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AMOS 1
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Amos was one of the Twelve Minor Prophets in the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. Amos was active around 760–755 BCE during the rule of kings Jeroboam II of Israel and Uzziah of Judah. Amos was the first Hebrew prophet to have a biblical book named after him. He lived in the kingdom of Judah but preached in the northern kingdom of Israel. His major themes of social justice, God's omnipotence, and divine judgment became staples of prophecy. Amos was a shepherd and grower of sycamore figs in Tekoa, a small town about 10 miles south of Jerusalem. He did not come from a family of prophets and did not consider himself one.
Before God called him as a prophet, Amos was likely a wealthy herdsman and farmer. Amos accurately foretold the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel. He anticipated later Old Testament prophets.The force of Amos’s preaching resides in his use of satire. This rhetorical strategy produces a “fragmentation” effect when blended with other subgenres like metaphor, proverb, woe oracle, and doom song. “Satire is a subversive genre,” and when coupled with the sudden shifts in literary technique and topic Amos keeps his audience “disoriented and assaulted.” Amos, the third of the Twelve Minor Prophets, lived during the eighth century before Christ. He was from Judah, and was born at Tekoah in the land of Zebulon, six miles south of Bethlehem.
Before God called him as a prophet, Amos was likely a wealthy herdsman and farmer. Amos accurately foretold the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel. He anticipated later Old Testament prophets.The force of Amos’s preaching resides in his use of satire. This rhetorical strategy produces a “fragmentation” effect when blended with other subgenres like metaphor, proverb, woe oracle, and doom song. “Satire is a subversive genre,” and when coupled with the sudden shifts in literary technique and topic Amos keeps his audience “disoriented and assaulted.” Amos, the third of the Twelve Minor Prophets, lived during the eighth century before Christ. He was from Judah, and was born at Tekoah in the land of Zebulon, six miles south of Bethlehem.
Little is known about the prophet Amos other than what is written here; that he worked as “one of the shepherds” in Tekoa. The word translated “shepherds” can refer to various kinds of livestock and it is by no means clear whether Amos was the owner of the livestock or just a hired hand. Not much is known of Tekoa, either, except that it was a town in Southern Judah, near Bethlehem. It was fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chron 11:6) and surrounded by rocky desert (2 Chron 20:20). God calls the weak and ordinary instead of the wise and strong (1 Cor 1:26–27). Amos was a nobody, but God revealed himself to Amos through His word, just as today he reveals himself to all who put their faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. -Bible Studies Online
Amos was one of the Twelve Minor Prophets in the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. He was a shepherd and fig farmer from the southern Kingdom of Judah but was called by God to prophesy in the northern Kingdom of Israel during the 8th century BCE. Amos denounced the social injustice, corruption, and hypocrisy of Israel's wealthy elite, who were oppressing the poor despite living in a time of prosperity. His sermons focused on the themes of divine judgment and social justice, famously calling for justice to "roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream" (Amos 5:24). Amos is considered a pioneer of literary prophecy. His message influenced later prophets like Isaiah and is still cited today in discussions about social justice, including by Martin Luther King Jr. in his "I Have a Dream" speech
==amos 1:1:The words of Amos, who was among the sheepbreeders of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
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Among many other Prophets that God raised up to admonish the Israelites of his plagues for their wickedness and idolatry, he stirred up Amos, who was a herdman or shepherd of a poor town, and gave him both knowledge and constancy to reprove all estates and degrees, and to make known God’s horrible judgments against them, unless they repented in time. And he showed them, that if God did not spare the other nations around them, who had lived as it were in ignorance of God compared to them, but for their sins punished them, then they could look for nothing, but a horrible destruction, unless they turned to the Lord in true repentance. And finally, he comforts the godly with hope of the coming of the Messiah, by whom they would have perfect deliverance and salvation. Before becoming a prophet, Amos was a sheep herder and a sycamore fig farmer. Amos’ prior professions and his claim “I am not a prophet nor a son of a prophet” (7:14) indicate that Amos was not from the school of prophets, which Amos claims makes him a true prophet (7:15). His prophetic career began in 750 BCE out of the town of Tekoa, in Judah, south of Jerusalem. Despite being from the southern kingdom of Judah Amos’ prophetic message was aimed at the Northern Kingdom of Israel, particularly the cities of Samaria and Bethel.
