"A fire burns before them, and behind them a flame burns." So warns the prophet Joel of its impending judgment upon his wayward nation. In a different sense, the words can be said of Joel himself and the other minor prophets.

Their words burn away the dry, deadness of half-hearted religion. Their words spark a pure, spiritual fire in the heart of God's people. Some of the richest and most poetic portions of the Old Testament are on the pages of the minor prophets. Unfortunately, many preachers are overlooking these books. Even the more accessible prophets like Micah and Amos seem to fall by the wayside in our preaching.

Jonah usually gets his due because of his amazing story, but why do we neglect the other minor prophets? The themes of these great works are essential to the Christian message and as potent as ever. What's the secret to turning the Bible's fiery prophets loose in our congregations today?

As a pastor I often turn to the more familiar or prosaic portions of the Old Testament and New Testament for sermon texts. I know I must be true to the Word of God and preach sermons from the entire Bible, but those minor prophets are hard to preach, right? Well, to my delight, I have found in them some of the richest sources of sermon material. Yet it took some trial and error to become effective in preaching from these magnificent books. Along the way I discovered some practical steps the preacher can follow to turn the words of the prophets into powerful, contemporary sermons.

Gather the Kindling

One of the most enjoyable aspects of our family camping trips is sitting around a blazing campfire. After setting up camp, we gather kindling and logs for our campfire. We scour the woods for those twigs and sticks to get the fire going. If we don't do a good job gathering wood for our fire, we're disappointed later when we have to leave camp in the dark to find more fuel for the fire. The reward of hard work comes later when we relax in the warmth and light of the fire.

Studying the historical backgrounds of the minor prophets is like gathering the kindling for the fire. It is hard work, and it takes time, yet the historical background is essential for effective preaching from the minor prophets. Recognizing the historical period of the prophet grounds the sermon in the history of the text and makes a more accurate exegesis and application possible. The time we spend discovering the historical kindling will be rewarded when the message of the prophets sets a fire in the hearts of our congregation. But what do we look for in our historical study of the minor prophets?

First, find the prophets in the context of Israel's chronology. The prophets all preached during times of change in the nation's history. Discover the backgrounds of the Assyrian threat to Israel, the Babylonian threat to Judah and the restoration of Israel under the Medo-Persians. Consider the whole society as you study. Ask yourself, "How would Israel and Judah's economy, national defense and government be affected by these threats and transitions?" or "How would these events impact the families in Israel?"