B. A vision of the glorious kingdom— sins of both nations were eroding the religious and

B. A vision of the glorious kingdom— sins of both nations were eroding the religious and

G e n e s i s E x o d u s L e v i t i c u s N u m b e r s D e u t e r o n o m y J o s h u a J u d g e s R u t h

J o n a h M i c a h N a h u m H a b a k k u k Z e p h a n i a h H a g g a i Z e c h a r i a h M a l a c h i

1 S a m u e l 2 S a m u e l 1 K i n g s 2 K i n g s 1 C h r o n i c l e s 2 C h r o n i c l e s E z r a N e h e m i a h

E s t h e r J o b P s a l m s P r o v e r b s E c c l e s i a s t e s S o n g o f

J e r e m i a h L a m e n t a t i o n s E z e k i e l D a n i e l H o s e a J o e l A m o s O b a d i a h

OUTLINE Key theme: A call for justice, a warning of judgments Key verse: Amos 5:24

CONTENTS

Amos 1—2:16 1416 The Lion Roars!

Amos 3:1–15 1419 Listen to What God Says

I. LOOK AROUND AND SEE GOD'S JUDGMENT (1—2)

Amos 4:1–13 1422 Sins in Good Standing

Eight nations judged A. Six Gentile nations condemned—1:1—2:3 B. Judah condemned—2:4–5 C. Israel condemned—2:6–16

Amos 5:1–17 1425 How to Avoid the Storm

Amos 5:18—6:14 1429 "Woe to the Sinners!"

II. LOOK WITHIN AND SEE THE CORRUPTION

(3—6)

Amos 7:1—9:15 1432 Stop—Look—Listen!

Three sermons to the people of Israel A. Message #1: Israel's judgment certain—

3:1–15 B. Message #2: Israel's sins denounced—

Amos in His Time Amos ("burden bearer") was a herdsman and a cultivator of sycamore trees (Amos 1:1; 7:14) when the Lord called him to be a prophet. He lived in the village of Tekoa, about eleven miles from Jerusalem, during the reigns of Uzziah in Judah (790–740 BC) and Jeroboam II in the northern kingdom of Israel (793–753). Amos was a "layman," a humble farmer and shepherd who was not an official member of the Jewish religious or political establishment.

4:1–13 C. Message #3: Israel's doom lamented—

5:1—6:14

III. LOOK AHEAD AND SEE THE END COMING

(7—9) A. Five visions of judgment—7:1—9:10

1. The locusts—7:1–3 2. The fire—7:4–6 3. The plumb line—7:7–9 Historical interlude: Amos at Bethel— 7:10–17 4. The basket of summer fruit—8:1–14 5. The ruined temple—9:1–10 B. A vision of the glorious kingdom—

At this time, both Judah and Israel were enjoying prosperity and security. Luxury abounded (3:10–15; 5:1–6), and "religion" was popular. Israel flocked to the royal chapel at Bethel (4:4–5), and Judah celebrated the feasts enthusiastically (5:21–22), but the sins of both nations were eroding the religious and moral fiber of the people. Making money was more important than worshipping God (8:5); the rich exploited the poor, the judicial system was corrupt, and injustice flourished (5:11–15, 24; 8:4–6).

9:11–15

Amos 1

Syria, one of the Jews' persistent enemies. Amos denounced the Syrians for their inhuman treatment of the Israelites who lived in Gilead, east of the Jordan River. They cruelly "threshed them" as though they were nothing but stalks of grain. God had called the Syrians to punish Israel (2 Kings 10:32–33; 13:1–9), but the Syrians had carried it too far.

CHAPTER ONE Amos 1—2:16 THE LION ROARS! I f the prophet Amos were to come to our world today, he would probably feel very much at home; for he lived at a time such as ours when society was changing radically. Both Israel and Judah were at peace with their neighbors, which meant that their wealth and energy could be used for developing their nations instead of fighting their enemies. Both kingdoms were prosperous; their cities were expanding rapidly; and a new wealthy merchant class was developing in society. The two kingdoms were moving from an agricultural to a commercial society and experiencing both the benefits and problems that come with that change.

The man who began his prayer with "Lord, no doubt You saw in the morning newspaper …" was stating a great truth in a clumsy way: God sees how the nations treat one another, and He responds appropriately. Benjamin Franklin said it well at the Constitutional Convention: "I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men."3

The phrase "I will send a fire" (Amos 1:4, 7, 10, 12, 14; 2:2, 5) means "I will send judgment"; for fire represents the holiness and judgment of God (Deut. 4:11, 24, 36; Heb. 12:29). Indeed, the Lord did judge Syria: the dynasty of King Hazael ended; his son Ben-Hadad was defeated; Damascus lost its power (business was done at the city gate, Amos 1:5); and "the house of Eden" (delight, paradise) became a ruin. King Josiah defeated Ben-Hadad three times (2 Kings 13:25), but it was the Assyrians who finally subdued Syria and took them into captivity.

However, in spite of their material success, all was not well with God's chosen people. They were experiencing what the British poet Oliver Goldsmith wrote about back in 1770:

Ill fares the land, to hast'ning ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates, and men decay …1

Philistia (vv. 6–8). Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron were the five key Philistine cities (Josh. 13:3), and Amos denounced all of them for trading in human lives.4 They raided Jewish villages and captured people to be sold as slaves. To add insult to injury, the Philistines sold these slaves to Israel's ancient enemy, the Edomites. Since Edom was descended from Esau, Jacob's brother, it was a case of brother enslaving brother. (God had something to say to Edom in Amos 1:11–12.) Throughout the history of ancient Israel, slavery was practiced, but the law of Moses clearly governed how the slaves were treated. The law that permitted slavery at the same time protected the slaves. However, it was one thing to put a prisoner of war to work and quite something else to kidnap innocent people and sell them like cattle. Neither Jesus nor the apostles openly denounced slavery, but they made it clear that all people are sinners whom God loves and that all saved people are one and equal in Christ (Gal. 3:26–29). It took centuries for the light of the gospel to dispel the darkness and make slavery illegal, although there are still places in our world where people are abused and exploited.

There were ills aplenty in all the lands of that day, the Gentile nations as well as the Jewish kingdoms of Israel and Judah; and Amos wasn't afraid to name them. He opened his book with a denunciation of the sins of six Gentile nations, and no doubt the people of Israel and Judah applauded his words. Nothing would make the Jews happier than to see the Lord judge the surrounding nations. But when Amos denounced Judah and Israel, that was a different story; and his popularity began to suffer at that point.

I. Look around and see God's judgment (1—2) Eight nations judged A.Six Gentile nations condemned—1:1—2:3

Judgment on the Gentile Nations (1:2–2:3)2 God wanted to get the nations' attention, but people weren't listening. You'd think they could hear a lion roar or the thunder roll and know that danger was at hand. God was speaking ("thundering") from Jerusalem, for judgment always begins at the house of the Lord (1 Peter 4:17). He had sent drought to the land so that even fruitful Carmel was withering, but it didn't bring the people to their knees. So God called a common farmer to preach to His people and warn them. "A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy?" (Amos 3:8 nkjv).

God's judgment on Philistia came in the days of King Uzziah (2 Kings 18:7–8) and the Assyrian invaders under Sargon and the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar. The slave masters were themselves taken into exile and slavery.

Eight times Amos used the phrase "for three transgressions and for four," a Jewish idiom that means "an indefinite number that has finally come to the end." God is longsuffering with sinners (2 Peter 3:9), but He marks what they do and His patience eventually runs out. To try God's patience is to tempt the Lord; and when we tempt the Lord, we invite judgment.

Tyre (vv. 9–10). Amos has moved from Damascus in the northeast to the Philistine cities in the southwest, and now he sets his sights straight north on Phoenicia and its major city, Tyre.

Syria (vv. 3–15). Damascus was the capital of

Amos 1—2 ually and his fury flamed unchecked" (Amos 1:11 niv). We don't know when the Edomites aided the enemy by pursuing the Jews with the sword. It could have been during any one of the numerous times when enemies invaded the land. When the Babylonians attacked and captured Jerusalem, the Edomites assisted the enemy and gave vent to their anger (Obad. 10–14; see Ps. 137:7). You would think that brother would help brother in a time of need, but the Edomites "cast off all pity" (Amos 1:11) and acted like beasts instead of humans. The phrase "his anger did tear" (v.11) uses a verb that describes ferocious beasts tearing their prey (Ps. 7:2; Gen. 37:33).

During the reigns of David and Solomon, Israel had a warm relationship with the people of Tyre (1 Kings 5:1ff.). Amos called it "the brotherly covenant" ("treaty of brotherhood" niv), suggesting that the "covenant" was more than a treaty but involved a friendly partnership that went deeper than politics. Even if the peoples of different nations don't agree in their religious practices or their political structures, they can still treat one another like fellow human beings.

Tyre, however, committed the same sins as the Philistine cities by selling Jewish captives to the Edomites as slaves (Amos 1:6–8). When the prophet Ezekiel gave his funeral dirge celebrating the fall of Tyre, he mentioned this grievous sin (Ezek. 27:13). But Tyre's sin was worse than that of Philistia because Tyre was violating a long-standing compact that was based on friendship and mutual respect for humanity. Tyre was selling its friends as slaves!

Temen and Bozrah were strong cities that today don't exist. The Edomites lived "in the clefts of the rock" and had their "nest among the stars" (Obad. 3–4), boasting that their fortresses were impregnable; but the Lord destroyed their nation so thoroughly that nothing is left today except ruins. When the Romans attacked Jerusalem in AD 70, they destroyed what was left of the Edomite (Idumean) people, and Edom was no more.

Judgment came in 332 BC when Alexander the Great wiped Tyre off the face of the earth and left it a place for drying nets (26:5, 14). "Though the mills of God grind slowly / yet they grind exceeding small."5 When Rudyard Kipling published his poem "Recessional" during Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897, he used Tyre as a warning to any people who rebel against the will of God and mistreat men and women created in the image of God.