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David Hulme
The prophet Amos is mentioned in connection with Uzziah and the latter days of Jeroboam II (Amos 1:1). Though he was a Judean, Amos’s message concentrated mostly on the northern Israelites, to whom he announced that captivity was coming. Secondarily he addressed the sins of Judah and several surrounding nations. Amos is listed among the Bible’s 12 minor prophets (from the Latin minor, “smaller” [in length of book]).
In Uzziah’s final year, the well-known major prophet Isaiah was commissioned (Isaiah 6:1–9). He spoke during the subsequent reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah (Isaiah 1:1), delivering messages about the coming downfall of Judah and Jerusalem, its expected Messiah, and the future kingdom of God. - -David Hulme; Vision
In Uzziah’s final year, the well-known major prophet Isaiah was commissioned (Isaiah 6:1–9). He spoke during the subsequent reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah (Isaiah 1:1), delivering messages about the coming downfall of Judah and Jerusalem, its expected Messiah, and the future kingdom of God. - -David Hulme; Vision
==amos 1:2:
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He said: “The LORD roars from Zion and thunders from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds dry up, and the top of Carmel withers.”
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When God speaks it is often described by the prophets as sounding like a roaring lion (Hosea 11:10; Joel 3:16).
Jer. 25:30 “Therefore you shall prophesy against them all these words, and you shall say to them, The LORD will roar from on high, And utter His voice from His holy habitation; He will roar mightily against His fold. He will shout like those who tread {the grapes,} Against all the inhabitants of the earth. Amos describes that voice as coming from Zion, the mountain which sits atop Jerusalem, what we today call Temple Mount. This place is near and dear to God’s heart, it has the focus of His attention. The psalms say, Ps. 9:11 Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion… Ps. 87:2 The LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the {other} dwelling places of Jacob. Ps. 135:21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion, Who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the LORD! And Isaiah wrote, Isa. 8:18 …the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. And the Lord Himself has said, Joel 3:17 …I am the LORD your God, dwelling in Zion My holy mountain… His voice is proclaimed from this mountain. This is one reason why a trip to Israel is such a spiritual experience. Israel has been, and will one day again, be the center of His kingdom, the location of His habitation. |
Amos warns his hearers of impending judgment. A lion does not roar unless it has a prey, and Israel is the prey that God is about to take in judgment. The picture of God making his voice heard from Jerusalem, the place which He had appointed for worship, is significant. Under the leadership of Jeroboam I, Israel had forsaken this place of worship and instead worshipped the golden calves at Bethel and Dan. Jeroboam had even appointed his own priests, contrary to God’s command. This entire system of idolatry was designed by Jeroboam to prevent his subjects being reunited with Judah. He reasoned, quite shrewdly, that if the people had the same religion and worshipped in the same place, then a national reunion, based on repentance toward God, would be more likely to occur (1 Kings 12:26–33).
The devil still uses the same strategy of keeping Christians apart through division, as this weakens their effectiveness and reduces the threat to his kingdom.
The devil still uses the same strategy of keeping Christians apart through division, as this weakens their effectiveness and reduces the threat to his kingdom.
==amos 1:3:
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Thus says the Lord:
“For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they have threshed Gilead with implements of iron. |
Hate, in proper context, can actually be an excellent family value. Murder, rape, kidnapping, and brutality are just four examples of many things that every family should hate and refuse to tolerate.
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==amos 1:4:
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But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael,
Which shall devour the palaces of Ben-Hadad |
Amos 1:4 contains a prophecy from the Lord against the Aramean kingdom of Damascus. It declares that divine judgment, symbolized by fire, will destroy the dynasty of King Hazael and the fortified palaces of his successor, Ben-hadad. The prophecy is against the kingdom of Aram, whose capital was Damascus. Specifically, it targets the ruling dynasty of Hazael, a Syrian king who had brutally oppressed the people of Israel's Transjordanian territory of Gilead (Amos 1:3). In this context, "fire" represents the judgment, wrath, and destructive power of God. It was a common prophetic symbol used by Amos to announce God's punishment on a total of eight nations, beginning with Damascus in chapter one.
