The Book of Amos
I. Introduction
A.
Author
The author of this book is Amos,
whose name means “one who bears heavy burden”. Amos lived in a rustic town six
miles south of Bethlehem in the southern kingdom of Judah, called Tekoa.
Amos was not a professional prophet, but a shepherd and a dresser of sycamore
trees by profession (1:1, ).
Although he was born in Judah,
Amos was called by God to go to the Northern Kingdom of Israel to be His
spokesman there (7:15).
B.
Date
According to 1:1, Amos prophesied
during the reigns of Uzziah, king of Judah
and Jeroboam king of Israel.
Amos ministered after the time of Joel and Jonah and just before Hosea, Micah
and Isaiah. At this time Uzziah reigned over a prosperous and militarily
successful Judah.
In the north, Israel
was ruled by the capable king Jeroboam II. Economical and military
circumstances were almost ideal, but prosperity only increased immorality, and
injustice among the people.
C. Background
During this period, both Israel and Judah were enjoying prosperity and
freedom from external threats. Egypt
was in a period of decline, Assyria was also in a temporary decline and Babylonia had not yet come on the scene as a major power.
Both Israel and Judah
squandered the wealth that this period of peace brought them. The rich were
becoming richer at the expense of the poor, who were becoming poorer. But
instead of using their wealth to serve the needy, the upper classes were deaf
to their cries. Bribery and injustice permeated the courts and immorality
multiplied. Both nations were on their way to storing up for themselves God’s
righteous indignation.
II. God roars from Zion (1:1-2:16)
A. Introduction (1:1-2)
1.
2 years
before the earthquake in the time of Uzziah (Zech 14:5; Rev 16:18-20)
2.
The
Lord roars (Rev 10:3ff)
3.
Pastures
mourn and Carmel
withers (Parallel)
B. Damascus (1:3-5)
They killed Israelites with implements of iron.
C. Gaza (1:6-8)
Sold the Israelites to their enemies for profit.
D. Tyre (1:9-10)
1.
Delivered the captives into the hands of Edom.
2.
They
forgot the covenant that was made with King Solomon (1 Kgs 9:11-13)
E. Edom (1:11-12)
Unforgiving and revengeful
F. Ammon (1:13-15)
1.
Waged
war to enlarge their territory
2.
Commited great
cruelty and was merciless to women with child
G. Moab (2:1-3)
1.
Desecrated the tombs of the enemies
2.
Commited great atrocities
H. Judah (2:4-5)
1.
Despised
the commandment of the Lord (2 Sam 12:9)
2.
Did not
keep the commandments of God
3.
Trusted
in lies
a.
Lies of
the prophets (Isa 9:15; Jer 14:14)
b.
Israel trusted in their own ways (Hos 10:13)
c.
Idols (Isa 44:14-20; Jer 16:19)
I. Israel (2:6-16)
God will punish Israel
for her sins
1.
Lack of
justice: “they sell the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of
sandals.” (Mic 7:3, 3:11; Is 1:23; Amos 5:12; Isa 1:23)
2.
Greed:
“they pant after the dust of the earth which is on the head of the poor.” (Job
27:16; Zech 9:3; Amos 2:7 RSV: trample; Dan 12:2)
3.
Oppressive:
“they pervert the way of the humble.” (Pervert = turn aside, way of humble =
way of meek)
4.
Sexual
immorality: “a man and his father go in to the same girl, to defile My holy
name” (1 Cor 5:1; Lev 18:8,11)
5.
Lack of
mercy: “they lie down by every altar on clothes taken in pledge” (Ex 22:26,
Deut 24:12-13,17)
6.
Idolatry:
“they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.”
7.
Refuse
to hear God’s word and to follow good example: “I raised
up some of your sons as prophets, And some of your young men as Nazirites. Is it not so, O you children of Israel?"
says the Lord. "But you gave the Nazirites wine
to drink, and commanded the prophets saying, `Do not prophesy!'”
III. God declares ‘Hear this word’ three times (3:1-5:17)
A. First message (3:1-15)
1.
Hear
this word—God’s message against Israel
(3:1-2)
a.
Although
the Israelites were chosen out of all the people of the world, they had
disappointed God.
b.