Ammon (vv. 13–15). The Ammonites and Moabites (2:1–3) were the descendants of Lot through his incestuous union with his daughters (Gen. 19:30–38). They were a ruthless people who were the avowed enemies of the Jews (Deut. 23:3–6; 1 Sam. 11:2; Neh. 2:10–19; Jer. 40:14; 41:5–7). In order to enlarge their land, they invaded Gilead; and not satisfied with attacking the men defending their homeland, the Ammonites killed women and unborn children (see 2 Kings 8:12; 15:16). To the Ammonites, land was more important than people, including defenseless women and innocent children. Such brutality shocks us, but is "modern warfare" any kinder?

Far-called our navies melt away— On dune and headland sinks the fire— Lo, all our pomp of yesterday— Are one with Nineveh and Tyre!

Edom (vv. 11–12). The Edomites nursed a longstanding grudge against the Jews, perpetuating the ancient rivalry between Jacob and Esau, which began before the twin boys were born (Gen. 25:21–26). In His sovereign will, God had chosen the younger brother, Jacob, to receive the blessings of the birthright and the Abrahamic covenant (Mal. 1:2–3; Rom. 9:6–13). Esau despised his spiritual heritage and willingly sold his birthright to Jacob (Gen. 25:29–34; Heb. 12:14–17); but because Jacob cheated him out of the patriarchal blessing (Gen. 27), Esau vowed to kill Jacob. Later they were briefly reconciled, but the enmity continued (33:1–17). As far as the biblical record is concerned, their final meeting was at a funeral, where they buried their father but did not bury their bitterness (35:27–29).

Amos announced that a storm of judgment would come to the people of Ammon and that their capital city (Rabbah) would be destroyed. This took place when the Assyrians swept over the land in 734 BC. Not only did Amos predict the destruction of their land, but so did Ezekiel (25:1–7). The chief god of Edom was Molech (Malcham, Milcom), which means "reigning one, king." Amos 1:15 could be translated, "Molech will go into exile," thus showing the inability of their god to save them.

Moab (vv. 1–3). Animosity between Moab and Israel began very early, when the Moabites refused to give the Jews passage on the major highway (Deut. 23:3–4; Judg. 11:17). The king of Moab also hired Balaam to curse Israel (Num. 22—24), and then the Moabite women seduced the Jewish men to commit fornication and idolatry (Num. 25). During the period of the judges, Israel was subject to the Moabites for eighteen years (Judg. 3:12–30).

The Edomites would not allow their Jewish cousins to pass through their land during Israel's march to Canaan (Num. 20:14–21). King Saul suppressed the Edomite army (1 Sam. 14:47), and David conquered them (2 Sam. 8:14), but in the days of King Jehoram, Edom revolted against Judah and won their freedom (2 Kings 8:16–22).

What was the sin of Moab? Disrespect for the dead and for royalty. We don't know which king's remains were subjected to this humiliation, but the deed disgraced the memory of the king and humiliated the people of Edom. How would Americans feel if some-

Amos condemned the Edomites for their persistent hatred of the Jews, "… because his anger raged contin-

Amos 2

God had frequently punished His people in their land by allowing various nations to attack and subdue them, but now He would punish them out of their land. The Babylonian army would destroy Jerusalem and take thousands of captives to Babylon where they would live in the midst of gross idolatry for seventy years. However, unlike the six Gentile nations Amos had denounced, Judah would not be destroyed but would be spared. In His mercy, God would allow a remnant of Jews to return to establish the nation and rebuild the temple.

body disinterred John F. Kennedy's body and mistreated it? Or what would the British people do if the body of a famous person were stolen from Westminster Abbey and publicly abused?

For the most part, society today shows respect for the dead, but ancient Eastern peoples protected their dead even more. Steeped in pagan superstition, they interred bodies carefully to ensure the spirit's continued existence in the next world. Relatives of the deceased often inscribed frightful curses on the tombs, warning people to refrain from opening them.6

"I don't know why you preach about the sins of Christians," a church member said to the pastor. "After all, the sins of Christians are different from the sins of unsaved people."

Amos announced that the king of Moab and his officials were all guilty and would be destroyed, along with their cities.7 Moab was taken by the Assyrians, and the land eventually became the home of numerous nomadic tribes. The nation of Moab was no more. (For other prophecies of Moab's doom, see Isa. 15—16; Jer. 48; Ezek. 25:8–11; Zeph. 2:8–11.) Before we listen to God's messages to Judah and Israel, we should pause to reflect on the messages we have just studied that were delivered to six Gentile nations. God expected these Gentiles to listen to a Jewish prophet and heed what he said! Though not under the Mosaic law, these nations were responsible to God for what they did; and responsibility brings accountability. God sees what the nations do, and He judges them accordingly. World news from day to day may give the impression that evil leaders and violent subversive groups are getting away with terrible crimes, but God is still on the throne and will punish evildoers in His good time. It is God who controls the rise and fall of the nations (Acts 17:24–28), and His judgments are always just.

"Yes," replied the pastor, "they're worse!"

Judgment on the Kingdom of Israel (2:6–16) Both Israel and Judah were enjoying peace and prosperity, and divine judgment was the furthest thing from their minds. Remember, Jewish theology equated prosperity with God's blessing;8 and as long as the people were enjoying "the good life," they were sure God was pleased with them. They knew what the law said about their sins, but they chose to ignore the warnings.

B.Judah condemned—2:4–5 C.Israel condemned—2:6–16

Amos first exposes their sinful present and names three flagrant sins. To begin with, the people of the northern kingdom were guilty of injustice (Amos 2:6–7). Supported by corrupt judges, the rich were suing the poor, who couldn't pay their bills, and forcing them into servitude and slavery. Even if they couldn't pay for a pair of shoes, the poor were neither forgiven nor assisted. Instead, they were trampled like the dust of the earth. As we shall see in our continued studies, the prophet Amos has a great deal to say about caring for the poor (see 4:1; 5:11; 8:6; also Deut. 15:7–11; Ex. 23:6–9; Prov. 14:31; 17:15). Their second gross sin was immorality (Amos 2:7b), with fathers and sons visiting the same prostitute! These may have been "cult prostitutes" who were a part of the heathen idolatrous worship. Thus there was a double sin involved: immorality and idolatry. Or the girl may have been a household servant or a common prostitute. You would think that a father would want to be a better example to his son by obeying the law of Moses (Ex. 22:16; Deut. 22:28–29; 23:17–18). Perhaps what's described here is a form of incest, which was, of course, strictly forbidden by Moses (Lev. 18:7–8, 15; 20:11–12). Regardless of what the act of disobedience was, it was rebellion against God and defiled His holy name.

Judgment on the Kingdom of Judah (2:4–5) In his six messages, Amos had announced judgment to the nations surrounding Israel and Judah, starting with Syria in the northwest and ending with the transJordanic nations of Ammon, Moab, and Edom. (There's probably a map of the divided kingdom in the back of your Bible.) As his fellow Jews heard these denunciations of the Gentiles, no doubt they applauded and wanted to hear more. But when Amos focused on Israel and Judah (his own land), that changed their attitude completely. The very idea of a Jewish prophet classifying God's chosen people with the Gentile "dogs"! "We know we aren't a perfect people," the people of Judah would argue, "but at least we worship the true and living God!"

Yes, the temple was filled with people bringing their sacrifices, but Judah was a nation given over to idolatry. "Their lies [idols] lead them astray, lies which their fathers followed" (2:4 nkjv). They were wandering like lost animals and like drunken men. The Gentiles had sinned against conscience and the laws of brotherhood and humanity, but the Jews had despised and rejected the very laws of God, given to them by Moses. Theirs was the greater sin, for greater privilege always brings greater responsibility (Rom. 2:17—3:9).

The third sin was open idolatry (Amos 2:8). Wealthy men took their debtors' garments as pledges but did not return them at sundown as the law commanded (Ex. 22:26–27; Deut. 24:10–13, 17). Instead, these rich sinners visited pagan altars, where they got drunk on wine purchased with the fines they exacted from the poor. Then, in their drunken stupor, they slept by the altars on other people's garments, defiling the garments

Amos 2—3 and disobeying the law. The officials were getting rich by exploiting the people, and then were using their unjust gain for committing sin.

3 See Miracle at Philadelphia by Catherine Drinker Bowen (Boston: Little, Brown, 1966), 126. While there is no evidence that Franklin was an evangelical Christian, he was indeed a God-fearing man. 4 Amos did not mention Gath because by that time it had lost its prominence and had been subjected to Jewish authority (2 Chron. 26:6; see also Zeph. 2:4–5; Zech. 9:56). 5 Though the statement is anonymous, it is usually attributed to the German author Friedrich von Logau, whose writings were translated into English by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Von Logau found it quoted in a book by the second-century Greek philosopher Sextus Empiricus. 6 Shakespeare had inscribed on his gravestone

After describing their sinful present, Amos reminded them of their glorious past (Amos 2:9–12). God had led His people out of Egypt (v. 10a), cared for them in the wilderness (v. 10b), and destroyed other nations so the Jews could claim their inheritance in Canaan (vv. 9, 10c). He gave them His Word through chosen prophets (v. 11a), and He raised up dedicated people like the Nazarites (Num. 6) to be examples of devotion to God. What a glorious past they had! But instead of being humbled by these blessings, the people rebelled against the Lord by rejecting the messages of the prophets and forcing the Nazarites to break their holy vows. The Jews wanted neither the Word of God nor examples of godly living.

Good friend, for Jesu's sake forbear To dig the dust enclosed here. Blest be the man that spares these stones, And curst be he that moves my bones.

Amos closed his message with the announcement of their terrible future (Amos 2:13–16). Israel would be crushed by their own sins just as a loaded cart crushes whatever it rolls over. Judgment is coming, and nobody will be able to escape. The swift won't be able to run away; the strong won't be able to defend themselves; the armed will be as if unarmed; and even the horsemen will be unable to flee. The bravest soldiers will run away while shedding their equipment and clothing so they can run faster. Yes, Assyria would invade Israel (720 BC) and the nation would be no more.

