Náboženstvo a spiritualita

Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament and is a book of Prophetic Oracle. It is a post-exilic book, meaning it was written after the return from captivity in Babylon. The prophet Malachi wrote it approximately 430 B. C. Key personalities include Malachi and the priests. The purpose of this book is that Malachi wrote to ensure that the hearts of the Jews was right and that they were keeping God first in their lives.

The book of Zechariah is Narrative History, Prophetic and Apocalyptic in genre. It is a post-exilic book, meaning it was written after (post) the return from captivity (exile) in Babylon. The prophet Zechariah wrote chapters 1-8 approximately 520-518 B. C. (Before the temple completed), and then wrote chapters 9-14 approximately 480 B.

The book of Haggai is Narrative History and Prophetic Oracle. The prophet Haggai wrote it approximately 520 B. C. Haggai is among the most carefully and precisely dated books in the entire Bible. It is a post-exilic book, meaning it was written after (post) the captivity (exile) in Babylon. Key personalities are Haggai, Zerubbabel, and Joshua.

The small book of Zephaniah is Narrative History and Prophetic Oracle. Zephaniah wrote it circa 630 B. C. very soon before the fall of Judah in the Southern Kingdom. The purpose of this book was to show that God raised up his prophet Zephaniah to proclaim a warning of coming judgment and to encourage repentance.

The book of Habakkuk is Narrative History and displays Prophetic Oracle. Habakkuk wrote it approximately 612-589 B. C. just before the fall of Judah in the Southern Kingdom. Key personalities are Habakkuk and the Babylonians. As is true of the many other prophets, Habakkuk is a short book. The information in it was vital since it carried God’s message to His people.

The book of Nahum is a Prophetic Oracle. The prophet Nahum wrote it approximately 663-612 B. C. just before the fall of Nineveh in 612 B. C. He was raised up to preach God’s judgment for a second time to Nineveh. Jonah was the first about 120 years earlier. Its purpose is to pronounce the final warning and judgment upon Nineveh, and he also addresses the rest of the Assyrian empire.

The book of Micah is a Prophetic Oracle. The prophet Micah wrote it 742-686 B. C. shortly before the Northern Kingdom’s fall in 722 B. C. Key personalities are all the people of Samaria and Jerusalem. The purpose of the book of Micah was to proclaim warning and judgment to both the Northern and the Southern Kingdoms.

The book of Jonah is Narrative History and a Prophetic Oracle. The prophet Jonah wrote it approximately 785-760 B. C. before Assyria conquered Israel’s Northern Kingdom. Key personalities include Jonah, the captain and the ship’s crew and the people of Nineveh. The purpose of this book is to show that God is a merciful and gracious God.

The book of Obadiah is a book of Prophetic Oracles. The prophet Obadiah wrote it. Its authorship is difficult to date but was possibly written about 853-841 B. C. or 605-586 B. C. The key personalities are the Edomites. The purpose of Obadiah is to show that God will judge all those who are against His children, His chosen people; Edom is used as the example of this truth.

The purpose of the book of Amos was to announce God’s holy judgment on the Kingdom of Israel (the Northern Kingdom), call them to repentance, and to turn from their self-righteous sins and idolatry. God raised up the prophet Amos, as an act of His great mercy to a people who repeatedly shunned and disobeyed Him.