OT Purposes

Purpose of Joel

The Day of the Lord brings judgement. Repentance brings the Lord’s favor

Purpose of Obadiah

Pronouncement of divine judgment against Edom for their role in the Conquest of Judah and to announce the future restoration of Israel

Purpose of Amos

Forecasts disaster for the Northern Kingdom as Assyria will come and take them into exile due to religious hypocrisy and social injustice

Purpose of Jonah

God has the sovereign right to bestow gracious acts of compassion on whomever he will. God is compassionate to this person & compassionate to Nineveh despite their sin

Purpose of Hosea

To warn the people of Israel of the impending exile to Assyria for their failure to abide by the covenant and worshipping false gods

Purpose of Isaiah

Yahweh, the covenant God, is trustworthy

Purpose of Micah

To point out the sin of Judah and Israel

Purpose of Nahum

To pronounce the doom of Nineveh

Purpose of Zephaniah

To bring change to Judah by pronouncing God’s judgment against wickedness - the Day of the Lord was coming quickly, and God intended to restore Judah

Purpose of Jeremiah

Call the people of Judah back to faithful dependence on the Lord - Exile to Babylon is coming quickly

Purpose of Habakkuk

To examine God’s justice related to Judah

Purpose of Daniel

God is sovereign over kings, nations, and empires

God’s restoration of Israel to his covenant promises will take longer than the Israelites anticipate

Purpose of Ezekiel

Warn the people of Judah of the impending destruction of Jerusalem for failure to abide by the covenant and to call them to repentance

Southern Kingdom

Judah

Northern Kingdom

Israel