Answers Bible Curriculum: Year 2 Quarter 3 Lesson 2
In this lesson, David Capoccia looks at the warning of the prophet Amos to Israel. David Capoccia considers:
- Who was Amos?
- What was Amos’ message of warning?
- How was Israel supposed to react?
- What prophecy did God gave about Israel’s distant future?
- How can we apply the truth from Amos?
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that’s right they were taken captive not simply conquered and oppressed by another Nation but actually removed from the land they were taken into Exile and that’s what God promised back in the Torah he said if you keep on being disobedient that eventually I will remove you from the land who carried away the people of Israel what Empire the Assyrian Empire in 722 or 721 BC who carried away the people of Judah Babylonians or starting in 605 BC to 587 when they’re the third invasion but God was long suffering with these two kingdoms and he constantly sent prophets to turn them back and we’re going to look at one of those prophets today by the name of Amos these are outlined for today’s class we’re first going to look at who was Amos what information do we know about this person what was his message his message of warning how is Israel supposed to respond what did God promise Israel in the distant future through Amos and then how can we apply the truths that we see in the Book of Amos let’s pray before we go on father we pray that you would work among your father or son of Holy Spirit please work among your people now sanctify instruct mature your people as we encounter this amazing book that you gave us through the prophet Amos and patient helped me to be able to communicate it clearly answer questions well and God I pray that this would be a time of growth for your church in Jesus name amen all right please open your Bibles to the Book of Amos but it’s in the Old Testament go past Isaiah Isaiah Ezekiel and Daniel and then it’s just three books more and there you’ll find Amos and you’re if you’re using the Pew Bible it’s on page 9 13. that’d be an easier way to find it but we’re looking at the Book of Amos it’s only nine chapters long one of the latter prophets you don’t have time to read the whole book but we will sample a number of passages in the book to give you a feel for the whole book but let’s start by asking our first question who was Amos and we get some information right in the first verse of the Book of Amos so look at chapter 1 verse 1.
and let’s read that first verse we’ll bring in another verse in just a moment but Amos 1 1. follow along as I read the words of Amos who was among the sheep herders from Toccoa which he envisioned envisions concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and the days of jeroboam son of joash king of Israel two years before the earthquake all right with just that let’s observe a number of things what is Amos profession he’s a shepherd shepherd or a sheep herder we do here later on in Amos 7 14-15 that he did some raising figs on the side I’ll just read those verses to you Amos 7 14-15 then Amos replied to amaziah I am not a prophet nor am I the son of a prophet for I am a herdsman and a grower of Sycamore figs but the Lord took me from following the flock and the Lord said to me go prophesy to My People Israel so Amos is a Shepherd he’s not a career Prophet or religious teacher but God took him from his work in the field to send an important message to the kingdom of or to send an important message now back in verse 1 it says that Amos is from Toccoa this is a little town about 10 miles south of Jerusalem so that means Amos was from Israel or from Judah if he’s from a town that’s south of Jerusalem you see from Israel or Judah yeah Judy Judah that’s right he’s a Judea or Judean he’s from Judah but which kingdom does his vision concern Israel so he’s a he’s someone from Judah who’s actually traveling to Israel to send a message his message is for Israel now Amos prophecy comes in the days of Uzziah and jeroboam and that would be jeroboam II not the first king of Israel so this place is Amos prophecy somewhere between 800 to 750 BC this also means that Amos was a contemporary of Jonah Hosea and Isaiah all ministering about the same time it says that this prophecy was given two years before the earthquake what is this earthquake we can’t say for sure but the book of Zechariah also records in Zechariah 14 5 there was a significant earthquake that took place during the reign of Uzziah Josephus the First Century A.D Jewish historian claims that this earthquake actually happened after Uzziah the king of Judah proudly attempted to offer incense instead of the priests in God’s Temple now the Bible doesn’t say anything about that but that was what Josephus claimed it was a significant earthquake that the people at the time would know about now what were conditions in Israel that’s the northern kingdom during ames’s time well II kings 14 23-29 tells us we won’t read that passage but it tells us about the time of jeroboam II it’s actually a time of prosperity time and prosperity in Israel after a time of formerly being downcast and oppressed their King though evil and a follower in the ways of the first jeroboam nonetheless had a long stable reign of 41 years that’s a that’s a blessing Israel saw military success under jeroboam II they restored much of the territory that had been lost under previous Kings and they even made territorial gains in Syria why had these good things happened especially to an evil King and an evil people well first the second Kings 14 26-27 tells us the reason it’s this is what it says for the Lord saw the Affliction of Israel which was very bitter for there was neither Bond nor free nor was there any helper for Israel the Lord did not say that he had blot out the name of Israel from under heaven but he saved them by the hand of jeroboam the son of joash in other words God simply was gracious he had compassion on the people even though they were not following after the Lord he said I’m going to be gracious I’m going to give you a measure of restoration I’m going to give you success and prosperity for a time under this King jeroboam II now that was to evoke a response for sure from Israel but how did Israel respond well let’s find out because that has a lot to do with amos’s message Amos is going to give a message of warning let’s see what that message actually says we’re looking at our second question now what was Amos warning well it starts with an image look just one verse down into verse two Amos 1 verse 2.
