Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, and Nahum

Obadiah

Obadiah means "the LORD's servant", which could be a title, rather than a person's name. Nothing else is known about the author.

The main theme of Obadiah is that Edom, one of Israel's long-standing enemies, was doomed.

Jonah

Jonah lived during the reign of Jeroboam II. Unlike the other prophetic books, the book of Jonah is about Jonah, not by him.

Jonah was called to prophesy to Nineveh and refused. He was stubborn and rebellious, very much like Israel.

When Jonah finally goes to Nineveh, he is wildly successful -- the whole city repents.

The book of Jonah deals with how to view others in the light of God's grace. Could God really care about the people of Nineveh? 

Micah

Micah preached before the northern kingdom had fallen, so part of his preaching was directed toward Samaria and its sins.  But the main use of Samaria and its sins was to say that Jerusalem was just like it.  Just as the LORD'S judgment was coming on Samaria, so it would come on Jerusalem (1:1-9).

Micah 6:1-8 is one of his greatest oracles.  The oracle is a classic example of the use of court language by the prophet to present the LORD'S case against Israel.  The essentials of a trial are present:

1. The court is called to order (6:1-2).

2. The indictment and the evidence is presented (6:3-5).

3. The defense pleads its case (6:6-7).

4. The verdict is delivered (6:8).

What the defense had said was that whatever bribe the LORD demanded, the people would pay.  But that was the heart of the matter:  Material offerings, even firstborn children, were meaningless when that was all that was offered.

"He has told you, O mortal, what is good;

and what does the LORD require of you

but to do justice,

and to love kindness,

and to walk humbly with your God?" (6:8).

In this verse, Micah sets forth Amos' theme of justice; Hosea's theme of love (or kindness); and Isaiah's theme of the quiet, confident walk with God.

Nahum

Nahum is referred to as Nahum of Elkosh. Scholars are not sure where Elkosh was located. The book of Nahum dates from about 612 BCE.

The book of Nahum consists of oracles against Nineveh.

The first oracle is in the form of a poem. This particular poem is an acrostic -- each line of the poem starts with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The theme of the poem is that the LORD is the God of justice who punishes the guilty and rights what has been made wrong.

Nahum also describes the fall of Nineveh in graphic language. It may have been the center of a mighty Empire, but it would fall the same way other great cities had fallen.