God
will punish them for their disobedience
(a) To those whom much has been given, much will
be expected (Lk 12:48; Heb 2:1-4)
(b) Live a life worthy of God’s calling (Eph
4:1; Phil 1:27; Col
1:10; 1 Thess 2:10, 12; 2 Thess 1:5, 11)
2.
Cause
and effect (A3:3-8)
3.
God
calls to Ashdod and Egypt
to witness Israel’s
oppression (3:9-10)
Those who plunder others will themselves be plundered.
4.
Only a
few will be spared and go to captivity (:11-12)
5.
God’s
promise to destroy the altar and the great houses (3:13-15)
B. Second message (4:1-13)
1.
Hear
this word – God’s message against women who oppress the poor (4:1-3)
2.
Israel’s superficial offering (4:4-5)
a.
Their
worship incurs more sins
b.
They
offer sacrifices but fail to change inwardly (Mt 6:1; Isa 66:1-4)
3.
God’s
disciplines (4:6-13)
a.
Famine (4:6)
b.
Drought
(4:7-8)
c.
Blight,
mildew and locusts (4:9)
d.
War (4:10)
e.
Cities
destroyed by fire (4:11)
C. Third message (5:1-17)
1.
Hear
this word - Lamentation to Israel
(5:1-3)
a.
Israel will not rise again.
b.
The
people will not be brought back to the Land of Promise.
2.
Seek
God and be delivered from His wrath (5:4-7; 1 Sam 7:1-12)
3.
God’s
doings (5:8-9)
4.
Israelites’
characteristics (5:10-13)
5.
Seek
good to obtain God’s grace (5:14-15)
a.
Seek
good and not evil (14)
b.
Hate
evil, love good (15)
c.
Establish
justice in the gate (15)
6.
Lord
will pass through the Israelites (5:16-17; Ex 12:12, 23)
IV. The Three Woes (5:18-6:14)
A. The First Woe (5:18-27)
1.
Woe to
those who desire the day of the Lord (5:18-20; Mt 24; Zech 2:3)
2.
What
God desires (Amos 5:21-27; Mic 6:8)
B. The Second Woe (6:1-2)
Woe to those who are at ease and trust in Samaria (Lk 6:24-26)
C. The Third Woe (6:3-14)
1.
Woe to
the oppressors (6:3-7)
2.
Prophesizing
the destruction (6:8-14)
V. Visions and Prophecies (7:1-9:15)
A. The First Vision and its Prophecies (7:1-17)
1.
The
vision of the plumb line (7:1-9; Isa 28:17)
Amos intercession (7:1-6)
2.
Prophesying
Amaziah’s punishments (7:10-17)
‘Go, you seer! Flee to the land
of Judah. There eat bread, and there prophecy. Do not
prophesy against Israel
and do not preach against the house of Isaac.’ (v.12, 16)
a.
Amaziah did not
reject men, but God, and as a result he lost everything.
b.
He
served for material benefits
c.
He
lacked discernment
B. The Second Vision and its Prophecies
(8:1-14)
1.
Vision
of a basket of summer fruit (8:1-3; cf. Jer 1:11-15; 24:1-10; Dan 2:35; Mt
24:32; Mk 13:28; Lk 21:30)
The end is near and judgment is nigh.
2.
Prophesying
against the oppressors (8:4-10)
3.
Prophesying
the famine of hearing God’s word (8:11-14)
C. The Third Vision and its Prophecies (9:1-15)
1.
The
vision of striking the doorposts (9:1-4)
a.
Standing
by the altar (1 Kgs 1:50-52) = witness
b.
Striking
the door post = Destroying the whole building
(a) Doorpost = lintel of the door = capital of
the pillar
(b) Like Samson, he destroyed the whole building
by pushing the pillars (Judg 16:26ff)
c.
No one
can hide from the wrath and punishment of God.
2.
The
prophecy of sifting among the chosen people of God (9:5-10; cf
Lk 22:31; 23:32; Isa 30:28)
a.
God
will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob because of the righteous within.
b.
God
will destroy all the sinners who do not fear God and are righteous in their own
eyes.
3.
Prophecy
of raising up the tabernacle of David (9:11-12; cf Acts
15:16-17)
4.
Prophecy
of bringing back the captives to the Promised Land (9:13-15)
a.
People
will reap what they sow
b.
After
God chastises, God will rebuild His kingdom and the chosen people will bear
abundant fruits (Joel 3:18; Ezek 47:1-12).
