Understanding The Minor Prophets A Commentary On The Twelve Minor Prophets Of The Bible Using Ancient Bible Study Methods

This commentary on the twelve Minor Prophets of the Bible was researched and written using Ancient Bible Study Methods. These methods were initially developed by the Sage Hillel over 2000 years ago and augmented by Dr. Anne Davis and the author. Ancient Bible study methods is based on asking questions about the Scripture. For church people this is a foreign idea because the church teaches that only the church can interpret Scripture. This idea is not true. God wants us to ask questions because the meaning of Scripture is as deep as God and God is infinite.

Michael Harvey Koplitz was born into a non-practicing Jewish family. At 37 years old, came into the faith that Yeshua of Nazareth was the Messiah the Hebrew Scriptures spoke about. Yeshua called him to preach the Gospel. He earned the Master of Divinity degree. He is an ordained Elder of the United Methodist church. He earned a doctorate in Ministry in Christian Leadership (D. Min.), and a Ph.D. in Hebraic Studies in Christianity. He is an ordained Messianic Jewish Rabbi in the WMEK Messianic Jewish Association. He currently lives in York, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Sandra. His websites are michaelkoplitz.info, followersofthewayministry.org, michaelkoplitzchurch.com, libc.in, thepeopleoftheseferchurch.com.

The books of the twelve Minor Prophets are some of the least studied by Christians today, but they contain some of the great themes of Scripture, such as God's mercy and judgment, His covenant with Israel, the day of the Lord, and the coming of the Messiah. Arguing for a canonical unity that recognizes the Minor Prophets as one cohesive composition, Michael Shepherd explains the historical meaning of each verse of the twelve books and also provides guidance for application and preaching. Pastors, teachers, and serious students of Scripture will find a wealth of insights for understanding the Minor Prophets. - from publisher.

Although they ministered for more than three centuries during some of Israel’s most tumultuous days, the Minor Prophets remain a mystery to many Christians in the 21st century. Old Testament scholars Richard Alan Fuhr, Jr. and Gary E. Yates believe that the message of the twelve Minor Prophets is relevant for the church today, and they re-introduce these important books of the Bible to contemporary Christians. Ideal for use as a textbook as well as for personal study, The Message of the Twelve surveys the historical background of each prophetic book, the prophet’s message and themes, as well as the book’s place in the biblical canon. The authors also provide in-depth exposition of each book—from Hosea’s metaphor of Israel’s infidelity and Nahum’s warnings of foreign judgments, to Haggai’s postexilic call and Malachi’s vision of future restoration. The Message of the Twelve goes beyond typical biblical surveys to examine the key interpretive issues in each book, including important literary insights from the Hebrew text. Drawing on the prophets’ proclamations to ancient Israel and Judah, the authors emphasize that the church today must heed the call to reject apathy and return to a vibrant relationship with the living God.

Rather than studying the LXX of Hosea mainly as a text-critical resource for the Hebrew or as a help for interpreting the Hebrew, this commentary, as part of the Septuagint Commentary Series, primarily examines the Greek text of Hosea as an artifact in its own right to seek to determine how it would have been understood by early Greek readers who were unfamiliar with the Hebrew. This commentary is based on the uncorrected text of Vaticanus, and it contains a copy of that text with notes discussing readings that differ from modern editions of the LXX along with a literal translation of that text. This commentary also has an introduction to the Minor Prophets in the Septuagint. It is relevant for anyone studying the LXX or the book of Hosea.

Many today find the Old Testament a closed book. The cultural issues seem insurmountable and we are easily baffled by that which seems obscure. Furthermore, without knowledge of the ancient culture we can easily impose our own culture on the text, potentially distorting it. This series invites you to enter the Old Testament with a company of guides, experts that will give new insights into these cherished writings. Features include • Over 2000 photographs, drawings, maps, diagrams and charts provide a visual feast that breathes fresh life into the text. • Passage-by-passage commentary presents archaeological findings, historical explanations, geographic insights, notes on manners and customs, and more. • Analysis into the literature of the ancient Near East will open your eyes to new depths of understanding both familiar and unfamiliar passages. • Written by an international team of 30 specialists, all top scholars in background studies.

These accessible commentaries are for anyone who wants to enter a serious study of God's Word. Each volume guides the reader through the literacy and theological issues in the text and provides correlation to multiple numbering systems for word study. This volume includes the entire NLT text of Hosea—Malachi, translation notes, and fresh expository commentary.

The Minor Prophets are those dozen Old Testament books that, in the time of Jesus, were usually written on one scroll since they were all fairly brief. The late Elizabeth Achtemeier prepared the New International Biblical Commentary on the first six: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah. This second volume deals with the final six books. John Goldingay writes on Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and Haggai; Pamela Scalise takes on the longest, Zechariah, and the last, Malachi. Like the authors of other volumes in the NIBC, Goldingay and Scalise utilize what is referred to as "believing criticism" when examining the biblical texts. Based on fidelity to critical analysis and sensitivity to the faith of both ancient and contemporary readers, this balanced approach enriches both the academy and the church. Following the series guidelines, the authors clearly explain the texts with additional notes regarding interpretation and "practical" reflection. For example, Goldingay issues a reminder that when the prophets spoke against the arrogance and sins of Assyria and Babylon, the Israelites needed to hear the word of God as a caution against their own pride and wickedness. He goes on to suggest that modern readers must remember, as well, that the same attitudes and actions that led to the downfall of these ancient Middle East empires can fall upon any and all who follow their example. The New International Biblical Commentary offers the best of contemporary scholarship in a format that both general readers and serious students can use with profit. Based on the widely used New International Version translation, the NIBC presents careful section-by-section exposition with key terms and phrases highlighted and all Hebrew transliterated. A separate section of notes at the close of each chapter provides additional textual, linguistic, cultural, and technical comments. Each commentary also includes a selected bibliography as well as Scripture and subject indexes.