he said the Lord Roars from Zion and from Jerusalem he utters his voice and the shepherd’s pasture grounds mourn and the summit of Carmel dries up now this is a significant way to start his message a roar comes from what kind of animal a lion we normally associate lion or Roars with lions but here Amos says Yahweh roars the lion of Judah himself is roaring God Roars like a lion what is said to instantly react to the lion’s roar or to the Lord’s Roar what’s that well that would be a a sound of warning but there’s something right in verse two that actually reacts it changes because of this Roar right so the summon of Carmel and the shepherd’s pasture the land itself reacts it says it Mourns and it dries up notice the term Shepherd’s pasture grounds this isn’t any old land this is a land that has fertile pasture for sheep the Sheep may be currently enjoying some nice food on these pastures but what does the Lion’s Roar mean for them danger right if you’re a sheep and you hear a line roaring that means Danger it’s Danger and this is the way he starts his book by saying the Lord Roars the land reacts what about the Sheep already you can see Amos background playing a role in the way he declares the message but with sheep are in danger if you scan down chapter one you see that God pronounces a series of judgments on different kingdoms for the evils that they have done and all with the same formula look at Amos 1 3 it says thus says the Lord for three transgressions of Damascus and for four I will not revoke its punishment go down to Amos 1 6 thus says the Lord for three transgressions of Gaza and for four I will not revoke its punishment and we see the same formula with other kingdoms Tire in verse nine Edom in verse 11 Ammon in verse 13 and then if you go to verse 1 of chapter 2 Moab all having these pronouncements of judgment with the same formula for three transgressions and for four I will not revoke its punishment by the way why would these nations be relevant to Israel Ammon Moab Damascus Gaza they’re the neighbors exactly they are all of Israel’s neighbors on different sides so um there are messages of judgment for each of these neighbors now notice the repeated rhetorical device involving numbers what is God emphasizing by denoting a judgment for three scratch that four Wicked Acts what is he emphasizing yeah Ron we were talking about this yes certainly it emphasizes the the repetition of these sins but specifically the idea of three rather four why say it like that yeah Danny yeah yeah I think you’re absolutely right Danny it has to do with the fullness of the Judgment or the fullness of the sin that brings the Judgment it’s like well John McArthur describes it well in his Study Bible with three the cup of iniquity was full and judgment was warranted with four it overflowed it’s almost like he’s saying they were already ripe but then they added more to it they’re extremely right for judgment it was three scratch that four judgments that are bringing the Lord’s Fury just as you were saying Danny now certainly we shouldn’t take that absolutely literally it’s not that they did three specific or four specific evil acts there are many more evil acts than that but this is a this is just a way of rhetorically emphasizing how each nation is right for judgment now up to this this point you probably would have gotten a or Amos probably would have gotten a hearty amen from the people of Israel yeah go lion go get those evil neighbors get those sheep but now look at chapter 2 verse 4.
thus says the Lord for three transgressions of Judah and for four I will not revoke its punishment oh and now verse six thus says the Lord for three transgressions of Israel and for four I will not revoke its punishment what is God saying about Israel in comparison to the other nations just like the other nations they are just as wicked just as deserving of God’s punishment their cup of iniquity is also overflowing and calling out for the justice of God Yahweh comes for them too like a lion coming for sheep what Israel’s has evil or what evils has Israel committed well let’s read and observe verses six to eight with each one of these pronouncements of judgment God outlined some of the sins that the people have committed what does he say about Israel because they sell the righteous for money and the needy for a pair of sandals these who pant after the very dust of the Earth on the head of the helpless also turn aside the way of the humble and a man and his father resort to the same girl in order to profane my holy name on garments taken as pledges they stretch out beside every Altar and in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined now these are kind of given quickly to us but what are the sins that God is indicting in Israel what’s one of them say that yeah a form of immorality here where you have a father and son going to the same um the same woman that I think is representative of immorality as a whole what else idolatry right and we see that with the altars um in the very end they stretch out beside every altar in the house of their God so we have false worship what else yeah they sell the righteous for money and the needy for a pair of sandals the they are oppressing the poor and they are oppressing the righteous I think we can say there’s also one more maybe just hinted at here but definitely explained a little bit more directly later on in the book but this idea of um they are stretching out on garments and drinking wine this idea of a luxurious living that pays little attention to God there’s immorality there’s false worship there’s great oppression of the poor for financial gain and there’s this materialistic pleasure-seeking living in the nation what will be the consequences for these sins and others like these well it does say a little bit in Chapter 2 itself but I think we get a uh a better idea that in chapter three look at chapter three and verse 8.
