Minor Prophets: Amos a country prophet
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Our survey continues
Our survey continues
A look back, and a look forward as we look at our next prophet, Amos
(Intro) Our world today does not look that different from the world of Amos day, morally and materially speaking.
Society was going through lots of radical changes
There was overall peace in Israel/Judah
There was much amassed wealth and the industrial world was increasing.
Sound, familiar, maybe? Now turning from the inside (Israel/Judah) to the outside the Gentile nations there were sin’s a plenty, but wait, there were in Israel and Judah too. So let’s look back so we can look forward at a survey of Amos, part 1 of 3 this morning.
Previously we have looked at
Obadiah: Prophesied judgment against Edom
Joel: Prophesied about locust plague and the coming day of the Lord
Jonah: The running prophet and the message to the Assyrian city, capital of Nineveh.
Today: Amos the country prophet (Amo7:14-15)
14 Then Amos replied to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet; for I am a herdsman and a grower of sycamore figs. 15 “But the Lord took me from following the flock and the Lord said to me, ‘Go prophesy to My people Israel.’
His calling, task was to prophesy against eight nations, six of them would thrill the Jews for they were pagan nations, but then it turns to Israel and Judah, well, how do you think that goes over?
Book is divided into three sections.
The Oracles (chapters 1-2)
A series of oracles concerning sin and judgment of eight nations (including Israel/Judah)
The sermons (chapters 3-6)
Concerning the sin and judgment against Israel
The visions (chapters 5-7)
Concerning the sin and judgment of Israel
(Transition) So this morning we are doing part I “the oracles” that will include the groundwork, background work too.
So here is what we have to try to accomplish in our alloted time today.
The background
The oracles (summary)
Lessons from the oracles
The Background
The Background
To understand the oracles, the sermons and the visions we need to know some about the man and the times, the history of the book and the prophet.
The man - Amos
His name means “burden-bearer”
(Insert Village of Tekoa picture here)
Home: Village of Tekoa (1:1)
This is 12 mi S of Jerusalem, 18 mi W of dead sea
It is near the wilderness of Judea a very rough area, or should i say rugged area. Interesting fact is he is from Judea and God is going to send him to prophesy mostly against the Northern Kingdom, Israel
His occupation - a sheepbreeder and a tender of sycamore trees (7:14-15)
A hard working outdoors man, so to speak up and out against lazy people would not be a stretch.
His Character - a strong sense for justice and what is right.
Commentator Homer Hailey states” not a sob is to be found in his book for the nation of wicked apostates, and there is only a sigh for the poor.”
So, he was not known for his compassion or mercy, sympathy or warmth.
The date (suggested 775 B.C.)
We know during days of Uzziah (king of Judah) and Jeroboam II (king of Israel) and it was two years before an earthquake (v.1)
So we do not know an exact date but most commentators, scholars believe it about 775 B.C.
The recipients (his audience); mostly Northern Kingdom of Israel
Eight countries but the primary is actually the northern kingdom (Israel) under the kingship of Jeroboam II
The culture at the time was wealthy, luxury, a time of peace with neighbors for the most part
Morally, well they were religiously and politically corrupt
The mission and the message - to announce the prophesy of God and to rebuke the people of God.
Bible handbook says this
“The people of Israel were now at the summit of worldly prosperity, but were rapidly filling up the measure of their sins. The mission of Amos was, therefore, rather to threaten than to console. He rebukes , among other things, the corruption of their manners, which kept pace with their prosperity; he charges the great men with partiality as judges, and violence toward the poor; and he foretells, as a punishment from God, the captivity of the ten tribes in a foreign country. . . “
Hum, do you wonder if maybe our country is filling up the measure of their sins? Do you think that God will judge a country again, these days?
Judgment can has fallout on the just too as much as the unjust for the rain falls on the righteous and the unrighteous (ref: Mt5:45) (expand)
(Transition) all that set up and only a couple verses to setup the stage for the judgments to come. So, now lets read, draw some information from the text as we go.
The Oracles (a summary)
The Oracles (a summary)
While we are going to read, we will just identify the reason for the judgment, the judgment and the fulfillment as we go.
Damascus (Amo1:3-5)
3 Thus says the Lord, “For three transgressions of Damascus and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they threshed Gilead with implements of sharp iron. 4 “So I will send fire upon the house of Hazael And it will consume the citadels of Ben-hadad.
5 “I will also break the gate bar of Damascus, And cut off the inhabitant from the valley of Aven, And him who holds the scepter, from Beth-eden; So the people of Aram will go exiled to Kir,” Says the Lord.
Sin -Cruelty towards people of Gad and Reuben -people of Gilead
Judgment: Destruction, captivity (ref: 2kg8:7-15, 13:3, 22-25)
Hazael murdered Ben-Hadad I, and usurped his throne (ref: 2Kng8:7-15); Ben-Hadad II was son of Hazael (ref: 2Kn13:3, 22-25)
Fulfillment - Assyrian Captivity (2Kng16:1-9)
Gaza/Philistia (Amo1:6-8)
6 Thus says the Lord, “For three transgressions of Gaza and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they deported an entire population To deliver it up to Edom. 7 “So I will send fire upon the wall of Gaza And it will consume her citadels.
