A Shepherd's Call

God calls Amos, a shepherd and fig tree farmer in Judah, to prophesy in Israel against the people's sins, especially cheating, oppressing and enslaving the poor.

Circling in Evildoing

Through sermons, poems and visions, Amos prophesies judgment against the nations surrounding Israel, and then the epicenter of Israel's wrongs. Consequences are carefully spelled out.

Power & Responsibility

Because of God's intimate covenant He made with the people of Israel, they are set to higher standards as His representatives on the earth. Israel should lead by example.

No One Like The Lord

Amos pleads with the people of Israel to turn from Canaan idols and worship the One True God, who made everything and delivered them out of Egypt's bonds.

All Nations Under God

In the midst of gloomy judgment, a hopeful promise rings out. God will confront evil and create a restored family in a new world.

 THE BOOK OF AMOS

OT/NT: Old Testament

SECTION: Minor Prophets (3 of 12)

TRADITIONAL AUTHOR: Amos

KEY PEOPLE: Amaziah, Amos, the people of Israel.

Canonically, Amos is the thirtieth book of the Holy Bible (1), the thirtieth book of the Old Testament (2) and the third of twelve Minor Prophets books (3). Amos was a shepherd and fig tree farmer who lived near the border of the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel. This book contains many of his sermons, poems and visions collected from over the years that were later assembled.

During the time of Amos, Israel was under the rule of Jeroboam II, a successful military leader but a terrible king. He planted seeds of apathy, encouraged idolatry, practiced religious hypocrisies and other atrocities which led to social injustices such as debt slavery and neglect of the poor. Finally, Amos had seen and heard enough. He sensed God was raising him up to prophesy judgment upon Israel as well as against her wicked neighbors. So, he trekked north to Bethel, an important city with a large Temple, to announce the message of God to the people.

Amos begins by lashing out against the neighboring nations of Damascus, Gaza, Edom, Tyre, Ammon, Moab and Judah, all which surround Israel. He then unleashes a much longer and more detailed, poetic torrent upon the nation of Israel. Amos prophesies God recalling Genesis 12 when He chose the Israelites as His children, only for them to respond with disobedience and rebellion.

Amos 5:18-27 offers the first mentioning in all of the Bible of the Day of the Lord (4). As the narrative continues, the ongoing prophecies are reminders of all that God has done for His children, answered only by their shameful behavior….chapter 6 shares the complacency of "believers" who are merely going through motions of rote "worship" and not much more, followed by the Lord abhoring the pride of Israel. The prophecies warn of the destruction of Israel, using vivid details of what is to come. In Amos 7:12-13, the priest of Bethel (Amaziah) rebuked Amos for his prophesies and told him, "Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.”

The closing chapter begins with a prophecy about the utter destruction of Israel but, as with the other prophetic books, God relents by displaying His unparalleled patience with His children. The book of Amos concludes with a prophecy about Israel's restoration, where "New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills"  (Amos 9:13). The final verse offers God's resolute promise to His children: "I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them” (Amos 9:15).

COMING UP: Next up is the book of Obadiah (5). Click HERE to explore!

FOOTNOTES:

(1) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/the-good-news

(2) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/old-testament

(3) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/ot-minor-prophets

(4) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/day-of-the-lord

(5) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/obadiah