Pagan peoples in the books of the Minor Prophets Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah: an analysis of the religious and historical context
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51216/2687-072X_2026_3_50-66Keywords:
Minor Prophets, pagan peoples, Israel, Day of the Lord, Messiah.Abstract
This article examines the interactions between ancient Israel and the surrounding adherents of various pagan cults. This theme runs throughout the sacred history of the Old Testament. Opposition to alliances with foreign kings, prohibited by the Law of Moses, was one of the focuses of prophetic preaching. However, in a situation where the Israelite people found themselves surrounded by pagan tribes, contact with them became inevitable, as existence in isolation was historically and politically impossible. This is why the prophetic writings present the fates of the pagans as closely intertwined with the lives of God’s chosen people. This interaction varied in nature, which was reflected in diverse references to pagan peoples in prophetic texts. At the same time, the Israelites were always tempted to forge a political alliance with a more powerful adversary. The chosen theme remains relevant throughout time. The Book of Psalms aptly describes it: “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8). For Christians, preserving the continuity of divine election and the “royal priesthood” from the Old Testament to the New Testament revelation (cf. Exodus 19:6 and 1 Peter 2:9) in the context of a world “lying in wickedness” (1 John 5:19) is of paramount importance.
The purpose of this study is to identify and characterize references to pagan peoples in selected prophetic writings, taking into account the historical and religious context. The topic of the interaction of God’s people with pagans has been comprehensively explored in the works of both Russian and international biblical scholars. However, an important addition to existing research is the analysis of references to pagans based on material from the books of the Minor Prophets of the 8th-6th centuries BC, which constitutes the scientific novelty of the research.
This article utilizes comparative-typological, historical-critical, and historical-theological analysis, as well as systemic analysis, as dictated by the chosen topic.
For citation: A. S. Bykanov, priest Pagan peoples in the books of the Minor Prophets Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah: an analysis of the religious and historical context // Theological Collection of Tambov Theological Seminary. 2026, no. 3 (36), pp. 50-66. (In Russian). DOI: https://doi.org/10.51216/2687-072Х_2026_3_50-66. EDN: CDAQZX
Received 07 May 2026.
Accepted for press 09 July 2026.
Funding: This research did not receive any external funding.
Conflict of interest: The author declare that there are no conflicts of interest present.
The content is available under a license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
ISSN 2687-072Х
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