The Prophecy Of (
God’s (
SLIDE 32 Amos, the ““Country Prophet”” or “(
SLIDE 33 VIDEO
The Date & Times
SLIDE 34 Amos 1:1 gives us some general information as to when this prophet spoke for God. (
The times in Israel were (
It would do us well to remember the springs from which all this sin flowed. Jeroboam I’’s golden calves were still being worshiped (2 Kings 14:24). Add to that the contributions to apostasy made by Ahab and his wicked wife Jezebel with Baal worship and we get a very good picture of what was going on in the northern kingdom, and particularly in the capital city of Samaria. All this sinful activity also corrupted the worship that had been ordained by Jehovah. The way He was being worshiped was (
The Man
Amos was entirely different from those to whom he was called to preach. He was from Tekoa, a village about 6 miles south of Bethlehem and 12 miles south of Jerusalem. The terrain in this territory was rugged and uninviting. He was anything but spoiled and rich. Homer Hailey, “He led a simple life in tending sheep and being a “dresser of sycamore trees.” The fruit produced by these trees has been described as “fig-like, slightly sweet and watery, and somewhat woody in nature”.” Usually this was eaten by the poorer people. We can’t help but see the contrast from the life Amos lived and that of luxurious indulgence in Samaria.
Amos was not of the “school” of the prophets who were prophesying in Israel. They were simply “crowd pleasers,” only telling the people what they wanted to hear. Amos was sent by God with a message that would not be (
In Amos, we do not see sympathy, love, and compassion. Although he does intercede for them (7:1-5) and calls on them to repent to avoid God’s punishment (5:4-6,14-15), he primarily preached a central message of doom and punishment from a righteous God. He was a stern prophet of righteousness and justice. He did not display affection or sympathy except to the poor in their oppression. He was an outsider sent by God to rebuke the rich of their sins and Israel of her wholesale departure from God.
Amos did not preach without his own opposition. Amaziah, the idolatrous priest of Bethel (1 Kings 12:26-31; 13:1-5), confronted Amos and told him to leave Israel, telling him to preach his message of doom back where he came from (7:10-13). Some contend that Amos was actually expelled from Israel, and that Amos 8-9 were spoken in Judah after this expulsion. This, though, cannot be determined with certainty.
The Message
SLIDE 35 A good summary of Amos’ message is found in 4:12, “(
Though his preaching could be primarily classified as “negative,” Amos also emphasized the “positive” with regard to Israel’s future. He mentions the remnant that would be preserved from the destruction to would come (9:8). He closes with a brief prophetic vision of the future glory of God’s restored people (9:11-15). This is a Messianic prophecy, as interpreted for us by James in Acts 15:13-18, and refers to the inclusion of all under the gospel of Jesus Christ.
SLIDE 36 Main Lessons From The Prophecy
National (
God (
Worship offered by those who do not desire to conform to God’s will only (
SLIDE 37 Outline Of Amos’ Prophecy
The (
Punishment of the nations bordering Judah and Israel (1:3-2:3)
Damascus - for their cruelty in war (1:3-5)
Gaza of Philistia - slave traffic (1:6-8)
Tyre - delivered up “brothers” (1:9-10)
Edom - for implacable hatred for Israel (1:11-12)
Ammon - intense and uncalled for cruelty (1:13-15)
Moab - vengeance even on a king’s carcass (2:1-3)
Punishment of Judah - her sin was rebellious apostasy (2:4-5). Note the difference between the accusations against the nations and against Judah: cruelty vs. apostasy.
Punishment of Israel - the theme of Amos’ ’prophecy (2:6-16)
Sins of Israel: injustice and oppression, shameless immorality, contempt for the Lord (6-8)
Scornful contempt of the divine benefits bestowed (9-12)
Inevitable consequences (13-16)
In the accusations against the nations they are pictured as cruel, barbarous, etc.; against Judah and Israel the accusations are civil, religious, and charges of oppression. This accusation becomes the thesis of the book; the remainder of the book is an elaboration of these charges.