7 "Kerioth" (Amos 2:2) can also be translated "of her cities" (niv margin), but it's likely Kerioth is the name of a Moabite city, possibly the capital city of the nation. Kerioth of Moab is mentioned in Jeremiah 48:24 and 41. There was also a Kerioth in Judah (Josh. 15:25), and it's possible that Judas Iscariot ("ish Kerioth" = man of Kerioth) came from there. 8 Under the Mosaic covenant, God promised to bless His people if they obeyed His law but to remove His blessing if they disobeyed (Deut. 27—29). However, the people forgot that God often blessed them in spite of their sins so that He might be faithful to His promises to Abraham and David. In His love and longsuffering, God sent them messengers to call them back to obedience; but they refused to listen. "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil" (Eccl. 8:11).

Amos has looked around with eyes gifted with prophetic insight, and he has seen and announced what God would do to six Gentile nations and to the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. The lion has roared! Next, the prophet will look within and expose the corruption in the hearts of the Jewish people by explaining four divine calls.

But before we examine these four calls, we need to pause and ask ourselves whether we truly fear God and seek to obey His will. Just because we enjoy a measure of peace and prosperity, it doesn't mean God is pleased with us. For that matter, the goodness of God ought to lead us to repentance, as it did the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:17; Rom. 2:4). "'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. And again, 'The Lord will judge His people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:30–31 nkjv).

CHAPTER TWO Amos 3:1–15 LISTEN TO WHAT GOD SAYS N ow that Amos had the attention of the people, he proceeded to deliver three messages, each of which begins with "Hear this word" (3:1; 4:1; 5:1). By using this phrase, he reminded them that they weren't listening to a mere man making a speech; they were listening to a prophet declaring the living word of God.

II. Look within and see the corruption (3—6)

However, we can still claim the promises of 2 Chronicles 7:14 and 1 John 1:9 and experience the forgiveness of the Lord.

It's indeed a great privilege to have God speak to us, but it's also a great responsibility. If we don't open our hearts to hear His Word and obey Him, we're in grave danger of hardening our hearts and incurring the wrath of God. "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts" (Heb. 3:7–8 nkjv; see Ps. 95:7–11). The first message (Amos 3:1–15) was one of explanation, in which Amos clarified four divine calls and announced that Israel's judgment was certain. His second message (4:1–13) focused on accusation in which

Notes

1 "The Deserted Village" by Oliver Goldsmith, lines 51 and 52. 2 How could Amos rightfully announce judgment to the Gentile nations that had never been given the law of God? On the basis of natural law and conscience (Rom. 1:18—2:16). When humans brutally sin against each other, they sin against God; for humans are made in the image of God. When Amos denounced the Jews, he appealed to the law of God as well (Amos 2:4).

Amos 3

The doctrine of divine election is not an excuse for sin; rather it is intended to motivate us to holy living. We should be so humbled by His grace and so amazed at His love (1 John 3:1–2) that our hearts would want to do nothing other than worship and serve Him. Privilege always brings with it responsibility (Eph. 1:3–5; John 15:16; 1 Peter 2:4–5, 9). "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required" (Luke 12:48 nkjv).

the prophet denounced Israel's sins. The final message (5:1—6:14) was a lamentation as the prophet felt the anguish of his nation's certain doom.

In this first message, Amos explains the significance of four divine calls.

God Called Israel (3:1–2) This message was delivered to "the whole family," that is, to both Israel and Judah; for both kingdoms were guilty of disobeying God's holy law. Amos reminded them of their divine calling as the people of God, a calling that they were prone to despise and forget.

As God's chosen people, we're to live worthy of our calling (Eph. 4:1) and not follow the practices of the unsaved world (v. 17). This means living in love (5:2), in wisdom (v. 15), and in the Spirit (v. 18). To do anything less is to live beneath our high calling and the privileges we have as the children of God.

What kind of a calling did God give to the Jewish nation? To begin with, it was a gracious call; for the Lord had chosen them and no other nation to be the special recipients of His bountiful gifts. "For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers" (Deut. 7:6–8 nkjv; see Ex. 19:1–5).

Three sermons to the people of Israel A.Message #1: Israel's judgment certain—3:1–15

God Called Amos (3:3–8) At this point, the people were probably saying, "Who is this rustic farmer that he should preach to us and claim to be God's prophet? What kind of authority does he think he has?" Amos even dared to preach uninvited at the king's chapel at Bethel, where King Jeroboam's chaplain told Amos to go home and preach in Judah (7:10–16).

No doubt when D. L. Moody began to preach, some people said, "What can this uneducated shoe salesman say to us?" And when Billy Sunday began to hold evangelistic campaigns, it's likely that the sophisticated religious crowd asked, "What can this former baseball player teach us?" But God used Moody and Sunday, not in spite of their humble background, but because of it; for He delights to bypass the "wise and prudent" and share His power with "babes" (Luke 10:21). Amos replied to their ridicule by arguing from effect to cause. If two people want to walk together, they have to appoint a time and place to meet (Amos 3:3). If the lion roars, it's because he's caught his prey (v. 4). If a trap springs, it means the bird has been caught (v. 5); and if the people in a city are terrified, it's because the trumpet has blown, warning them of danger (v. 6). These are obvious facts of life that any thinking person would acknowledge.

This principle of gracious election also applies to the church. Jesus said, "You did not choose me, but I chose you" (John 15:16 niv); and Paul reminded the Corinthian believers that "not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called"; but that God chose the foolish, the weak, the base, and the despised "that no flesh should glory in his presence" (1 Cor. 1:26, 29). God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4), and it was purely an act of grace.

God's call was also an effective call (Amos 3:1b), for the Lord had demonstrated His great power in delivering Israel from the bondage of Egypt. The blood of the Passover lamb protected the Jews from death, and they were taken through the Red Sea to be separated from Egypt forever. Christians today have been saved by the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18–19; 2:24) and separated from the world because of His mighty resurrection (Eph. 1:19–23).

Now for the final thrust: if an untrained rustic farmer is preaching God's Word, it means God has called him. This isn't a vocation Amos would have chosen for himself; it was chosen for him by the Lord. Amos said, "I was neither a prophet nor a prophet's son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel'" (7:14–15 niv).

Third, their calling was an exclusive call (Amos 3:2a). "You only have I chosen [known, kjv] of all the families of the earth" (niv). The word known indicates an intimate relationship, such as that of husband and wife (Gen. 4:1). "To know" means "to choose" (see 18:19; Jer. 1:5; 2:2–3), a term Paul applies to Christian believers (Rom. 8:29). Because they were exclusively the Lord's, God did for Israel what He did for no other nation (9:4–5).

When a prophet proclaims God's Word, it's because the Lord is about to do something important and wants to warn His people (3:7). Review the images Amos used in verses 3–6, and you will see what kind of work God called Amos to do. Because he was walking with God, he knew God's secrets. "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will

Finally, it was a calling that involved responsibility (Amos 3:2b). Because He had chosen them, called them, and blessed them, the people of Israel and Judah were responsible to love God and obey Him. If they didn't, God was responsible to chasten them in love and seek to bring them back to Himself.

Amos 3 was embarrassed before the king of Gath (1 Sam. 21:10–15). David's adultery with Bathsheba gave "great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme" (2 Sam. 12:14). In the late 1980s, the media ministry scandals brought great shame to the church; and whenever a prominent servant of God falls into sin, the news media seem to enjoy telling the story.

show them his covenant" (Ps. 25:14). The lion was roaring. "A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy?" (Amos 3:8 nkjv) God was about to spring the trap: Israel would be wiped out by the Assyrians, and Judah would go into exile in Babylon. Amos was blowing the trumpet and preparing the people for the judgment to come.1

Amos called for the Philistines ("Ashdod," Amos 1:8) and the Egyptians to witness what was going on in Samaria (v. 9). The leaders of Israel weren't interested in obeying God's law and helping the less fortunate. Rather, they were eagerly and unjustly robbing the poor and amassing as much wealth as possible. They built costly houses, filled them with expensive furnishings, and lived in luxury, while the poor of the land suffered (3:15; 4:1; 5:11; 6:4–6).

Amos clearly made his point. It was no accident of vocational choice that he was proclaiming God's message, for God had called him. And it was no accident of international diplomacy that Israel and Judah were facing judgment, for they had sinned against God. For every effect there is a cause. What caused Amos to preach God's Word? The call of God on his life.

Bible history and church history both reveal that God can and does use a variety of people to minister to His people. He used an educated man like Moses, and a humble shepherd like David, a priest like Jeremiah, and common fishermen like Peter, James, and John. Both Charles Finney and C. I. Scofield were trained to be lawyers, while John Bunyan was a mender of pots and pans, and D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones was a physician. Add to this the names of dedicated women God has greatly used—Catherine Booth, "mother" of the Salvation Army; Amy Carmichael, rescuer of abused children; Lina Sandell, Fanny Crosby, and Avis B. Christiansen, composers of beautiful hymns and gospel songs—and you can see that God calls, equips, and uses all who will surrender to Him and let Him have His way.

The law of Moses made it clear that the nation was to care for the widows and orphans, the poor and the strangers in the land (see Ex. 22:25–27; 23:11; Lev. 19:9–15; 25:6; Deut. 14:28–29; 15:12–13; 16:11–14). Amos wasn't the only Hebrew prophet to accuse the rich of exploiting the poor and ignoring the needy, for you find similar messages in Isaiah (1:23; 10:1–2), Ezekiel (chap. 34), Micah (2:1–2), and Malachi (3:5).

What a terrible indictment: "They do not know how to do right" (Amos 3:10 niv). They were so bound by their greed and idolatry that it was impossible for them to do what was right. Like many people today, they were addicted to affluence. They didn't care that others lacked the necessities of life so long as they themselves enjoyed luxuries. No wonder there was unrest in the land, for the possession of wealth never satisfied the hungers of the heart. "To pretend to satisfy one's desires by possessions," says a Chinese proverb, "is like using a straw to put out a fire."

