AMOS MINOR PROPHET BACKGROUND AMOS WROTE HIS BOOK
AMOS MINOR PROPHET
BACKGROUND: • AMOS WROTE HIS BOOK AT A TIME OF RELATIVE PEACE AND PROSPERITY • HE WAS A SHEPARD AND FIG TREE FARMER • LIVED BETWEEN SOUTHERN JUDAH AND NORTHERN ISRAEL • THE BOOK OF AMOS IS A COLLECTION OF AMOS’ SERMONS, POEMS AND VISIONS OVER THE YEARS WHILE PREACHING • IN BETHEL
THE BOOK OF AMOS: CHAPTERS 1&2 • MESSAGE TO THE NATIONS AND ISRAEL. • SERIES OF SHORT POEMS ACCUSING ISRAEL'S NEIGHBOURS OF INJUSTICE. • THEN AMOS RELEASES A POETIC ACCUSATION ON ISRAEL 3 TIMES BIGGER THAN
CHAPTERS 3 -6 • COLLECTION OF POEMS WHICH ARE A MESSAGE TO ISRAEL AND ITS LEADERS. • “ I CHOSE YOU ISRAEL FROM AMONG ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH AND THIS IS WHY I WILL PUNISH YOU FOR ALL YOUR SIN” (AMOS 3: 2) • ISRAEL HAD A GREAT CALLING, WHICH CAME WITH GREAT RESPONSIBILITY, SO WHEN THEY TURNED TO SIN THEY WERE MET WITH BIG CONSEQUENCES. • AMOS IS CONSTANTLY EXPOSING RELIGIOUS HYPOCRISY WITHIN HIS POEMS. • HE STATES “LET JUSTICE FLOW LIKE A RIVER AND RIGHTEOUSNESS LIKE AN UNFAILING STREAM: (5: 24) • NEXT THEME WITHIN AMOS’ POETRY IS ISRAEL’S REPEATED IDOLATRY. • FINAL THEME IN THESE CHAPTERS IS GODS PUNISHMENT, HE PREDICTS A POWERFUL NATION WILL COME AND DEFEAT THEM
CHAPTERS 7 -9 • Series of visions that Amos experience, showing Gods coming judgement on Israel. • Symbolic depictions of the day of the Lord. He see’s a locust swarm, a scorching fire and the people being swallowed up like overripe fruit. In his final vision Amos see’s God strike the pillar of Israel's idol temple. • In the final paragraph there hope: God says he will restore the house of David out of the ruins
THEMES: • THIS BOOK EXPLORES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOD’S JUSTICE AND MERCY. IF GOD IS GOOD HE HAS TO JUDGE AND CONFRONT EVIL IN ISRAEL AND THE NATIONS, HIS LONG-TERM PURPOSES ARE FOR RESTORATION A AND A NEW FAMILY.
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