The following audio messages are part of our ongoing Bible Study Series, taught by Pastor Bob Lawrenz, recorded at Whitestone Christian Fellowship.
He envisions a future where justice, righteousness, and prosperity will be fully restored. Amos points to the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises through the Messiah and His redemptive work.
The Book of Amos encourages believers to seek justice, pursue righteousness, and offer genuine worship. It calls us to examine our lives and align ourselves with God’s heart for social justice and compassion for the downtrodden. It inspires us to worship God with sincerity and holiness, embracing His call to repentance and restoration.
As Christians, let us heed the lessons of Amos, striving to be ambassadors of His kingdom, not our own. Our testimony of Christ cannot be tarnished by sin. May the timeless truths of this prophetic book inspire and transform our lives as we seek to live out our faith with integrity and love for others.
As with each of the Minor Prophets, the title comes from the name of the prophet to whom God gave His message (1:1). Amos’ name means “burden” or “burden-bearer.” He is not to be confused with Amoz (“stout, strong”), the father of Isaiah (Isaiah 1:1).
Amos was from Tekoa, a small village 10 miles south of Jerusalem. He was the only prophet to give his occupation before declaring his divine commission. He was not of priestly or noble descent but worked as a “sheepbreeder” (1:1; cf. 2 Kings 3:4) and a “tender of sycamore fruit” (7:14) and was a contemporary of Jonah (2 Kings 14:25), Hosea (Hose 1:1), and Isaiah (Is. 1:1). The date of writing is mid-eighth century B.C., during the reigns of Uzziah, king of Judah (ca. 790–739 B.C.) and Jeroboam II, king of Israel (ca. 793–753 B.C.), two years before a memorable earthquake (1:1; cf. Zechariah 14:5, ca. 760 B.C.).
Amos was a Judean prophet called to deliver a message primarily to the northern tribes of Israel (7:15). Politically, it was a time of prosperity under the long and secure reign of Jeroboam II who, following the example of his father Joash (2 Kings 13:25), significantly “restored the territory of Israel” (2 Kings 14:25). It was also a time of peace with both Judah (cf. 5:5) and her more distant neighbors; the ever-present menace of Assyria was subdued earlier that century because of Nineveh’s repentance at the preaching of Jonah (Jonah 3:10). Spiritually, however, it was a time of rampant corruption and moral decay (4:1; 5:10–13; 2 Kings 14:24).
The Book of Amos is basically a message of judgment, judgment over the nations, oracles and visions of judgment upon Israel. Its central theme is that Israel has broken its covenant with GOD. Consequently, GOD will punish its sin severely. Amos begins with a series of predictions of judgment against Israel's neighboring nations, including Judah, and later also directs his prophecies against Israel (Amos 1:3-2:16). All these nations will be punished for specific offenses that they have committed against Israel or some other nation. Israel and Judah, however, will be punished for having broken their covenant with GOD. The following section (Amos 3:1-6:14) contains a series of three oracles or sermons against Israel. These include the threat of the exile. A third section (7:1-9:10) offers a series of five visions of judgment, in two of which GOD withdraws. Finally, Amos prophesies of the future restoration of Israel (Amos 9:11-15).
The prophecy of Amos falls, like that of Jonah and Hosea, in the reign of Jeroboam II; 760 B.C. was perhaps the approximate date of the messages that are included in his book. From the writings of Amos and Hosea we get a vivid picture of the conditions which existed in the kingdom of Israel at this time. Israel was living in the heyday of its prosperity. The wealthier classes had given themselves over to luxury and extravagance. We hear of palaces furnished with ivory and house of hewn stone, winter homes and summer homes, luxuriant dining couches of carved ivory with damask coverlets and cushions. The rich "chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music"; they drank costly wines and anointed themselves with precious oils (Amos 3:12,15; 4:1; 5:11; 6:4-7).
The people were outwardly religious. The shrines at Bethel and Gilgal were crowded with worshipers and the religious festivals were occasions of elaborate ceremonies. The psalms were sung piously and there was much mention of the coming "day of the LORD". But the insincerity of their religion was proved by the immorality of their lives. There were dishonesty, drunkenness, and lewdness on every hand. The rich were oppressing the poor, there was bribery in the courts, and the righteous were hated and opposed. Highway robbery, adultery, and murder were condoned, and practiced even by the priests. Idolatry was everywhere in evidence (Amos 2:6-8; 3:9-10; etc.).