Amos is an encouragement to all believers who feel they are inadequate to do the work of the Lord. He was a layman, not a graduate of a prophetic school. He learned spiritual truth as he communed with God while caring for the flocks and orchards. Self-taught? Yes, but he was God-taught; and he was willing to share with others what God had said to him. Robert Murray M'Cheyne wrote, "It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus." This is not to minimize the importance of either talent or education, but to remind us that neither can be a substitute for heeding God's call and walking in communion with Him. Jesus said, "Apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5 niv).

Even more tragic than their greed was their arrogance. They lived in fortresses so they and their possessions were safe. Like the farmer in one of our Lord's parables (Luke 12:12–21), they thought they were safe and secure, but they discovered that their wealth couldn't stop death from coming. The attitude of the church of Laodicea is prevalent among God's people today: "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing" (Rev. 3:17).

God Calls Witnesses (3:9–10) In his day, the prophet Isaiah called heaven and earth to witness against Judah (Isa. 1:2; see Deut. 30:19; 31:28); and Amos summoned the Gentile nations to witness against the northern kingdom of Israel whose capital was Samaria. The sin of Israel was so great that it even appalled the pagan nations; for, after all, Israel was sinning against a flood of light (1 Cor. 5:1).

God Calls for Judgment (3:11–15) Amos announced that the kingdom of Israel would fall to an enemy and the great city of Samaria would be plundered. This happened in 722 BC when the Assyrians invaded Israel. The people of Israel had plundered one another, but now a pagan Gentile nation would plunder them. We reap what we sow.

To illustrate what would happen to Israel, Amos borrowed from his experiences as a shepherd. According to Exodus 22:10–13, if a lion takes a sheep and tears it to pieces, the shepherd had to bring the remnants of the sheep to prove that it was truly dead (see Gen. 31:39). This would assure the owner of the

It's tragic and humiliating when the unsaved world catches professed Christians in their sins. It happened to Abraham twice when he lied to heathen kings about his wife Sarah (Gen. 12:10–20; 20:1ff.). Samson was shamed before the Philistines (Judg. 16), and David

Amos 3—4

This isn't the end; Amos has two more messages to deliver.

flock that the shepherd wasn't stealing the sheep and lying to his employer. By the time Assyria was through with Israel, only a small remnant of the people would be left. The lion was about to roar (Amos 1:2; 3:8)!

Notes

According to 2 Kings 17:5ff., the Assyrians killed some Israelites, took others captive, and then brought into the land captives from other nations, thus producing a people with diverse racial and religious backgrounds. The surviving Jews in the ten tribes of the northern kingdom married people who were not Jews, and this produced the people we know as Samaritans. The "pure" Jews rejected this new "mongrel race" (John 4:9); so the Samaritans set up their own temple and priesthood and established their own religion, which the Lord rejected (vv. 19–24).

1 Note in Numbers 10 that trumpets were used to warn the people of danger, especially impending invasion.

CHAPTER THREE Amos 4:1–13 SINS IN GOOD STANDING I

B.Message #2: Israel's sins denounced—4:1–13 accompanied a pastor friend to hear a well-known preacher, who was visiting the United States. His message was powerful as he named the sins that he felt were destroying our nation.

Amos made it clear that the invasion of the Assyrians was a work of God, for He was punishing Israel for her sins (Amos 3:14). Why? Because of their selfish luxury and their impudent idolatry. The people resting on their ivory beds in their expensive mansions would be stripped and led off as prisoners of war. The wealthy who had both summer and winter houses would have no houses.

As we were driving home after the meeting, my friend said, "Well, I must admit that he preached a great message, and it spoke to my heart. But I don't like it when visitors from other countries point out the sins of Americans. There's probably just as much sin back home in their own countries."

I disagree. After all, God has the right to use whatever servant He chooses to deliver His message wherever He pleases. But I'm sure the people in the kingdom of Israel must have felt the same way as my pastor friend when they heard Amos, a native of Judah, condemning the sins that were destroying Israel. No wonder Amaziah, the priest, told him to go home to Judah (7:12–13)!

When the Jewish kingdom was divided after the death of Solomon (1 Kings 12), King Jeroboam of Israel didn't want his people going to Jerusalem to worship, lest they go to Judah and never return to Israel. So he established shrines with golden calves at Dan and Bethel, set up his own priesthood, and encouraged the people to worship in Israel. Contrary to the law of Moses, the kings also allowed the people to visit local shrines, where it was more convenient to worship whatever god they chose.

In this second message, the prophet Amos named three particular sins that were grieving the Lord and ruining the kingdom of Israel: luxury (4:1–3), hypocrisy (vv. 4–5), and obstinacy (vv. 6–13). They had the wrong values; their religious "revival" was a sham; and they had refused to listen to the warnings God had given them.

Amos announced that the Lord would destroy the royal chapel at Bethel (Amos 7:13); Israel's entire manmade religious system would be demolished. Nobody would be able to lay hold of the horns of the altar and claim protection (1 Kings 1:50–53), for the horns would be cut off.

Luxury (4:1–3) "Most of the luxuries and many of the so-called comforts of life are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind." So wrote Henry David Thoreau in his classic book Walden; and his friend Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in his own journal, "Our expense is almost all for conformity. It is for cake that we all run in debt."1 Let's seek to answer some questions about luxury.

For two centuries, God in His longsuffering had tolerated the people of the northern kingdom as they participated in their idolatrous rival religious system, but now it would come to an end. Instead of turning to God, however, the remnant in the land would set up another man-made religious system that the Lord would also reject. It would not be until the days of Christ (John 4) and the apostolic church (Acts 8) that the ancient division between Judah and Israel (Samaria) would be healed.

What is luxury? The word luxury comes from a Latin word that means "excessive." It originally referred to plants that grow abundantly (our English word luxurious), but then it came to refer to people who have an abundance of money, time, and comfort, which they use for themselves as they live in aimless leisure. Whenever you are offered "deluxe service," that's the same Latin word: service above and beyond what you really need.

Like Israel of old, nations today measure themselves by their wealth; and the gross national product becomes the indicator of security and success. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer as people worship the golden calf of money and greedily exploit one another. But it doesn't take long for God to wipe out the idols that people worship and the unnecessary luxuries that control their lives. He hears the cries of the poor and eventually judges the guilty (see Ps. 10:14; 69:33; 82:3).

It isn't a sin to be rich or to have the comforts of life, if this is God's will for you. Abraham and David

Amos 4

I found myself seated next to a wealthy gentleman whose name was famous in the business world. In our conversation, I discovered I had some information about a deceased preacher he greatly admired, and I offered to mail it to him. When I asked for an address, I thought he would hand me an expensive embossed calling card. Instead, he gave me a return label ripped off an envelope! I was told that he and his wife lived modestly in spite of their wealth. It's no wonder they were able to give so generously to Christian ministries and philanthropic causes.

were wealthy men. Yet they used what they had for God's glory. In the eyes of people in the Third World, most of the citizens of the Western world, including the poor, are very wealthy. What the Western world considers necessities are luxuries to the citizens of other nations: things like thermostat-controlled heat and air conditioning, refrigerators, automobiles, adequate medical care, telephones, and abundantly available electricity and fuel.

Luxury doesn't mean owning abundant possessions so much as allowing possessions to own us. To live in luxury is to use what we have only for our own enjoyment and to ignore the needs of others. It means being irresponsible in the way we use our wealth, wasting it on futile pleasures instead of using it for the good of others and the glory of God. A sign in an exclusive clothing store read, "If you must ask the price of our garments, you can't afford them." People who live in luxury don't bother to ask the prices. They don't care how much they spend so long as they get what they want.

Industrial magnate Andrew Carnegie said, "Surplus wealth is a sacred trust which its possessor is bound to administer in his lifetime for the good of the community." Paul wrote, "Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life" (1 Tim. 6:17–19 nkjv). Paul also quoted Jesus who said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).

Who was committing this sin? "Hear this word, you cows of Bashan!"2 (v. 1 nkjv). Amos addressed the wives of the wealthy leaders of the land, people who had gotten rich by ruthlessly and illegally robbing others. These "society women" lounged around all day, drinking wine and telling their husbands what to do. Any preacher today who called the women in the congregation "cows" would be looking for another church very soon.

Hypocrisy (4:4–5) The prophet used "holy irony"5 when he spoke these words, for he later instructed them to do just the opposite (5:5). It's as though a pastor today said to his congregation, "Sure, go ahead and attend church, but by attending, you're only sinning more. Go and visit the summer Bible conferences, but by doing so, you will be transgressing more. Your heart isn't serious about knowing God or doing His will. It's all just playacting; it's the popular thing to do, so you do it."

Why did Amos, the farmer, use this image? Not because these women were overweight and looked like cows, but because by their sins they were fattening themselves up for the coming slaughter. Both they and their husbands were living in luxury, while the poor of the land were suffering because these same men had exploited them and robbed them of money and land.

Bethel was a very special place to the Jewish people because of its associations with Abraham (Gen. 12:8; 13:3) and Jacob (28:10–22; 35:1–7). At one time, the ark was kept at Bethel (Judg. 20:18–28), but in Amos's day it was the site of "the king's chapel" where Amaziah, the priest, served (Amos 7:10ff.). Gilgal was also important to Israel because that's where Joshua and the people camped when they first entered the Promised Land (Josh. 4:19–20; 5:2–9). Gilgal is also where Saul was made king of Israel (1 Sam. 11:15). Unfortunately, both of these places had become shrines, where the people worshipped pagan gods while claiming to worship the Lord.