we’re going to see what is the consequence for these sins chapter 3 verse 8 we’ll read down to verse 13.
a lion has roared who will not fear the Lord God has spoken who can but prophesy Proclaim on the citadels and ashdod and on the citadels and the land of Egypt and say assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria and see the great tumults within her and the oppressions in her midst they do not know how to do what is right declares the Lord these who hoard up violence and Devastation in their citadels therefore thus says the Lord God an enemy even one surrounding the land will pull down your strength from you and your citadels will be looted thus says the Lord just as the shepherd snatches from the lion’s mouth a couple of legs or a piece of an ear so will the sons of Israel dwelling in scenario Samaria be snatched away with the corner of a bed and the cover of a couch hear and testify against the house of Jacob declares the Lord God the god of hosts let’s observe notice the image of God as the roaring lion once again with what specifically is God’s Roar connected in verse 8.
we’re not just talking about a symbolic Roar it’s tied to something that’s tangible his speech right his word or we could even say prophecy the Lord God has spoken who can but prophesy God’s Roar is God’s word God invites Israel’s Pagan neighbors to come give witness of something of what will these neighbors testify they’re going to look at something in Samaria what are they looking at tumults oppressions that they don’t know how to do anything right violence and devastation says you’re going to see all of these things and therefore something is going to happen to Israel what does God promise will happen in verse 11.
an enemy will come verse 11 an enemy will come they will surround they will destroy the citadels and they will plunder the land and then there’s this violent image in verse 12.
what is the image there’s a snatching going on who’s snatching what well there is a lion but it’s actually not the lion doing the snatching yeah soon yeah exactly it’s like a lion has grasshold of a sheep the shepherd’s trying to pull the Sheep out of the lion’s mouth but all he’s getting are a few body parts a couple legs the piece of an ear he’s not able to get the whole land it’s taken by the lion what does God say this snatching of the Shepherd pictures Israel being snatched away from Samaria Israel being snatched away from the land and God also says those snatched away will escape with only the corner of the bed and the cover of a couch all right let’s interpret this what is God’s Roar it’s the prophecy you could even say it’s the Book of Amos this is the word of the Prophet to Israel listen to the Lion’s Roar this is God’s Roar listen by inviting Israel’s neighbors to observe Samaria what does God emphasize about Samaria and Israel look at the oppressions look at the how they don’t know how to do anything right look at the violence why would he invite Israel’s neighbors to see that what is he emphasizing about Israel are the neighbors righteous no they’re Wicked and Pagan themselves so why bring them to look at Israel okay it could be partly a warning to those Nations but what else yeah Danny yeah I think that’s definitely true too he’s showing them that it doesn’t matter even if they’re his own people he will judge wickedness I think we can also say that it’s to emphasize just how Wicked Israel is the other nations are kind of these other Wicked nations are kind of come look and be like wow they’re really evil even though these other nations are wicked themselves they’re gonna say these these people in Israel and Samaria they are very Wicked they’re going to give testimony to the great wickedness of Israel even exceeding their own but of course they will also be warned of the Judgment themselves now think about the image again in verse 12 because it’s very important that we appreciate the details is the majority of the Lamb snatched away by the shepherd or just the minor bits and pieces just the bits and pieces what happens to the rest of the Lamb then what it’s destroyed it’s eaten by the lion it’s consumed verse 12 says that Israel be snatched from Samaria in the same way as the shepherd snatches those bits therefore what will happen to the minority of Israelites that’s right they won’t be destroyed if they’re being snatched away they are the ones being taken in Exile which means the majority then will be what they’ll be destroyed they’ll be the ones that are consumed by The Lion now some would say no no the minority represents the people left in the land and the majority are taken away but that doesn’t fit the image the lion is not the one doing the snatching it is the shepherd it says it is the shepherd snatching that is going to be like what happens to my people in Israel just a couple of legs just the piece of an ear will be snatched and taken away the rest will be destroyed and consumed that’s right the line is the one doing the destruction is the shepherd at least in that image that is doing the saving and carrying away so if this is what’s going to happen to Israel Israel God is saying Israel will be destroyed but I say by surviving Remnant will be carried away and will be taken into exile and then we have that last statement what is God indicating about the survivors when he mentions the corner of a bed and the cover of a couch It’s Kind of a Funny detail we could say it indicates perhaps a couple of things yeah right yeah it’s like um well maybe not so much survive but it is the idea that you only got like the smallest bit to take with you it’s like um you couldn’t take the whole bed you only got a corner of it you couldn’t take the whole couch you just got the cover of it like that’s all you could take I think that