READ IT! - Introduction to Amos 4-9

Readings for this week

Monday: Amos 4
Tuesday: Amos 5
Wednesday: Amos 6
Thursday: Amos 7
Friday: Amos 8
Saturday: Amos 9
Sunday: Hosea 1

Introduction to Amos 4-9

Chapters 4-5 

Chapters 4-5 remind Israel that God is the creator and ruler of all. 

Amos writes, "You cows of Bashan will be led away with hooks. I withheld the rain. I overthrew some of you. Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!" 

However, Amos speaks also of God’s grace. God waited to bring judgment to Israel and gave them an opportunity to repent of their sins first. God does the same in our lives. But we need to learn that it is important to not abuse God’s grace. 

Amos writes, "Fallen is virgin Israel. Seek me and live. You shall not dwell in your houses. I despise your feasts… Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” 

Chapter 6 

Amos is perhaps the first biblical prophet to deliver God’s threat of exile against His people. 

Amos writes, “Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile; your feasting and lounging will end… Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, who are not grieved over Joseph. The LORD declares: ‘I will raise up a nation against you.’”

Chapter 7 

Amos writes, “The LORD showed me locusts, fire and a plumb line.” 

Amos declared God’s justice, but most of people rejected Amos’s message. The priest Amaziah in Bethel tells Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there.” Amos said, "You shall die in an unclean land." And so Amos was kicked out of Israel for “raising a conspiracy.” No one wanted to believe what was coming. 

Another non-biblical source that references Amos is Lives of The Prophets which says that: 

“He was from Tekoa. Amaziah (the priest of Bethel) had often beaten him, and at last Amaziah’s son killed him with a cudgel, striking him in the temple. While still living, he made his way to his land, and after some days died and was buried there.” 

Also, we learn from Amos that it is important to see things through God’s eyes. In chapter 7, Amos thought God’s judgment was not fair, but when he began to see things from God’s point of view, he stopped protesting as he began to understand why God had to judge his people. 

Chapter 8 

The theme of loneliness (8:11) is present, and Amos portrays the frustration that God feels when we turn away from him. 

The LORD said: "The end has come upon Israel. I will not forget your deeds. I will send a famine of hearing the words of the LORD." 

Chapter 9 

Amos lets Israel know that a Judgment Day is coming upon them, where all their evils – idolatry, murder, slavery, theft and turning from God – will be confronted. And only those who are faithful will survive this judgment day. There is no future for Israel. 

Amos says, 

“Surely the eyes of the Sovereign LORD 

are on the sinful kingdom. 

I will destroy it
from the face of the earth.
Yet I will not totally destroy
the descendants of Jacob,”
declares the LORD. 

However, God goes on to remind his people that he had rescued them before from Egypt when they had experienced injustice themselves. Amos also speaks of Israel’s restoration. At the end of chapter 9, Amos explains that God’s grace will prevail and Israel will be restored. God brings judgment to Israel in order to restore them to a right relationship with Him. 

He says, 

“In that day
'I will restore David’s fallen shelter—
I will repair its broken walls
and restore its ruins—
and will rebuild it as it used to be...'"