Having fewer words in their prophecies than the "major prophets," the "minor prophets" still had a message that is lasting and profound even for today. These prophecies were put into historical perspective in the life of the nation of Israel, which spanned from well into the split of the nation into the Northern and Southern Kingdoms of c. 845 BC until after the return of the exiles from Babylon c. 425 BC. The prophecies varied from numerous warnings about the consequences of disobeying God's commands to the coming of the Messiah, which occurred some five hundred years after the time of the prophets.