Minor Prophets Bible Studies 2013

Transcription

1 Minor Prophets Bible Studies 2013

2 Hosea 1. What was the time, place and circumstances of Hosea s prophecy? 2. Read ch 1. What is the significance of both Hosea s marriage and the names he gives to his children? What hope is offered to Israel in ch 1? 3. From all this, what do you learn about God? 4. Why does God make Hosea take back his wife (ch 3)? 5. How does God get his people back? (think of specific verses). 6. The value and pleasure of any good thing may be lost when we make it an end in itself. In what ways did the Israelites behaviour show this to be true? And for us? See also Hosea 8:11-9:6 & Philippians 3: How is it that people tend to become like the person or thing they love? See Hosea 9:10. What are you becoming like? 8. Read Hosea 14. What are Israel s shortcomings and how does God respond? 9. What aspects of God s character do you see in the Book of Hosea?

3 Amos Structure 1:1-2 Introduction 1:3-2:16 Judgement against Nations (A) Judgement against Israel (B) 3:1-9:10 Focused Judgement on Israel (C) 9:11-15 Restoration of Israel (B ) Restoration to the nations (A') 1. As God s people go so goes the nations How so? Discuss. 2. What are the major ways they neglecttruth from God? (7:8-17) 3. How do they neglect, love and justice? (5:6-16, 8:4-6) 4. What is the issue with their worship (4:4-6, 5:21-26) 5. Read Acts 15:1-21, What acts of love toward Gentiles and Jews are evident in this application of the gospel? (Acts 15:10, 19-21) 6. What acts of maintaining truth are evident in this application of the gospel? (Acts 15:7-9, 11) 7. How can you be a gracious witness of truth in love to your family, neighbours, workplace?

4 Micah 1. Read chapters 1-2. Discuss the similarities between today s society and that of Micah s time. 2. Micah mourns at God s pronouncement of judgment on the people (Micah 1:8-9). 3. What can we learn from this when responding to the society we live in? 4. What were the false prophets of Micah s day teaching? Who are today s false prophets and what are they teaching? (Micah 3:1-12) 5. Discuss the practical implications of Micah 6:8. 6. What aspects of your life need to change so that your life aligns with what the Lord requires of you? 7. Discuss how Micah 7:7-9 sums up the message of the gospel. Discuss the implications for life as a Christian.

5 Haggai 1. Why was the temple so important in Jewish life? What is our equivalent today? What does Haggai have to tell us about church buildings? 2. Remind yourselves of the context of the prophet. It is very different to what we have looked at so far. 3. Compare the book opening (1:2) and closing (2:23), to get a feel for the flow of God s message to the people. 4. What was the heart of Judah s problem; and what parallels do you see with us and with this world? 5. God chose to not bless and then bless Judah agriculturally. How does He bless us? 6. How much of Haggai is present prophecy and how much is future? 7. What is your attitude to God s true temple? How is this demonstrated?

6 Zechariah 1. The people have come back physically from exile, but God is absent and the exile is far from over (1:7-12). How does 1:12 express their discouragement? 2. Zechariah 1:18-21 & 5:1-11 announce judgement on Babylon, how would this comfort the exiles? 3. The following passages all promise the return of the Lord to dwell with his people, (1:16-17, 2:3-5, 2:10-13 & 8:1-8). How would these promises encourage the people? Which passage do you like? Why? 4. How is Jesus now the temple and place of God s presence? 5. When do we experience the presence of God, why/why not? 6. What disciplines/practices do you need to exercise to spend more time in fellowship with God?

7 Malachi 1. Read chapter 1:1-5. In what ways will our lives be different if we re consciously reminding ourselves of God s care? What reasons do people put forward today for doubting whether God is sovereign? How would you answer them? 2. Read 1:6-14. The priests are charged with showing contempt for God by bringing defiled sacrifices before him but God does not brush over it (1:10-11). 3. In what ways do we offer defiled sacrifices to God? (See also James 1:26-27). 4. What charges does God bring against the people in chapter 2? Discuss what it means to break faith with God. Discuss how God s pattern for marriage helps us to understand what Jesus is like and how he relates to his people. 5. In chapter 3 the people are accused of robbing God. In what ways might this accusation ring true for us today? Discuss the practical implications of Malachi 3:10 for Christians today. (See also Rom 12:1-2; 1 Tim 5:8; Phil 4:19) 6. Read 4:1-6. God has revealed to us in the past what will happen in the future. Discuss how knowing the future affects how we live now in the present.