Amos Background Amos means burden bearer His call

Amos

Background • Amos means “burden bearer” – His call to be a prophet is in 7: 10 -17 – He has been called the prophet of justice • Theme: announcement of coming doom because of the sinfulness of the Northern Kingdom (7: 11) • The book of Amos is divided into 3 parts – Oracles of doom for the nations – Oracles of doom for Israel – Oracles of hope

Oracles Against the Nations Amos 1 -2 • God will punish Israel’s neighbors for their transgressions (3 or 4) • God is not just a god of the hills but is concerned with punishing sin wherever it occurs – 1 Kings 20: 23, 28 – Damascus, Gaza (Philistines), Tyre, Edom, the Ammonites, Moab and Judah

Oracles Against Israel • God lists Israel’s sins and calls for the waters of justice to roll down – 2: 6 -7, 12; 5: 7, 10, 11, 12, 24; 8: 5 -6 • Israel must learn to hate evil and love good – 5: 15 • Israel had not neglected religious forms – They had a zeal for the festivals and offerings – 4: 4 -5 – They were confident of their own righteousness – 5: 14; 9: 10

Oracles Against Israel • They had rejected God’s messengers and refused to repent – 2: 11 -12; 4: 7 -11; see also Zechariah 3: 2 • Israel needed to prepare to meet God – 4: 12 • They had an outward form without a true spiritual commitment – 5: 21 -27; 6: 1; compare Prov. 28: 9; John 4: 24; Rev. 2: 1 -7 • Thus, Amos shows the sins of Israel and coming punishment – 2: 6; 9: 10

Oracles of Hope Amos 9: 11 -15 • David’s tent, or the house of his rule, will one day be restored – This descendant would rule as in the days of old, or over Israel & Judah combined, which is used to prove the Gentiles would be accepted – Acts 15: 14 -18; 3: 18, 21, 24 -27; Luke 1: 67 -79 • Planting and harvest would overtake one another and good flow to God’s people – John 4: 34 -38; Phil. 3: 20; Eph. 1: 3

Realizations from Amos • God is everywhere – 9: 2 -4 • The futility of wickedness, since all are punished – Psalm 9: 17; Prov. 14: 34; 16: 12 • The surety of judgment – Rom. 14: 10; 2 Cor. 5: 10; Luke 8: 17