indicates the the suddenness of the snatching they were yanked away so quickly that’s all they could take but what else does this image of the bed and couch indicate not only do they are they able to escape with little and it’s a sudden snatching as if they were yanked from their beds but also they are on their beds and we already heard them a little bit already heard a little bit earlier about how they’re reclining and drinking wine this is another image of their luxurious living they’re not ready for something to come upon them they’re just enjoying their luxury they’re you know remember back to David and the cinema bathshebo where was he right before that sin took place on his bed not doing anything not going out with the people of Israel so this this idea of only taking a corner of a bed or cover a couch it’s like Israel was just enjoying its sleep enjoying its luxurious rest and suddenly they’re yanked away and they only can take the corner of a bed or the cover of a couch they can barely take anything with them those that even survive so this is a severe judgment this is fearful news for the flock of Israel no wonder the land instantly dries up at even the pronouncement of it in Amos 1 2. God says great Calamity is coming upon Israel because of their great evil now we only got to see the initial pronouncement of that evil but if we were to keep going on in the Book of Amos we would see more specific descriptions and I’ll share a couple of them with you just so that you can get it filled out in your mind Amos 4 1 2 and you can flip through these if you like as I read them God says hear this word you cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria who oppressed the poor who crushed the needy who say to your husbands bring now that we may drink just a couple verses down Amos 4 4-5 enter Bethel and transgress in gilgal multiply transgression bring your sacrifices every morning your ties every three days offer a thank awesome thank offering also from that which is leavened and Proclaim Free Will offerings make them known for so you love to do you sons of Israel declares the Lord God now he’s not actually commending them there that’s some Divine sarcasm it says you’re going to your sacred places you’re bringing your offerings but you’re not even bringing the right offerings and you’re doing transgressions the whole time Amos 5 12.
God says for I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great you who do stress the righteous and accept bribes and turn aside the poor in the gate down to verse 21 verse 23 the same chapter I hate I reject your festivals nor do I Delight in your solemn assemblies even though you offer up to me burn offerings and your grain offerings I will not accept them and I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fat links take away from me the noise of your songs I will not even listen to the sound of your harps and the name is six verses four to seven those who recline on beds of Ivory and sprawl on couches and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall who improvise the sound of the harp and like David have composed songs for themselves who drink wine from sacrificial bowls while they anoint themselves with the finest of oils yet they have not grieved over the ruin of Joseph therefore they will now go into Exile at the head of the Exiles and the sprawlers banqueting will pass away so you’re seeing re-emphasize the same things that God first condemned in Israel back in chapter two you are pressing the poor you are oppressing the Righteous you are seeking to gain wealth for yourself you’re looking to live luxuriously with no attention to what is righteous no attention to God and then on top of all that you pretend to worship me I hate all of this this is all evil and this is made even more heinous considering who Israel actually is they are a special people just go back to Amos 2 9-11 actually won’t read that passage but God reminds Israel that he previously was the one who destroyed their enemies he destroyed the um I think the amorites he gave Israel the land of Canaan he raised up prophets for Israel and then Israel just left the Lord they silenced the prophets they went after other gods God also says in Amos 3 1-2 hear this word which the Lord has spoken against you sons of Israel against the entire family which he brought up from the land of Egypt you only have I chosen among all the families of the Earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities your evil is even greater considering Who You Are you are my people look at what I’ve done for you continually and as we saw in the beginning he had just given them a period of prosperity that was totally undeserved what did they do with it they use it as an excuse to turn away from God oh everything is going well let’s just enjoy life get the wine let’s go have a Pleasant worship experience at the at gilgal or Bethel Israel’s evil was quite quite great Israel’s got special people for whom he had done such Mighty Works yet Israel was acting more wicked now than their wicked neighbors Israel was indeed ripe for judgment and God like a roaring lion was warning through Amos he was warning the doomed sheep of Israel question so far by the way I apologize for the flickering I know that keeps going on sorry that’s distracting sound uh sound people is there anything I should do with my computer no nothing nothing right now okay hopefully this stays relatively stable yeah Rob OT yeah usually but in this case you’re saying is still actually lazy and laying on the bed all day okay a good question Rob am I saying that the remnant because normally The Remnant is the remnant of the righteous we often hear the remnant of various Nations being the righteous but we had this description of certain people