Amos

Amos

Amos prophesied slightly earlier than Hosea, during the prosperous reigns of Jeroboam II in Israel (see introduction to Hosea) and Uzziah in Judah (792 to 767 b.c. with his father Amaziah, then alone until 740 b.c.). Since Amos mentions no other kings in 1:1, perhaps he prophesied only during their overlapping reigns, from 767 to 753 b.c. Amos was from Tekoa in Judah, five miles southeast of Bethlehem, but God called him to proclaim His word in Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Amos was not a professional prophet but by trade was a "shepherd" and grower of sycamore-figs, a fruit fed to livestock and eaten by the poor (1:1; 7:14). Although the term "shepherd" ( noqed) is applied to the king of Moab in 2 Kings 3:4, we are not sure whether Amos was a prosperous rancher or just a hired worker (note the expression "tending the flock" in 7:15).

Message and Purpose. Indictment: Israel was oppressing the poor, denying them justice out of greed and self-indul-gence. It was the kind of society where success owed much to knowing when to keep one's mouth shut. It "encouraged wrongdoing and discouraged standing for principle. When grace transforms a person it brings this aspect of life into focus: a determination to create a society in which righteousness dwells" (Motyer). Israel was at the same time practicing empty religion, mixing idolatry with worship in the Lord's name. A veneer of law and piety covered a core of injustice that the establishment seemed to accept.

Instruction: Israel is told to delight in and seek the Lord only and as a corollary to strive for justice, which is "reparation for the defrauded, fairness for the less fortunate, and dignity and compassion for the needy" (Finley).

Judgment: Failure to respond would bring destruction, death, and exile.

Hope: Israel should respond with gratitude to God's election, redemption, and care of them in the past. God also promised to preserve a remnant and to reestablish the nation in the land with the messianic ruler and to bring them prosperity.

Structure. Amos's book comprises three main sections plus an initial introduction (1:1-3a) and a concluding message of restoration (9:11-15). There are eight oracles against the nations in the first main section (1:3b-2:16), each beginning with "This is what the Lord says." The first three of the five sermons in the second main section (3:1-6:14) are introduced by calls to "hear," and the last two by expressions of "woe." The five visions in the third main section (7:1-9:10) each begin with "This is what [the Sovereign Lord /he] showed me," except for the last, which is a theophany (appearance of God). It begins "I saw the Lord." The third vision is followed by a brief narrative (7:10-17) that dramatizes its message.

1. The Prophecy (1:1-3a)
2. Oracles against Nations (1:3b-2:16)
3. Five Sermons (3:1-6:14)
4. Five Visions (7:1-9:10)
5. Prophecy of Restoration (9:11-15)

The Prophecy (1:1-3a)

This book conveys the words of Amos, which are at the same time the word of the Lord. Although not all vision, it was all "seen," in that it was received from the Lord, not invented by Amos (see 2 Pet. 1:20-21).

Words of judgment are much more prominent in Amos than words of hope (see 2:13; 4:11; 6:11; 8:8; 9:1,5). Perhaps this explains the ominous reference to the earthquake in 1:1. The thematic synopsis of the book in 1:2 speaks of God "roar[ing]" from Zion like a terrifying beast of prey (see 3:8). Receiving God's word in faith involves believing that the Lord is an awesome and holy God who is prepared to punish wickedness with intense power. He hates sin, especially when it defiles His people. "The people of God had fallen asleep in the comfort of the privileges of salvation and needed to be jolted into the awareness that the only assured certainty of the possession of those privileges was the evidence of a life committed without reserve to being holy as their Saviour God is holy" (J. A. Motyer).

The earthquake mentioned here apparently coincided with the beginning of Amos's ministry and probably provided the initial object lesson for his messages. It must have been especially severe, since it is mentioned with recollections of terror over two hundred years later in Zechariah 14:5. In his excavations at Hazor, Y. Yadin found evidence of an earthquake during that period.

Oracles Against Nations (1:3b-2:16)

The order of these oracles is significant. The first four form an X with Israel in the center, as if the nation is in God's crosshairs (northeast, southwest, north-west, southeast). The last four were all related to Israel: Edom, Ammon, and Moab as "cousins," then Judah even closer as "brother." Israel would surely have enjoyed hearing of God's displeasure with and plans to judge these other nations. But each time they applauded they were signing their names to their own judgment decree, tightening the noose imperceptibly around their necks, because they were guilty of the same things.

If these nations (besides Judah) who did not have God's word were guilty before God, far more so were Judah and Israel (see 2:4,11-12). Nothing the nations had done compared with possessing the revelation of God and ignoring it. Rather than presuming on God's favor, they were to have a higher standard of righteousness. In some cases the secret of strength is mobility and flexibility. But the secret of a Christian's life is our connection with God through the immovable foundation of divine truth. When we have left that, we have left our anchor and refuge for castles in the clouds and are destined for destruction.

