1:1Amos was a shepherd and fig grower from the southern kingdom (Judah), but he prophesied to the northern kingdom (Israel). Israet was politically at the height of its power with a prosperous economy, but the nation was spiritually corrupt. Idols were worshiped throughout the land and especially at Bethel, which was supposed to be the nation’s religious center. Like Hosea, Amos was sent by God to denounce this social and religious corruption. About 30 or 40 years after Amos prophesied, Assyria destroyed the capital city, Samaria, and conquered Israel (722 B.C.). Uzziah reigned in Judah from 792-740; Jeroboam tI reigned in Israel from 793-753.
Life Application Study BibleAmosChapter 1
Amos 1
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1436, 1437, 1438
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1Amos 1
1THE BLUEPRINT
1. Announcement of judgment
(1:1—2:16)
2. Reasons for judgment
(3:1—6:14)
3. Visions of judgment
(7:1—9:15)Amos speaks with brutal frankness in denouncing sin. He collided with the false religiousleaders of his day and was not intimidated by priest or king. He continued to speak hismessage boldly. God requires truth and goodness, justice and righteousness, from allpeople and nations today as well. Many of the conditions in Israel during Amos’s time areevident in today’s society. We need Amos’s courage to ignore danger and stand against sin.MEGATHEMESTHEMEEveryone Answersto God
Complacency
Oppressingthe PoorSuperficialReligion1. Announcement of judgment
This message was given to Amos, a shepherd from the town of Tekoa in Judah. He received this message in visions two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam II, the son of Jehoash,* was king of Israel.
2This is what he saw and heard:“The LORD roars from his Temple on Mount Zion;his voice thunders from Jerusalem!Suddenly, the lush pastures of the shepherds dry up.All the grass on Mount Carmel withers and dies.”
God’s Judgment on Israel's Neighbors
33This is what the LORD says:“The people of Damascus have sinned again and again,*and I will not let them go unpunished!They beat down my people in Gileadas grain is threshed with iron sledges.
4So I will send down fire on King Hazael’s palace,and the fortresses of King Ben-hadad will be destroyed.
5T will break down the gates of Damascusand slaughter the people in the valley of Aven.I will destroy the ruler in Beth-eden,and the people of Aram will go as captives to Kir,”says the LORD.
6The people of Gaza have sinned again and again,and I will not let them go unpunished!They sent whole villages into exile,selling them as slaves to Edom.
7So I will send down fire on the walls of Gaza,and all its fortresses will be destroyed.
8I will slaughter the people of Ashdodand destroy the king of Ashkelon.Then I will turn to attack Ekron,and the few Philistines still left will be killed,”says the Sovereign LORD.
israel was enjoying peace and economic prosperity. But thisblessing had caused her to become a selfish, materialisticsociety. Those who were well-off ignored the needs of thoseless fortunate. The people were self-centered and indifferenttoward God.Amos spoke against those who exploited or ignored the needy.Believing in God is more than a matter of individual faith. Godcalls all believers to work against injustices in society andto aid those less fortunate.Jonah (793-753 8.C.), Hosea (753-715 B.C.)Climate of the times.......-Main messageImportance of messageContemporary prophets
9This is what the LORD says: “The people of Tyre have sinned again and again, and I will not let them go unpunished! They broke their treaty of brotherhood with Israel, selling whole villages as slaves to Edom. 10So I will send down fire on the walls of Tyre, and all its fortresses will be destroyed.”
11This is what the LORD says:“The people of Edom have sinned again and again,and I will not Jet them go unpunished!They chased down their relatives, the Israelites, with swords,showing them no mercy.In their rage, they slashed them continuallyand were unrelenting in their anger.
12So I will send down fire on Teman,and the fortresses of Bozrah will be destroyed.”
13This is what the LORD says: “The people of Ammon have sinned again and again, and I will not let them go unpunished! When they attacked Gilead to extend their borders, they ripped open pregnant women with their swords. 14So I will send down fire on the walls of Rabbah, and all its fortresses will be destroyed. The battle will come upon them with shouts, like a whirlwind in a mighty storm.
15And their king* and his princes will go into exile together,”says the LORD.This is what the LORD says:“The people of Moab have sinned again and again,*and I will not let them go unpunished!They desecrated the bones of Edom’s king,
Textual footnotes
- 1:1 Hebrew Joash, a variant spelling of Jehoash.
- 1:3 Hebrew have committed three sins, even four; also in 1:6, 9, 11, 13.
- 1:15 Hebrew maicam, possibly referring to their god Molech. also in 2:4, 6.
Life Application Notes 14 notes
1:1Tekoa, Amos’s hometown, was located in the rugged sheep country of Judah, about 10 miles south of Jerusalem. Long before Amos was born, a woman of Tekoa had helped reconcile David and his rebellious son, Absalom (2 Samuel 14:1-23).
1:1Amos raised sheep—not a particularly “spiritual” job; yet he became a channel of God’s message to others. Your job may not cause you to feel spiritual or successful, but it is vital work if you are in the place God wants you to be. God can work through you to do extraordinary things, no matter how ordinary your occupation.
1:1The book of Zechariah and other historical records from this period mention an earthquake that occurred at this time (Zechariah 14:5).
