How frequently have we become the victim of our own attitudes? How often are we guilty of using a double standard to justify ourselves and condemn our enemies? Is it not true that we are guilty of doing what we condemn in others?
The author, Amos, gives us three ways to date this prophecy. He spoke this message to Israel during the reign of King Uzziah in Judah (792—740 BC), during the reign of Jeroboam II in Israel (793—753 BC), and two years before the earthquake (used as a historical reference point by other writers).
Amos was not someone who trained to be a prophet. We would likely think of him as a herdsman and a farmer. These were not “glamorous” occupations, but common, essential occupations. Some of the other prophets were apprentices to a recognized prophet or went to schools for prophets (neither were condemned if the people accurately heard and faithfully delivered God’s message to others). Amos was not affirming “the virtue of ignorance” but affirming God’s message is not confined to those who train.
He was from an area south of Jerusalem. Thus we have a man coming from the Kingdom of Judah to prophecy to the Kingdom of Israel. Unfortunately, people in the Kingdom of Israel would not expect a prophet from the Kingdom of Judah to have something good to say about the Kingdom of Israel. They would be likely to attribute the prophet’s message to prejudice rather than to God.
Amos’ message was truly a “hard sell” for the situation then. In both kingdoms, it was a time of prosperity and political stability. Even to this day, times of economic prosperity and political stability are equated with “everything is okay.” It is extremely difficult to create an understanding that “danger is upon us” if we are prosperous and our society is stable. Times of danger are associated with economic distress and political instability. Amos’s message from God declared, “Nothing is okay!” at a time when prosperity and stability screamed, “Everything is better than fine!” Unless a person is paranoid, he prefers not to see “danger” in the face of “fine”!
The danger was real! God Himself was depicted a as a hungry lion roaring. God was roaring from Jerusalem (not a place Samaria [the capitol of the Kingdom of Israel] wished to receive a spiritual message). The sheep pastures and the constantly green top of Mount Carmel took God’s roar seriously!
Amos had a message from none other than the Lord Himself in verses 1:3-2:8. Note several observations in the messages.
Observation one: Amos’ message began in a way that would put the Kingdom of Israel at ease. Israel would expect Amos to begin by declaring how bad they were. Instead, Amos began by declaring how bad their horrible neighboring nations were. Amos began by declaring how bad Damascus, Gaza (the Philistines), Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moab, and Judah were.
One almost can hear the initial response of the Kingdom of Israel. “It is about time! Those people have done terrible things, some of their terrible things were done to us, and some of them have done terrible things for a long time. We were at times bad, but never as bad as they have been. It is past time for God to punish them for the bad things they did! Go, Lord, go! Lord, Your punishment is just and overdue!”
Observation two: the injustices of these nations centered in abuses of people rather than in failures in spiritual rituals. An interesting case could be made for the idolatrous influences in the Kingdom of Israel. While there is some indication that YHWH (the Lord that created and was the God of Abraham) was acknowledged in Jeroboam’s (the II) reign, there is no indication YHWH was honored above their other gods—He was one among the others. In the declarations of Exodus 20:2-6 and Deuteronomy 6:4, there would be no surprise if the existence of and the influences of idolatry were the core of Amos’s message from God.
However, the concern of God’s message in Amos focused on the improper treatment of people rather than the improper treatment of God. That combined with Jesus’ statements should make us aware of how important our treatment of others is.
Observation three: other people’s mistakes do not obscure our mistakes. The fact that Israel’s neighbors treated people badly did not excuse Israel’s bad treatment of people.
Observation four: God is concerned with the existence of evil treatment of people even when it exists in people who make no pretense of being His people. Everyone is accountable for their actions even if they do not pretend to belong to God.
While God does not pronounce a consequence in Amos 2:6-8, the rest of Amos deals with the consequences Israel would pay. Especially note Amos 6:7, 8.
For Thought and Discussion
1. As this lesson began, what does the lesson suggest we ask ourselves?
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2. Give three ways Amos provided to date this prophecy.
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b.
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3. Amos was not what? He was not affirming what, but what?
4. To what was the Kingdom of Israel likely to attribute Amos’ message?
5. What about the “then” situation made Amos’ message a “hard sell”?
6. How did Amos depict God?
7. Give four observations about today’s text.
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b.
c.
d.
8. What consequence does Amos 6:7, 8 declare on the Kingdom of Israel?
9. In today’s text, what do you find to be the most insightful? (What should provoke in us some sober thinking?)
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 3
Copyright © 2008, 2009
David Chadwell & West-Ark Church of Christ