Sermon Tone Analysis

The context for Amos in the timeline and setting of ancient Israel.

Amos is a shepherd, although this kind of shepherd is different than other shepherds.

The word is only used twice in the Bible.

Once here and and once in 2 Kings where it describes King Moab as not a shepherd but a sheep breeder.

So this may just be that he’s a breeder and has a higher station.

He certainly doesn’t make himself sound important much later on in chapter 7 though.

His name most likely means a burden or to carry a load.

Amos was also around at the same time as Hosea.

We could compare the first verse on each and see some of the same Kings listed as the time-frame for their ministry.

Now in the land there is not an oppression by other countries, we’re still in a self governing state of Israel.

Things are generally prosperous, although as we saw from Hosea that prosperity also came with some idolatry.

Thus says the Lord Amos 1-6.

This week will be the nations Amos 1:3-2:3

Judah and Israel both also get in trouble Amos 2:4-16.

The Word of the Lord against Israel Amos 3.

The Word against Samarian women and Israel’s lack of repentance Amos 4.

The Word of Lamentation Amos 5-6.

What God showed Amos 7-9

Visions of Destruction Amos 7-8:3.

The future in destruction and restoration of Israel Amos 8:4-9.

The nations are all to be judged.

In a unique way Amos has started with a word against other nations.

Of course have no fear we will get to Israel next week of course but here we see God’s preeminence over all nations.

There is not a covenant with all the other nations but he is still their creator and God even if they do not acknowledge Him.

There is also a pattern in this section it is very obvious for us to pickup.

I bet from just the first one we can see what that pattern is.

Thus says the Lord

For three transgression of [place] and for four I will not revoke punishment

List of offense and punishments

Says the Lord

We’ll look at these sections for each place but let’s dig a little into what each of these tells us.

Thus says the Lord: A reminder that these are not the words of Man though a man is speaking them.

This comes from the Almighty God, creator of the universe.

For three transgressions and for four; punishment won’t be taken back.

A fancy way to describe this phrasing is a Graduated numerical phrase.

We mention a number then the next higher number.

This emphasizes what is being talked about.

It happens in many places in the Bible.

Job 5:19 “He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no evil shall touch you.”

Ps 62.11 “Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,” Prov 30.15 “The leech has two daughters: Give and Give.

Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough”:” Prov 30.18 “Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand:” Prov 30.21 “Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:” Prov 30.29 “Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride:” Three things would have been enough but you took it to FOUR! There’s also something to be said for the fact that 3 and 4 add up to 7. Seven is just such a pattern number I can’t ignore it when I see it.

Something is complete when it reaches 7.

These nations have reached their complete sinfulness here and God is judging them for it.

God’s punishment is not going to be turned aside for them.

Even though there are many sins, or transgressions only one gets listed then we have the consequences of sin laid out through God’s judgment in 3 actions of God.

Ending with says the Lord reinforces the message’s authority.

Looking then at these three verses we see Damascus has “threshed” or “trampled” Gilead with threshing tools of iron.

They slaughtered the people there.

Their punishment is the downfall of first of it’s King Ben-hadad 2Ki 13.24-25 “When Hazael king of Syria died, Ben-hadad his son became king in his place.

Then Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again from Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the cities that he had taken from Jehoahaz his father in war.

Three times Joash defeated him and recovered the cities of Israel.”

then the people of Syria into exile 2Ki 16.9 “And the king of Assyria listened to him.

The king of Assyria marched up against Damascus and took it, carrying its people captive to Kir, and he killed Rezin.”

The three actions of God are “I will send a fire,” “I will break the gate-bar,” and “cut off the inhabitants.”

Says Yahweh

Again let’s look at our pattern; Thus says the Lord and for 3 even 4 I will not turn back from punishment.

Gaza - not THAT Gaza in Egypt but a Mediterranean port city that has captured and sold into slavery whole/peaceful people groups men, women, and children.

Their punishment through “I will send a fire,” “I will cut off the inhabitants,” and “I will turn my hand against.”

Says Adonai Yahweh - oh we added a little bit to the new pattern with Adonai in the title.

Again our pattern continues Thus says the Lord and three even four the punishment won’t be revoked.

Here things start to differ only one action from God “I will send a fire.”

Then we have no ending but go directly into the next proclamation.

This seems odd so I zoomed out a litle and saw another pattern.

The first two are the same, this and the next are short without the ending then the next two again have the ending.

The seventh is Judah which we’ll get to next week, and the eighth is Israel and it seems to wrap up with “declares the Lord"instead of “says the Lord.”

I have no idea why it’s done this way.

It might just be poetic in the pattern and phrasing.

That’s my suspicion.

I think it’s okay to find beauty in the Word of God and appreciate the structure and eloquence of the prophets.

Sometimes we read the Bible in a way that says “I need to get something out of this and learn what to do next in life, or how to handle some struggle.”

When I think it’s also important to remember to enjoy the Word not always study it to get something we want out of it.

Like the last we have our Thus says the Lord and the three even four pattern with only one I will from God to send a fire and no says the Lord ending

Our pattern picks back up to almost normal here but still only has one I will punishment from God but ends again with says the Lord.

Now finally we are fully back to our complete pattern of Thus says the Lord, the three and for four the punishment won’t be revoked.

Then the three actions from God “I will send a fire,” “I will cut off the ruler,” and “will kill” with the says the Lord wrap up.

Aram

I will send a fire

I will break the gate-bar

Cut off the inhabitants

Philistia

I will send a fire

I will cut of the inhabitants

I will turn my hand against

Phoenicia

I will send a fire

Edom

I will send a fire

Ammon

I will kindle a fire

Moab

I will send a fire

I will cut off the ruler

Will kill all its princes

Judah

I will send a fire

Israel

I will press you down

Fire is often a term that means to war.

So with all of this stuff going on what do we take out of this?

Well we could have spent time and looked deeper into each of the greatest sins of these nations and talked about how we shouldn’t tear out babies from mothers wombs but all of these are actually fairly obvious sins not just that one.