What will happen to them? What do farmers eventually do with cattle that have been fattened up? They lead them away to be killed and butchered. Amos described what would happen when the Assyrians invaded Israel, how they would capture these women and treat them like cattle. The Assyrian practice was to put hooks in the noses or lower lips of their prisoners, attach ropes, and lead them away like animals, either to captivity or to death. This is what the enemy would do to the wealthy matrons Amos was addressing in his message.3

But note that their posterity would also be involved in this judgment (v. 2).4 These wealthy women no doubt wanted "the best" for their children, but by their selfish priorities and their sinful example, they were giving their children the very worst. Their posterity had everything but a knowledge of the Lord; so they too would be led off like animals to the slaughter. The wealthy younger generation in Israel had everything money could buy, but they didn't have the things money can't buy, the things of the Lord that make life worthwhile.

On the surface, it looked as if Israel was experiencing a religious revival. Crowds of people were flocking to the "holy places" (Amos 5:5), bringing their sacrifices and tithes (4:4; 5:21–22)6 and even singing songs of praise to the Lord (v. 23; 6:5; 8:3, 10). They offered sacrifices more frequently than the law required as if to prove how spiritual they were. But their gifts and songs didn't impress the Lord, for He saw what was in their hearts; and the sin in their hearts made their sacrifices unacceptable.

To begin with, their sacrifices were unclean, like offering leaven on the altar, which was forbidden by

While attending a banquet in Dearborn, Michigan,

Amos 4

Amos has dealt with two of the three sins that the Lord told him to condemn—luxury and hypocrisy; and now he deals with the third, obstinacy. God's people were rebellious and hard-hearted, refusing to obey the Lord.

God (Lev. 2:11; 6:17). God doesn't want the sacrifices of bulls and goats; He wants the obedience of our hearts (1 Sam. 15:22–23; see Ps. 50:8–9; 51:16–17; Isa. 1:11–17; Hos. 6:6; Mic. 6:6–8; Mark 12:28–34). If the heart isn't right with God, the sacrifice means nothing (Gen. 4:1–7).

Obstinacy (4:6–13) Five times in this passage, Amos says to the people, "Yet you have not returned to Me" (4:6, 8, 9, 10, 11 nkjv). The people of Israel experienced God's discipline, but they wouldn't submit to His will; and yet they continued practicing their hypocritical religion! "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matt. 7:21 nkjv).

Furthermore, they were proud of what they were doing and made sure everybody knew how generous they were to the Lord. They bragged about their freewill offerings, which were purely voluntary; and they boasted to one another of their sacrifices. It wasn't the Lord who got the glory! (See Matt. 6:1–4.) They were like people today who make sure their generosity is recognized from the pulpit and in the church bulletin. If it isn't, they stop giving.

The people of Israel "loved" going to religious meetings, but they didn't love the God they claimed to worship. Making a pilgrimage to Bethel or Gilgal was the popular thing to do in that day, and everybody wanted to keep up with the crowd. There was no confession of sin, no brokenness before the Lord, but only a religious event that made the participants feel good. The whole system was corrupt; the people were sinning when they thought they were serving the Lord.

God's covenant with the Jews clearly stated that He would bless them if they obeyed His law and would discipline them if they disobeyed (Deut. 27—29). God set before them life and death, blessing and cursing; and He urged them to choose life (30:19–20). Unfortunately, they spurned His love, rejected His warnings, and chose death.

Consider some of the disciplines that God sent to Israel to bring His people back to Himself.

The application to today's church is obvious. It's very easy for us to join a large, happy religious crowd, enthusiastically sing rousing songs, and put money in the offering plate, and yet not be changed in our hearts. The test of a spiritual experience is not "Do I feel good?" or "Did we have a big crowd and a good time?" The real test is "Do I know God better and am I more like Jesus Christ?"

Famine (v. 6). "Cleanness of teeth" simply means the people had no food to eat. So their teeth didn't get dirty. (The NIV paraphrases it "empty stomachs.") God's covenant promised bumper crops if the people obeyed the Lord, but famine if they disobeyed (Lev. 26:27–31; Deut. 28:1–11). When farmers can't grow crops, food is scarce, food prices go up, and people suffer and die. You would think that this would move people to confess their sins and return to God, but Israel did not return to God.

The people in Amos's day didn't return home determined to help the poor, feed the hungry, and care for the widows and orphans. They went home with the same selfish hearts that they had when they left home, because their "worship" was only an empty ritual (Isa. 1:11–17). Any religious "revival" that doesn't alter the priorities of Christians and help solve the problems in society isn't a "revival" at all.

Drought (vv. 7–8). Instead of sending a general drought over the entire kingdom, God withheld the rain in different places from time to time, thus proving that He was in control. This remarkable demonstration of God's sovereign power should have reminded the Jews of what the covenant said about the promised rains (Lev. 26:18–20; Deut. 11:16–17; 28:23–24), but they paid no heed.

It's interesting that Amos mentioned music, because that's an important part of the church's worship. However, what the Jews thought was beautiful music, God considered nothing but "noise" (Amos 5:23). People today will pay high prices for tickets to "Christian concerts," yet they won't attend a free Bible study class or Bible conference in their own church. Christian music is big business today, but we wonder how much of it really glorifies the Lord. What we think is music may be nothing but noise to the Lord.

Destruction of crops (v. 9). Even when God did allow them to grow fruits and vegetables, they weren't grateful. So He destroyed the crops with blight, mildew, and locusts. Once again, God was being true to His covenant warnings (Deut. 28:38–42). So the nation should not have been surprised.

Sicknesses (v. 10a). One of God's promises was that His people would not experience the dreadful diseases they saw in Egypt if they were faithful to obey His law (Ex. 15:26); but if they rebelled against Him, they would suffer all the diseases of Egypt (Lev. 26:23–26; Deut. 28:21–22, 27–29, 35, 59–62). As with the other disciplines, God kept His word.

Whether it's evangelism, education, social action, world missions, or feeding the hungry, everything the church accomplishes for the Lord flows out of worship. If the fountainhead of worship is polluted, the church's entire ministry will be defiled. Like the Jews in Amos's day, we're only going to Bethel and sinning! Therefore, it behooves God's people to examine their hearts and make certain that their motives are right and that what they do in public meetings glorifies the Lord.

Defeat in war (v. 10b). "The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways" (Deut. 28:7 nkjv; see Lev.

Amos 4—5

26:6–8). What a promise for a small nation surrounded by huge empires! But the promise would be fulfilled only if the people were faithful to the Lord. If they disobeyed, they would be humiliated and defeated before their enemies (Lev. 26:32–39; Deut. 28:49–58). So terrible would be their defeat that the dead bodies in the camps would not be given decent burial, but would lie there and rot. God kept His promise: the Assyrians conquered Israel and the Babylonians took Judah into captivity.

3 The end of verse 3 presents a problem. The KJV translates it "shall cast them out toward [or into] Harmon." Amos uses the Hebrew word twelve times; it's translated "palaces" in the KJV, and except for Amos 4:3, the NIV translates it "fortresses." The NIV text note gives "O mountain of oppression." If "Harmon" is a place, we don't know where it is. In his excellent commentary on Amos, Jeffrey Niehaus translates the sentence "and you will let go dominion" (An Exegetical and Expository Commentary: The Minor Prophets, edited by Thomas E. McComiskey [Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1992], vol. 1, 391). These women who were accustomed to giving orders would find themselves taking orders! 4 Both the NASB and the NIV translate the Hebrew word "the last of you," meaning "nobody will escape," but the KJV and NKJV translate it "posterity." However, the NIV translates the same word as "descendants" in 1 Kings 21:21, Psalm 109:13, and Daniel 11:4. 5 The word irony comes from a Greek word (eironeia), which means "to speak deceptively, with dissimulation." What you say is to be interpreted just the opposite of what the words convey. (For other examples in Scripture, see Judg. 10:4; Ezek. 28:3.) 6 Along with their annual tithes, the Jews were commanded to bring a special tithe every three years (Deut. 14:28; 26:12). The NIV renders it "every three years," but the Hebrew text reads "every three days" (nkjv, nasb) or "on the third day" (niv margin), that is, "by the third day after you come to the sanctuary." It appears that Amos is again using "holy irony." "You are commanded to bring the special tithe every three years; but you are so spiritual, you bring tithes every three days!"

Catastrophe (v. 11). We aren't sure just what this calamity was. Perhaps it was an earthquake (1:1), or it may have been the devastating invasion of an army (2 Kings 10:32–33; 13:7). Whatever it was, it had to be something terrible for the Lord to compare it to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:24–25; see Deut. 29:23; Isa. 1:9; 13:19). The image of a stick pulled out of the fire suggests that the Lord intervened and saved them at the last minute (Zech. 3:2). They had been burned but not consumed. If so, then their ingratitude and hardness of heart was even more wicked.

Ultimate judgment (v. 12–13). The kingdom of Israel had experienced famine, drought, blight, plagues, wars, and devastating catastrophes as God had tried to speak to His people and bring them to repentance. No matter what discipline He sent, they would not return to Him. What more could He do? He could come Himself and deal with them! "Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel!" (v. 12) was not a call to repentance but an announcement that it was too late to repent. The Lord of Hosts (armies) Himself would come with the Assyrian hordes and take the people away like cattle being led to the slaughter (v. 2). "There will be wailing in all the vineyards, for I will pass through your midst" (5:17 niv).

CHAPTER FOUR Amos 5:1–17 HOW TO AVOID THE STORM T

Amos ended his message with a doxology of praise to the Lord (4:13; see 5:8–9; 9:5–6). When a servant of God praises the Lord in the face of impending calamity, it shows he's a person of great faith (see Hab. 3:16–19). In this doxology, he reminds us that our God is the Creator who can do anything, including making the earth out of nothing. He can turn dawn into darkness; He can tread upon the mountains, and nobody can hinder Him. He is also the omniscient God who knows what we are thinking. Thus there's nothing we can hide from Him (Ps. 139:1–6). He is the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of heaven and earth!

he prophet's third message (5:1—6:14) was a lamentation, a funeral dirge over the death of the nation of Israel. (Israel is mentioned four times in 5:1–4.) "There will be wailing in all the streets," he declares (v. 16 niv), not just wailing in one or two houses where people have died. Since the people's grief will be so great that there won't be sufficient professional mourners available to express it, they'll call the farmers and workers in the vineyards to help them (vv. 16–17).

