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CHAPTER 30 – Amos: Approx. 767 B.C.-Eden Restored

Amos is the thirtieth book of the Bible. The title of the book in the Hebrew Bible is ‘Amos meaning “Burden Bearer.” The English title Amos comes from the Hebrew Bible.

Authorship

The prophet Amos is the author of the book of Amos. The book was perhaps written during his prophetic ministry which lasted from approximately 767 B.C. to 753 B.C.

Summary

The book of Amos covers the period from approximately 767 B.C. to the future time when God creates a new heaven and a new earth, and the entire earth is restored to the beauty of the garden of Eden.

Amos begins his book by describing himself as a herdsman from Tekoa which was in the kingdom of Judah. He writes what God has showed him concerning the kingdom of Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and Jeroboam (Jeroboam II) the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.

Amos then lists the crimes of Damascus, Gaza, Tyrus, Edom, Ammon, Moab, Judah, and Israel, and pronounces God’s judgments upon them. Next, Amos declares the certainty of his prophetic messages and that Israel’s punishment is inescapable because they have not repented of their sins. He then calls upon Israel to seek God in sincerity.

Amos next describes the wailing of the people of Israel at the fate of their nation. He then pronounces woe to those that are at ease in Israel and that put far away the day of doom.

Amos then records visions from God of grasshoppers, fire, and a plumbline, all symbolising God’s judgments upon Israel. After this, Amaziah, the priest of Bethel in Israel, complains about Amos to king Jeroboam (II). Amos responds by saying that he was a herdsman and a gatherer of sycamore fruit, and God took him from following the flock and sent him to prophesy to the people of Israel.

Next, Amos records a vision from God of summer fruit, a famine for the words of God, and punishment of sinners, all symbolising God’s judgments upon Israel.

God then promises to restore Israel and build it as in the days of old. At that time, God promises that He will cause Israel to return from their captivity to live peacefully in their homeland forever.

Themes

• A call to prophetic ministry.
• Rebuke for evildoing.
• A call to sincere repentance.
• Judgments of God upon a nation for their sins.
• Visions from God.
• God’s people to be established in their own land under God’s favour.

God as Revealed in the Book

• God calls people to their prophetic ministry.
• God gives visions.
• God rebukes evildoing.
• God calls people to repent of their sins.
• God who will bring judgments upon nations for their sins.
• God will give future glory to His people.

Connections with the Rest of the Bible

The prophetic ministry of Amos ended about 753 B.C., two years after the start of Hosea’s ministry in approximately 755 B.C. and eight years before the start of Isaiah’s ministry in about 745 B.C.

Now God had said to Israel, “Thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The LORD [God] did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people.” Deuteronomy 7:6, 7.

“But because the LORD [God] loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers [the godly men, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob], hath the LORD [God] brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen [slaves], from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” Deuteronomy 7:8.

“Behold, I [Moses] have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.” Deuteronomy 4:5.

“Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” Deuteronomy 4:6.

“For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh [near] unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I [Moses] set before you this day?” Deuteronomy 4:7, 8. Thus, Israel, then a united kingdom, was called to be a godly example to the world.

After the united kingdom was divided into two kingdoms, God said to the northern kingdom of Israel, “He [God] hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Micah 6:8.

But “I [God] know Ephraim [a designation for the northern kingdom of Israel], and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled. They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD [God].” Hosea 5:3, 4. “Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.” Hosea 4:17.

So, God said, “Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities [wickedness] have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Isaiah 59:1, 2.

“How shall I pardon thee for this?” Jeremiah 5:7. “Shall I not visit [punish them] for these things? saith the LORD [God]: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?” Jeremiah 5:9.

Spiritual Applications

Pray to God sincerely and ask God to help you to do His will, believing that God will help you, and thus you will be enabled to make the spiritual applications noted below:

• Obey God’s call on your life with joy and fixedness of purpose.
• Do not be deaf to God’s rebuke of your sins.
• Repent of your sins.
• Always be in agreement with God and His will.
• As your first priority, be a seeker of God and His righteousness.
• Always be prepared and ready to meet God whether you die before Christ returns to the earth or you live to see His return.

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