A Minor Problem with the Minor Prophets

In Old Testament class this week, we covered a survey of the first few of the Minor Prophets. Reading the Minor Prophets can be overwhelming. So much of the content is focused on the anger and wrath of God against the sins and persistent unrepentance of his people. It is just so sad, almost depressing. We know from the history of that time the people did not repent and the Assyrian army destroyed not only Israel but many of the nations around them. It makes me wonder how God's wrath is manifested today.

It is hard for us to think about God being angry. We like to focus on the love of God in Jesus Christ. It is a great comfort to know that we do not need to fear God, to know that we are his beloved children. We don't like to think of God as being angry. We like to think of him as being gentle, kind, compassionate, loving, and merciful. How can a loving God also be an angry God who hurts people?

The author of Hebrews talks about it in terms of discipline, but that does not seem to be what is going on in the Minor Prophets. In the Minor Prophets, there is an actual destruction. In the New Testament, we see this wrath focused on the cross of Jesus. It is hard to imagine the wrath of God which Jesus took upon himself. Reading the Minor Prophets helps a little. God can be very angry. He can do some amazingly awful things in his anger. Jesus took all of that upon himself for our sake. While the wrath of God is overwhelming, the love of God is exceedingly so.

God does not leave us in his wrath. The Minor Prophets are hard to read, but I am glad that we have their message and the example of God's Old Testament people. It gives us a broader view of who God is and a clearer understanding of what Jesus did for us.

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