The purpose of this lesson: To stress that the way we treat people is taken by God as the way we feel about Him. The way we treat other people should be shaped by the way God has treated us.
Few happenings distress us as much as (1) doing something thoughtful and significant for someone in dire need, and (2) the one in need receiving the kindness without being appreciative.
Even before Christianity, the blessing of being a help to those in need was understood to be a righteous thing cherished by God. Read Deuteronomy 15:1-18.
This distress did not arise from the arrogance of an insecure benefactor who must have another’s uttered praise in order to feel a sense of significance. Instead, it arises from the crushed spirit of a benefactor who cares deeply. This benefactor mourns because the helped does not know he was helped. The helped feels no appreciation because he is unaware of his needs. The helped seems to be “without a clue” as to what life would be without the benefactor’s help.
There is a distinct difference between a deed of kindness done for the benefit of the giver (benefactor) and a deed of kindness done for the benefit of the needy. The difference is not seen in what the gift accomplished, but in the motivation behind the gift. See Matthew 6:1-4.
Amos did not depict an insecure, arrogant God who needed human praise. Amos depicted a grieved God mourning because Israel was “without a clue” of the many helps God provided them. The behavior of the helped became intolerable to the God Who helped.
God had not helped Israel for a selfish motive, but because He cared for Israel in her needs. God’s concern for Israel did not proceed from arrogance but from a concern for Israel.
Much of Amos’ message to Israel could be summarized in this statement: “He who in his need received help should show compassion to others in need.”
The response of a caring God should make those blessed by God sensitive to the needs of other needy humans.
The Amorite people had a lengthy history in the area that dated all the way back to Abraham’s times. In their early days they were a nomadic people who lived in the area Israel was to later inhabit. Numbers 21:21-32 spoke of a time when Israel was wandering in the wilderness, and they (Israel) asked the Amorites for permission to peacefully, nondestructively pass through their territory. The Amorites refused that right to Israel, and a battle ensued. The end result was that Israel defeated these strong, now settled people, and Israel took the Amorite cities in the conquered area for their own. These were the places across the Jordan that were settled by Gad, Reuben, and half of Manasseh. Though the men of these tribes settled their families in this area, they were a part of Israel’s army that conquered the area east of the Jordan River (see Numbers 32).
The Amorites began as a nomadic people in the region in Abraham’s time and became a settled people prior to Israel entering Canaan as a united people. When the united Israel conquered Canaan, the Amorites were a part of the Canaanite nations that Israel (with God’s help) conquered.
Amos cited five occasions when God was unquestionably helpful to the Kingdom of Israel. (These are not the only times God was with them.) The five occasions Amos cites are: (1) the defeat of the Amorites; (2) the deliverance from Egypt; (3) caring for them in the experience of the wilderness wanderings for forty years; (4) the conquest of the land they inhabit; and (5) the use of their sons as prophets and Nazarites.
Amos’ point was that God was active in Israel’s blessings from their beginning as a nation. They could trace all their blessings to God’s help at essential times.
Note that we might summarize what Amos emphasized concerning God’s help in this way: “You exist, you are what you are, and you have what you have because of what I did for you.” Without God’s help, they would not even exist.
There seems to be a prevailing temptation among an accomplished people to credit themselves for their accomplishments. The attitude seems to be, “Look at what we have done.” God’s involvement and role is insignificant. It seems the less aware a people become of God’s help, the more selfish the people become.
Whereas God had helped them at critical moments, they resisted God’s influence. God made their sons prophets (which was considered honorable in a society based on religion), but they would not permit their sons to prophesy things they did not wish to hear. Consider 2 Chronicles 18:1-27. In devotion to God, some of their sons took the Nazarite vow (which forbade drinking during the course of the vow), and they encouraged those under the Nazarite vow to drink. To read about the conditions of the Nazarite vow, read Numbers 6:1-21. It basically was an optional vow of individuals who (for a period of time) devoted themselves to the Lord by separating themselves from typical existence. Amos’ point is this: “When people among you devote themselves to the Lord, you resist such devotion.”
The more a people credit themselves with their achievements, the more they resist God’s influence in their midst.
To illustrate the depth of God’s frustration, Amos used several images. He basically said two things: (1) “You are too burdensome for the Lord to endure. (2) Escape from God’s frustration with you is impossible.”
#1 is not about God’s power, but about Israel’s selfishness and wickedness as a society. They had become so selfish and wicked that they were insensitive to God and to the people in need among them. # 2 declares that the things ordinarily looked to as guarantors of security were useless in the face of the danger that would devour them. Israel could not escape the consequences of her decisions and the behavior those decisions promoted.
Image #1
“I am exhausted trying to bear you—you are like a loaded wagon bringing in the bound sheaves at harvest.” At harvest, people made sure a wagon was fully loaded with the bound sheaves—they did not wish to make any unnecessary hauls. The heavy wagon would settle down in the soft soil, and the wagon would be difficult to pull. The point: “You are too heavy a load for Me to pull!”
This is the image of an overloaded wagon bringing the harvest out of a field. Workers tend to overload carts or wagons (thus making the cart or wagon difficult to pull) during harvest because they do not wish to make another load. They increase work to decrease work.
Image #2
Israel’s consequences are certain.
The swift cannot run fast enough to escape.
The strong man cannot save his life.
The accomplished bowman or skilled rider of horses cannot escape or deliver.
The bravest warrior will flee (he will regard it useless to stand and fight).
Those images are frightening! Though Israel was prosperous and the situation seemed stable, an inescapable danger was coming from which there was no escape and no deliverance. The ultimate consequence must be faced!
It is frightening because the security they trusted in the past (and they thought served them well) would prove itself ineffective in the danger that was coming. The consequences of danger produced by evil priorities, selfish decisions, and self-centered lifestyles were inescapable because they ignored God.
For Thought and Discussion
1. Few happenings distress us as much as what?
Doing something thoughtful and significant for someone in dire need, and having the person in need not be appreciative.
2. The distress does not arise from what? Instead, it arises from what?
The distress does not arise from an insecure benefactor. Instead it arises from the crushed spirit of a benefactor who cared deeply.
3. Why does the benefactor mourn? Why is the helped unappreciative?
The benefactor mourns because the helped does not know he was helped. The helped is unappreciative because he is unaware of his needs.
4. Much of Amos’ message to Israel could be summarized in what statement?
“He who in his need received help should show compassion to others in need.”
5. What does Numbers 21:21-32 speak of? Who eventually settled there?
It speaks of the conquest of a part of the Amorite territory. Gad, Rueben, and half of Manasseh eventually settled there.
6. What were the five occasions Amos cited when God unquestionably helped Israel?
a. The defeat of the Amorites.
b. The deliverance from Egypt.
c. God’s caring for Israel in the wilderness wandering.
d. The conquest of their territory.
e. God’s use of their children.
7. What statement summarizes Amos’ emphasis?
“You exist, you are what you are, and you have what you have because of what God did for you.”
8. How did Israel resist God’s influence?
They discouraged their children from prophesying or keeping Nazarite vows.
9. How did Amos illustrate the depth of God’s frustration? Give Amos’ five images.
Amos used images.
a. The heavily loaded wagon at harvest
b. The swift runner
c. The strong person
d. The person skilled in the military
e. The brave person
10. Why are those images frightening?
Though the people were prosperous and the situation seemed politically stable, the danger (consequences) they would face was inescapable. The security they trusted would be ineffective in the face of the danger that would devour them.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 4