But know this first of all, that NO PROPHECY OF SCRIPTURE is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.                                             II Peter 1:20-21

The books of the Old Testament prophets are divided into "major prophets" (Isaiah, Jeremiah/Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel) and the remaining twelve "minor prophets."
Usually the distinction is one of length (except that the book of Daniel is only 12 chapters long).  
Usually the content of the major prophets includes prophecies concerning Israel and many nations and spans great periods of time, whereas the minor prophets often speak to one issue or have a narrower focus.  Let's take a look at 4 "minor" prophets in particular.

These four "minor" prophets have almost no biographical details attached to them.
Compare the opening verses: 
   "The word of the Lord that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel." (Joel 1:1)
   "The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom..." (Obadiah 1:1a)
   "The oracle of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite." (Nahum 1:1)
   "The oracle which Habakkuk, the prophet, saw." (Habakkuk 1:1)

Notice: they all credit the source of what they are seeing and saying to God. 

The contextual background of the prophet is not the most important piece in understanding the message.  Yes, it is helpful to know that these were written during the times of the kings, between the impending Assyrian and Babylonian exiles. But it is not essential to know the exact time of the message, or the prophet's hometown, or his personal life, or daily struggles. 
The MESSAGE is the primary focus. 

How long does it take to read through these messages?
   Joel: 12 minutes
   Obadiah: 4 minutes
   Nahum: 8 minutes
   Habakkuk: 9 minutes
And yet, Obadiah's 4-minute message about Edom is not "less" Scripture than Isaiah's or
​Jeremiah's or Ezekiel's 3-1/2 hours covering years of writing which included many personal life details. 

Apart from these "one time" messages, we wouldn't even know about these faithful prophets of God. 

I'm not a prophet. I'm not writing oracles. So what is the point of application?
There is always a subtle danger in Christian "ministry" to want to have a great accomplishment to attach our names to in order to feel satisfied with our contribution to God's work. In the end, it is not what we "do for God" that is of significance, but what He has done for us and through us. Let us then focus on faithfully persevering in following our Lord Jesus, whether in big or little things.
Should He use us over a lifetime or for a 4-minute message--that is His prerogative. 

"So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, BUT GOD who causes the growth.  Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive HIS OWN REWARD according to his own labor." (I Corinthians 3:7-8)

God was doing something BIG.  
A major shift was about to happen--His Spirit was about to be poured out on a believing Gentile named Cornelius, and Peter was the means through which it would happen. The problem was that for a Law-abiding Jewish believer like Peter, it was forbidden to go eat with a Gentile. (Acts 10:28) 

To get the point across to Peter that believing Gentiles were not to be considered "unclean" if God had cleansed them through faith in Jesus, THREE TIMES God sends a vision of unclean animals that descend in a sheet, and Peter is commanded: "Arise, kill and eat!"  Interestingly, in the vision, Peter knows who the command is coming from. He replies, "By no means, Lord..." Just then the Gentile men knock on his door and ask him to come to their Gentile master's house. Peter finally understands the meaning of the message....and realizes that he must obey God even when it goes against his natural inclination and upbringing. 

This wasn't the first time Peter had rebuked the Lord. Just after proclaiming in confidence that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, Jesus tells His disciples that He will be beaten and crucified and rise again.  Peter proclaims loudly: "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to you!"
​(Matthew 16:22)  

​Again we find Peter countering Jesus when it is announced that all the disciples will fall away and leave Jesus alone to be crucified.  Peter proclaims loudly: "Even though all fall away from You, I will never fall away!" (Matthew 26:33)  Jesus tells him, "Before a rooster crows, you will deny me THREE TIMES."  
There it is again...it wasn't until the third time that Peter realized how fully he had failed his Lord. 

After the resurrection when Jesus met with Peter in Galilee, He asked him THREE TIMES: "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" And THREE TIMES He told him what his new job was going to be..."Tend my lambs. Shepherd my sheep. Tend my sheep." 

So...what is the significance of the THREE TIMES? 
Peter didn't have any idea of his own weakness nor of the bigger plan of God. Again and again he was rebuking THE LORD JESUS and telling Him how things should go.  And over and over it took Peter three times before the Message sunk in to him.