Like Romans 1:18-32 and 2:14-15, these chapters indicate that "the whole world is under divine observation, subservient to divine assessment and subdued without refuge before divine judgment" (Motyer). The basis for judgment of the foreign nations here is not their erroneous religious beliefs and practices. Rather, they are condemned for such things as barbarity, slave trading, prom-ise-breaking, persistent hatred, and atrocities against the helpless (see Rev. 20:12-13). The refrain, "for three sins of ... even for four," implies that God's patience was at an end and their sinfulness was complete (three plus four, seven, symbolizing completeness).

Seven sins of Israel are condemned in 2:6-8. According to 2:9-11, Israel was committing the same sins for which God had removed the Amorites from the land. They had forgotten that all they had was by His grace. So for their faithless rejection of the Lord, the Lord declared a series of seven devastating judgments against them that amounted to their being crushed.

Five Sermons (3:1-6:14)

The first sermon threatens imminent punishment, then details Israel's sins and punishment. In a striking use of the word "therefore" in verse 2, the Lords grounds His punishment in His relationship with Israel, which demanded gratitude and loyalty. The illustration in verses 3-6 stresses the unbroken connection between sin and punishment. Israel had become so expert in violence and oppression (extortion, robbery, bribery) that they were enslaved to sin and could give lessons to the Egyptians and Philistines. Thus God would so ruin them that only fragments of their luxuriant lifestyle would remain, only enough to "identify the victim."

The second sermon in 4:1-13 comprises a series of seven judgment oracles (each ending with "declares the Lord "; vv. 1-11), a concluding call to "meet your God," and a doxology (v. 13). The first oracle deals with how Israel treated the poor (see Exod. 23:3,6; Lev. 19:15; 25:35; Deut. 15:4-11), the second with apostate, hypocritical worship (4:4-5), and the last five with past judgments God had sent against Israel in vain. The doxology in 4:13 is the first of three in Amos (see 5:8-9; 9:5-6), which some believe were fragments of ancient hymns. As one scholar explains, "The theological contribution these doxologies of Amos make is immense. They affirm that [the Lord] is the all-powerful Creator who is above any might or power from any source, human or other. [He] is the only and unique Protector" (Hasel). Another scholar says of such a God, "Every high and stable thing crumbles beneath him. Men feel secure so long as God remains in heaven, but when He comes to earth in judgment they are gripped by the terrifying realization that they must meet the holy God in person. If men would tremble before God, instead of before each other, they would have nothing to fear" (Waltke). Amos was one who feared only God (see 7:10-17).

The third sermon (5:1-17), comprised of lament and exhortation, is the structural-thematic center of Amos. Here is Amos's primary message. First, verses 1-2 introduce this lament/funeral dirge. Israel is like a virgin, at one time young, pure, full of life and potential, who was tragically "cut down in her prime" due to her own folly (but see Jer. 31:1-6,21). The remainder of the sermon uses a recurring or concentric structure. A lament of Israel's decimation appears in verse 3 and again in verses 16-17 ("therefore" in v. 16 points back to the accusations). An appeal to repent comes in verses 4-6 ("seek Me/the Lord and live") and again in verses 14-15 ("seek good that you may live"). One who seeks the Lord, that is, who continually endeavors to maintain and deepen his fellowship with the Lord, will strive to see good prevail over evil in the lives of his fellow human beings. Seeking God and seeking good are the two dimensions of biblical religion.

An accusation unfolds in verse 7 (Israel was perverting justice and righteousness) and again in verses 10-13 (they were opposing the truth). At the heart or center of the structure stands the doxology, which praises the Lord's power to create and destroy, to turn blessing into disaster or vice versa (vv. 8-9; see Jer. 10:10-13). The living God will not allow His "worshipers" to continue coming together in His name, singing, and going away unchanged (see James 1:22-27). He despises a religion that leaves life untouched.

The fourth sermon extends the portions lament of the previous one. The day of the Lord will bring calamity to Israel from which no one can escape. Amos corrected the view that God's covenant assured Israel of God's blessing even when they were unfaithful to Him. The Lord despises religious activity in His name that perverts true worship and neglects righteousness. Integrity and compassion were to be just as much a part of true worship as singing and sacrifice.

In the fifth sermon Amos condemned Israel's arrogance, decadence, complacent self-indulgence, and perversion of justice. To combat their false sense of security, he proclaimed the certainty of utter defeat, destruction, and exile.

