A prophet is someone utilized by God and designated by Him to be a type of spokesperson to utter forth His word. Although there are numerous men and women who are recognized as prophets (Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Aaron, Isaiah, Nathan, David, Solomon, Job, Elijah, Elisha, Jesse, John the Forerunner, etc.), the Old Testament contains 16 prophetic books that are traditionally divided into two categories: the so-called “Major and Minor Prophets.” The Major Prophets are said to be Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, while the [Twelve] Minor Prophets are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The Orthodox Church, however, recognizes the Books of Lamentations, Psalms, and Job as being major prophetic works, as well.
Some prophets are called major because their books are longer and the content is considered more important. In turn, the others are regarded as being minor because their books are shorter and the content is less vital. Still, despite such an oversimplification, this two-fold distinction was never meant to convey or imply that the messages of the Minor Prophets are any less inspired by God than those of the Major Prophets. It is simply a matter of God choosing to reveal more information through the Major Prophets than He does with the Minor ones.