C.Message #3: Israel's doom lamented—5:1—6:14

However, Amos weaves into his lamentation three pleas to the people, urging them to return to the Lord.

But are God's people any more prepared today?

"Hear God's Word!" (5:1–3) This is the third time Amos has called the people to give attention to God's Word (3:1; 4:1). The way we treat God's Word is the way we treat God, and the way we treat God's messengers is the way we treat the Lord Himself (John 15:18–21). "God … has in these last days spoken to us by His Son. … See that you do not refuse Him who speaks" (Heb. 1:1–2; 12:25 nkjv).

Notes

1 "Keeping Up with the Joneses" was the name of a popular newspaper comic strip that ran for twenty-eight years. It told the story of a man of limited means who tried to keep up with his neighbors. 2 Bashan was a fertile area east of the Sea of Galilee in the tribe of Manasseh and was known for its fine livestock (Deut. 32:14; Ps. 22:12; Ezek. 39:18).

The listeners must have wondered why Amos was

Amos 5 people in it (Gen. 18:32); and in Jeremiah's day, the Lord would have been happy to find even one righteous person in Jerusalem! God can work through the many or the few (1 Sam. 14:6); we should never despise the day of small things (Zech. 4:10).

wailing a funeral dirge when nobody in his family or circle of acquaintances had died. They were perplexed as to why he was grieving over the death of his nation when the nation seemed to be prosperous and religious. But the prosperity and "revival" were only cosmetics to make the sick and dying nation look healthier. Amos looked at the vital signs, and they were almost gone. Israel's enthusiastic concerts would become funerals (5:23; 8:3, 10) and their sacred shrines ruins, for the Assyrians were destined to destroy the kingdom of Israel.

What does it mean to "seek the Lord"? The prophet Isaiah answers the question: "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon" (Isa. 55:6–7 nkjv).

Amos compared the nation to a virgin daughter in the bloom of youth, ravaged and slain on the field of battle, her corpse left to rot.1 All hope was gone, and nobody could help her get up. History records the fulfillment of Amos's words. After the Assyrian invasion, the kingdom of Israel ceased to exist and has never been restored. Some of the people were taken into exile, some were slain, and the rest were left to mingle with the Gentiles that were brought in to resettle the land. The result was a mixed race—the Samaritans— neither Jew nor Gentile.

To seek the Lord means first of all to change our thinking and abandon the vain thoughts that are directing our wayward lives. Disobedient children of God are thinking wrongly about God, sin, and life. They think God will always be there for them to turn to, but they forget that sinners reap what they sow. To walk "in the counsel of the ungodly" is folly indeed (Ps. 1:1 nkjv), for it leads to a fruitless and joyless life. When we return to the Lord, we also change directions: we "turn around" and start to move in the right direction. It means forsaking sin and turning to the Lord for mercy and pardon. Until we realize how heinous our sins are in the sight of God, we will never repent and cry out for mercy. To seek the Lord doesn't mean simply to run to God for help when our sins get us into trouble, although God will receive us if we're sincere. It means to loathe and despise the sin in our lives, turn from it, and seek the fellowship of God and His cleansing. "A broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise" (Ps. 51:17 nkjv).

Israel had a strong standing army, but it would be defeated, and the population decimated, just as the Lord had warned in His covenant (Lev. 26:7–8; Deut. 28:25; 32:28–30). There can be no victory when the Lord has abandoned you to your fate, because you have abandoned Him. Nations today depend on their wealth, their military establishment, and their political wisdom when they need to depend on the Lord. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" (Ps. 33:12). Of course, what happened to the northern kingdom of Israel didn't end God's promises to the Jews or His purposes for them in the world. Groups who claim to be the "ten lost tribes of Israel" are suspect, because nowhere does Scripture say the ten tribes were "lost." The New Testament indicates that God knows where all twelve tribes are (Matt. 19:28; Luke 22:30; Acts 26:7; James 1:1; Rev. 7:4; 21:12), and the prophets speak of a time of reunion and glory (Ezek. 37:19–28; 33:23, 29; Jer. 3:18; 23:5–6; Hos. 1:11). The first step toward revival and returning to the Lord is to hear what God has to say to us from His Word. "Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your mercy, O Lord, and grant us Your salvation. I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints; but let them not turn back to folly" (Ps. 85:6–8 nkjv).

Why should we seek the Lord? The prophet gave three reasons, the first of which is that we might have life (Amos 5:4). The way of disobedience is the way of darkness and death. "Seek me and live" is God's invitation and admonition (v. 4 niv). God disciplines His children in love so that they will repent and return; but if we don't change our ways, He may take our lives. "Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!" (Heb. 12:9 niv) The suggestion here is that if we don't submit, we may die; for "there is a sin unto death" (1 John 5:16).

The second reason we should seek God is because there is no other way to experience spiritual blessing (Amos 5:5). The people were going to the shrines in droves and coming home further from God than when they left. Emerson said that a change in geography never overcomes a flaw in character, and he was right.

"Seek the Lord!" (5:4–6) This phrase is found more than thirty times in Scripture. It applied to Israel in ancient days, and it applies to God's children today. Even if the whole nation (or church) doesn't respond to the message and return to the Lord, a remnant can return and receive the Lord's help and blessing. God was willing to save the evil city of Sodom if He had found ten righteous

During my years of ministry, I've been privileged to speak at many well-known conference grounds in the United States, Canada, and overseas. I've met people at some of these conferences who actually thought that their physical presence by that lake, in that tent or tabernacle, or on that mountain would change their hearts. They were depending on the "atmosphere" of the conference and their memories of them, but they

Amos 5 accepting bribes, charging the poor exorbitant rents, living in luxury while the poor starved, and sustaining a crooked legal system. True repentance begins with naming sins and dealing with them one by one.

usually went home disappointed. Why? Because they didn't seek God.

I'm reminded of a lady at one conference who, when she checked out to go home, asked if she could buy a carton of the soap used in the rooms. When asked why she wanted that particular kind of soap, she explained that it was so rich and lathery, much better than what she used at home. The conference director gave her a carton of the soap, but didn't have the heart to explain to her that it was the softness of the water, not the formula of the soap, that guaranteed the rich lather.

We must notice that verses 8–9 are a parenthesis in the prophet's message, but a very important parenthesis as he reminded the people of the greatness of their God. Jehovah is the God who created the heavens and the earth, who controls the seasons and the daily motions of the earth, and who is Lord of the heavens, the sea, and the land. The pagan Gentiles worshipped the heavenly bodies, but the Jews were privileged to worship the God who made the heavens and the earth (Jonah 1:9).

God doesn't franchise His blessings the way companies franchise their products to local dealers. You can't go to Bethel and Gilgal (see 4:4) or to Beersheba2 and go home with a blessing in your baggage. Unless we personally meet the Lord, deal with our inner spiritual life, and seek His face, our hearts will never be transformed.

But this God of creation is also the God of judgment! "He flashes destruction on the stronghold and brings the fortified city to ruin" (Amos 5:9 niv). J. B. Phillips graphically translated verse 9, "He it is who flings ruin in the face of the strong, and rains destruction upon the fortress."3 In the light of the holiness of God and the terms of His holy covenant, the people of Israel should have been on their faces, calling out for mercy. Instead, they were complacently comfortable in their luxury and their sins. Amos named just a few of their sins.

The "holy places" would all be destroyed. The people of Gilgal would go into captivity (5:27), the shrine would be abandoned, and Bethel, the "house of God," would become "Beth Aven," the "house of nothing" (see Hos. 4:15; 5:8; 10:5) and go up in smoke (Amos 5:6). Even if pilgrims traveled into Judah to visit Beersheba, that was no guarantee of blessing. Eventually Judah would fall to the Babylonians.

Promoting injustice (v. 7). God established human government because of the sinfulness of the human heart. Without the authority of government in society, everything would fall apart and the strong would enslave the weak and the rich would exploit the poor. Justice is supposed to be "a river … a neverfailing stream" (v. 24 niv) that cleanses and refreshes society, but the leaders of Israel had turned that refreshing river into bitter poison (see 6:12).

The third reason for seeking God is because judgment is coming (v. 6). The phrase "lest he break out like fire" reminds us of God's repeated warning in chapters 1 and 2: "I will send a fire" (1:4, 7, 10, 12, 14; 2:2, 5). "For our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:29; see Deut. 4:24). If the Gentiles, who never had the written law of God, suffered fiery punishment for their sins, how much more would the Jews be punished who possessed God's holy law! "The Lord shall judge his people" (Heb. 10:30; see Deut. 32:35–36; Ps. 135:14).

Righteousness and justice should be the pillars that hold up society, but these selfish rulers had thrown the pillars to the ground. One of the evidences that the pillars of national justice are shaking and ready to fall is the increase in lawsuits. "They make many promises, take false oaths and make agreements; therefore lawsuits spring up like poisonous weeds in a plowed field" (Hos. 10:4 niv). Israel was afflicted with poisonous weeds and poisonous water (Amos 5:7), and the Lord was displeased.

Fear of judgment may not be the highest motive for obeying God, but the Lord will accept it. Animals and little children understand rewards and punishments, but we hope that the children will eventually mature and develop higher motives for obedience than receiving some candy or escaping a spanking. God's people, Israel, never achieved that higher level of obedience, the kind of obedience that comes from a heart that loves God (Deut. 4:37; 6:4–6; 7:6–13; 10:12; 11:1; 30:6, 16, 20). For Israel to repent and return to God was a reasonable thing to do. It would bring them life; it would produce spiritual reality; and it would save them from impending judgment. Those are good reasons for God's people to repent today.