Israel’’s (
Condemnation of the wealthy ruling classes for civil and religious inequities (3:1-4:5)
Jehovah had known Israel, which makes her crimes greater (3:1-8)
Because chosen for Jehovah, her sins must be visited (1-2)
The prophet’’s right to speak: chosen of God (3-8)
Civil oppression and inevitable judgment on the ruling class (3:9-4:3)
The ruling class: their sins (3:9-15)
The luxury-loving women: a special judgment (4:1-3)
Condemnation of their religious festivities - “which please you,” not Jehovah (4:4-5)
Unheeded chastisements - the prophet turns to the nation (4:6-13)
Chastisements from Jehovah, which have gone unheeded (6-11)
General famine, “cleanness of teeth” (6)
Drought (7-8)
Blasting, mildew, locusts (9)
Pestilence,at the same time enemy attacks (10)
Earthquake, burning (11)
Final doom, for which prepare(12-13)
They had looked upon God as a Being to be flattered. He looked upon them as children to be disciplined. Discipline had availed nothing; therefore, “Prepare to meet thy God.”
Overthrow Of The Kingdom Of The Ten Tribes (5:1-6:14)
Lamentations, denunciations, exhortations, and threats (5:1-17)
Lamentation - Israel is fallen(1-3)
Seek Jehovah, forsake idolatry and live (4-6)
But Israel turns righteousness in to unrighteousness (7-9)
This unrighteousness God must punish, unless they seek Jehovah (10-15)
The announcement of judgment (16-17)
First woe - terrors of the day of Jehovah (5:18-27)
Terrors of the day (18-20)
Their heartless worship will not avert the day (21-24)
They have followed the steps of their fathers (25-27)
Second woe - upon the careless heads of the nation (6:1-14)
The luxury-loving wealthy rulers (1-6)
Exile and destruction are certain (7-11)
Cannot be averted by their foolish trust in power (12-14)
Five (
The vision of the locusts, in which the mercy of God averts the catastrophe (7:1-3)
The vision of the devouring fire - a severer judgment than that of the locusts, again averted by the mercy of Jehovah (7:4-6)
The vision of the plumb line - destruction on the idolatrous nation of Israel (7:7-9)
An interlude: antagonism of Amaziah toward Amos (7:10-17)
The vision of the basket of summer fruit - the ripeness of Israel for judgment (8:1-14)
The vision and its significance: the time of mercy is now past, destruction is at hand (1-3)
The final eclipse of the nation - her sun sets at noon (4-14)
The vision of the smitten sanctuary - destruction of the sinful kingdom (9:1-10)
Promise of a (
This conclusion is the only optimistic note in the book. Notice how each book directed to Judah or Israel has an optimistic note of future glory. Compare this passage with Acts 15:14-18.
SLIDE 38 Group Questions
What is your typical response when you hear people talking about the injustices in society today?
What might have been the expected response from the six Gentile nations to whom Amos spoke? How do you think the people of Israel may have responded to Amos’ messages to the Gentile nations?
Why was Judah to be judged? How was their judgment different from those of the Gentile nations?
What were Israel’s three flagrant sins? Do you see any of these in today’s culture? In today’s church?
What temptations to injustice, idolatry or immorality do you face in your life?
Why did God call a prophet at this time? Why did he call Amos?
Why is helping the poor and vulnerable an essential way of expressing our commitment to the Lord? How can you and your church show more care for widows, orphans, the poor and strangers?
In what ways are you addicted to affluence? What influences are feeding this addiction? What can you do about it?
Questions
- What was Amos’ occupation, where was he from, and how did he get his information from God? (1:1) Who were the kings in the divided kingdoms when God called him to prophesy? What else does Amos mention in 1:1? (Zech. 14:5)
- Beginning in 1:3 and going through 2:3, what is the prophet doing? What do you think is meant by the expression, “For three transgressions of…and for four…”?
- List below what you think is the main message to each nation.
Damascus (1:3-5)
Gaza (1:6-8) - Who is addressed next in 2:4-5? What is the nature of Judah’s “crime?” What was going to happen to her?
- Beginning in 2:6, who is addressed? What are the things for which Israel stands guilty? (2:6b-8; Lev. 25:39-46; Deut. 24:12-13)
- What does God remind them of in 2:9-11? To what momentous events does He make reference? (Num. 13:33; Deut. 29:5) Who was a Nazarite? (Num. 6:1-21) What purpose would they have served in Israel? What do you think would be the reason for God offering all these reminders?
- How had Israel responded to all God had done for them? (2:12) What do these actions reflect?
- How does God illustrate what awaits Israel because of her sins? (2:13) What do you think this
means? How does 2:14-16 further explain? - How does God further emphasize the need for punishing Israel for her sins? (3:1-2; Ex. 19:5-6)
- Before announcing the punishment from God upon Israel, what does Amos do in 3:3-6? What do you think the prophet is trying to accomplish by asking these questions? How do 7-8 help us understand 3-6?
