shepherd from Tekoa (Judah), prophesied to Israel c. 760 B.C.
  • Theme: God’s justice against social injustice and hypocrisy.
  • Key Verse: Amos 5:24.
  • Outline:
    1. Judgment on Nations (1–2).
    2. Judgment on Israel (3–6).
    3. Five Visions of Judgment (7–9).
  • Message: God hates empty religion without righteousness. He demands justice, mercy, and truth.

4. Obadiah

  • Author: Obadiah (unknown background).
  • Date: After the fall of Jerusalem (586 B.C.).
  • Theme: Judgment of Edom for pride and cruelty against Judah.
  • Key Verse: Obadiah 15.
  • Outline:
    1. Judgment on Edom (1–16).
    2. Deliverance of Zion (17–21).
  • Message: Pride brings downfall. God will defend His people and establish His kingdom.

5. Jonah

  • Author: Jonah, son of Amittai (2 Kings 14:25).
  • Date: Around 780 B.C., during reign of Jeroboam II.
  • Theme: God’s mercy to all nations.
  • Key Verse: Jonah 4:2.
  • Outline:
    1. Jonah’s Call and Flight (1).
    2. Jonah’s Prayer (2).
    3. Jonah’s Preaching and Nineveh’s Repentance (3).
    4. Jonah’s Anger and God’s Compassion (4).
  • Message: God loves all nations, not just Israel. He is merciful to the repentant. Jonah is a type of Christ (Matt. 12:40).

6. Micah

  • Author: Micah, contemporary of Isaiah (c. 735–700 B.C.).
  • Theme: Judgment and hope.
  • Key Verse: Micah 6:8.
  • Outline:
    1. Judgment on Samaria and Jerusalem (1–3).
    2. Hope of Future Restoration (4–5).
    3. God’s Controversy with His People (6–7).
  • Message: God requires justice, mercy, and humility. Christ is prophesied as the ruler born in Bethlehem (5:2).

7. Nahum

  • Author: Nahum (from Elkosh).
  • Date: Around 650 B.C., before Nineveh’s fall in 612 B.C.
  • Theme: God’s judgment on Nineveh.
  • Key Verse: Nahum 1:7.
  • Outline:
    1. God’s Wrath Declared (1).
    2. Judgment on Nineveh (2–3).
  • Message: God is slow to anger but will not leave the guilty unpunished. His justice is sure.

8. Habakkuk

  • Author: Habakkuk (little known).
  • Date: Late 7th century B.C. (before Babylon’s invasion).
  • Theme: The righteous shall live by faith.
  • Key Verse: Habakkuk 2:4.
  • Outline:
    1. Habakkuk’s First Complaint (1:1–4).
    2. God’s Answer: Chaldeans Will Judge Judah (1:5–11).
    3. Second Complaint and Answer (1:12–2:20).
    4. Prayer of Trust (3).
  • Message: Even when God’s ways are mysterious, the believer must trust Him in faith.

9. Zephaniah

  • Author: Zephaniah, great-great-grandson of King Hezekiah.
  • Date: During reign of Josiah (640–609 B.C.).
  • Theme: The Day of the LORD – judgment and blessing.
  • Key Verse: Zephaniah 3:17.
  • Outline:
    1. Judgment on Judah (1).
    2. Judgment on Nations (2).
    3. Future Blessing for God’s People (3).
  • Message: God will punish sin but will also restore His people with joy.

10. Haggai

  • Author: Haggai (post-exilic prophet).
  • Date: 520 B.C. (second year of Darius).
  • Theme: Rebuild the Temple and prioritize God.
  • Key Verse: Haggai 1:8.
  • Outline:
    1. Call to Rebuild (1).
    2. Glory of the Second Temple (2).
  • Message: Seek first God’s kingdom. True blessing comes when God is honored.

11. Zechariah

  • Author: Zechariah (post-exilic prophet).
  • Date: 520–518 B.C. (with later additions).
  • Theme: Hope and encouragement through visions of the future Messiah.
  • Key Verse: Zechariah 9:9.
  • Outline:
    1. Eight Visions of Encouragement (1–6).
    2. Questions of Fasting (7–8).
    3. Prophecies of Messiah and Final Triumph (9–14).
  • Message: God’s people should rebuild in hope, for the Messiah is coming to bring salvation and victory.

12. Malachi

  • Author: Malachi (name means “My messenger”).
  • Date: Around 430 B.C. (last Old Testament prophet).
  • Theme: True worship and covenant faithfulness.
  • Key Verse: Malachi 3:1.
  • Outline:
    1. God’s Love for Israel (1:1–5).
    2. Rebuke of Priests and People (1:6–2:17).
    3. Promise of the Coming Messenger (3:1–4:6).
  • Message: God rebukes empty religion and calls for sincere devotion. Prepares the way for John the Baptist and Christ.