Instead of running to religious meetings, the people should have stayed home and seen to it that their leaders weren't poisoning the river of justice and knocking down the pillars of righteousness. Christians are the salt of the earth, and salt prevents corruption. They are the light of the world, and if there were more light, there would be less darkness (Matt. 5:13–16). The church must not abandon its marching orders and turn preachers into politicians, but it dare not ignore the problems of society—problems that can be solved by the application of the gospel and the truth of the Word of God.

"Seek the Good!" (5:7–15) To "seek the Lord" might appear difficult and distant for some people, an intangible experience they can't get their hands on. Thus Amos brought the challenge down to practical, everyday life. He spoke about justice, righteousness, and the importance of telling the truth. He named the sins the people needed to forsake:

Rejecting rebuke (vv. 10, 13). The city gate was the place where the elders met and transacted city business (Ruth 4). When the dishonest leaders attempted to foist

Amos 5

Yes, these things were true, but they could not be used as evidence of the blessing of God. They were but a thin veneer of religious self-righteousness over the rotting corpse of the nation. The only proof that God is with us is that we love Him and do His will. Religion without righteousness and justice in the land is hypocrisy. No matter how many people attend religious meetings, if the result is not obedience to God and concern for our neighbor, the meetings are a failure.

their lies on the people and manipulate the court, if somebody rebuked them, they turned on that person and tried to silence him or her. It got to the place where the righteous wouldn't say anything because their interference did no good (Amos 5:13). Leaders with integrity will gladly listen to counsel and even to rebuke, but leaders bent on evil will seek to destroy those who stand in their way. "Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you" (Prov. 9:8 nkjv; and see 1 Kings 22:5ff. for an illustration of this principle). For many years, American legal experts have called for an overhaul of the legal system. (Other nations probably have the same or worse problems.) So many cases are pending, and too many trials proceed at a snail's pace, with seemingly interminable appeals and delays, that very little justice results. Isaiah saw a similar situation in his day: "So justice is driven back, and the righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. … The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice" (Isa. 59:14–15 niv). A traffic jam!

How can we claim to love the good if we don't hate the evil? We claim to love the Lord, but God commands, "You who love the Lord, hate evil!" (Ps. 97:10 nkjv). We enjoy studying the Bible, but the psalmist said, "Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way" (119:104 nkjv). Seeking the good means rejecting the evil and not being ashamed to take our stand against what's wrong.

Is there any hope for such a wicked society? Yes, as long as the grace of God is at work. "It may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph" (Amos 5:15 nkjv). Disaster was coming to Israel, but who knows what God would do if only a godly remnant turned to Him and sought His mercy?

Oppressing the poor (vv. 11–12). The prophet Amos was the champion of the poor and oppressed (2:6–7; 4:1; 8:6) as he called for justice in the land.4 He pictured the rich trampling the poor into the mud by claiming their crops for payment of the high rents they were charging. The rich were literally taking the food right out of the mouths of their tenants and their children. And if these hungry tenants appealed to the local judges for justice, the wealthy landowners bought off the judges.

"So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one" (Ezek. 22:30 nkjv).

God is still seeking for wall-builders, for intercessors who will plead with God to send revival and renewal to His church. For it's only when God's Spirit is allowed to work among His people that the flood of evil can be stopped and righteousness and justice flourish in the land. The saints want God to judge the wicked, but "the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God" (1 Peter 4:17).

So what did the rich do with this ill-gotten wealth? They used it to build mansions for themselves and to plant luxurious vineyards. They anticipated lounging in their big houses and drinking wine, but the Lord had other plans. He announced that they would neither live in their mansions nor drink their wine, because the Assyrians would destroy all their houses and vineyards. Like the selfish rich in the apostolic days, these powerful landowners were fattening their hearts for the day of slaughter (James 5:1–6).

If only a remnant will repent and turn to God, there is hope that He will send the revival that we desperately need.

"Hear God's Word!" Are we listening? "Seek the Lord!" Are we praying? "Seek the good!" Do we hate that which is evil? There is no other way.

God knew what these wealthy exploiters were doing, just as He knows what sinners are doing today; and though He appeared to be unconcerned, He would judge these evil people in due time. God had warned in His covenant with the Jewish people, "You shall build a house, but you shall not dwell in it; you shall plant a vineyard, but shall not gather its grapes" (Deut. 28:30 nkjv). God always keeps His promises, whether to bless when we've obeyed or to chasten when we've rebelled.

Notes

1 "Virgin daughter of Israel" is a common phrase in the Old Testament (2 Kings 19:21; Isa. 37:22; Jer. 18:13; 31:4, 21; Lam. 2:13) and it is also applied to other nations, such as Egypt (Jer. 46:11) and Babylon (Isa. 47:1). It refers to an unmarried daughter still under protection of the father. Because the nation of Israel turned their back on their heavenly Father, they got in trouble and were defiled and slain in their own land. Paul used a similar image in writing about the local church (2 Cor. 11:1–3). 2 The Jew associated Beersheba with God's appearing to Abraham (Gen. 21:31–33), Isaac (26:23–25), and Jacob (46:1–5). 3 J. B. Phillips, Four Prophets: A Translation into Modern English (New York: The Macmillan Co., 1963), 14. 4 The Hebrew word mishpat is translated "justice" in most

Arrogant self-confidence (vv. 14–15). The people were boasting, "The Lord God is with us!" After all, wasn't the nation enjoying great prosperity? Certainly that was a sign of God's blessing. And weren't the people active in religious activities, bringing their sacrifices and offerings to the shrines? And didn't the king have a special priest and a royal sanctuary in Bethel (7:10–17) where he consulted with Amaziah about the affairs of the kingdom?

Amos 5 were no hiding places! Run from the lion, and you meet the bear; run for safety into your house, and a serpent bites you. We would say, "Out of the frying pan, into the fire!" Remember, God's judgments are very thorough and accurate.

modern translations and usually "judgment" in the KJV. The NIV uses "justice" in Amos 2:7; 5:7, 12, 15, 24; 6:12. The root word of mishpat is shapat, which means "to govern." The aim of the government is justice for all people. The prophet Isaiah also pleaded for justice in the land.

These Israelites were eagerly expecting "the day of the Lord" without realizing what that day would bring to them. They were like some Christians today who want Jesus to come so they can escape painful situations and not because they "love his appearing" (2 Tim. 4:8). They forget that Christ's return means judgment as well as blessing. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men" (2 Cor. 5:10–11). Next in his message, Amos looked around (Amos 5:21–24) and pointed out the sins of the people that made them totally unprepared to experience the day of the Lord. He began with their hypocritical worship (vv. 21–22), something he had mentioned earlier (4:4–5). They honored special days on the Jewish calendar, called sacred assemblies, offered sacrifices, brought offerings, and sang songs of worship. Their meetings looked so beautiful and holy, yet God not only refused to accept their worship, He said He despised and hated it! (See Isa. 1:10–20.)

CHAPTER FIVE Amos 5:18—6:14 "WOE TO THE SINNERS!"

Amos is still lamenting the impending doom of the nation of Israel. In this section, he pronounces "woe" upon four kinds of people in the kingdom: the ignorant (5:18–27), the indifferent (6:1–2), the indulgent (vv. 3–7), and the impudent (vv. 8–14). The circumstances are different, but we have these same people in the professing church today. Do you recognize them?

"Woe to the Ignorant!" (5:18–27) "The day of the Lord" is a period of time during which God judges His enemies and establishes His kingdom on earth. It's the answer to our prayer, "Thy kingdom come" and is described in Revelation 6—20 and many passages in the books of the prophets.

The people Amos was addressing saw "the day of the Lord" as a time of great deliverance for the Jews and terrible punishment for the Gentiles (Joel 2:28–32), but the prophets had a clearer vision of this momentous event. They realized that "the day of the Lord" was also a time of testing and purifying for Israel (see Isa. 2:10–21; 13:6–13; Jer. 46:10; Joel 3:9–17; Zeph. 2:1–2), when God's people would go through tribulation before entering the kingdom of God.

The prophet's second indictment was against their unconcern for others (Amos 5:24). This is a key verse in the book of Amos, for it reveals God's concern that His people be righteous in their character and just in their conduct. We have already noted the emphasis on justice in Amos's messages and how the leaders of the land had turned the pure river of justice into a poisonous stream (5:7; see 6:12). No matter how much "religious activity" we participate in, if we don't love our brother and our neighbor, we can't honestly worship and serve the Lord.

Amos looked ahead and gave three descriptions of "the day of the Lord." It would first of all be a day of despair and mourning (Amos 5:18a). "Woe to you who long for the day of the Lord!" (niv). Good theology can lead to hope, but bad theology leads to false hopes. Since these hypocrites were sure that God would spare Israel but condemn their enemies, they longed for the day of the Lord to come. They were like the editors of old editions of the Bible that I've seen: If the chapter was about judgment, the heading read, "God's judgment on the Jews"; but if the chapter was about blessing, the heading read, "God's blessing on the church." Heads we win, tails you lose!

Finally, Amos looked back (5:25–27) and reminded them of their relationship to Jehovah after He had delivered them from Egypt. God asked the Jews to give Him faith, obedience, and love; but at Mount Sinai, after vowing to serve God, the people worshipped a golden calf! (See Ex. 32.) Their forefathers sinned further by offering sacrifices to false gods even while Jehovah was leading the nation through the wilderness! (Stephen quotes this in Acts 7:42–43.)1

Second, it would be a day of darkness (vv. 18b, 20). God had warned that He was about to pass through their midst (v. 17), but not "pass over" as He had in Egypt. This time He was coming to judge His own people; and as there was darkness for three days prior to that first Passover (Ex. 12:12), so "the day of the Lord" would bring darkness. In addition, what Israel experienced at the hands of the Assyrians was a small sampling of what will happen in the end times when the whole world will see "the day of the Lord."

