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Amos’ Background
• Amos was a shepherd/farmer from Tekoa, south of Bethlehem in Judah.
• He carefully dates his words – 1:1.
• He was a contemporary of the prophet Hosea.
• The historical and political background to Amos can be found in 2 Kings 14:23-15:7.
Amos’ Background
• Preached mainly to the Northern kingdom for an apparently brief period around 760 BC.
• This was during the peak of he reigns of Jeroboam II (793-753) in the North (Israel) and Uzziah (792-740) in the south (Judah).
• Both of these kings had long and prosperous reigns which included territorial expansion of a kind that, together, nearly equaled that of David and Solomon.
Amos’ Message
• Amos begins by denouncing Israel’s neighbours (including Judah): Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moab and Judah (1:3-2:5).
• You can almost hear Israel cheering Amos on until, after setting them up, the hammer falls on them for the remainder of the book - starting at 2:6.
Amos’ Message
Israel is denounced for two broad categories of sin:
1. Amos 2:8; 4:4-5; 5:21-23, 25-26; 8:10, 14.
– Syncretistic, hypocritical, and a mere outward show of religion.
Amos’ Message
Israel is denounced for two broad categories of sin:
2. Amos 2:6; 3:9-10; 4:1; 5:7, 10-13, 15, 24; 6:12; 8:4-6.
– Social Injustice.
The LORD says, “The people of Israel have sinned again and again, and for this I will certainly punish them. They sell into slavery honest people who cannot pay their debts, the poor who cannot repay even the price of a pair of sandals. They trample down the weak and helpless and push the poor out of the way. A man and his father have intercourse with the same slave woman, and so profane my holy name. At every place of worship people sleep on clothing that they have taken from the poor as security for debts. In the temple of their God they drink wine which they have taken from those who owe them money.”
(Amos 2:6-8, GNB).
Amos’ Message
• True religion and social justice must go hand in hand.
• When they don’t religion often becomes the worst offender of social justice and the very institution that most exploits people.
Example 1
• Jesus cleansing the Temple (John 2:13-22).
– They were preventing people, particularly Gentile believers, from being able to pray.
– The were exploiting and cheating people with their religious merchandise.
Example 2
• The corruption of the church prior to the Reformation was not just about her doctrinal errors, but about her social errors as well.
• The reformers recognized this and addressed both, and recognized how one led to the other.
Luther’s 95 Thesis
36. Any truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without indulgence letters. (Doctrinal issue).
86. Why does not the pope, whose wealth is today greater than the wealth of the richest Caesar, build the basilica of St. Peter with his own money rather than with the money of poor believers? (Social Justice issue).
Martin Luther Open Letter to the Christian Nobility
“From Rome there is a state of affairs which is unspeakable. There is buying, selling, bartering, trading, trafficking, lying, deceiving, robbing, stealing, luxury, harlotry, knavery, and every sort of contempt of God. O noble princes and lords, how long will you leave your lands and people naked to these ravening wolves!”
Amos’ Message
• Israel’s complacency is based on the false security of religion (5:18-27) and material prosperity (6:1-14), which they mistake for God’s blessing.
• The reality is that God will be bringing them total destruction because they have failed to keep covenant with him.
• (The eventual defeat of Israel to the Assyrians).
Amos’ Themes
• God is God over all nations and the whole universe.
• God will bring utter ruin to Israel for her covenant disloyalty.
• God hates syncretistic religion.
• God requires justice for the innocent and mercy for the poor.
• Religious observance is no substitute for doing good and showing mercy.
• Religious observance is no substitute for doing good and showing mercy.
• Contrast with Jonah’s prayer?
I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. (Jonah 2:9, NLT).
Amos’ Hope
• There is scarcely a word of comfort in this book and yet it does conclude with the promised hope of “David’s fallen tent” (i.e.
Jerusalem) being restored in a future age of abundance.
• There will be a great coming messianic age which finds its beginning fulfilment in Jesus Christ. (9:11-15).
Amos’ Hope
“In that day I will restore the fallen house of David. I will repair its damaged walls. From the ruins I will rebuild it and restore its former glory. And Israel will possess what is left of Edom and all the nations I have called to be mine.” “The time will come,” says the LORD, “when the grain and grapes will grow faster than they can be harvested. Then the terraced vineyards on the hills of Israel will drip with sweet wine!
Amos’ Hope
“I will bring my exiled people of Israel back from distant lands, and they will rebuild their ruined cities and live in them again. They will plant vineyards and gardens; they will eat their crops and drink their wine.” “I will firmly plant them there in their own land. They will never again be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the LORD your God. (Amos 9:11-15, NLT).
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