Five Visions (7:1-9:10)

The first two visions (locusts and drought, i.e., "fire") describe events that proclaim God's patience and mercy. The next two visions (the plumb line and the fruit basket) employ wordplay. Their point is that the time for God's patience and mercy is ended; Israel's apostate sanctuaries will be destroyed, and Jeroboam's dynasty would be terminated.

The third vision is dramatized and justified by an explanatory narrative. It recounts an encounter between Amos and Amaziah, the priest at Bethel, and shows that Israel's royal house and religious establishment had rejected God's word. The issue was who had authority at Bethel: Jeroboam, Amaziah, Amos, or God? Amaziah accused Amos of treason, disregarding his claims to be speaking on divine authority. He regarded Amos as a personal and political enemy of the state and of the religious establishment. It is relatively common for the establishment to charge that those confronting them with God's word are "politically" motivated, only interested in power and personal gain. Amaziah might have been surprised to hear Amos praying for Israel in 7:2,5.

The fourth vision of Israel's end is also followed by an explanation that Israel's lack of justice was the reason they were about to meet their end. This day will be a time of terror and great sorrow, for Israel will be abandoned by God.

In the final (and climactic) vision Amos saw the Lord standing beside this counterfeit altar of the counterfeit religion that was propping up the counterfeit kingdom of Jeroboam (see 1 Kgs. 12:25-13:3). He appeared holding a sword as did the "commander of the Lord's army" that Joshua encountered (Josh. 5:13-15). But the enemy against whom He was about to take vengeance was His own people, Israel, who were using a cloak of religion to hide a lifestyle of wickedness.

Concluding this section is a final doxology and judgment oracle. As in the previous doxologies (4:13; 5:8-9), this one defines more exactly and with terror the One just described who is coming in judgment. The point of the final judgment oracle is that Israel was no different from the other nations in one respect—that God would not tolerate their unrighteousness.

Prophecy of Restoration (9:11-15)

This final salvation oracle collects and combines earlier trickles and streams of redemptive clues and messages (3:12; 4:6-12; 5:3,4,6,14-15; 7:1-6; 9:8-9) into a great river of celebration. "David's fallen tent" refers to the kingdom promised to David that had suffered years of disobedience and judgment (see 2 Sam. 7:5-16; Isa. 1:8-9; 9:6-7; 16:5; Jer. 23:5; 33:15-17; Ezek. 34:23-24; 37:24-25; Hos. 3:5; Zech. 12:8-13:1; Luke 1:32). A reuniting of Northern and Southern Kingdoms is implied.

"Possess the remnant of Edom" means that the Gentiles (represented by Israel's archenemy, Edom) will be included in God's people. James makes this point from the verse in Acts 15:7-12 (although citing the Septuagint). He applies this eschatological passage to the present, showing that what will ultimately be completely fulfilled in the future has begun to be fulfilled even now (see Acts 15:13-19).

Theological and Ethical Significance. The Book of Amos speaks to at least four major issues:

1. God's relationship to the world. Not just believers but the entire world is accountable to God. How should a Christian regard the rampant violence, hatred, greed, injustice, and sexual promiscuity in the world? Not with fear and anxiety, because we know of God's sovereign supervision. Not with disdain or arrogance, because we know we stand only by God's grace. Not with callousness or disregard, because we know how God despises all evil.

2. God's relationship to His people. If God despises sin among unbelievers, how much more does He hate it in His people? He especially hates acts of worship that are only covers for lives of wickedness.

3. The nature of God. Biblical faith may be regarded as "the tension between opposite feelings of fear and longing; at its highest level religion is love accompanied by a humble sense of inferiority, reverent trust in an immensely powerful and fearful deity, who is at the same time just and benevolent" (R. H. Pfeiffer). The God of Amos and of the Bible maintains perfect righteousness with perfect love. He must be approached with fear and humility but also with confidence and devotion.

4. The future. God has assured us that not only do believers in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, have a future, but also the world has a future. Sin will not be allowed to destroy ultimately what God has created, but God's redemptive power will prevail.

Questions for Reflection

1. What really pleases God? Are our religious priorities God's priorities?
2. What does Amos teach about the responsibilities of nations before God? How is our nation unjust? How can we work to change it?
3. How just are we in our day-to-day dealings with others?

Sources for Additional Study

Cohen, G. G. and H. R. Vandermey. Hosea/Joel. Chicago: Moody, 1981.

Finley, T. J. Joel, Amos, Obadiah. Chicago: Moody, 1990.

Hubbard, D. A. Joel & Amos: An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1989.

Motyer, J. A. The Day of the Lion: The Message of Amos. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1974.

Smith, B. K. and F. S. Page. Amos, Obadiah, Jonah. New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1995.

Smith, G. V. Amos: A Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1989.