being destroyed and certain people being carried away the remnant being carried away are am I saying that they’re evil just like the rest and that’s why it’s happening to them we actually don’t get any description of why certain people are saved and certain people are not why are some allowed to lift are they more righteous are they um is there something else that’s particular about them we know as we’re going to hear in just a moment part of the reason why Remnant survives is that God is just going to be gracious to Israel he’s going to remember his Covenant he’s not going to destroy them utterly but I think we can also say from some of the other prophets writing the in the end of the Old Testament that it is the righteous who are often the ones who are surviving it is the righteous who are being spared people like um I think Jeremiah comes to mind with Judah and and Daniel and some others they are the ones that go into Exile and they continue to look to the Lord but I can’t say that necessarily everyone who goes into Exile was righteous so far in in the Book of Amos we don’t get a description of why certain certain people survive and other people don’t other questions yeah Joe good question how is Amos and the other prophets alike him how do they actually communicate the message are they standing in the marketplace are they going into the king’s court how are they actually talking to the people well we don’t get a description of that at least in the Book of Amos we we will see at one point how a priest and the King react to Amos I imagine that he’s not going straight into the king’s hall because it sounds like there’s a report that gets sent to the king so I’m I would guess that he’s just going to public places and trying to speak to the people so that they would listen but we’re not told specifically sometimes okay you’re asking a question can you asking for how how did the Kings of Israel get appointed into their position or how do they come to have their position it varies a little bit sometimes a person will lead a coup against the previous King sometimes with a measure of um not condoning but God actually anoints that leader and he says you are going to be the one that I’m raising up to judge this person’s house that was the case of jihu on the house of Ahab through his son and he destroyed the previous house and took the throne for himself but other times during Israel’s history the sun did succeed the father and I think that is the case with jeroboam we heard that earlier jeroboam II was the son of joash so he actually just inherited the throne from his father so it does vary sometimes God doesn’t anoint a specific ruler to replace the previous ruling house but other times it’s just the normal succession we have to keep moving on so hold on to your other questions we’ve seen Amos message of warning but how is Israel supposed to respond because this isn’t simply a message of Doom there is something that Israel can do well you could probably already ask that question what was Israel supposed to do God prophesies this judgment it’s for the point of Israel actually doing what it repent turn back to the Lord repent Turn Away From Evil turn back to the Lord but by the time Amos is prophesying Israel’s not doing that even though they’ve had plenty of opportunities look at Amos chapter 4 verses 6 to 13.
you can see that Amos is not coming out of nowhere this has been part of a process Amos 4 verse 6.
God says to Israel but I gave you also cleanness of teeth in all your cities and lack of bread in all your places yet you have not returned to me declares the Lord furthermore I withheld the rain from you while there were still three months until Harvest then I would send rain on one city and on another city I would not send rain one part would be rain on while the part the part not rained on would dry up so two or three cities would stagger to another city to drink water but would not be satisfied yet you’ve not returned to me declares the Lord I smote you a scorching wind and mildew and the caterpillar was devouring your many Gardens and Vineyards fig trees and olive trees yet you have not returned to me declares the Lord I sent a plague among you after the manner of Egypt I slew your young men with a sword along with your captured horses and I made the stench of your Camp rise up in your nostrils yet you have not returned to me declares the Lord I overthrew you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and you were like a fire brand snatched from a blaze yet you have not returned to me declares the Lord therefore thus will I do to you o Israel because I will do this to you prepare to meet your God o Israel well actually just stop right there so what lesser judgments has God already sent on Israel to turn them back what was one of them trout what was another Daniel yeah the mildew which would have affected the crops and the caterpillar so that would be part of a famine and he mentions famine Also earlier some different reasons why the crops fail what else I sent you a plague like I sent them plagues of Egypt and what was it one more yeah Judy what we have drought yes I sent people to attack you yeah he says um I sent I slew your young men by the sword along with your captured horses so famine drought plague Conquest defeat in battle but Israel’s response every time repeated the same way in the passage yet you have not returned to me therefore God says verse 12 prepare to meet your God but this is not a meeting of comfort or Deliverance this isn’t like that other passage behold your God o Israel like yes the deliverer the Savior no that’s not how he’s coming prepare to meet your God he’s coming in judgment the lion is coming but even still there was something that Israel could do look at Amos chapter 5.