Amos addresses Israel’s two primary sins: 1) an absence of true worship, and 2) a lack of justice. In the midst of their ritualistic performance of worship, they were not pursuing the Lord with their hearts (4:4, 5; 5:4–6) nor following His standard of justice with their neighbors (5:10–13; 6:12). This apostasy, evidenced by continual, willful rejection of the prophetic message of Amos, is promised divine judgment. Because of His covenant, however, the Lord will not abandon Israel altogether but will bring future restoration to the righteous remnant (9:7–15).
Amos was from Tekoa, a small village 10 miles south of Jerusalem. He was the only prophet to give his occupation before declaring his divine commission. He was not of priestly or noble descent but worked as a “sheepbreeder” (1:1; cf. 2 Kings 3:4) and a “tender of sycamore fruit” (7:14) and was a contemporary of Jonah (2 Kings 14:25), Hosea (Hose 1:1), and Isaiah (Is. 1:1). The date of writing is mid-eighth century B.C., during the reigns of Uzziah, king of Judah (ca. 790–739 B.C.) and Jeroboam II, king of Israel (ca. 793–753 B.C.), two years before a memorable earthquake (1:1; cf. Zechariah 14:5, ca. 760 B.C.).
Amos was a Judean prophet called to deliver a message primarily to the northern tribes of Israel (7:15). Politically, it was a time of prosperity under the long and secure reign of Jeroboam II who, following the example of his father Joash (2 Kings 13:25), significantly “restored the territory of Israel” (2 Kings 14:25). It was also a time of peace with both Judah (cf. 5:5) and her more distant neighbors; the ever-present menace of Assyria was subdued earlier that century because of Nineveh’s repentance at the preaching of Jonah (Jonah 3:10). Spiritually, however, it was a time of rampant corruption and moral decay (4:1; 5:10–13; 2 Kings 14:24).
The Book of Amos is basically a message of judgment, judgment over the nations, oracles and visions of judgment upon Israel. Its central theme is that Israel has broken its covenant with GOD. Consequently, GOD will punish its sin severely. Amos begins with a series of predictions of judgment against Israel's neighboring nations, including Judah, and later also directs his prophecies against Israel (Amos 1:3-2:16). All these nations will be punished for specific offenses that they have committed against Israel or some other nation. Israel and Judah, however, will be punished for having broken their covenant with GOD. The following section (Amos 3:1-6:14) contains a series of three oracles or sermons against Israel. These include the threat of the exile. A third section (7:1-9:10) offers a series of five visions of judgment, in two of which GOD withdraws. Finally, Amos prophesies of the future restoration of Israel (Amos 9:11-15).
The prophecy of Amos falls, like that of Jonah and Hosea, in the reign of Jeroboam II; 760 B.C. was perhaps the approximate date of the messages that are included in his book. From the writings of Amos and Hosea we get a vivid picture of the conditions which existed in the kingdom of Israel at this time. Israel was living in the heyday of its prosperity. The wealthier classes had given themselves over to luxury and extravagance. We hear of palaces furnished with ivory and house of hewn stone, winter homes and summer homes, luxuriant dining couches of carved ivory with damask coverlets and cushions. The rich "chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music"; they drank costly wines and anointed themselves with precious oils (Amos 3:12,15; 4:1; 5:11; 6:4-7).
The people were outwardly religious. The shrines at Bethel and Gilgal were crowded with worshipers and the religious festivals were occasions of elaborate ceremonies. The psalms were sung piously and there was much mention of the coming "day of the LORD". But the insincerity of their religion was proved by the immorality of their lives. There were dishonesty, drunkenness, and lewdness on every hand. The rich were oppressing the poor, there was bribery in the courts, and the righteous were hated and opposed. Highway robbery, adultery, and murder were condoned, and practiced even by the priests. Idolatry was everywhere in evidence (Amos 2:6-8; 3:9-10; etc.).
Amos addresses Israel’s two primary sins: 1) an absence of true worship, and 2) a lack of justice. In the midst of their ritualistic performance of worship, they were not pursuing the Lord with their hearts (4:4, 5; 5:4–6) nor following His standard of justice with their neighbors (5:10–13; 6:12). This apostasy, evidenced by continual, willful rejection of the prophetic message of Amos, is promised divine judgment. Because of His covenant, however, the Lord will not abandon Israel altogether but will bring future restoration to the righteous remnant (9:7–15).
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