Israel has always been a people marked by history, by tradition, by wandering.  Now, just as in the days of Amos, we find ourselves asking questions—questions that seem to lead us in circles. What does God do with Israel now? Does the Book of Amos shine light on such questions? And are the sins of today a mere echo of the past? It’s a mystery, one we’ll unravel step by step, piecing together the clues, until the truth emerges and perhaps—just perhaps—Israel finds its way back to God.

Test Your Knowledge

I. Background of Amos

The following commentary from Explore The Book by Baxter is the same as yesterday’s and put here for your convenience. Baxter suggests reading through the Book of Amos twice before you read his work. Following his commentary will be 10 study questions designed to apply this truth to ourselves, our world, and most importantly, to Israel today. Try to answer one of these questions each day. Click the following question to skip down to see my answer and comments for today’s study: What were the main themes of Amos’s prophecies, and how do they relate to what is happening in Israel and the Middle East today?

A. Origin And Occupation

In Amos 1:1, the prophet speaks of himself as “Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa.” So he was a rustic from away down south, from the wild country west of the Dead Sea, the wide stretch of open land known as “The Wilderness of Judaea.” The sparse ruins of the little Judaean town, Tekoa, are identifiable even today, some six miles south of Bethlehem.

B. Geographic Context

Mile after mile the open country stretches away to the east of Tekoa and Bethlehem till it reaches the Dead Sea, fifteen miles or so away.   

C. Historical Setting

It was here, in this so-called “Wilderness of Judaea,” that David kept his sheep, and where he afterward roamed a refugee from the court of Saul. It was here, nearly three centuries later, that Amos went forth, with the herdsmen of his day; and it was here that he heard the call of God to become a prophet to the northern kingdom, Israel. In Amos 7:14,15, he says: “I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I as an herdman and a cultivator (not just a ‘gatherer,’ as in the Authorized Version) of Sycamore fruit (that is, the Sycamore-fig tree): and the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me: Go, prophesy unto My people Israel.”

II. Amos’ Divine Calling

A. Nature Of His Call

When Amos says he was not a prophet nor the son of a prophet, he means this merely in the technical or professional sense. He had not been trained in any of the “schools of the prophets,” and therefore was not, in the usual sense, a member of the recognised prophetic order. He was what we would call today a “layman.”

B. Significance Of Being A “Layman” Prophet

He is a great encouragement to thousands of Christians today who have had no academic or theological training. God is sovereign in His choice of servants. He is not tied to any bishop’s hands. He is not bound to any set of officials. He is not restricted in His workings to any recognised ministerial order. “The wind bloweth where it listeth”!

Mark the definiteness with which Amos speaks of his Divine call – “The Lord took me”; “The Lord said unto me: Go, prophesy.” What confidence does the consciousness of such a call give a man, especially in face of opposition or discouragement such as Amos had to meet! What straightforward speaking it always puts in a man’s mouth that a sense of authority (along with humility) it gives him! – “The Lord said unto me: Go, prophesy unto My people Israel. Now, hear therefore word of the Lord.” It is that ring of “Now, therefore” which is absent from many of our preachers today; and therein lies their weakness. It is the conviction of a Divine call deep in the soul which makes any man or woman a telling witness for God.

III. Amos’ Prophetic Ministry

A. Location And Audience

Amos, although a native of Judaea, was called to prophesy in the northern kingdom, Israel. Try to imagine the impression that his appearance and preaching would make at the capital, or at Bethel. Alexander Maclaren says: “If one fancies a godly Scottish Highlander sent to the West End of London, or a Bible reading New England farmer’s man sent to New York’s ‘Upper Ten,’ one will have some notion of this prophet, the impression made, and the task laid upon him.” We know that Amos went to Bethel, the main centre of Israel’s golden-calf worship (Amos 7:13), and there, like a solitary Luther, he denounced the prelate and the priests and the state idolatry, under the very shadow of “the king’s chapel.”

Amos himself tells us the time when he prophesied. It was “in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam, the son of Joash, king of Israel” (Amos 1:1).

B. Style And Characteristics Of His Prophecy

The style of Amos may not be marked by sublimity, but there is a clearness and regularity, an elegance and colour and freshness about it, which give it a literary charm all its own. His vocabulary, his figures of speech, his illustrations, are all redolent of the country life from which he came. There was an unconventional bluntness about him which must have been pretty disconcerting to the college-trained professional prophets of the Bethel calf-worship, with their polished ambiguities and evasions. They would certainly feel a cold shiver down their spines to hear Amos address the upper-class ladies of Samaria as “cows”! – “Hear this word, ye cows of Bashan that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters: bring, and let us drink” (Amos 4:1).