Amos chapter 5 verse 4.
and we’ll read to verse 7.
verse 4 for thus says the Lord to the house of Israel seek me that you may live but do not resort to Bethel and do not come to gilgown nor cross over to Beersheba for gilgal will certainly go into captivity and Bethel will come to trouble seek the Lord that you may live or he will break forth like a fire or o House of Joseph and it will consume with none to quench it for Bethel for those who turn Justice into one word and cast righteousness down to the Earth what could Israel still do they could repent they could seek the Lord and live God commands them to do this he’s pleading with them to do this it tells them not to resort to Bethel gilgal or Beersheba which were their useless sites of idolatrous worship where Sheba was actually in Judah so apparently they had spread their worship there God says don’t look for salvation uselessly and any other God turn to me and live the only way to avoid the judgment is to turn to me and what does turning to God mean well he makes it a little bit clearer in verse 14 verses 14 and 15.
seek good and not evil that you may live and thus may the Lord God of hosts be with you just as you have said hate evil love good and establish justice in the gate perhaps the Lord God of hosts may be gracious to the remnant of Joseph so we see what turning to God means what seeking God means trusting him loving him being obedient to him repent God says turn from your wicked way love God and love Justice and then there’s this perhaps statement the speaker acknowledges that even though their evil is so great as to perhaps make judgment on the kingdom unavoidable repentance might still totally save them perhaps God could spare Israel from this judgment now is he right if the people of Israel repented as a whole would God relent in his judgment he would and we could know that because where else do we see that same thing demonstrated yeah between Nineveh right in fact remember Jonah is a contemporary of Amos so this was happening around the same time and it’s even spoken about in the same language Jonah 3 verses 8 to 9 the king of Nineveh or the yeah the the king of Nineveh instructs his people but both man and beef must be covered with sackcloth and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his Wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands same thing Israel was called to do who knows God may turn and relent and withdraw his Burning Anger so that we will not perish Perhaps Perhaps God will turn away and that’s exactly what God does Jonah 3 10 when God saw their deeds that they turned from their wicked way then God relented concerning the Calamity which he had declared he would bring upon them and he did not do it now this is not God being changeable this is not God being like a man and changing his mind this is the way he always acts this is his character his judgment is always in a sense conditional as long as you keep not repenting the judgment will come but if you turn back to the Lord you’ll be spared Israel could still be spared there was still hope as long as the Judgment had not yet come the kingdom could still be spared if they repented if they turned from evil God would relent God will let them live and God would even bless them again but would Israel repent we see a an ominous response already in the Book of Amos look at chapter 7.
chapter 7 verses 10 to 13.
chapter 7 verse 10.
then Amazonia the priest of Bethel sent word to jeroboam King of vigil saying Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the House of Israel the land is unable to endure all his words for thus Amos says jeroboam will die by The Sword and Israel will certainly go from its land into exile then amaziah said to Amos go you Seer flee away to the land of Judah and there eat bread and there do your prophesying but no longer prophesy at Bethel for it is a sanctuary of the king and a royal residence so we see two of the leaders of Israel one a religious one the political they are not repenting but more than that what else do they seek to do I don’t simply refuse to react the way that Amos wants them to and God wants them to on top of that what do they want to do to Amos they want to silence him they want to get rid of him they don’t want to hear this prophecy anymore they don’t want the people to hear it either they want to shut up God’s prophet and want to get rid of him I don’t want to hear the word anymore and they don’t want the people to hear it either and this seems to be the the way people will reacting to Amos as a whole yeah what are we gonna say Dwayne exactly we’ll talk a little bit later on but that does sound like the way things are today therefore God prophesied one other judgment by Amos and perhaps it’s the most frightening of all turn to Amos chapter eight actually I guess it’s right in front of you Amos 8 verses 11 and 12.
Israel’s leaders want to silence Amos they don’t want to hear the word of the Lord anymore verse 11 and 12 chapter 8. behold days are coming declares the Lord God when I will send a famine on the land not a famine for bread or a thirst for water but rather for hearing the words of the Lord people will stagger from sea to Sea and from the north even to the east they will go to and fro to seek the word of the Lord but they will not find it so what is God’s response to Israel’s desire to shut up His prophets God says I’ll give you what you want you don’t want to hear their Prophets I won’t let you hear their prophets anymore you no longer be given my Revelation that could save you instead you will die in your sins that’s what you want that’s what I’ll give you that will be my judgment and though this could find fulfillment in different times with Israel this certainly found fulfillment during the Exile many people of Israel were dispersed into lands with new gods and no faithful Jewish priests or Levites to instruct them in the way of the Lord they lost access they were cut off from God’s saving word that was his judgment so the picture is Bleak as you come to the final chapter of Amos Israel if you turn you will be spared God’s judgment seem unwilling therefore God will spare the faithful ones among you but the rest of you will be destroyed and taken into exile we see how Israel was supposed to respond certainly there was still hope by the time of amos’s writing because that’s why he’s written this book says still listen repent turn to seek the Lord and live maybe even if the whole nation doesn’t do it you individually do it but then there’s one more word from Amos a surprising word a word regarding the distant future of Israel I want us to look at that before we come to our final conclusions and applications look at chapter 9 verse 8.