After the Jews settled in the Promised Land, two generations of leaders guided them in the way of the Lord. But by the time the third generation came along, the people had turned to the idols of the nations around them (Judg. 2:10–15). God chastened them by allowing these nations to enslave Israel in their won land. But the message Amos had for the people was that they would have to leave their land and go into exile wherever the Assyrians sent them. It meant the end of the northern kingdom (2 Kings 17:6ff.).

Third, it would be a day of doom (Amos 5:19). There would be no escaping God's wrath because there

"Where ignorance is bliss," wrote Thomas Gray,

Amos 5—6 the idea and disregarded it. But God had a different viewpoint. He said, "All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, who say, 'The calamity shall not overtake us nor confront us'" (9:10 nkjv). Yet by their very indifference, they were bringing the day of judgment that much nearer.

"'tis folly to be wise." But the poet was writing about the naive innocence of childhood, not to spoil the joys of children by telling them about the burdens of adulthood. However, in the Christian life, ignorance of God's truth keeps us in darkness (Isa. 8:20); so we must understand His "word of prophecy" that shines as a light in this world's darkness (2 Peter 1:19).

Amos described their indulgent way of life—a way of life that left no place for the disciplines of the spiritual life. They were living for pleasure not for the glory of God. The common people usually slept on mats placed on the ground, but the wealthy enjoyed the luxury of beds of ivory and luxurious couches. They also used ivory to decorate their mansions (3:15). Excavations in Samaria have led to the discovery of the "Samaritan Ivories," fragments of beautiful ivory carvings that once adorned their houses and furniture.

"Woe to the Indifferent!" (6:1–2) This "woe" was addressed to both Judah ("Zion") and Israel ("Samaria") because both kingdoms were indifferent toward God's Word and the judgment that hung over them. They called themselves "the foremost nation" (v. 1 niv) and enjoyed an unwarranted false confidence for several reasons.

The first cause of their complacency was their geography. Situated on Mount Zion, Jerusalem was considered impregnable (Ps. 78:68–69; 132:13–18); and Samaria also had a seemingly secure position. But when God decided to deal with these cities, nothing could stop the enemy.

The wealthy also enjoyed elegant feasts, eating lamb and veal, drinking wine in abundance, enjoying beautiful music, and wearing expensive perfumes. The poor people, whom they exploited, couldn't afford to kill tender lambs and calves, but had to settle for occasional mutton and beef, perhaps from a sacrifice. They would serve only cups of wine, not bowls; and their only "cosmetic" was olive oil.2

As for their prosperity, government, and military strength, Amos had already exposed the folly depending on them; for the heart of each nation was corrupt to the core. The notable men in Israel's government gave their opinion that the nation was safe and secure, and the people believed them, just as people today believe the political "experts" and the polls. False confidence that's based on expert advice, statistics, and material resources and that ignores the spiritual dimension of life is sure to lead to shameful defeat.

There's certainly nothing wrong with enjoying good food or good music, provided the things of the Lord are uppermost in your heart. David designed and made musical instruments, but he used them to praise the Lord. Abraham was able to prepare an elegant feast for his guests (Gen. 18:1–8), and the Lord didn't rebuke him. But the sin in Amos's day was that these luxuries distracted the people from the real problems of the nation, and "they [were] not grieved for the affliction of Joseph [Samaria]" (Amos 6:6). The NIV translates the Hebrew word sheber as "ruin," for it means the total collapse of the nation.

Amos mentioned areas in Syria and Philistia that had already fallen to the Assyrian army and then asked two questions: "Are you better than they? Is your territory bigger than theirs?" If the enemy had already destroyed places bigger and stronger than Samaria and Israel, what hope was there for the Jewish people, especially when the Jews were living like the Gentiles and were disobeying the Lord? God doesn't look at the talent of national leaders, the extent of a nation's army, or the prosperity of its economy. God looks at the heart, and the heart of the two Jewish kingdoms was far from the Lord.

When nations get pleasure-mad, it's a sign that the end is near. Belshazzar and his leaders were enjoying a sumptuous feast when the city of Babylon fell to the Medes and Persians (Dan. 7). The Roman citizens enjoyed free "bread and circuses" as the empire decayed morally and politically and eventually fell to the enemy. One of the marks of the end days is the fact that people become "lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God" (2 Tim. 3:4). No wonder Jesus warned His followers, "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you unexpectedly" (Luke 21:34 nkjv).

Complacency is an insidious sin, because it's based on lies, motivated by pride, and leads to trusting something other than God (Zeph. 1:12). Like the people in the church of Laodicea, complacent people consider themselves "rich, and increased with goods" and in need of nothing (Rev. 3:17). In reality, however, they have lost everything that's important in the spiritual life. When the Lord sees His people becoming complacent and self-satisfied, He sometimes sends trials to wake them up.

It's difficult today to find people who are truly burdened about the sins of the nations and the sins of the church. Too many are like the rulers of Samaria or the members of the church of Laodicea, closing their eyes to reality and living on fantasy based on false theology. How many believers can honestly say, "Indignation has taken hold of me because of the wicked, who forsake Your law" (Ps. 119:53 nkjv)? Or, "Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep Your law" (v. 136 nkjv)? Too many Christians are laughing

"Woe to the Indulgent!" (6:3–7) "It can't happen here!" was the motto of the complacent leaders. "If a day of judgment is coming, it's surely a long way off." Whenever anybody mentioned the possibility of national disaster, the leaders laughed at

Amos 6 when they should be weeping (James 4:8–10) and tolerating sin when they should be opposing it (1 Cor. 5:2). Dr. Vance Havner told of having dinner in a dining room that was dimly lighted. At first, he could scarcely read the menu, but then he found he could see fairly well. He said to his friends, "Isn't it strange how easy it is to become accustomed to the dark?" That's one of the problems in the church today: we've gotten accustomed to the darkness, and our lights aren't shining brightly enough.

winter houses that the wealthy enjoyed and boasted about would one day be nothing but ashes and fragments. The Babylonians would even burn Judah's beautiful temple. This would occur because the Lord commanded it, and His commands are always obeyed.

The prophet argues from the order of nature (v. 12). Horses are too wise to gallop on slick rocks, where they might slip and fall. Farmers are too wise to try to plow the rocks or the sea,4 because the plow won't accomplish anything on rocks or water. (Remember, Amos was a farmer.) Plain common sense convinces us of the truth of these statements. Then why would God's people poison their own judicial system? What they did just didn't make sense!

Since these wealthy exploiters of the poor considered themselves to be the first in the land, God said they would be the first to go into captivity (Amos 6:7); for theirs was the greater responsibility. Certainly King Jeroboam and his priest Amaziah, the political and religious leaders of Israel, were among the first to be judged (7:10–17), but their self–indulgent followers eventually had to exchange their lounges for chains and their wine and expensive food for the meager fare of prisoners.

Their pride again came to the fore when they boasted of their military victories at Lo Debar and Karnaim (see nkjv or niv). We aren't certain when Israel took these cities, and it's not important. What is important is that they were proud of their achievements and confident that nobody could defeat them. Lo Debar means "nothing," and that's what God thought of their victory! They boasted that the victory came because of their own strength, and their false confidence would lead to their destruction.

"Woe to the Impudent!" (6:8–14) "I abhor the pride of Jacob, and hate his palaces; therefore I will deliver up the city and all that is in it" (v. 8 nkjv). The Lord not only said this, but He also swore by Himself to fulfill it, which makes it a most solemn statement. The phrase "pride of Jacob" (kjv says "excellency of Jacob") is used in Psalm 47:4 to mean "the Promised Land."3 God abhorred the very land of Israel, the land He had given to His people for their inheritance.

Disgrace and defeat (v. 14). If a nation rehearses the victories of the past and gives the glory to God, that's one thing, but if they claim the victory for themselves, they are asking only for future defeat. Humble dependence on God is the only guarantee of His help and blessing.

Assyria's invasion of Israel wouldn't take place because of the accidents or incidents of international politics. God would bring the army into the land and give Assyria the responsibility of chastening His people. "'Behold, I will bring a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel,' says the Lord" (Jer. 5:15 nkjv).

Jesus said, "That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God" (Luke 16:15). The people boasted of their fortresses, their mansions, and their elegant way of life, all of which God abhorred and would one day destroy. We're reminded of the destruction of the great Babylonian world system described in Revelation 17—18. People who live without God, whose god is really personal pleasure, will one day hear Him say, "Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?" (Luke 12:20 nkjv).

Hammath is in the north of Israel, and the river of the Arabah is in the south. Thus this means that Assyria would devastate the entire land. At the time Amos spoke those words, Assyria was a rather weak nation; and King Jeroboam was able to keep Assyria, Egypt, and Syria at bay. But that would change, and Assyria would become a threatening world empire. After all, it is God who controls the nations and assigns them their lands (Acts 17:26).

These impudent people who rejected God's warning would one day face three judgments.

Death (vv. 9–10). Amos describes a hypothetical situation to emphasize the terrors that will come when the Assyrians invade Samaria. Ten men, perhaps the remnants of a hundred soldiers (5:3), would be hiding in a house, but pestilence would catch up with them, and they would die. If a relative came to burn the bodies (the safest thing to do in war when disease is rampant), anyone in the house guarding the bodies would deny there were others there who also might die in the plague. But the disposal of the dead bodies wouldn't be a "religious" occasion, for the people would be afraid to even mention the name of the Lord lest He become angry and send more judgment.

The prophet Amos has finished preaching his three messages to the proud and complacent kingdom of Israel. He has looked within their hearts and exposed the corruption there. Now the Lord will give His servant six visions—five visions of judgment and one of the glorious kingdom that will be established after the day of the Lord. With the record of these visions, Amos will close his book.

Notes

1 Amos 5:26 is a difficult verse to translate and interpret. Is it referring to Israel past or the nation during Amos's day, or both? Ezekiel 20:5–9 makes it clear that Israel learned idolatry in Egypt and ignored the fact that the plagues God sent were

Destruction (vv. 11–13). Pride always goes before destruction (Prov. 16:18). The summer houses and

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