The revelance of the minor prophets

[NewCreation435]

I wonder how many of us read much of what is typically called the minor prophets? Books such as Micah, Habakkuk, Nahum, Zechariah. I realize there are a few references to the coming Messiah in these books, but what else do you think is relevant in them for us today? Do you read these minor prophets often?
I have read them several times, but sometimes it feels it is not relevant for me since many of the names and events have already passed.

 

[MennoSota]

I wonder how many of us read much of what is typically called the minor prophets? Books such as Micah, Habakkuk, Nahum, Zechariah. I realize there are a few references to the coming Messiah in these books, but what else do you think is relevant in them for us today? Do you read these minor prophets often?
I have read them several times, but sometimes it feels it is not relevant for me since many of the names and events have already passed.

Habakkuk is one of the most relevant books a person can read if they wish to understand faith in the midst of suffering or they are struggling with the presence of evil in this world.
How can a loving God ordain the suffering of his people at the hands of the ungodly? Habakkuk will help answer this question.
When I followed a dispensational interpretation of scripture rather than a covenantal, always grace, interpretation of scripture, it was hard to see the connection of the OT to the NT. But, when you see the work of grace from beginning to end, the entirety of scripture comes into focus and becomes very relevant.
Everything in scripture is working toward the redemption of God's people in the promised Son of Man who fulfills all the prophecies and covenants perfectly. It was so refreshing to me to have all the pieces start to fall in place for me. God has been very kind.

 

[tango]

In the story of Hosea I see a reflection of a God who loves his people despite the fact we betray his trust and his love over and over again and, however humiliating it is for him, he still comes back to redeem us.

The line in Habakkuk that essentially says that things can go south in a big way but he will still worship the Lord is as relevant now as it was then - he didn't have a monopoly on things going south. It's been a while since I read Zechariah but remember seeing a lot of parallels to Revelation in there. And in Zephaniah (I forget the reference, and tricky to look it up on my tablet) there's a prediction that people will build houses but not live in them. I first read that right after the credit collapse of 2008-9 and it seemed very striking.

 

[atpollard]

While Hosea is unquestionably a picture of God and His people, I also found it the single best training manual for how to be a husband. Hosea NEVER stopped loving her. Hosea never stopped providing for her. When she hit rock bottom, Hosea not only redeemed her, but restored her.

One should not enter marriage expecting things to go like they did in Hosea, but a man should enter marriage with the determination to remain faithful to their love even through a trial as hard as that faced by Hosea. If you are not ready to enter “what God has joined together” with a “til death do us part” commitment to fight for it to the end, then you are probably better off remaining single than choosing serial polygamy. ‘Cause any marriage is gonna be hard sometimes.