Bible reading & studying in one year Amos 1-9 by Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Bible reading & studying in one year Amos 1-5   12/20/2021   

 By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music

Pastoral Ministry & Counseling

 

Introduction of Amos

          The prophet Amos was a southerner of Tekoa ( a village ten miles S. of Jerusalem), who traveled north to Bethel to preach on what was virtually foreign soil. Though a layman, not a professional prophet, he had a direct call of God to his work (7:15). By occupation he was a sheep breeder, perhaps a master shepherd with others in his employ. The same Hebrew word is used to describe the occupation of Mesha (2Kings3:4). Amos’s preaching in Bethel, a center of idol worship and the residence of the reigning king, Jeroboam II, aroused such opposition that he returned to Judah, where he committed his  message to writing. That writing shows that he was a man of affairs, not an untutored rustic.

The times of the book of Amos: Uzziah, king of Judah (791-740), reigned over a prosperous nation, but was under the influence of Jeroboam II, king of Israel (793-753), whose kingdom then was outwardly at the zenith of power but inwardly was idolatrous and corrupt (Kings14:24-25). Material prosperity and social evils further characterized the times.

       The content major theme: attacking the social evils of the people as well as their paganized worship, Amos issued an urgent call to repentance as the only escape from imminent judgment. Israel’s privileged position, he declared, should have been an incentive to righteous living, certainly not an excuse for sinning. Some favorite and important verses include3:2;3:3 ;5:24;9:11  “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never failing stream!”(5:24)

 

Chapter 1 the prophecies of Amos

 Concerning Judah

This is what the Lord says, “For three sins of Judah, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath. Because they have rejected the law of the Lord and have not kept His decrees, because they have been led astray by false gods, the gods their ancestors followed, I will send fire upon Judah that will consume the fortresses of Jerusalem. (Amos1:4-5)

Concerning Israel

This is what the Lord says, “For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath. They sell the righteous for silver, and the needs for a pair of sandals. They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name. They lie down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge. In the house of their god they drink wine taken as fines. (Amos1:6-8)

 

Amos’ vision of devouring locusts, fire, and a plumbline.

 The visions of Amos in chapter 7 unveiled a vision of devouring locust (vv.1-2), and a vision of fire (v.4), and a vision of a plumbline (vv.8-9). Amos envisioned a swarm of locusts destroying the second mowing of grass that went to the people after the king had taken the first mowing to feed his animals. Amos cried and pealed the Lord twice,

“Sovereign Lord, forgive! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!”(v.2);

“Sovereign Lord, I beg you, stop! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!”(v.5).  

Then the Lord relented and said, “This will not happen.”(v.6).

                 Amos’ call was neither a prophet nor a prophet’s son, but he was a shepherd, and he also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the Lord took him from tending the flock and said to him, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.” (Amos 7:14-16).

Amos’ vision of the Lord judging, and future blessing

             Amos used a total eclipse of the sun, which occurred in Asia Minor in June 763, as imagery for God’s coming judgment on Israel.(8:9) The day would come, in captivity, when the people would long for the words of the Lord, which they had ignored in prosperity. (8:11). Judgment begins at the center of idolatry. (9:1). Neither the grave nor the heavens nor any other place will conceal the people so that they escape God’s judgment.(9:2-4).

 

“Though they dig down to the depths of the grace, from there my hand will take them. Though they climb up to the heavens, from there I will bring them down. Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, there I will hunt them down and seize them. Though they hide from me at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent to bite them. Though they are driven into exile by their enemies, there I will command the sword to slay them. I will fix my eyes upon them for evil and not for good.” (9:2-4)

          

          All nations are under God’s control; so the Israelites should not think that they are the only people God has an interest in (9:7).

 

“Are not you Israelites the same to me as the Cushites? Declares the Lord.” (v.7).       

  Surely the eyes of the Sovereign Lord are on the sinful kingdom. I will destroy it from the face of the earth-yet I will not totally destroy the house of Jacob.” Declares the Lord. (v.8)

 

Vision of Israel future blessing

          In chapter 9:11 indicates “In that day” is the aspect of the Day of the Lord known as the Millennium. David’s fallen tent. The dynasty of David, though humbled for a time, will be reinstated to rule over all the world.(v.12; Acts15:15-17). In the verses 13-15 the millennial kingdom will be characterized by fertility (v.13), prosperity (v.14), and security (v.15), with Israel permanently possessing the land promised in Gen.15:18-21.

 

 “In that day I will restore David’s fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be, so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name, declares the Lord, who will do these things.” (Amos 9:11-12)

 

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills. I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make garden and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them.” says the Lord your God.” (Amos 9:13-15)

 

Bibliography,

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.