Hazael was a king of Aram who seized the throne by force. He oppressed Israel during the time of King Jehu (2 Kings 10:32). Ben-hadad was a royal title used by Aramean kings. It referred to the dynasty founded by Hazael, as his son who succeeded him was also named Ben-hadad. This prophecy was fulfilled when the Assyrian Empire conquered Damascus, as recorded in 2 Kings 16:9. The Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III invaded and captured Damascus, took its people into exile, and killed the king. The first two chapters of Amos show that God's justice extends to all nations, not just Israel. Every nation is accountable to God for its actions, and no amount of military strength or royal prestige can prevent his judgment. The specific judgment against Damascus was in response to its extreme cruelty in warfare against the Israelites in Gilead. The prophecy reminds the people of Israel that God is in complete control, even over the actions of powerful nations that oppose them. Those who place their trust in human rulers and military might will ultimately fall. |
==amos 1:5-15:
I will also break the gate bar of Damascus,
And cut off the inhabitant from the Valley of Aven,
And the one who holds the scepter from Beth Eden.
The people of Syria shall go captive to Kir,”
Says the Lord.
6 Thus says the Lord:
“For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four,
I will not turn away its punishment,
Because they took captive the whole captivity
To deliver them up to Edom.
7 But I will send a fire upon the wall of Gaza,
Which shall devour its palaces.
8 I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod,
And the one who holds the scepter from Ashkelon;
I will turn My hand against Ekron,
And the remnant of the Philistines shall perish,”
Says the Lord God.
9 Thus says the Lord:
“For three transgressions of Tyre, and for four,
I will not turn away its punishment,
Because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom,
And did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.
10 But I will send a fire upon the wall of Tyre,
Which shall devour its palaces.”
11 Thus says the Lord:
“For three transgressions of Edom, and for four,
I will not turn away its punishment,
Because he pursued his brother with the sword,
And cast off all pity;
His anger tore perpetually,
And he kept his wrath forever.
12 But I will send a fire upon Teman,
Which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.”
13 Thus says the Lord:
“For three transgressions of the people of Ammon, and for four,
I will not turn away its punishment,
Because they ripped open the women with child in Gilead,
That they might enlarge their territory.
14 But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah,
And it shall devour its palaces,
Amid shouting in the day of battle,
And a tempest in the day of the whirlwind.
15 Their king shall go into captivity,
He and his princes together,”
Says the Lord.
And cut off the inhabitant from the Valley of Aven,
And the one who holds the scepter from Beth Eden.
The people of Syria shall go captive to Kir,”
Says the Lord.
6 Thus says the Lord:
“For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four,
I will not turn away its punishment,
Because they took captive the whole captivity
To deliver them up to Edom.
7 But I will send a fire upon the wall of Gaza,
Which shall devour its palaces.
8 I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod,
And the one who holds the scepter from Ashkelon;
I will turn My hand against Ekron,
And the remnant of the Philistines shall perish,”
Says the Lord God.
9 Thus says the Lord:
“For three transgressions of Tyre, and for four,
I will not turn away its punishment,
Because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom,
And did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.
10 But I will send a fire upon the wall of Tyre,
Which shall devour its palaces.”
11 Thus says the Lord:
“For three transgressions of Edom, and for four,
I will not turn away its punishment,
Because he pursued his brother with the sword,
And cast off all pity;
His anger tore perpetually,
And he kept his wrath forever.
12 But I will send a fire upon Teman,
Which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.”
13 Thus says the Lord:
“For three transgressions of the people of Ammon, and for four,
I will not turn away its punishment,
Because they ripped open the women with child in Gilead,
That they might enlarge their territory.
14 But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah,
And it shall devour its palaces,
Amid shouting in the day of battle,
And a tempest in the day of the whirlwind.
15 Their king shall go into captivity,
He and his princes together,”
Says the Lord.