The prophet Amos is applicable to the twentieth century and should be carefully read in different translations. Absorb his message and dare to apply it to our nation. Amos came from Tekoa, a small town approximately six miles south of Bethlehem and eleven miles from Jerusalem. It is exposed on the top of a hill 2,700 feet high, overlooking the wilderness of Judah. The desert, the desolate ravines and the Dead Sea to the east, make it the bleakest spot in Judah and Israel. In that wilderness, Amos herded sheep and tended Sycamore trees. (7:14) He had not attended a recognized school of the prophets and so has no official ordination (7:15). It should be noted that no Old Testament prophet attended a school of the prophets. His preparation came from the wilderness, where, in the solitude and bleating of the sheep, he discovered the majesty of God and His covenant justice. Because Tekoa stood exposed and remote at the edge of the wilderness, it was protection against foreign invasion (II Chron. 11:6). It was associated with war, fear and the sound of the trumpet (Jeremiah 6:1). Amos shows a complete knowledge of the way of life throughout the land. He probably gained that when traveling from market to market selling his sheep’s wool.
HIS MINISTRY:
Tekoa was in Judah, but Amos was sent to the northern kingdom of Israel, specifically to Bethel (7:10-13). From there he addressed all of Israel, and in a secondary sense, Judah, too. Bethel was one of the religious centers of Israel. Jereboam I, upon taking the ten tribes from Rehoboam, created a counterfeit religion with golden calves as the object of worship. You can read the story in I Kings 12:25 ff. By the time Amos came, two centuries later, the calf worship was well established as the only way of worship. The Bethel shrine and another at Dan in the north, were operating and thronged with worshippers (4:4; 5:5,21-23; 8:3,10,14). It was a religion divorced from any divine revelation and birthed in the mind of man. Amos saw it as self-pleasing and arousing the anger of God (4:5; 5:21-23). Amaziah, the priest at Bethel, possibly king’s chaplain, shows total disinterest in hearing any word from God (7:12-16). At this time the nation of Israel was spiritually smug. Both Israel and Judah were prosperous and had expanded their boundaries. Read II Kings 14:23 – 15:7, and II Chronicles 26. Some forty years earlier, Elisha had prophesied that Israel would enjoy political power (II Kings 13:17-19). Within more recent years, Jonah had spoken of a restoration of a glory not known since the days of Solomon (II Kings 14:25). The nation smugly felt that with such prophesying now being fulfilled, they could do no wrong. But as prosperity had increased, the nation degenerated morally and spiritually. They would soon be scattered in the Assyrian captivities. Bethel was the place where the nobility lived and attended worship. It is the honor of God that He sent such an untrained shepherd from a wilderness village calling them to repent. Amos describes the affluent society he ministered to, 3:12,15; 4:1; 6:4,6. Alongside were the neglected poor being exploited, 2:6,7; 5:10,12: 6:6; 8:5. Money making and greed ruled the minds of the rich, 8:5. The people despised law and order (5:10,12) and the rulers seemed to be helping the breakdown of society (6:1-6). Morality was at an all time low (2:7). The women lived for excitement (4:1). The king and the lords of the land lived to be entertained (6:1-6). Note in reading that the judgment was directed against a compassionless, self-centered society. As you read these prophecies, understand that we have Amos’ sermon notes that he set down in written form, probably when he returned to Judah.
OUTLINE OF AMOS
I. INTRODUCTION, 1:1-2
II. GOD’S JUDGMENTS, 1:3 – 2:16
ON THE SURROUNDING NATIONS, 1:3 – 2:3 ON JUDAH, 2:4,5 ON ISRAEL, 2:6-16 Compassionless attitude to the poor, 2:6,7 Sexual immorality within religion, 2:7,8 Their lifestyle demands judgment, 2:9-16
III. PROPHECIES AGAINST ISRAEL, 3:1 – 5:17
JUDGMENT ON THE COVENANT PEOPLE, CHAPTER 3 JUDGMENT ON THEIR UNREPENTANCE, CHAPTER 4 JUDGMENT ON THEIR INJUSTICE, 5:1-17
IV. PROPHECY OF EXILE, 5:18 – 6:14
AGAINST ISRAEL’S COUNTERFEIT RELIGION, 5:18-27 AGAINST THEIR CARELESSNESS AND PRIDE, 6:1-7 JUDGMENT ON THIS NATION, 6:8-14
V. VISIONS OF DIVINE JUDGMENT, 7:1 – 9:10
JUDGMENT RELENTED, 7:1-6 Swarm of locusts, 7:1-3 Consuming fire, 7:4-6 JUDGMENT UNRELENTED, 7:7 – 9:10 The plumb line, 7:7-17 Basket of ripe fruit, Chapter 8 The Lord by the altar, 9:1-10
VI. RESTORATION OF ISRAEL, 9:11-15
This last passage should be understood by the Holy Spirit’s commentary in Acts 15:12-18, Here, under the inspiration of the Spirit, James identifies the Church of Jew and Gentile in Christ as the fulfillment of the prophecy Amos gave. You and I are the Israel of God, spoken of by the prophets. We would do well to listen to the Spirit’s commentary in the New Testament, rather than the opinions of men.