Amos 1–5
Amos
was a shepherd called to be a prophet. His ministry was one of denunciation for
sin and was especially directed to the northern kingdom at a time when it was in
great prosperity materially but very degenerate spiritually and morally.
Amos 1, 2 – Revenge. After the introduction
of the book, these two chapters announce judgment on eight nations. Each
judgment is prefaced by the words "for three transgression of [the nation] and
for four" which is a literary device to emphasize that their sins were many.
•Judgment on Damascus/Syria (1:3-5).
•Judgment on Gaza/Philistia (1:6-8).
•Judgment on Tyre/Phoenicia (1:9, 10).
•Judgment on Edom (1:11, 12). •
Judgment upon Ammon (1:13-15).
•Judgment on Moab (2:1-3).
•Judgment on Judah (2:4). • Judgment
on Israel (2:6-16): the
cause of their judgment (cruel to the poor, corrupt in morals and
religion); condemnation in their judgment (it shows they despised
warnings of God); character of their judgment (diminished strength and
courage).
Amos 3 –
Retribution.
•Cause: Israel's privileged relationship to God prompts judgment.
•Certainty: a series of seven questions with obvious answers emphasize
certainty of judgment. •Crowd: other nations are invited to witness the
judgment upon Israel. •Corruption: violence and robbery are named as
sins of Israel. •Character: the character of the judgment will include
spoiling (others would take away their riches); severity (only
pieces of them left); sanctuary (altar of Bethel destroyed);
smiting (homes of wealthy destroyed).
Amos 4 –
Rebuke.
•Women: their corruption emphasized by calling them cows.
•Worship: in satirical language, the corruption of religion is rebuked.
•Warnings: five chastenings are listed and failure to repent in each is
noted, and this is followed by the warning to prepare to meet God in
judgment.
Amos 5 –
Ruin. •Condition of
ruin: great decline in population. •Counsel in ruin: seek the
Lord; seek good not evil. •Cause of ruin: this included
contempt (they hated the preacher who preaches against sin);
cruelty (oppression of the poor); covetous (greedy);
carnal (wanted end times to come but did not realize what was
involved—many interested in prophecy today are like this); corrupt
(worship was polluted with vile songs and practices like in our day).
Amos 6–9
These
chapters of Amos all speak about Divine judgment upon the people of Israel. The
message of judgment did not go over well with the people, for they were living
in prosperous conditions at the time.
Amos 6 –
Contending for
Judgment. A look at the leaders of the land justified the coming of
judgment. •Corruption of their conduct: profligate (licentious
and luxurious lifestyle); postponed (judgment was far off in their
mind), passiveness (no concern about "afflictions of Joseph" viz. the
conditions of the land). •Curse on their conduct: this included
captivity (they would be among first to be taken captive);
corpses (so many would die that bodies would be cremated); concern
(people would fear to mention God lest He add more judgment),
conquered (they would be invaded by another nation).
Amos 7 –
Communicating of
Judgment. •Visions of punishment: the vision of
locust—stopped by Amos' prayer; the vision of fire—stopped by
Amos' prayer; the vision of the plumbline—this judgment not stopped.
•Vexing the prophet: the charge against Amos (he prophesied
death and captivity—a true charge); the casting out of Amos (no longer
permitted to preach in the king's chapel at Bethel); the confession of
Amos (he was a shepherd called to prophesy to Israel); the curse from
Amos (Amaziah who opposed Amos was told that his wife would be a harlot, his
children would die by the sword, and he would die in captivity).
Amos 8 –
Coming of Judgment.
Amos had a vision of ripe fruit which illustrated the fact that Israel was ripe
for judgment. •Announcement of judgment: the nearness and
noise of judgment announced. •Accusations for judgment: they
included cruelty (oppression of poor); cheating (false
balances); covetousness (greedy for money). •Area of judgment:
there would be a famine of hearing the Word of God.
Amos 9 –
Character of Judgment.
Some features of Israel's judgment. •Certainty of it: cannot get away
from it. •Commander of it: God orders the judgment. •Casualties in
it: death upon the people, especially those who said judgment was not
coming. •Comfort in it: restoration promises—royalty (line of
David); return (of captives); reproducing (land become
fertile); remaining (not leave land again).