1:2In the Bible, God is often pictured as a shepherd and his people as sheep. As a shepherd, God leads and protects his flock. But here God is depicted as a ferocious lion ready to devour those who are evil or unfaithful (see also Hosea 11:10).
1:3Damascus was the capital of Aram. In the past, Aram had been one of Israel’s most formidable enemies. After the defeat of Aram by Assyria in 732 B.C. (2 Kings 16:9), Damascus was no longer a reat threat.
1:3-2:6Amas pronounced God's judgment on nation after nation around Israel's borders—even Judah. Perhaps the people of Israel cheered when they heard the rebukes leveled against those nations. But then Amos proclaimed God's judgment on the people of Israel. They could not excuse their own sin just because the sins of their neighbors seemed worse. God is no respecter of persons. He judges all people fairly and impartially.
1:3-2:6The accusation “The people... have sinned again and again, and I will not let them go unpunished” echoes through these verses as God evaluates nation after nation. Each nation had persistently refused to follow God’s commands. A sinful practice can become a way of life. Ignoring or denying the problem will not help us. We must begin the process of correction by confessing our sins to God and asking him to forgive us. Otherwise we have no hope but to continue our pattern of sin.
1:4King Hazael was king of Aram. Ben-hadad was Hazael’s son (2 Kings 13:24).
1:5The Arameans had been slaves in Kir, but here they were free (9:7). Decreeing that the Arameans should go back to Kir was like saying the Israelites should go back to Egypt as slaves (Exodus 1).
1:7,8Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Ekron were four of the five major cities of Philistia, an enemy who often threatened Israel. The fifth city, Gath, had probably already been destroyed. Therefore, Amos was saying that the entire nation of Philistia would be destroyed for its sins.
1:9Tyre was one of two major cities in Phoenicia. Several treaties had been made with this city, which supplied the cedar used to build David’s palace and God’s Temple (2 Samuel 5:11; 1 Kings 5).
1:11,12Both Edom and Israel had descended from Isaac: Edom from Isaac’s son Esau, and Israel from Esau’s twin brother, Jacob (Genesis 25:19-28; 27). But these two nations, like the two brothers, were always fighting. Edom had rejoiced at Israel's misfortunes. As a result, God promised to destroy Edom completely, from Teman in the south to Bozrah in the north.
1:13-15The Ammonites had descended from an incestuous relationship between Lot and his younger daughter (Genesis 19:30-38). The Ammonites were hostile to Israel; and although
Charts, profiles & sidebars from the printed pages
Study feature · page 1436
IMPORTANCE All people will have to account for their sin. When those who reject God seem to get ahead, don’t envy their prosperity or feel sorry for yourself. Remember that we all must answer to God for how we live. A complacent present leads to a disastrous future. Don’t congratulate yourself for the blessings and benefits you now enjoy. They are from God. If you are more satisfied with yourself than with God, remember that everything is meaningless without him. A self-sufficient attitude may be your downfall. God made all people; therefore, to ignore the poor is to ignore those whom God loves and whom Christ came to save. We must go beyond feeling bad for the poor and oppressed. We must act compassionately to stop injustice and to help care for those in need. Merely participating in ceremony or ritual falls short of true religion. God wants simple trust in him, not showy external actions. Don't settle for impressing others with external rituals when God wants heartfelt obedience and commitment.
EXPLANATION Amos pronounced judgment from God on ail the surrounding nations. Then he included Judah and Israel. God is in supreme control of all the nations. Everyone is accountable to him. Everyone was optimistic, business was booming, and people were happy (except for the poor and oppressed). With all the comfort and luxury came self-sufficiency and a false sense of security, But prosperity brought corruption and destruction. The wealthy and powerful people of Samaria, the capital of Israel, had become prosperous, greedy, and unjust. Illegal and immoral slavery came as the result of over-taxation and landgrabbing. There was also cruelty and indifference toward the poor. God is weary of greed and will not tolerate injustice. Although many people had abandoned real faith in God, they still pretended to be religious. They were carrying on superficial religious exercises instead of having spiritual integrity and practicing heartfelt obedience toward God.
Study feature · page 1437
6This is what the LORD says:
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Study feature · page 1437
AMOS served as a prophet to Israel (the northern kingdom) from 760-750 B.C.
Study feature · page 1438
Israel began to worship their idols, the Ammonites still attacked (Judges 10:6-8). After Saul had been anointed tsrael’s king, his first victory in battle was against the Ammonites (1 Samuel 11). Rabbah was Ammon's capital city. Amos’s prophecy of Ammon’s destruction was fulfilled through the Assyrian invasion. 2:1-3 The Moabites had descended from an incestuous relationship between Lot and his older daughter (Genesis 19:30-37). Balak, king of Moab, had tried to hire the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites so they could be defeated (Numbers 22-24). Balaam spoke the LORD’s word of blessing instead, but some of the Moabites had succeeded in getting Israel to worship Baal (Numbers 25:1-3). The Moabites were known for their atrocities (2 Kings 3:26, 27). An archaeological artifact, the Moabite Stone. reveals that Moab was always ready to profit from the downfall of others.