8 “I will also cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, And him who holds the scepter, from Ashkelon; I will even unleash My power upon Ekron, And the remnant of the Philistines will perish,” Says the Lord God.
Sin: Engaging in slave trafficking
Judgment: Total devastation
Fulfillment - by Assyrians
Tyre (Amo1:9-10)
9 Thus says the Lord, “For three transgressions of Tyre and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they delivered up an entire population to Edom And did not remember the covenant of brotherhood. 10 “So I will send fire upon the wall of Tyre And it will consume her citadels.”
Sin: slave trafficking; forgot covenant between Solomon and Hiram (ref: 1Kg5:12)
Judgment: destruction
Fulfillment: Nebuchadnezzar and then finished by Alexander the Great
Edom (Amo1:11-12)
11 Thus says the Lord, “For three transgressions of Edom and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because he pursued his brother with the sword, While he stifled his compassion; His anger also tore continually, And he maintained his fury forever. 12 “So I will send fire upon Teman And it will consume the citadels of Bozrah.”
Sin: Cruelty to brethren (ref: Obe1:10-12)
Judgment: Destruction upon Teman and Bozrah
Fulfillment: By the Nabateans, about 400 B.C.
Ammon (Amo1:13-15)
13 Thus says the Lord, “For three transgressions of the sons of Ammon and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead In order to enlarge their borders. 14 “So I will kindle a fire on the wall of Rabbah And it will consume her citadels Amid war cries on the day of battle, And a storm on the day of tempest.
15 “Their king will go into exile, He and his princes together,” says the Lord.
Sin: murder of pregnant women in Gilead
Judgment: Destruction of Rabbah and captivity
Fulfillment: by Nebuchadnezzar
Moab (Amo2:1-3)
1 Thus says the Lord, “For three transgressions of Moab and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime. 2 “So I will send fire upon Moab And it will consume the citadels of Kerioth; And Moab will die amid tumult, With war cries and the sound of a trumpet.
3 “I will also cut off the judge from her midst And slay all her princes with him,” says the Lord.
Sin: burned the king of Edom’s bones to lime
Judgment: Destruction of chief city, Kerioth
Fulfillment: by Babylonians
Judah (Amo2:4-5)
4 Thus says the Lord, “For three transgressions of Judah and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they rejected the law of the Lord And have not kept His statutes; Their lies also have led them astray, Those after which their fathers walked. 5 “So I will send fire upon Judah And it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem.”
Sin: Apostasy from the Law
Judgment: Jerusalem would be destroyed
Fulfillment: by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C.
Israel (Amo2:6-16)
Sin: Social injustice, slave trade, abuse of poor
Sin: Immorality (prostitution)
Sin: Idolatry (worshipping other gods)
Rebellion against God
they were rebelling against the God who conquered the land before them and cast out the enemies (i.e. the Amorites)
Delivered them out of slavery in Egypt
Gave them prophets and Nazarites whom they corrupted
(Transition) all that effected their inability to escape the coming judgment , they were God’s chosen people, given the prophets, given the promises, given the law and yet there was unfaithfulness, they were covenant breakers. There is still more that we can learn from these judgments, so, let’s press on.
Lessons from the oracles
Lessons from the oracles
Scripture is good for what if you look at 2Tim3:16-17? What can we learn from what we have just read and identified from Amo1:1-2:16?
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Here is a free one not on your outline
4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
God holds the nations accountable (Mt28:18; Rev1:5, 2:26-27)
God was just concerned only with His covenant people of the house of Israel
As previously seen when we looked at Jonah and Obadiah God is concerned and judges the surrounding nations too.
F.W. Farrer, scholar, commentator, author, was dean of Canterbury Cathedral said this regarding Amos
“His whole message centers in the common prophetic conviction that God is the sole and righteous Governor of the world, judging the people righteously, and when they rebel, dashing them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
the authority given because of God’s righteousness is authority given to Christ today
18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
and add in
5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood—
and one more
26 ‘He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father;
Sin is sin, apostasy and cruelty are treated alike
God condemned the heathens (Gentiles; non Jew’s) for their cruelty
God judged Judah and Israel for their apostasy to the Law
Different sins, same judgment
The standards to which nations were held accountable (Rom2:12-15)
the other nations were judged for violation of basic principles of righteousness
God’s people were judged were to be judged by their faithfulness to God’s revealed word.
Consider what Paul said to the Roman’s.
12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; 13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.
14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,
(Insert Drawing a Conclusion slide)
We have briefly looked at the judgment given against eight nations. In doing such we are reminded that God is just and God is righteous.
God holds nations of men accountable for their actions
There is a great day coming, a day we all will be held accountable. Paul put’s it like this.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.
May Gods word that is given teach us, guide us, correct us where needed so that we may be fully equipped to face all things in a righteousness and truth.
(prayer) (Exit)