Amos Part 2: YHWH Roars
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
Divisions in the Minor Prophets
Divisions in the Minor Prophets
The Book of Four
The Book of Four
Early judges to both Judah & Samaria
Promise judgment for rebellious people
Hosea, Amos, Micah, & Zephaniah
The Book of Two
The Book of Two
Middle prophets written to Judah (after Samarian destruction). Dealing with the reality of evil and even God’s use of wicked nations.
Nahum & Habakkuk
The Book of Three
The Book of Three
Late prophets to the returned Judaeans. Promises of strength and restoration. Encouragement to continue to rebuild and warning for renewed disobedience.
Haggai, Zechariah, & Malachi
The Remaining
The Remaining
Joel, Obadiah, & Jonah
Minor Prophets Chart
Minor Prophets Chart
Amos
Amos
Historical Setting
Historical Setting
8th century (799-700 BC) witnessed the rise of the greatest Israelites kingdom since the reign of Solomon. Uzziah (792-740) took the throne of Judah and Jeroboam II (793-753) in Samaria. Both kings experience great earthly success and blessing. The northern kingdom had been oppressed by Damascus (Syria) for many years, but in 802 BC Assyria attacked and destroyed that capital. This allowed Israel to flourish and expand its borders nearly to the limits of Solomon’s kingdom in the north.
This physical blessing, though, was not any indication of true obedience or spiritually. Israel still demonstrated a rebellious heart toward the Lord. They still worshipped the false idols that Jeroboam had set up at the founding of their kingdom. They still allowed the false worship of their neighbors to infiltrate their own. And they abandoned the covenant requirements of justice and love for one another. The earthly success of the northern kingdom of the 8th century did not filter down to the poor of the kingdom. Instead of sharing together in the blessings from God, the rich grew more and more wealthy while oppressing their fellow Israelites. These are the sins that Amos is sent to condemn. And the Israelites did not realize, in the midst of their great success, that within 100 years the Assyrians who rescued them from the oppression of Damascus would come and completely destroy them as well.
The Author
The Author
Amos is from Judah, a “sheepbreeder.” Amos is probably more of a wealthy rural rancher than a poor shepherd, but he still is not of a special prophetic or priestly lineage. He is simply the man chosen by God’s Spirit to carry His message to Israel. (1:1)
Outline (From The Expositors Bible Commentary: Gaebelein)
Outline (From The Expositors Bible Commentary: Gaebelein)
Superscription (1:1)
Introduction to the Prophecy (1:2)
The Prophetic Oracles (1:3-6:14)
Oracles of Judgment Against the Surrounding Nations (1:3-2:5)
The oracle against Syria (1:3-5)
The oracle against the Philistines (1:6-8)
The oracle against Tyre (1:9-10)
The oracle against Edom (1:11-12)
The oracle against Ammon (1:13-15)
The oracle against Moab (2:1-3)
The oracle against Judah (2:4-5)
Oracles of Judgment Against Israel (2:6 6:14)
A lesson from history (2:6-16)
A lesson based on cause and effect (3:1-12)
An oracle against the house of Jacob (3:13-15)
The pampered women of Samaria (4:1-3)
Sinful worship (4:4-5)
A look to the past (4:6-13)
A lament for fallen Israel (5:1-3)
Seeking true values (5:4-17)
The Day of the Lord (5:18-20)
Unacceptable worship (5:21-27)
A warning to the complacent (6:1-7)
Pride before a fall (6:8-11)
A grim paradox (6:12-14)
The Prophetic Visions (7:1-9:15)
The Vision of the Locusts, Fire, and the Plumb Line (7:1-9)
A Historical Interlude (7:10-17)
The Vision of the Summer Fruit (8:1-14)
The Vision of the Lord Standing by the Altar (9:1-15)
The destruction of the temple (9:1-6)
Israel and the other nations (9:7)
The restoration of the Davidic kingdom (9:8-12)
The blessings of the restored kingdom (9:13-15)
The Lord’s Case Against Israel (1:1-2:16)
The Lord’s Case Against Israel (1:1-2:16)
The Trap is Set for Israel (1:1-2:5) - Judgment against Israel’s Neighbors
God’s Condemnation of Israel (2:6-12)
They Oppress the Debtor and Poor (6-7a)
Deuteronomy 16:18-20
Deuteronomy 16:18–20 “18 “You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the Lord your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment. 19 You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. 20 You shall follow what is altogether just, that you may live and inherit the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”
They are Sexually Deviant (7b)
They Rebel against God’s Law for Protecting the Debtor (8)
Exodus 22:6
Exodus 22:6 “6 “If fire breaks out and catches in thorns, so that stacked grain, standing grain, or the field is consumed, he who kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.”
They Caused the Consecrated to Sin and Rejected God’s Word (12)
The Lord’s Promise of Destruction (3:1-15)
The Lord’s Promise of Destruction (3:1-15)
Amos 3:12 “12 Thus says the Lord: “As a shepherd takes from the mouth of a lion Two legs or a piece of an ear, So shall the children of Israel be taken out Who dwell in Samaria— In the corner of a bed and on the edge of a couch!”
Amos 3:12
The Law required that a shepherd retrieve the remains of an animal killed by a predator to prove that he did not steal it (Ex. 22:13). God uses that command to illustrate what will happen to the remains of Israel after their destruction.
The Lord Condemns the Indulgent Women of Israel (4:1-5)
The Lord Condemns the Indulgent Women of Israel (4:1-5)
Amos employs biting sarcasm in this section toward the indulgent women of Israel. The region of Bashan was known for its quality livestock and cattle. Amos compares the rich women of Israel to the overstuffed, overindulged cows of Bashan. They are guilty of the oppression of their fellow-Israelites not because they have done the acts themselves, but because they have indulged themselves and demanded their appetites be filled.
4:2 - They will be taken away with fishhooks: The Assyrians had a practice of leading away their captives by attaching them to lines by hooks in their captives’ lips.
The Lord Laments Israel (5:1-17)
The Lord Laments Israel (5:1-17)
Proposed Chiasm (The Message of the Twelve: Fuhr & Yates)
Proposed Chiasm (The Message of the Twelve: Fuhr & Yates)
Lamentation over fallen Israel (1-3)
Call to Repentance: “Seek Me and live!” (4-6)
Accusation against Israel: “Throw[ing] righteousness to the ground.” (7)
Hymn: YHWH as Creator (8a-b)
Center: YHWH is His name (8c)
Hymn: YHWH as Warrior (9)
Accusation against Israel: “Oppress[ing] the righteous.” (10-13)
Call to Repentance: “Seek good. . .that you may live.” (14-15)
Wailing over fallen Israel (16-17)
Allusions to Israel in Egypt
Allusions to Israel in Egypt
Mentions of Joseph (5:6, 15)
“YHWH is His name.” (8)
“I will pass through you.” (17)
The Israelites had become the oppressors of Israel just as the Egyptians had, but this is worse because it is against their own people.
The Lord’s Desire for Israel (21-24)
The Lord’s Desire for Israel (21-24)
God does not desire empty, vain worship while His people rebel and sin.
God desires a true heart of repentance that leads to a change in action.
Faith without Works? Think of Zacchaeus. Think Psalm 51:16-17.
Psalm 51:16–17 “16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.”
The Lord is still Merciful and Gracious (9:8-15)
The Lord is still Merciful and Gracious (9:8-15)
Resources Used:
The Theological Messages of the Old Testament Books: Bell
The Message of the Twelve: Fuhr & Yates
The Expositors Bible Commentary: Gaebelein
The Lexham Bible Dictionary
Amos, Mentor Commentary: Gary V. Smith