Summary of the Prophetic Books

  • Major Prophets emphasize God’s holiness, judgment, and the coming Messiah.
  • Minor Prophets stress covenant faithfulness, justice, mercy, and future hope.
  • Together, they proclaim: God is sovereign, sin will be judged, but Christ the Messiah brings salvation and final restoration.
Book Author Date of Authorship Name Meaning Recipients Theme Purpose Key Verse Key Chapter Key Characters Doctrines
Isaiah Isaiah c. 740–680 B.C. “The LORD is salvation” Judah and nations Salvation through Messiah To warn of judgment and offer hope of redemption Isaiah 53:5 Isaiah 6 Isaiah, Hezekiah Holiness of God, Messianic prophecy, Salvation
Jeremiah Jeremiah c. 627–586 B.C. “The LORD exalts” Judah before exile Judgment and restoration To call Judah to repentance and announce the New Covenant Jeremiah 31:31 Jeremiah 29 Jeremiah, Baruch, Zedekiah Sin and judgment, New Covenant, God’s sovereignty
Lamentations Jeremiah (traditionally) c. 586 B.C. “Weeping” Exiled Judah Mourning over Jerusalem’s fall To express sorrow and affirm hope in God’s faithfulness Lamentations 3:22–23 Lamentations 3 Jeremiah God’s mercy, Faithfulness, Repentance
Ezekiel Ezekiel c. 593–571 B.C. “God strengthens” Exiles in Babylon Glory of the LORD and restoration To show God’s judgment and promise of future restoration Ezekiel 36:26 Ezekiel 37 Ezekiel God’s glory, Judgment, New heart and Spirit
Daniel Daniel c. 605–536 B.C. “God is my judge” Jews in exile God’s sovereignty over kingdoms To encourage faithfulness and reveal God’s plan for the future Daniel 2:44 Daniel 7 Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego God’s sovereignty, Faith under pressure, Messianic prophecy
Hosea Hosea c. 755–710 B.C. “Salvation” Northern Israel God’s love for His unfaithful people To portray God’s covenant love through Hosea’s marriage Hosea 6:6 Hosea 3 Hosea, Gomer God’s love, Repentance, Covenant faithfulness
Joel Joel c. 835–796 B.C. “The LORD is God” Judah Day of the LORD To warn of judgment and promise outpouring of the Spirit Joel 2:28 Joel 2 Joel Repentance, Day of the LORD, Holy Spirit
Amos Amos c. 760 B.C. “Burden-bearer” Northern Israel Judgment for social injustice To condemn sin and call for justice Amos 5:24 Amos 9 Amos Justice, Righteousness, God’s sovereignty
Obadiah Obadiah c. 845 B.C. “Servant of the LORD” Edom and Israel Judgment of Edom To declare God’s justice against Edom Obadiah 1:15 Obadiah 1 Obadiah God’s justice, Pride humbled, Deliverance of Zion
Jonah Jonah c. 760 B.C. “Dove” Nineveh God’s mercy to the nations To show God’s compassion for all peoples Jonah 2:9 Jonah 2 Jonah, Ninevites Repentance, Mercy, God’s sovereignty
Micah Micah c. 735–700 B.C. “Who is like the LORD?” Judah and Israel Judgment and hope To announce judgment and Messiah’s coming Micah 6:8 Micah 5 Micah Justice, Mercy, Messianic prophecy
Nahum Nahum c. 650 B.C. “Comfort” Nineveh Judgment of Nineveh To declare God’s vengeance on Assyria Nahum 1:7 Nahum 3 Nahum God’s justice, Vengeance, Protection of His people
Habakkuk Habakkuk c. 612–605 B.C. “Embracer” Judah Living by faith To show God’s justice and call for faith Habakkuk 2:4 Habakkuk 3 Habakkuk Faith, God’s sovereignty, Judgment
Zephaniah Zephaniah c. 640–609 B.C. “The LORD hides” Judah Day of the LORD To warn of judgment and promise restoration Zephaniah 3:17 Zephaniah 3 Zephaniah Judgment, Restoration, God’s presence
Haggai Haggai 520 B.C. “Festive” Post-exilic Judah Rebuilding the temple To encourage rebuilding and God’s glory Haggai 2:9 Haggai 2 Haggai, Zerubbabel Obedience, Worship, God’s glory
Zechariah Zechariah c. 520–480 B.C. “The LORD remembers” Post-exilic Judah Messiah and restoration To encourage with visions of future glory Zechariah 9:9 Zechariah 14 Zechariah Messianic prophecy, God’s sovereignty, Hope
Malachi Malachi c. 430 B.C. “My messenger” Post-exilic Judah God’s love and Israel’s unfaithfulness To call for repentance and announce the coming messenger Malachi 3:1 Malachi 4 Malachi God’s covenant, Worship, Messianic hope

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