Israel is shown to be completely Wicked they’re not repenting God says in Amos 9 8 behold the eyes of the Lord God are on the sinful Kingdom and I will destroy it from the face of the Earth nevertheless I’m not totally destroyed the house of Jacob declares the Lord and then verses 11 I’m sorry yeah verses 11 to 15.
God speaks of another day in that day I will raise up the Fallen Booth of David and wall up its breaches and I will raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name declares the Lord who does this behold days are coming declares the Lord when the plowman will overtake the Reaper and The Treader of grapes him who sow seed when the mountains will drip sweet wine and all the hills will be dissolved also I will restore the Captivity of My People Israel and they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them they will also plant Vineyards and drink their wine and make Gardens and eat their fruit I will also plant them on their land and they will not again be rooted out from their land which I’ve given them says the Lord your God this is amazing and this is very surprising considering the rest of this book what are the different promises that God is giving here regarding Israel’s future what’s one of them right back in verse 8 he says I won’t destroy you completely what else yes Danielle that’s right he’s going to restore their prosperity in fact there’s a that image in verse 12 I’m sorry verse 13. it’s a little bit confusing at first but it’s an image of prosperity and abundance the idea that Plowman overtaking the Reaper most likely refers to that there is such an abundant Harvest the people have not finished harvesting it before it’s time to plant new seed so the the plowman is overtaking the reaper because the reaper has too much to take in it’s going to be abundance there’s going to be so much abundance that when it comes to the grapes on the hills and mountains of the land it’s going to be so abundant the mountains themselves are dripping with wine and it’s almost like they’re dissolving in the wine there’s so much of it so we’ve got prosperity and abundance coming people will not be destroyed what else they’ll be planted in the land and they’ll never be taken out of it again yeah now that’s really right this would also be very surprising verse 12 that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations were called by my name that where Nations can also be translated Gentiles this is referring to non-israelites it says they’re going to be possessed they’re going to be ruled and led by Israel and yet they’re not simply subjugated because these nations are called by my name they’re going to be worshipers along with Israel and then there’s that promises about things being rebuilt now verse 11 there’s some difference of interpretation here the Fallen Booth of David does that refer to Jerusalem because that was the dwelling place of David what does it refer to the house the dynasty of David some difference there the word is not house it’s Booth so you can argue maybe different ways but there’s a promise of rebuilding either Jerusalem or the davidic kingship there’s gonna I promise that Gentile Nations will be ruled and led by Israel extreme prosperity and abundance a return from captivity to the land and then a promise never to be taken from the land again amazing amazing way to end this book now let’s step back running a long time but we’ll want to take some time to come to some conclusions based on what we’ve read how does God reveal his character in this book consider all his interactions how is he showing who he is yeah we see that and what what aspect does that show have gone it’s merciful right that’s our thing Justice and mercy God’s mercy and giving them time to repent and sending lesser judgments and promising this restoration and various other things we see God’s mercy God’s kindness God’s heart this is not deserved but he does it because that’s the kind of God he is what else yeah Rob God’s holiness right he does not uh and his Justice he is so holy and just that if his own people require judgment he will send it he has to do it their evil is even more reprehensible than the evil of others because there’s people he is a holy and just God we could point out other aspects here he’s a God who keeps Covenant either to blessed order curse he’s being faithful to keep his Covenant according to the curses that he promised to Israel but he’s going to be faithful to also relents of judgment if they repent and also to bring them back into the land just as he promised back in Deuteronomy we see that God is powerful and Sovereign he’ll bring the Assyrians he um he will cause all these things to happen to Israel he’s holy and just he takes sin extremely seriously he’s patient and merciful he loves Justice and goodness you can see that sin is not a victimless crime the people are harming themselves they are defaming God and they are harming others again and again in the book he says this is what you’re doing to the poor this is what you’re doing to the righteous you’re oppressing them you’re taking advantage of them you’re selling them I see that I’m going to vindicate them and I’m going to judge you and we see God’s care for the lowly and oppressed and of course these are the many same aspects of God we see throughout the scriptures God doesn’t change he’s displaying his attributes here and he still has those attributes so of course that’s going to be relevant for our application I think I’ve already mentioned why Amos wrote this book this was a call to repentance for the people at his own time but even for the people afterwards anyone who hears it remember this is the kind of God you’re dealing with turn back to the Lord and now back to Amos 9.
