The Big Read – The Book of the Twelve

Powerpoint Pictures: 12 m in a year; 12 s of the z; 12 k of the r t; 12 i in a f; 12 d of c; 12 t of I; 12 p in the B of the T

Here are clues to some famous 12’s.  Can you tell me what the missing words are:

12 m in a y [12 months in a year]

12 s of the z [12 signs of the zodiac]

12 k of the r t [12 knights of the round table]

12 i in a f [12 inches in a foot]

12 d of c [12 days of Christmas]

12 t of I [12 tribes of Israel]

12 p in the B of the T [12 prophets in the Book of the Twelve]

At the end of the Old Testament in our English Bibles are 12 short books called the Minor Prophets.  These 12 short books were originally one book called The Book of the Twelve.

The person who put this book together, collected 12 messages of 12 prophets, before and after the Babylonian exile, which together gave a message to God’s people who were living during those 400 years between the end of the Old Testament and the start of the New Testament.

The message of the Book of the Twelve was simple, and is summed up in Zephaniah 2:1-3.

“Gather together, gather together, O shameful nation, before the appointed time arrives and that day sweeps on like chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD comes upon you, before the day of the LORD’s wrath comes upon you.  Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands.  Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger.” (Zephaniah 2:1-3)

The message went like this.  Israel and the nations have sinned against God.  Unless they turn back to Him, they will be punished like those who lived before them were.  But mercy and salvation is possible because a king like David is coming, so trust Him.

The hope was that God’s people would listen to this message and turn back to God.

The message of The Book of the Twelve is just as relevant for us too, because it tells us, that we’ve sinned, and unless we turn back to God we will be punished in hell, but that salvation is possible because Jesus, the king like David has come, so trust Him.