Amos
Israel was a nation of wealthy entitled believers who abused poor people. To them, the prophet Amos delivered a message of judgment and destruction.
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize
SUMMARY
Title
The Book of Joel is named for its principle character, who is also its author.
Author
In Amos 1:1, the prophet describes himself as a sheep breeder from Tekoa.
Tekoa was a town in the hill country of Judah, about 10 miles south of Jerusalem.
In Amos 7:14, the prophet further describes himself as one who took care of sycamore-fig trees.
Those trees produced a fig-like fruit three or four times a year.
So Amos grew sycamore fruit, possibly as a sideline.
Date
The most likely date for Amos is about 762 BC.
That is based on three factors:
Factor 1. Amos’ brief ministry ended two years before a notable earthquake.
Factor 2. Josephus connected the earthquake with the events in 2 Chronicles 26:16-20.
Factor 3. Archeological excavations at Hazor and Samaria uncovered evidence of a violent earthquake in Israel in 760 BC.
Purpose
Amos lived in a time of material prosperity.
The prosperity of the southern kingdom of Judah was due, in part, to the long reign of Uzziah (790-739 BC).
Similarly, the prosperity of the northern kingdom of Israel was due, in part, to the long reign of Jeroboam II (793-753 BC).
Amos directed his message at the northern kingdom. It was at the height of its power.
Rich people enjoyed an indolent, indulgent lifestyle, while poor people were targets for legal and economic exploitation. Slavery was easily accepted. Moral standards had sunk to an all-time low.
Meanwhile, religion flourished. The people thronged to the shrines for the yearly festivals. They enthusiastically offered their sacrifices. They maintained that God was with them. They considered themselves immune to disaster.
Into this cultural milieu, Amos delivered a message of judgment.
The LORD God Almighty will come to judge the nation of Israel, for they had rebelled against the Covenant.
The nation will be destroyed.
But the LORD God will preserve a remnant from among the people.
That remnant will eventually be restored to prominence and blessing. Through them, the LORD God will draw all nations to himself.
OUTLINE
INTRODUCTION
THE ROAR OF JUDGMENT
Amos 1:3-5. Judgment against Damascus
Amos 1:6-8. Judgment against Philistine cities
Amos 1:9-10. Judgment against Tyre
Amos 1:11-12. Judgment against Edom
Amos 1:13-15. Judgment against Ammon
Amos 2:1-3. Judgment against Moab
Amos 2:4-5. Judgment against Judah
Amos 2:6-8. Judgment against Israel
Amos 2:9-12. They had spurned the grace of the LORD God
Amos 2:13-16. Divine judgment is on the way
REASONS FOR DIVINE JUDGMENT
Amos 3:1-2. Israel was chosen by the LORD God
Amos 3:3-8. Their judgment is inevitable
Amos 3:9-10. Their unparalleled oppression of people
Amos 3:11-15. A catastrophe is on the way
Amos 4:1-5. They exploit poor people
Amos 4:6-13. They refuse to repent
Amos 5:1-3. Judgment is certain
Amos 5:4-7. Individuals can still repent
Amos 5:8-9. Look to the sovereign God
Amos 5:10-13. Their many unjust practices
Amos 5:16-20. Judgment is certain
Amos 5:21-27. The LORD God despises their hypocrisy
Amos 6:1-3. Their arrogant complacency
Amos 6:4-7. Their luxurious indulgence
Amos 6:8-14. Their complete devastation
THE RESULTS OF JUDGMENT
Amos 8:1-3. Amos is given a vision of ripe fruit
Amos 8:4-10. People will mourn their greed and dishonesty
Amos 8:11-14. The LORD God will be silent
RESTORATION AFTER JUDGMENT
Amos 9:1-4. The LORD God wields an inescapable sword
Amos 9:5-6. The LORD God is the universal sovereign
Amos 9:7-10. The LORD God will sift them
Amos 9:11-15. They will be restored
MEMORIZE
Here are some great verses to memorize:
Amos 1:3. The LORD says: “For three transgressions of Damascus, yes, for four, I will not turn away its punishment; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron;
Amos 1:4. but I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, and it will devour the palaces of Ben Hadad.
Amos 1:5. I will break the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the valley of Aven, and him who holds the scepter from the house of Eden; and the people of Syria shall go into captivity to Kir,” says the LORD.
Amos 9:11. In that day I will raise up the tent of David who is fallen, and close up its breaches, and I will raise up its ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old;
Amos 9:12. that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the nations who are called by my name,” says the LORD who does this.
Amos 9:13. “Behold, the days come,” says the LORD, “that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the one treading grapes him who sows seed; and sweet wine will drip from the mountains, and flow from the hills.
Amos 9:14. I will bring my people Israel back from captivity, and they will rebuild the ruined cities, and inhabit them; and they will plant vineyards, and drink wine from them. They shall also make gardens, and eat their fruit.
Amos 9:15. I will plant them on their land, and they will no more be plucked up out of their land which I have given them,” says the LORD your God.
SEE ALSO:
Great verses to memorize from the entire Bible
AMOS
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.