Amos
I. Introduction
A. Amos
B. Perhaps the first written prophet
1. From Judah, sent with strong message to Israel
2. A message emphasizing the need for justice, righteousness
C. Let us consider Amos in more detail
II. Amos: The Details
A. Authorship
1. Amos the source of the prophecies (Amos 1:1)
2. Prophecies spoken, later written
3. Attested as inspired in Acts 15:15-18
B. Dating
1. Amos prophesies sometime during reigns of Uzziah of Judah,
Jeroboam II of Israel, "two years before earthquake"
(Amos 1:1)
2. Therefore, sometime between 796-739 BCE, maybe around 760
3. Unlike many of the other prophets, God's message comes at once
or over a shorter period of time
C. Audience
1. Mostly the Kingdom of Israel
2. Messages relevant for Judah, exilic, post-exilic Jews
3. Also beneficial for Christians today
D. Purpose
1. To warn Israel about the upcoming judgment for their sins
2. To encourage justice and righteousness
3. To provide the message of hope of restoration
III. Amos: The Story
A. Main Sections
1. Judgment oracles (Amos 1-6)
2. Visions (Amos 7-9)
B. God's Judgment of Peoples (Amos 1-2)
1. Amos, shepherd of Tekoa, seer (Amos 1:1)
2. LORD roars from Zion, pastures mourn (Amos 1:2)
3. Word against Damascus: punishment for treatment of Gilead
(Amos 1:3-5)
4. Word against Philistia: punishment for exile of people
(Amos 1:6-8)
5. Word against Tyre: punishment for giving up people to Edom
(Amos 1:9-10)
6. Word against Edom: punishment for anger, violence against
Israel (Amos 1:11-12)
7. Word against Ammon: punishment for attack against Israel
(Amos 1:13-15)
8. Word against Moab: punishment for attack against Edom
(Amos 2:1-3)
9. Word against Judah: punishment for idolatry, rejection of law
of God (Amos 2:4-5)
10. Word against Israel: punishment for oppression of poor,
sexual immorality, idolatry; God as having removed enemies,
provided land, brought them up from Egypt, established some
sons as prophets, Nazirites; Nazirites forced to drink wine,
prophets told to not prophesy; God will turn their strength
to weakness, Israel will be defeated (Amos 2:6-16)
C. The Word of the LORD Against Israel (Amos 3-4)
1. God as having only known Israel; examples regarding cause,
effect, demonstration that God brings disaster to cities, but
only after providing warnings through the prophets (Amos 3:1-8)
2. Proclamation to Philistia, Egypt to see the tumults within
Israel; adversary will surround Israel, destroy city
(Amos 3:9-11)
3. As shepherd rescues only pieces of lamb from mouth of lion,
so only portion of people of Israel to be rescued; on day of
judgment of Israel, altars to be defaced, houses of rich to be
destroyed (Amos 3:12-15)
4. Condemnation of women of Israel: oppressive, demand drink from
husbands; God has sworn that they will be taken away with
fishhooks (Amos 4:1-3)
5. Sarcasm regarding idolatry: come and bring offerings,
sacrifice to Bethel, multiply sin (Amos 4:4-5)
6. God gave Israel bounty, they did not return to Him; He beset
them with inconsistent rain, no rain at proper time, blight
and mildew, locusts, pestilences, death, destruction of cities,
yet they did not return to Him (Amos 4:6-11)
7. Israel should prepare to meet their God; God as Creator,
Yahweh His name (Amos 4:12-13)
D. God's Lament Over Israel (Amos 5-6)
1. Lamentation: Israel as fallen; only 10% left (Amos 5:1-3)
2. Exhortation to seek God and live; do not go to idolatrous
temples; God as Creator, will destroy Israel if she does not
repent; Israel as hating reproof, commits oppression; because
of oppression, will build, but will not occupy, will plant, but
will not enjoy; God knows their sins, oppressions, those who
are prudent will keep silent in the evil time; seek good, not
evil, live; hate evil, love good, establish justice; God may
be gracious to Joseph's remnant (Amos 5:4-15)
3. Lamentations in the cities, rural areas, for God will pass
through their midst (Amos 5:16-17)
4. Woe to those who desire day of the LORD; day of LORD darkness;
images of inescapable violence (Amos 5:18-20)
5. God as hating their feasts, assemblies, sacrifices; God will
not accept them; will not listen to their music; they ought to
accomplish justice, righteousness; in wilderness, did not
properly bring offerings; people to be sent in exile
(Amos 5:21-27)
6. Woe to those at ease in Zion, Samaria: are they better than
kingdoms destroyed by Assyria?; woe to those who lie in
wealth, sing songs in idleness, make new instruments, get
drunk; they will go into exile; God hates pride, strongholds
of Jacob, will deliver up all in them; people in houses will
die, survivors to be ashamed to mention name of LORD
(Amos 6:1-10)
7. LORD commands destruction of houses; justice made poison;
confident in own strength; God will raise nation against them,
will oppress them (Amos 6:11-14)
E. Visions of Warning (Amos 7)
1. God shows Amos locusts to be sent out to eat grass of land;
Amos wonders how Jacob will stand; God relents (Amos 7:1-3)
2. God shows judgment of fire devouring the deep and land; Amos
wonders how Jacob will stand; God relents (Amos 7:4-6)
3. God shows Amos plumb line; God says that He is setting it up
in Israel, will not pass by them again, will make them
desolate (Amos 7:7-9)
4. Amaziah, priest in Bethel, tells Jeroboam that Amos has
conspired against him based on his prophecy; Amaziah tells
Amos to return to Judah and prophesy there, never again in
Bethel (Amos 7:10-13)
5. Amos responds: he is no prophet, but shepherd; LORD sent him
to prophesy; since Amaziah says that Amos should not prophesy,
God will turn his wife into a prostitute, children will die;
he will die in unclean land; Israel to be exiled (Amos 7:14-17)
F. Vision of Mourning (Amos 8)
1. God shows Amos basket of summer fruit, indicates that time of
end has come upon Israel; songs of temple to become wailings
for the dead (Amos 8:1-3)
2. Message to oppressors, seeking opportunities to profit on the
backs of the poor: God will not forget their deeds, will turn
feasts into mourning; days coming when there will be famine
of hearing God's word; young will faint of thirst on that day;
they will fall, never to rise again (Amos 8:4-14)
G. Vision of Destruction (Amos 9)
1. Amos sees God beside altar; He speaks destruction upon
capitals, destruction for everyone there; His hand will reach
them in Sheol or heaven, on the mountains or on the seafloor;
they will go into captivity; eyes fixed on them for evil, not
good; God as Creator, controller of universe (Amos 9:1-6)
2. Israel like the Cushites; God as bringing Israel from Egypt,
Philistines and Arameans from other lands; God destroys sinful
kingdoms, but not all of Jacob; Israel to be shaken, sinners
will die by sword (Amos 9:7-10)
3. David's fallen booth will be repaired, restored; land will
overflow with bounty; Israel's fortunes restored; they will
not be uprooted again (Amos 9:11-15)
IV. Amos: Important Passages
A. Amos 3:3, 7-8
B. Amos 8:4-6
C. Amos 9:11-12 / Acts 15:15-18
V. Conclusion
A. Amos not your usual prophet, strong message
B. Israel sinful, oppressive
C. Judgment takes place-- Israel cast out
D. Restoration of all people in Christ, His Kingdom
E. Let us live in justice and righteousness, and not sin like
Israel!
F. Invitation/songbook