The Country Prophet

Week 5 in our survey brings us to the Book of Amos. We are going to spend a couple weeks here so I wanted to give you some of the important contextual thoughts in writing such that you might be able to refer back to it. Amos himself gives us a timeline for when the book was written:

"The words of Amos, who was one of the sheep breeders from Tekoa—what he saw regarding Israel in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and Jeroboam son of Jehoash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake." (Amos 1:1 HCSB)
So, in verse 1 we find all sorts of relevant information. We find our author, Amos. We find his profession and his location "one of the sheep breeders from Tekoa." We see the purpose of declaring "what he saw" (interestingly this is probably better translated his vision concerning). We also see a timeline "in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and Jeroboam son of Jehoash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake." So now we can go back and figure out when Uzziah and Jeroboam both reigned, look for records of an earthquake and come up with a date of around 755 BC.

Now, Amos' book is divided into three sections: First, we have a series of "oracles" concerning sin and judgment of eight nations (ch. 1-2). Second, we have a series of "sermons" concerning the sin and judgment of Israel (ch. 3-6). Finally, we have a series of "visions" regarding the sin and judgment of Israel (ch. 7-9).

I think that if Amos were walking out streets today, he would likely feel very much at home. Amos lived in a time much like ours when society was changing radically.

Wiersbe points out that both Israel and Judah were at peace with their neighbors, which meant that their wealth and energy could be used for developing their nations instead of fighting their enemies.

With both kingdoms experiencing prosperity; their cities were expanding rapidly, and a new wealthy merchant class was emerging in society. They were moving from an agricultural society to a commercially driven society and were experiencing the problems and benefits associated with that change.

But, the lesson we learn in these first two chapters is a powerful one. Amos is seemingly echoing Obadiah's and Jonah's message that God is concerned with more than just the deeds and faith of the children of Israel. Amos makes it clear that apostasy and cruelty will be treated the same. God condemned the nations for their cruelty and Israel and Judah for their apostasy.

God cares about all the nations, His desire made evident in the New Testament through His Son. John 3:17 "For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him."

I hope you are looking forward to this survey as much as I am! See ya Sunday!

Warren Wiersbe, Bible Exposition Commentary – Be Concerned (Amos, Obadiah), (Colorado Springs, CO: Victor, 2003), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 344-343.