Key Memory Verses for the Lesser-known Books
Have you ever found it difficult to keep straight the main themes of the various books of the Bible? While many can outline the key arguments of Romans, few could summarize Hosea. That is why it is helpful to memorize a key verse or two of the lesser-known books. I'll use Hosea to illustrate.
Hosea is a difficult book to outline but it can be divided into two parts. The first three chapters describe an adulterous wife and a faithful husband, symbolic of the unfaithfulness of Israel to God through idolatry. The remainder of the book expands on this allegory through a series of prophetic messages and concludes with a promise of restoration.
Memorizing some of the key verses of Hosea can capture the main theme. If I had to pick only one I would probably choose Hosea 1:2 as it contains the symbolism on which the first section is based.
When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord.”
There are a few other key verses to memorize in this book. Hosea 2:23 foreshadows the grafting into the tree of the Gentiles:
I will plant her for myself in the land;I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.’I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’;and they will say, ‘You are my God.’”
Assyria cannot save us;we will not mount war-horses.We will never again say ‘Our gods’to what our own hands have made,for in you the fatherless find compassion.”
Tips
Hosea, minor prophets, key memory verses
15 responses to Key Memory Verses for the Lesser-known Books
This is really helpful! It would be neat to choose 100 or so verses that sum up the whole Bible and memorize them!
@Lilian (Future Bible Bee Contestant :D) - Hi! Is that your mandolin in your avatar?
I'm still new to memverse, I was wondering how often blog posts come out. I was sort of expecting a new one shortly after seeing the 200,000 verses memorized mark reached. I've read through most of the previous blog post. I can't wait for a new one. Thanks for Memverse.com. Keep up the good work.
Jacen - we don't adhere to any blogging schedule. We post only when we have something worth saying and when we've successfully held at bay the intrusions of daily life.
We're currently working on a new page for the first phase of learning a new memory verse. It's consuming all our free time.
About Hosea, I would certainly suggest adding one or two more verses to the three mentioned, such as 6:1, 12:6, and 14:4, which encapsulate the strong "backsliding and recovery" theme.
Andy, I've been trying to choose a verse from each book of the Bible that captures the theme/main idea etc. If you have any other verses you've chosen as theme verses for other books - I'd love to hear them or get a list...
Thanks!
MyAllforHim, I haven't selected verses for other books but Phil Walker has selected a key memory verse from each chapter of the New Testament:
http://www.memverse.com/blog/main/Walk_through_the_NT___LUKE
... and he is busy working his way through the Old Testament. Maybe you could help him out with that project:
http://www.memverse.com/blog/main/walk-through-the-old-testament
This is great! I would love to have a few verses from each book of the Bible. Right now, most of my learning is in the New Testament, plus whatever verses are chosen for the Bible Bee. I'm excited to add some "lesser known books" to my repertoire!
Cool. :)