The Lord reigns—through his judgment, righteousness, mercy, and forgiveness.

Along with strong warnings of punishment, these twelve prophets give amazing comfort and hope to God’s people. That hope is based on their repentance. These prophets call them to turn to or return to the Lord. No matter what they have done to abandon their allegiance to God, the Lord is still faithful to the covenant. All they must do to receive the abundant blessings God promises is to turn back to him. This turning must be more than words or fasting or sacrifice. They must return to him with their actions. Only by this constant repentance can they truly be God’s people.

The Lord reigns. That is the theme that encompasses all the messages of these prophets. It includes God’s judgment, righteousness, mercy, and forgiveness. Because the Lord is King, he demands the exclusive allegiance of his people. As King, he expects his people to reflect his justice and mercy toward their enemies. And he is King not only of Israel and Judah but of the whole earth. The twelve prophets point to a time when the universal reign of the Lord is embraced by every nation and all people.