Designated for Assignment

By Nathanael Reed

Much has been written and said about the prophets of the Old Testament being rather harsh spokesmen for God. However, as we read through the prophets, we find time and again the anguish and heartache expressed by God through His prophets and His great love for His creatures, sinful and rebellious though they be.
The purpose of the devotional, Designated for Assignment: God's Love in the Minor Prophets, is to bring to the forefront, the great love of our Creator. We see this evidenced especially in these twelve short books written primarily to the people of Judah and Israel, but also to Gentiles as well.
Each of the twelve devotionals in this book highlight aspects of this love and remind the reader of the wondrous, loving character of God, culminating in His sending His only Son to die and redeem mankind. It is the purpose of the book to draw readers closer to our Heavenly Father by gaining a fresh appreciation of the great love He has for us.

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Ritchie Ltd
• Release date: Jun 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223881889

Book preview

Designated for Assignment

Nathanael Reed

Published by John Ritchie Ltd, 2023.

Dedicated to my wife, Joyce.

With many thanks to the following for their help:

Joel Reed

Brian Mahon

Gary McBride

Mary Ruth Reed

CONTENTS

Introduction

Part I – Prophets to Israel

Jonah: Designated for Assignment

Amos: The Prophet of Last Chances

Hosea: The Unfaithful Bride

Part II – Prophets to Judah

Joel: Lord of the Locusts

Micah: The God of Social Justice

Nahum: Living in the Shadow of End Times

Zephaniah: The Prodigal Nation

Habakkuk: When God Isn’t Silent

Obadiah: The Dangers of Standing Aloof

Part III – Post-Exilic Prophets

Haggai: The Will to Build

Zechariah: Comfort in the Crisis

Malachi: Unrequited Love

Conclusion

Bibliography

INTRODUCTION

The twelve books of the Old Testament’s minor prophets may not have the poetic cadence of one of King David’s psalms or the thrilling drama of the Bible’s more historical books, but within their pages are found some of Scripture’s most revealing glimpses into the very heart of God. Within each book one encounters unique and insightful aspects of God’s love, however sinful and rebellious His people may have been at the time. In these pages we find a God of tenderness and compassion; a God who bears hurt beyond measure at the hands of those He loves; a heartbroken God who knows that drastic measures must be taken before His wayward people will return to Him.

It is the purpose of this little devotional to highlight our Heavenly Father’s love during a time in history when the people of Israel and Judah were at their lowest spiritual point.

This devotional has been divided into three sections:

1. Prophets ministering primarily to the northern country of Israel.

These include Jonah, Amos and Hosea which were written in the 8th Century B.C. before Israel’s Assyrian exile in 722 B.C.

2. Prophets ministering primarily to the southern kingdom of Judah.

Joel, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk and Obadiah were all written before Judah was taken into captivity by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.

3. The Post-Exilic Prophets.

Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi were written to the people of Judah after returning from their exile.

Harsh and even difficult to digest at times, these twelve long-neglected books tell us so much of what we need to know of the loving heart of our Heavenly Father.

As much as possible, these devotions have been arranged in chronological order.

PART I

PROPHETS TO ISRAEL

Jonah, Amos, Hosea

The first three featured prophets, Jonah, Amos and Hosea, all ministered primarily to the northern kingdom of Israel, which had a most despotic and wretched history. Seceding from the tribe of Judah during the reign of King Rehoboam, they were continuously testing the patience of God. For more than two centuries, the people of Israel revelled in wickedness, persistently lusting after the gods and abominable practices of their neighbouring countries. It was a nation that failed to boast even one godly king during their sorry existence. You can imagine then, the challenges these three prophets faced.

It is interesting to note that all three of these prophets also wrote of God’s interest in the neighbouring Gentile nations. Jonah’s book, in particular, describes a mission of redemption to the Assyrian city of Nineveh, and Amos opens his book expressing God’s concern regarding six neighbouring Gentile nations.

Heartbreakingly, the warnings and admonitions of these godly spokesmen fell on deaf ears, and the nation of Israel was soon routed by the Assyrian army and taken into captivity in 722 B.C., where they disappeared from recorded history.

Jonah

Designated for Assignment

Themes:

God’s mercy and love are available to everyone.

God is the God of second chances.

Background:

Jonah was a prophet who was active in the northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Jeroboam II (793 B.C. – 753 B.C.). He came from the town of Gath-hepher in Zebulon, and served at about the same time as Amos and Hosea. II Kings 14:25 mentions Jonah prophesying that Israel would experience a time of great prosperity. It was, however, also a time when the people abandoned God to worship idols.

Jonah’s mission field was to Nineveh, a major city within the kingdom of Assyria. Assyria was an aggressive, brutal nation which had a history of conflict with the people of both Israel and Judah.

Jonah is one of the most fascinating books of the Old Testament. It is a story that has captivated Sunday School students and enthralled readers of all ages from generation to generation. Of the twelve minor prophets, this book stands alone as a simple narrative, with very little in the way of commentary or admonitions. Like all memorable stories, however, it contains drama, intrigue, spiritual insight and even a bit of humour and pathos. The Lord Jesus referenced and verified the incredible events recorded by the author by telling His followers that as Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of a great fish, so He would spend three days and nights in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:40).

Interestingly, there are other remarkable similarities and contrasts between the uncooperative prophet and the Lord Jesus.

a. Their Missions of Redemption

To begin with, both men were sent on missions of redemption to wicked, rebellious people. Jonah was instructed to go to Nineveh, a major city of Israel’s despised enemy, Assyria, to warn them of God’s impending judgment.

As difficult and dangerous as Jonah’s assignment was, the mission of the Lord Jesus was infinitely more demanding. He, the Son of God, was to be born into this world as an infant, live among the people of Israel for more than 30 years and then be executed in the most gruesome manner imaginable. And that wasn’t the worst part! There on that cross of Calvary, this spotless Son of God was to provide redemption for lost humanity by taking upon Himself the sins of every person who ever lived.

b. Response to the Call

Jonah and the Lord Jesus responded in dramatically different ways to their calls. Jonah was well-acquainted with the sordid history of Nineveh, how for years they had been a thorn in the side of Israel. He also knew that his merciful