The Minor Prophets
A series exploring what God's word says about work in the books of the twelve "minor" prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
Please note: This is a work-in-progress, and will be a eight-session series upon completion.
Hosea Chapters 1-3, Micah Chapters 1-2: God Demands Change (23 minutes)
God deliberately put Hosea in a corrupt and difficult family situation. Could it be that God deliberately puts people in corrupt and difficult workplaces today?
Hosea Chapter 6, Amos Chapters 4 and 9, Joel Chapter 2: God Makes Change Possible (25 minutes)
God’s word to his people in times of economic and social hardship is that God’s intent is to restore peace, justice, and prosperity, if the people will live by the precepts of his covenant. The means he will use is the work of his people.
Micah Chapters 1, 3, 5, Amos Chapter 5: Individual & Societal Responsibility for Unjust Work (23 minutes)
Despite God’s intentions, work is subjected to human sin. The most egregious case is work that is inherently sinful.
Habakkuk Chapters 2-3, Zephaniah Chapters 1-2: Idolatrous Work vs Faithfulness (23 minutes)
Good work is possible even in the midst of difficult circumstances when the Lord is our strength. Faithfulness is not only a matter of enduring hardship, but of making even the worst situation better in whatever ways we can.
Amos Chapters 7-8, Micah Chapters 6-7: God's Justice Includes Work and Economic Justice (23 minutes)
Justice in work is not only an individual matter. People have a responsibility to make sure that everyone in society has access to the resources needed to make a living.
Haggai Chapters 1-2, Hosea Chapters 11-13: The Need for Social Capital (23 minutes)
Perhaps we should engage in worship as formation for good work, rather than merely as private devotion or leisure. The Christian community can be a powerful force for economic, civic and social well-being if it can learn to bring the spiritual and ethical power of God’s word to bear on matters of work.
Jonah Chapters 1-4: The Purpose of God's Call (21 minutes)
The purpose of a call from God is to serve other people. When God calls Jonah, it is for the benefit of Nineveh. When Jonah rejects God’s guidance, not only do the people he was called to serve languish, but the people surrounding him suffer. If we accept that we are all called to serve God in our work, then we recognize that failing to serve God in our work also diminishes our communities. The more powerful our gifts and talents, the greater the harm we are apt to do if we reject God’s guidance.