IV. Opposition and Challenges

A. Reaction From Religious Authorities

No doubt Amos created a stir when he appeared on the scene; and probably he was hailed with appreciation at first, for he began by announcing coming judgments on the surrounding nations. But when he suddenly wheeled round with scathing threat of coming judgment on Israel, the visage of his hearers changed. A public man in our land today may fling invectives at other nations to his heart’s content; but let him really charge his own countrymen to their face with the rottenness and crookedness of their ways, and his popularity is doomed; nor need he be astonished if he finds the leaders of the national religion among his enemies.

B. Confrontation With The Priest Of Bethel

Bethel was Israel’s Canterbury: he head priest of Bethel was Israel’s primate: and we find the primate of Israel denouncing Amos as a conspirator, to the king himself (Amos 7:10,2), and afterwards telling Amos to flee the country (Amos 7:10-13).

V. Impact and Legacy of Amos

Whether Amos later returned to Judaea or not we do not know for certain, though the traditional site of his tomb at Tekoa suggests that he probably did. Of this, however, we, may be assured, that this dauntless messenger of God did not return until he knew that his witness was fully given – not until God’s word was true of him, as it later was of Ezekiel, “They shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.” Amos is the kind of prophet-preacher needed in many places today. As we think of him again, Charles Wesley’s lines come to mind –

Shall I, to soothe the unholy throng,
Soften Thy truth or smooth my tongue,
To gain earth’s gilded toys, or flee
The cross endured, my Lord, by Thee?

Study Guide

Summary

Baxter discusses the life and prophecies of Amos, a herdsman from Tekoa who became a significant prophet in the northern kingdom of Israel. Initially well-received for his messages about impending judgments on surrounding nations, Amos faced hostility when he directed his prophecies against Israel itself. His lack of formal prophetic training and his rural background set him apart from the established prophets of his time, yet he delivered his messages with clarity and authority, emphasizing the need for justice and true worship. Baxter highlights Amos’s unwavering commitment to his divine calling, despite opposition, and underscores the relevance of his prophetic voice in contemporary society.

10 Study Questions

The main themes of Amos’s prophecies include

Justice and Oppression: Amos strongly condemns the exploitation of the poor and the injustices prevalent in society. He criticizes the wealthy elite for their oppression of the needy and calls for justice and righteousness. Amos 2:6-7; 4:1; 5:11; 5:24; 8:4-6

Idolatry and False Worship: Amos denounces the worship of false gods, particularly the golden calf at Bethel, and the superficial religious practices that do not reflect true devotion to God. He emphasizes that genuine worship must be accompanied by ethical behavior. Amos 3:14; 4:4-5; 5:21-23; 5:25-26; 7:13

Divine Judgment: Amos warns of impending judgment from God due to the moral decay and corruption within Israel. He prophesies that the nation will face consequences for its actions, including exile and destruction. Amos 1:2; 2:4-5; 3:2; 5:18-20; 6:9-10; 9:1

Call to Repentance: Despite the harshness of his messages, Amos also calls for repentance, urging the people to return to God and seek justice, mercy, and humility. Amos 5:4-6; 5:14-15; 5:24; 6:1; 9:11-12

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Relation to Current Events in Israel and the Middle East

Justice Issues

The themes of justice resonate today, as many regions in the Middle East, including Israel, face significant disparities in wealth and ongoing issues related to poverty and human rights. The call for justice and the protection of the vulnerable remains relevant in discussions about social policies and governance.

Religious Tensions and Idolatry

The struggle between different religious beliefs and practices continues to be a source of conflict in the Middle East. Amos’s critique of idolatry can be seen in the context of modern-day extremism and the challenges of maintaining genuine faith amidst political and social turmoil.

Consequences of Corruption

Amos’s warnings about divine judgment for moral corruption can be paralleled with the current political instability and corruption in various Middle Eastern countries. The consequences of such actions often lead to unrest and conflict, echoing the prophetic warnings of Amos.

Calls for Peace and Reconciliation

The call for repentance and a return to ethical living is pertinent in the context of ongoing conflicts in the region. Efforts toward peace and reconciliation among different groups can be seen as a modern application of Amos’s message for unity and justice.

In summary, the themes of Amos’s prophecies highlight enduring issues of justice, morality, and the need for genuine faith, which continue to resonate in the contemporary socio-political landscape of Israel and the broader Middle East.

EXAMPLES

These events underscore the urgent need for justice and the protection of vulnerable populations in the Middle East. The call for equitable social policies and governance remains critical in addressing these ongoing issues.

These events reflect the ongoing struggle between different religious beliefs and practices in the Middle East, echoing Amos’s critique of idolatry and the challenges of maintaining genuine faith amidst political and social turmoil.

Click on the "Amos" tag below to see all the posts in this series. To go to the start of this series click here. To join me in this study on Gab click here.