Superscription and Introduction (1:1-2)

Introduction:

We begin this morning with a new series, the study of the Old Testament book of Amos. This should take us through the end of June, around 12 messages. So why would I choose an Old Testament book, especially a minor prophet that most people know little about? Our purpose, as elders, is, as our website declares, “to pursue God’s glory in all things among all people.” We believe that the way we pursue God’s glory is primarily through his holy word, both Old and New Testaments. So often we forget that the Old Testament is the infallible, inerrant, inspired word of God just like the New Testament. Therefore we seek to alternate our series between both testaments.

So okay, why Amos? What could we in the 21st century, living in southern Delaware, possible learn from a man named Amos who was considered a nobody, a common, blue collar worker, or shepherd/farmer with no credentials who lived in the 8th century BC? Yet, in our evaluation of Amos, we must included on essential element, the sovereign, eternal God who called him with a message to deliver to an abstinent, self-confident people. There are many parallels we will see as we go through this book between the days of Amos, and our day. His message to Israel, was during a time of economic renascence, you might say, in both the northern 10 tribes under Jeroboam II, and the southern 2 tribes under Uzziah. This economic renascence they attributed to their confidence in their identity as God’s chosen people, therefore, his face was shinning on them and they were free to follow their dreams. We in American do the same…our confidence is in who is in government, or our superior army, or, even in that we go to church, at least on the important days, and our money claims, “In God we Trust”, and we display and say frequently, “God Bless America”. So, we may think, that this means that God’s face is shining on us, and we are free follow our hearts, and no one can tell us otherwise.

However, though Israel went through the motions of being God’s people, their actions were far from being the people of God that he had called to holiness. They were using God as a good-luck-charm, in their every-man-for-himself life view, and Amos was called to expose their error and declare God’s judgment upon such godless ideologies. Also, as part of his prophecies, Amos declares God’s judgments in Israel’s enemies, for though God used, and will use them to discipline his people, their godless actions do not go unnoticed by the eternal, sovereign God, who superintends all history and events.

There are six key themes in the book of Amos:

The ESV Study Bible Key Themes

1. The Lord (Yahweh) is the Creator of the universe; therefore his ethical norms are universal, and all people are subject to judgment in light of them.

2. Justice and righteousness in the treatment of other people are the key evidences of a right relationship to the Lord.

3. Religious ritual in the absence of just and righteous treatment of others is disgusting to God.

4. Israel’s covenant with the Lord did not guarantee special protection for them when they broke the covenant. Rather, it meant that they would be held to a higher standard of obedience and would be subject to more scrutiny in judgment.

5. Thus, the “day of the LORD” would not be a time of miraculous deliverance for unrepentant Israel. Rather, it would be a time of terrible destruction.

6. Yet a faithful remnant would be preserved and would someday see a day of glorious restoration and blessing.

With this as our introduction, let’s begin this morning with Amos 1:1-2, which we’ve entitled, Superscription and Introduction.

Text: Amos 1:1-2

Amos 1:1–2 ESV

1 The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds 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. 2 And he said: “The Lord roars from Zion and utters his voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the top of Carmel withers.”

Main Idea: Because God is sovereign over all his creation, he chooses who he will to declare his revelation.

I. His Identity (1a)

(1a) …Amos, who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, …

Here he calls himself a “herdsman of Tekoa.” In 7:12, he is called a “seer” (a prophet).

Amos 7:12 ESV

12 And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there,

Note: He is a resident of Tekoa, a town in Judah, and is one of the herdsmen of that town. In 7:14, he states that in addition to being a herdsman, he is a gatherer of sycamore fruit (wild figs).

Amos 7:14 ESV

14 Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs.

Note: that we must not determine a man or woman’s calling by their credentials. Credentials may sharpen a gift, but the calling or gift is given by God alone to use for his purposes. Paul, in the NT, tells us this in his letter to the Corinthian church:

1 Corinthians 1:26–29 ESV

26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

II. His Time (1b)

(1b) …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.

He saw these messages in the days of Uzziah, the king of Judah (787–735) and in the days of Jeroboam II, the king of Israel (791–750 b.c.), two years before the earthquake (Zech. 14:5 speaks of this earthquake and it may be the one prophesied in Amos 9:1. It occurred probably around 760 b.c.).

BTW, it is worth noting that when the people of God refuse his message or refuse to live as he commands, many times through scripture God commands his creation to warn his people. For it seems that when our comforts are disrupted, we take notice. Examples, flood in Noah’s day, famine in Elijah’s day, the great fish in Jonah’s day, and earthquakes as signs of God’s impending judgment, here in Amos, and in Jesus’ Olivet discourse, from Matthew 24.

III. His Message (1-2)

(1) The words of Amos, … which he saw concerning Israel…

The words of Amos - The prophet’s messages are introduced with this formula (cf. Jer. 1:1). The phrase has a covenant background (Deut. 1:1, “These are the words that Moses spoke.”). Amos is God’s covenant lawsuit messenger, bringing God’s suit against disobedient Israel.

Note that these messages did not originate with Amos, they were God’s revelation to him…which he saw - is a designation of receiving a vision from God.

The recipients of his messages were primarily, the people of Israel, both the northern and southern kingdoms.

(2) And he said: “The LORD roars from Zion and utters his voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the top of Carmel withers.”

The LORD - Yahweh, associated here by wordplay with the Hebrew verb for “to be” (thus meaning “he is” or “he will be”). Thus, it is always associated with the God of the covenant. This is significant since the indictment God brings against Israel is a violation of his covenant.

Exodus 3:14–15 ESV

14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.

roars from Zion and utters his voice from Jerusalem

As a shepherd, Amos knows well the terrifying roar of a lion on the attack (1 Sam. 17:34–37). The Lord Himself roars from Zion to announce His judgment (Jer. 25:30; Joel 3:16). These opening words of judgment set the tone for what follows.

To the Jew, the fact that God speaks from his sanctuary in Jerusalem lends credibility, authenticity, and authority. As a result…

the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the top of Carmel withers - shows the comprehensiveness of God’s judgment…he will pour out His wrath and judgment upon the Northern Kingdom and all the land will wither, from the pastures of the valleys to the vineyards and the oliveyards on the the top of Carmel (the last area to be affected in times of drought).

When God judges, there is no where to escape since God is everywhere and commands everything. We are reminded of how this will look when the Kings of the earth try and hide from God presence in the book of Revelation:

Revelation 6:15–17 ESV

15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

So What?

Do we understand that God is the one who calls his people and his leaders, not based on any qualifications they might own, but because of his divine will and purpose?

Do we understand that God in his holiness must judge sin even among those who are his covenant people?