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PEOPLE OF THE BIBLE

Introduction

Although he was one of the oldest of the prophets, we know very little about the prophet Amos. We only know what he tells us about himself in this book that carries his name.

When we hear that someone is “a man of God,” we normally think of a Pastor, Evangelist, or Missionary or someone else whose vocation is preaching and teaching the Word of God.

When we look at Amos, we see that he was not a “professional prophet,” (i.e. he was not speaking for a living.) Amos was not the son of a prophet nor was he the son of a priest. He did not belong to the order of the prophets, nor had he been educated in the school of the prophets.

Nevertheless, we can clearly see that he was a man of God who was used by God. Although his life was devoted to serving the Lord and his life-style reflected that devotion, he was only a layman yielded to God who was used by God.

He claims that he was just a humble sheep herder who also tended to some wild fig trees called sycamore trees on the Judean countryside. He was from the city of Tekoa which was west of the Dead Sea and twelve miles south of Jerusalem.

As a humble herdsman, it would have been easier for him (humanly speaking) to just have just stayed in Tekoa–doing his job, providing for his family, and worshiping his God. But God gave Amos a vision of the future and told him to take the message to Israel, the Northern Kingdom (1:1-2; 7:14-15) The prophetic office was thrust upon him. Amos obeyed God, and so he proved that he was a man of God.

There is no doubt that the desert life of Amos had a great effect and influence on his life. Like David, he had much time to think and pray and worship God while tending to his sheep.

The name “Amos” means “one with a burden or burden-bearer.” This was appropriate for Amos because he carried the heavy burden of God’s message to Israel.

He was a contemporary of Hosea and prophesied in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah and in the time of King Jeroboam II of Israel.

Amos’s message has had an impact upon God’s people throughout the centuries, and I believe it still needs to be heard today, by both individuals and nations.

Although Israel had split off from their southern brothers and sisters in Judah, these northern ten tribes were still God’s people. At the time of Amos writing this, they were enjoying economic prosperity and peace. But their prosperity had caused them to become selfish and materialistic. They had become self-centered and indifferent toward God.

They were living beneath a veneer of false piety. Make no mistake about it, on the surface they appeared to be very religious, but they had abandoned any real faith in God as well as any true fear of God.

They were busily involved in carrying out their religious activities, but they lacked spiritual integrity and their practices lacked any heartfelt obedience toward God. They were merely participating in ceremony and ritual which fell far short of what God wanted from them.

Their involvement in idol worship and their oppression of the poor had come to God’s attention also.

So God sent Amos to them. Amos was a fiery, fearless, and honest shepherd from the south who confronted them with their sin and warned them of the impending judgment of God.

Amos was the first prophet to predict the captivity of Israel and to announce God’s rejection of His chosen people.

This book opens with Amos watching his sheep. God then gives him a vision of what was about to happen to the nation of Israel. God condemned all the nations who had sinned against Him and all nations that had harmed His people.

Beginning with Syria, Amos condemns this heathen nation and moves to quickly also condemn Philistia, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, and Moab. As all of these nations were condemned, we can almost hear the Israelites shouting “Amen!”

And then, Amos spoke against Judah, his own homeland, as God included them in His scathing denunciation. (2:4-5) Of course the Northern tribes loved to hear that too. They had cared nothing for their Southern brethren since the kingdom divided after Solomon’s days.

Suddenly, however, Amos turns to the people of Israel and pronounces judgment on them!

In fact, over the course of four chapters Amos enumerated and described their sins.

It got so long that Amaziah, a priest, tried to intervene and stop the preaching (7:10-13).

Prophets like Amos were often seen as traitors because they spoke out against the king and his advisors, undermining their authority and exposing their sin. The kings often saw the prophets as enemies rather than as God’s spokesmen who were really trying to help him and the nation.

However, in the face of intimidation, Amos continued to speak boldly with a brutal frankness in denouncing sin. He collided with the false religious leaders of his day and was not intimidated by priest or king. In Chapters 8 and 9 he relayed the visions of future judgment that God had given to him.

After all of the chapters on judgment, the book finally concludes with a message of hope. Eventually, God will restore His people and make them great again. (9:8-15)

As we look at this book, we need to put ourselves in the place of these Israelites and listen to God’s message.

            Have we grown complacent like they had grown complacent?

            Have other concerns taken God’s rightful place in our lives as they had in theirs?

            Do we ignore those in need as they did?

Many of the conditions in Israel during Amos’s time are evident in today’s societies.

This book can be outlined very simply into four segments:

1.         The Announcement Of Judgment. (1:1-2:16)

2.         The Reasons For Judgment. (3:1-6:14)

3.         The Visions Of Judgment. (7:1-9:10)

4.         The Restoration Of Israel. (9:11-15)

As you read the book of Amos you will find four great lessons that he brings out:

I.         SIN IS SIN IN ALL ITS BLACKNESS, AGAINST THE BRIGHT BACK GROUND OF GOD’S GRACE.

God had been gracious to the nation of Israel. Which made their sin even more egregious. They were sinning against the grace of God.

II.       MERE RITUAL IS NOT PLEASING TO GOD.

            The very worship of Israel was sin. (Amos 4:4-5; 5:21-24)

Israel thought of God as one who was pleased with gifts, outward form, and empty phrases.

Amos had nothing but utter contempt for forms of religion that did not disturb one’s conscience or change one’s life.

III.      THE GREATEST PERILS, BOTH OF NATIONS AND MEN, LIE NOT IN POVERTY, BUT IN PROSPERITY.

            Israel’s prosperity gave her spiritual dementia. She forgot her God!

            Deuteronomy 6:10-12; 8

IV.      GOD’S DEALINGS WITH MEN ARE FOR THEIR DISCIPLINE, NOT THEIR DOOM.

            Discipline, if unheeded, only hastens doom.

            That is why Amos is rightly called “the prophet of divine law.”

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NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!