we know how things turn out for Israel they don’t repent within 50 to 75 years God is still patient with them but then he brings the Judgment he brings the promised judgment Kingdom the Kingdom of Israel is removed and the survivors are taken Beyond Damascus and Beyond the Euphrates but have the promises of Amos 9 been fulfilled we could only answer partially it’s true that God later brought some back from Israel and Judah back into the land this happened under the Persian Empire it’s true that these returners experience some measure of blessing for a time but they also experience trouble and persecution it’s true that Jerusalem was rebuilt if that was the meaning of Amos 9 11. it’s even true that James the brother of John cites Amos 912 actually that might be James the brother of Jesus cites Amos 9 12 during the Jerusalem Council as proof that the Gentiles have a place in God’s kingdom and in God’s salvation plans he goes back and says look Amos said so that’s acts 15 verses 13 to 18 by the way I would nonetheless argue though these promises have not yet been fully realized Israel has not possessed not ruled and led certainly not cooperatively the Gentile Nations Israel has not experienced the extreme Prosperity described in Amos 9 13.
and Israel has never been permanently secure in its land let’s not forget that though some Jews were brought back into Palestine under the Persians the Jews were removed again from the land after a series of revolts under Rome in 1866 to 81-36 their nation was dissolved the people were dispersed and there was no Jewish Nation for more than 1500 years the Jews were dispersed in the world and did not have a state let alone a state in Palestine until 1948 and though that state exists today it is hardly secure it is under constant threat from its neighbors so rather than saying that Israel’s return unto Persia fulfilled these prophecies or that Israel in the church spiritually fulfills these prophecies I submit that we have not seen their fulfillment yet not their full fulfillment like the Prophecies of Moses regarding a permanently circumcised heart for Israel so we see here that God has plans for Israel’s Restoration in the future and I would say that is in Christ’s Second Coming but what does the Book of Amos mean for us we’re not a northern kingdom we’re not under the threat of the Syrian Invasion so why does this matter we’ve only got about a minute so I’ll just list some application questions for you we certainly see here that when it comes to that notion that God is love God is good and he forgives and he would never judge sin or send anyone or never get angry over sin or send anyone to hell that’s just not the god of the Bible that’s an incomplete picture of God and you can just go straight to the Book of Amos and show no first of all we can see God’s math right here we can see his Holiness but second of all because he’s good and loving he must judge sin because sin is so reprehensible and it hurts so many people the only way we can know what God’s character truly is is by going to where he revealed it and we’re not going to get that just by looking around the world or even looking at creation the only clear revelation of God comes through the Bible and clear revelation of his character but we’ve already alluded that though we’re not Israel in the situation that they were our situation is not that different because we also have a judgment coming the world also has a judgment coming the son of man will return Jesus will return and he will judge each man according to his deeds and just as he explained in the gospels he was telling people in light of that how should you be acting Psalm 2 12 says do homage to the son that he not become angry and you perish in the way for his wrath May soon be kindled we’re in the same situation as Amos the world is in the same situation and people are doing the same thing as Israel was doing living luxuriously oppressing the poor pressing the righteous persecuting the righteous living immorally all the same things God’s judgment is kindled on our world and on us today we need to seek the Lord that we may live and we also need to be like Amos we’re not commissioned prophets in the same way that he was but we are commissioned in a similar way just as Jesus disciples were we have to end right now but next week we look at another Prophet Israel Hosea who brings another surprising message and the title of the next lesson is God’s God loves Israel we’ll see how he was going to act based on that love if you have other questions please see me afterwards let’s pray father father we thank you for this word it is a sobering word because the same truths that were true for Israel and Amos during that time are true for us today the lion roars you roar God your judgment is coming you’ve made that known in your word and people everywhere must repent no one will escape you will not wink at any sin all evil must be judged by you because you are holy and just and yet God you are merciful anyone who turns to you leaves aside the evil way and repents follows after you you will rescue you will protect him from the Judgment he will spare him and you will bring him into your most intimate Fellowship well thank you for that God we thank you for doing that for us those who believe pray for those who don’t believe that they would turn and be saved in Jesus name amen