Amos

A Brief Introduction to Prophetic Books

The Prophetic Books

The prophetic books are divided into the minor prophets and the major prophets

The minor prophetic books are also called The Twelve Books

The book of Amos is a minor prophetic book

Major Prophetic Books

Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel

The Writing Prophets of the Divided Kingdom Stage

Author Years of Ministry Dates (B.C.) Destination

Obadiah 10 850- 840 Edom

Jonah 35 785- 750 Nineveh

Nahum 30 650- 620 Nineveh

AmosAmos 77 760- 753760- 753 Israel (NK)Israel (NK)

Hosea 60 760- 700 Israel (NK)

Joel 7 841- 834 Judah (SK)

Isaiah 58 739- 681 Judah (SK)

Micah 35 735- 700 Judah (SK)

Zephaniah 20 640- 620 Judah (SK)

Habakkuk 3 609- 606 Judah (SK)

Jeremiah 52 627- 575 Judah (SK)

Lamentations --- 586 Judah (SK)

Who Was Amos?

Amos means “burden” or “borne”

Layman, shepherd, and tended to fig trees

From Tekoa in Judah (Southern Kingdom) About ten miles south of Jerusalem

Who Was Amos? (cont.)

Amos wrote this book probably about 760- 750 B.C., time during which he served as a prophet to Israel

This was the time during the reigns of Jeroboam II king of Israel and Uzziah (Azariah) king of Judah

Who Was Amos? (cont.)

God gave him a vision of the future

Told him to take His message to Israel (Northern Kingdom)

God’s Temperament in Amos

In Amos God is portrayed as a ferocious lion and a consuming fire

But even in anger God is merciful. He always warned his people before inflicting punishment upon them

God’s Judgment God proclaims:

“For three sins of _______, even for four, I will not turn back [my wrath].”

Sins of… Damascus (Aram) Gaza (Philistia) Tyre (Phoenicia) Edom Ammon Moab Judah Israel

God’s Reasons for Judgment

Because of God’s blessings, Israel had become rich and prosperous- they became self-sufficient, greedy, corrupt, and unjust 2 Kings 14:23-28

They were cruel to and were oppressing the poor, even selling them into slavery

They also had a hypocritical religion- had turned away from God but still carried on religious traditions and worshiped idols

Amos’ Visions of Judgment

Swarm of locusts (7:1-3) God was preparing punishment upon Israel but he

delayed it because Amos prayed that He have pity them

Fire (7:4-6) God was preparing to devour Israel with fire but

Amos intervened again

Amos would pray saying: “Sovereign Lord, I beg you, stop! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!” (7:2,5)

Amos’ Visions of Judgment (cont.)

Wall and plumb line (7:7-17) God would see if his people were crooked and, if they

were, He would punish them

Basket of ripe fruit (8:1-14) The people were ripe for punishment; they were once

beautiful but now they are rotten

God standing by the altar (9:1-10) Judgment would begin and punishment executed

Amos Gets Rejected

Amaziah, priest of Bethel, sent thismessage to Jeroboam: (7:10-11)

“Amos is sending a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel against you in the very heart of Israel.”

Amaziah said to Amos: (7:12-13)

“Get out you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. Don’t prophesy anymore in Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.”

Israel’s Restoration

Because Israel was a chosen people (3:2) God punished them for their sins and destroyed them. But God promised that he would not blot out their name completely. Some, the true believers, were saved

God’s covenant with David in 2 Samuel 7:12-16 stated that one of David’s descendants would always sit on his throne

Israel’s Restoration (cont.)

The promise was not to be fulfilled by an earthly political leader, but by the Messiah, who would renew the spiritual kingdom and rule forever

9:11,12 “In that day I will restore David’s fallen tent. I will repair

its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be, so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name,” declares the Lord, who will do these things.

Israel’s Restoration (cont.)

9:15 “They will plant Israel in their own land, never

again to be uprooted from the land I have give them,” says the Lord your God.

Themes

Everyone answers to God God is in supreme control of all the nations Everyone is accountable to him

Complacency and not acknowledging God Do not congratulate yourself for present blessings-

they all come from God A complacent present may lead to a disastrous

future A self-sufficient attitude may be your downfall

Themes (cont.)

Oppressing the poor God made all people, therefore to ignore the poor is

to ignore those whom God loves and whom Christ came to save

God wants us to help those in need, therefore we must act compassionately, and stop injustice

Superficial Religion Simply participating in ceremony or rituals does not

satisfy God God wants heartfelt obedience and commitment