- On whom does Amos call upon in 3:9? What does he ask them to do? What does he say they will see in Samaria that will bring God’s judgment upon Israel? How does the prophet further describe God’s people in 3:10? (Eph. 2:1-3)
- What punishment does Amos begin in 3:11 to say will happen to Israel? Specifically, what 3 things does he mention? What imagery is given in 3:12 as to the force of this punishment?
- Not only will God judge Israel for her social crimes, but what also will be the object of Jehovah’s wrath in punishing Israel? (3:14) What else will “come to an end?” (3:15)
- Who does the prophet address in 4:1? Why the reference to “cows of Bashan”? What were they being judged for?
- How did God assure His judgment to be so certain? (4:2) What was going to be their fate? (4:2) What do you make of “…they will take you away with meat hooks, and the last of you with fish hooks”? Is this literal (2 Chron. 33:11), or a metaphor? If a metaphor, what is the image?
- In irony, what does Amos encourage the people to do in 4:4-5? What was he condemning? (Lev. 2:11; 7:11)
- From 4:6-11, list below the 5 punishments from the Lord mentioned by Amos. What was the purpose of each one? What was going to be the result of their disobedience? (4:12) What made this so certain? (4:13)
- What lamentation does Amos express in 5:1-3? Though classifying Israel as a “virgin” (2) could not be indicative of her purity, in what way was she a virgin? How does verse 3 describe the staggering magnitude of her punishment?
- Faced with this certain judgment, what does the prophet begin to do in 5:4? What is the point being made in 5:5? How is God’s judgment described in 5:6? Specifically, what two things were bringing on God’s wrath? (5:7) What made this judgment so certain? (5:8)
- What serious accusations are leveled by Amos in 5:10-13? (Ex. 23:6-9; Deut. 16:18-20) How does what Amos says in 5:13 pertain especially to him? Yet, what was his obligation?
- What is Amos’ exhortation in 5:14-15? Notice the verbs, “Seek… hate… love… establish”? What is the implication by using them? What would be the result of such actions? (5:15)
- What is described in 5:16-20? What apparent misunderstanding did Israel have about the “day of the Lord”? What imagery does Amos use to dispel this? (5:19) Again, why is Jehovah displeased with Israel? (5:21-24)
- How does He describe their worship? (5:23) What does He demand? (5:24) What practical applications are here for us in our worship of God today?
- What bitter reminders are made to Israel in 5:25-27? (Josh. 24:14) Why do you think they are brought up now?
- Based on 6:1, what was Israel’s guilt: hostility or indifference? What does Amos ask Israel to
consider? (6:2) What caused this indifference all throughout Israel? (6:4-6) - What was Jehovah’s response to Israel’s sinfulness? (6:7-11) Again, how is the Divine response assured? (6:8a) What do you think is the point being made in verse 10?
- What is emphasized in 6:12-14? What do you think was to be emphasized by asking the questions found in verse 12? What was the Divine reminder? (6:14)
- Beginning in 7:1, what does Amos begin to mention that he received from the Lord? What was the first vision? (7:1-3) What do you see as its main message?
- What was the second vision? (7:4-6) What do you see as its main message?
- What was the third vision? (7:7-9) What do you see as its main message? What is different about what we saw with the first two visions than with what God says in conjunction with the third one? (7:8)
- How is what God says in 7:9b a fulfillment of 2 Kings 10:30?
- What interlude is narrated after the third vision? (7:10-17) What is it about? Who was Amaziah? (7:10; 1 Kings 12:31) What did he say to Amos? (7:12-13) How did Amos reply? (7:14-17)
- What was the fourth vision? (8:1-3) What do you see as its main message? What things does Amos mention that indicates Israel’s “ripeness” for judgment? (8:4-6)
- What similes does the prophet use in 8:7-10 to describe the fury of the Lord’s wrath that will be felt in judgment? What else will happen as a result of Israel’s rejection of God? (8:11-14)
- What was the fifth vision? (9:1-4) What do you see as its main message? What is being expressed in 9:1? How does Amos confirm all this that will happen? (9:5-6)
- What do you think God is saying in 9:7? In 9:8-10, what is the main message? (Jer. 30:11) What imagery is used?
- Despite what God intends to do to His people, with what hope does Amos conclude his prophecy? (9:11-15) What is the “house” of David? (9:11; 2 Sam. 7:16) How do we know that this has already been fulfilled? (Acts 15:14-17)