Looking at the Major Truths in the Minor Prophets - Did You Know Christ's Death & Resurrection were Prophesied in the Minor Prophets?

        As I was reading through all the Life-Studies of the minor prophets, I realized that embedded  in these books  were many major truths presented in the New Testament.  Even CHRIST'S INCARNATION is hidden there because in Micah 5:2 it says that Christ’s goings forth are from eternity. I read in chapter 23 of the Life-Study of Micah that this means that even in eternity Christ was preparing to come forth as a man so that He could die on our behalf.  Also in this verse we learn that the LOCATION OF CHRIST'S BIRTH would be Bethlehem.

First blossoms of spring!

       In the  book of Jonah we see that Jonah’s spending THREE DAYS IN THE BELLY of that great fish was a picture of the Lord being in the heart of the earth for three days before His resurrection.  And we know this because the Lord compared Himself to Jonah in Matthew 12:40. 

      In the Life-Study of Jonah Witness Lee also points out that Jonah's PREACHING THE GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES in Ninevah is similar to the Lord's preaching the gospel to both the Jews and Gentiles (Matt. 12:17-21).

     Then hidden in the book of Joel are some verses about the POURING OUT OF THE SPIRIT. In the Life-Study of Joel I learned that after the Lord’s resurrection, He came to His disciples in John 20:22 and breathed  the Holy Spirit into them. And in Acts 2:1-4 we see that on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was also poured out upon the disciples for their preaching the gospel.  All of this was foretold in Joel 2:28-29, 32 hundreds of years before it even happened. 

     Then I learned by reading the chapters in the Life-Study of Haggai that this prophet's main burden was to turn the Israelites from being so wrapped up in their own houses to CARE FOR GOD'S HOUSE which was lying waste.  Haggai inspired the people to give so the temple could be repaired. All of this is a picture of how we need to give ourselves to built together so that God can have a testimony through His church.

      Even many events that will occur in the future are foretold in the books of the minor prophets.  I read in the Life-Study of Obadiah that this prophet spoke about THE DAY OF JEHOVAH when God will come to judge the nations after the great tribulation (Obadiah  1:15-16). 

This is the first bloom in my front flower bed.

     Then back in the Book of Joel in chapter 3:2, 12, 14 I saw that this judgment will take place in the valley of Jehosphaphat.  Can you imagine even the outcome of this final battle is actually foretold in Joel 3:9-13, 16-21?    
 

     In the Gospels the Lord spoke many times about the Kingdom of God, and that we should pray that God's kingdom would come to this earth.  This hidden truth is proclaimed in Joel 3:16a, 17, and 21b  where Joel states that CHRIST WILL REIGN IN THE CITY OF JERUSALEM DURING THE MILENNIAL KINGDOM.

     Now isn't the Bible a wonderful book?