This winter we'll take a look at each book of the minor prophets. There are twelve books in this section of Scripture covering Hosea to Malachi. Each week we will examine one of these prophets with the hopes of seeing three things.

1. We want to know something of the context in which the prophet lived and proclaimed his message.
   
2. We want to know how each book points to and prepares the way for Jesus Christ.
   
3. We plan to show how this relates to the church today.

The minor prophets are often neglected in pulpits today. Unsurprisingly, Christians have very little knowledge about the characters and content of their pages. Our aim in this series is not only for you to become more acquainted with the minor prophets but also to show how they magnify our understanding of the gospel.

 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
   Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
   righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
   on a colt, the foal of a donkey."
Zechariah 9:9 (ESV)

I would encourage you to read through the minor prophets along with us each week. The minor prophets are the last twelve books of the Old Testament. We'll begin in the book of Hosea this Sunday. Let me suggest a few things to keep in mind as you read.

• These books have been called the minor prophets because of their length, not their importance. Supposedly, they were able to fit onto one scroll unlike the major prophets. Hosea happens to be one of the longer minor prophets containing 14 chapters. It is only surpassed in length by Zechariah.
• When we think of a prophet, our initial thought is of one who foretells the future. While this is true in part, a majority of the content found in prophetic literature speaks of the past and present context of the authors. The message of the prophet was immediately relevant to his hearers.
  
• Each prophet usually proclaimed two types of oracles; one of judgment and one of salvation. Notice the reasons provided for each. Judgment is announced because of the sin of the nation. On the other hand, future salvation is based upon the the steadfast love of the Lord (not owing to any good the people had done).

May we join with the puritan who prayed,

O Lord, I am astonished at the difference
between my receivings and my deservings,
between the state I am now in and my past gracelessness,
between the heaven I am bound for and the hell I merit.

Who made me to differ, but thee?
for I was no more ready to receive Christ than were others;
I could not have begun to love thee hadst thou not first loved me,
or been willing unless thou hadst first made me so.

(Valley of Vision, pg.12-13)