Amos was a shepherd farmer from a small Judean village of Tekoa. He had no formal training. His name means burden or burden bearer. He is not mentioned by name in any other books of the Bible, but his work is quoted two times in the New Testament in the book Acts. His message, however, was important. God called him to be a prophet to Israel, but he spoke to many nations. When he served the people of God had been divided into two nations for 150 years. The southern nation was known as Judah and the northern nation was known as Israel.
Amos wasn’t a prophet or a priest. He was just a shepherd from Judah. So who would listen to him? But instead of making excuses like most of us do, he obeyed and became God’s powerful voice for change. God has used ordinary people like shepherds, carpenters, and fisherman all throughout the Bible. So whatever you are in this life, God can use you.
Amos’ mission was directed to his neighbor to the north, Israel. It was a message of impending doom and captivity for the nation because of her sins. Israel neglected God’s Word, worshipped idols, were greedy, had corrupt leadership, and oppressed the poor. He pronounced judgment upon all the surrounding nations, then on his own nation of Judah, but the hardest judgment was given to Israel.
These first two chapter describe the judgment of the Lord, first against the Gentile nations then against Judah and Israel. He said six foreign nations would be judged for their brutally of the people. They enslaved captives, murdered pregnant women, and desecrated human bones. They would receive back what they had inflicted on others.
God sees all and judges according to His holy standards. His is fair and just and His judgments come out of His holy and just character. He is patient with sinners, but He will finally judge them for their disobedience to Him. He is always willing to pardon those who repent and place their trust in Jesus.
Amos warned Judah and pronounced judgment on them for rejecting God’s law and seeking false gods. Because Judah sinned like the other nations, they would be judged like the other nations. God is fair and just treating all sinners alike. Amos warned Israel and pronounced judgment on them because they violated natural law and God’s holy law that was entrusted to them. God gives us warnings today and we often disregard them. We then receive the consequences of our rejection of God’s mercy.
Principle: God judges according to His holy standards.
Amos 3-4 – Refusal to Repent
Amos made it clear the great privilege God had given Israel and the great responsibility this privilege brings. He spoke with the authority of God who had rescued them from Egypt. When God brings judgment against the cities, everyone should know that it was the hand of the Lord who did it. They had every opportunity for years and years to repent. He invited nations to see the sin of Israel so they could understand the judgment. The altars of idols will be destroyed. His judgment would extend to places built and enjoyed through oppression and robbery, but offered hope. God would preserve a remnant of His people showing mercy by not destroying them completely.
Amos reminded Israel several times that God had called them to repent. Israel sinned through pride, self-reliance, greed, and self-righteousness. They sinned through injustice and oppression. They sinned toward God by disobeying His laws and rejecting Him as God.
Israel had more privileges and prosperity than any other nations, but this privileged position would not save her from judgment. People today are just like Israel. We have many privileges, but still reject and disobey God. Our privileged position won’t save us either unless we turn from sin and turn to Jesus for salvation. Just like Israel, we are hard-headed. God is disregarded and even forbidden to be mentioned in schools and governmental bodies. The truth is suppressed. The truth of God is exchanged for a lie. The world is filled with unrighteousness. There is pride, hate, greed, self-righteousness, injustice, oppression, idolatry, murder, deceit, violence, and immorality everywhere.
Principle: Our God is a God of love and mercy, but also a God of justice.
Amos 5-6 – The Verdict
God didn’t enjoy the coming judgment. He grieved because of their refusal to repent. He said of 1,000 only 100 would remain in a city and only 10 would remain out of a town of 100. He grieves our sin and rebellion, too. He wants us to trust Him for salvation. He longs to restore all sinners and for them to have a relationship with Him.
God tells them to, “Seek the Lord and live” – Amos 5:6. “Seek good, not evil.” – Amos 5:14. “Hate evil, love good” – Amos 5:15. If they did these things, maybe God would change his mind like He did in Nineveh. But they chose evil over good and His judgment over salvation. Now they would face judgment. The only source of life is God Himself.
Is your life a reflection of God’s heart?
Principle: The way we live our lives matters to God.
Amos 7-9 – Future Judgment and Restoration
God gave Amos five visions of the coming judgment. Each showed God intended to completely destroy the kingdom of Israel if the people didn’t repent.
The vision of locust (Amos 7:1-3). God would send locust swarms to destroy Israel’s crops.
The vision of fire (Amos 7:4-6). Fire would consume the land. Amos prayed and begged God to spare Israel and God relented.
The vision of a plumb line (Amos 7:7-9). Amos saw the Lord holding a plumb line by a straight wall. He measured Israel against His plumb line and they failed His holy standards.
The vision of a basket of ripe fruit (Amos 8:1-14). Israel’s sin had made them ripe for judgment.
The vision of the Lord by the altar (Amos 9:1-10). The Lord stood beside the altar and declared there was no escape for His judgment.
Amos ends the book with a message of hope. He promised a blessing after the impending doom. He described how miraculous and amazing God’s blessing and restoration would be. God would continue to build up the faithful remnant of Jacob and rebuild the house of David. He also promised to preserve a remnant of Israel. God will establish a kingdom at Jesus’ return to earth.
Principle: God justly judges all who persist in sin, but provides the way to salvation through His Son Jesus.
Lessons from Amos:
Key verses:
This week’s attribute of God is He is Just. He told Israel how to be saved from evil, but they didn’t listen. Still, God never stopped loving them. His justice is perfect because it’s based on His righteous character. He never will punish His children for their sins because Jesus already paid the price on the cross. He is a just judge who offers life to those who repent. “Seek the Lord and live.” – Amos 5:6.
My next post will be after Christmas – around January 9th. See you then when we will continue our study of Kingdom Divided in the books of Joel and Obadiah. Until then have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.
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