We start reading the last 12 books of the Old testament today. What we call the minor prophets is actually in the Hebrew tradition, contained in a single scroll called "The Book of the 12." Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah and Micah focuses on the consequences of sin in relation to breaking God's covenant. Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah focus on the punishment for sin. Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, the last three books of the Old testament focuses on the restoration from exile and a renewal for the nation. The book Jonah stands alone as it focuses on a message, not to Israel, but to Nineveh, a gentile nation. As we start reading the book of Hosea today, learn the lessons from Israel's actions. Hosea begins to warns the nation many decades before Assyria carries off Israel into exile. The lesson today is that breaking God's laws always comes with consequences.
