Category: Amos

Amos continues describing why God was displeased with His people and the judgment He planned to impose on them. The details about why He was displeased with them might give us a better understanding of God’s heart so that we can seek to be more like Him and thus seek to enjoy greater intimacy with Him. As you read about the people’s offenses, contemplate what image the descriptions convey. People today don’t recline on beds of ivory, but we do enjoy some ridiculous luxuries. We don’t anoint ourselves with the finest of oils, but we indulge ourselves plenty. See if you can find why God is offended by these.

The descriptions of God’s intended judgement remind us that God knows how to punish. People who think they can build strongholds or employ other security measures to protect themselves against God’s judgment, are wrong. Even if God didn’t have the power to sweep man’s strongholds all away as if they were chaff (which they are!), He can impose great suffering in ways we might not consider: terror, aloneness in frightening times, hopelessness, being unable to find God. We can’t know what the latter is like because God gives us the luxury of His continual presence.  We just need to remember that we don’t want to suffer that loss.

God relented to Amos’ pleas to stop the devastating punishment of Israel. It’s as if God showed Amos the devastation so that he would pray for God’s mercy, so that He could relent. God seemed eager to show mercy! Is that the view you have of God? We hear much in prophecy about how God is angry with His people and how He intends to judge them, and we get the idea from that that God is angry and judgmental. Perhaps He wants the prophet to ask Him to show mercy so that He can show mercy. Can’t He show mercy without someone asking for it? That becomes nothing more than a failure to keep His word. So we fulfill an important role in God’s showing mercy on people deserving judgment. Are you fulfilling that role?

God doesn’t just want to punish, but He wants to accomplish something constructive through judgment. Make sure that you understand the final word in the book of Amos, and you will understand what God wants to accomplish through the judgment He brings. It’s a positive message. I don’t want to deprive you of the compelling lesson by spelling it out for you, but I want you to discover it for yourself. If you need some help contact me, but I don’t think it’s easy to miss. Think about what you see God’s ultimate intention is for judgment, and what that teaches you about Him.

As a sheepherder, Amos was among the most humble of humble people; it’s amazing that God would use him as a prophet. Note that God sent him to warn Israel, the Northern Kingdom, in the very days about which we have been reading in Kings and Chronicles. How could He possibly use such a humble man as His voice; who would even listen to such a lowly person?

God had a brilliant way for Amos to get the attention of his intended audience: he opened by announcing judgement on all of Israel’s surrounding neighbors. All of the peoples mentioned in chapter 1 and into chapter 2 bordered Israel. Note that each “nation” is also referred to by its capital city, other chief cities, and/or its leader. Again, we should be able to relate to this, because people around the globe equate our nation with Washington D.C. and our President. The judgment announced was for behavior that was generally accepted in that day: kings habitually raided other kingdoms in order to gain whatever they could. Although it was generally accepted, that didn’t mean that it was acceptable to God. The same would be the case for our culture today.

A feature I like about the prophets is that their references to the people’s sin give insight into how the people were living. So it is with Amos. In chapter 4 He calls Israel’s women of status “cows of Bashan.” Bashan was a fertile area of Israel, obviously known for its flourishing livestock. The high society women would not appreciate being called prize cows; think about what that implied – fatness, lacking intelligence, animal-like….

Consider the reasons God gives for His anger toward the Israelites, for which He intends to judge them. Do you notice any parallels in our culture today? In our churches? In your life?

God’s Old Testament people were much like people today: they wanted the easiest life they could get. They built fine houses, accrued wealth, enjoyed their entertainments – in some of the same ways people enjoy their entertainments today. They were rather single-minded in their efforts to get what they wanted, and when God failed to indulge them with their every desire, they sought other ways to fulfill their desires. Turning to other ways meant turning away from God. God will not accept our split devotion, for devotion that He has to share is not devotion that is worthy of Him, and is less than the intimate relationship He wants to have with us.