The prophetic books and the wisdom books are different in many ways. The prophetic books characterize the relationship with God as the need to do as God says and follow God’s will. The wisdom books on the other hand leave people to wrestle with who God is and how God’s will truly works. Both sets of literature can be used as people discover who God is and how God works in various times of life.
The book of Hosea opens with “The word of the Lord that came to Hosea…” (Hos 1:1, NRSV). It shows God talking through one person. There this conversation God shares with Hosea the terrible things that are happening and what Hosea needs to share with the community. God works through Hosea to try to bring the people back in line. God gives Hosea specific tasks that start in Hos 2:1 and Hos 3:1. Hosea is to share the words God shares with him to the people.
In the book of Job, there is a lot of wrestling with how God’s judgement actually works. There is wrestling between people’s theology of God, as seen through Job and his friends. The book doesn’t really answer many questions, but leaves the reader with various things to ponder about who God is and how God works. The readers don’t know what the end outcome is, but are encouraged to keep asking.
The wisdom books encourage people to grow their wisdom in Godly things and ways. They encourage people to ask questions. The prophetic books on the other hand just simply expect people to follow, without asking questions. They show God working through one, or few people, to bring the community in line with God, whereas the wisdom books show various people’s perspective on God for daily living.