When we read the book of Amos, we find it is more than history… it is God’s word which shows us how to live for God and to do God’s will. Bible Rank: 829. Question 2 The reason the prophetic books are so difficult to interpret and read is a misunderstanding of their function and form. We find two quotations from the book of Amos in the Acts of the Apostles: Amos 5:25-27 in Acts 7:42-43 and Amos 9:11 in Acts 15:16. The book of the prophet Amos was written in approximately the 8 th century B.C. Newsletter for February 2013 . Though penned thousands of years ago, the book of Amos holds timely lessons for us today about what God truly desires: not shows of worship, but lives lived in accordance with His will. The book of Amos is named after the prophet whose words are collected in this book. First, Amos was written with God’s people in mind. This book provides a detailed exploration of the important elements of the theology underlying the book of Amos. According to Amos 1:1, the author of the book is Amos. Book of Amos chapter one and then this is the second message. It is valuable to have the necessary background (historical, cultural, geographical etc) explained where relevant so you can properly grasp the force of the message of Amos. Amos ▼ as a boys' name is pronounced AYM-ess. It is of Hebrew origin, and the meaning of Amos is "to carry; borne by God". Biblical: the prophet (eighth century BC) who wrote the book of Amos. The key idea in Amos is that God is just and impartial and will judge not only the nations but also his own people for their life of ease and apathy amid human suffering. There are exegetical commentaries, scholarly and technical commentaries, as well as commentaries that are easy to understand. With verse by verse commentary and explanatory notes, Amos: A Warning for Today provides a simple introduction to the study of a period of backsliding in Israel’s history – and the warning from the prophet which read through modern eyes appears so relevant to our present time. … Question 3 A key term in the message of the prophet Amos is the day of the Lord a time where God intervenes in history to advance His overall program. So the prophecies of Amos can easily be dual, foretelling not only God's judgment on the ancient house of Israel, but also His hand of discipline on the modern descendants today. The prophet Amos lived among a group of shepherds in Tekoa, a small town approximately ten miles south of Jerusalem. Amos made clear in his writings that he did not come from a family of prophets, nor did he even consider himself one. Rather, he was "a grower of sycamore figs" as well as a shepherd ( Amos 7:14-15 ). “The book of Amos represents some of the earliest and best of Israel’s prophetic preaching. NIV. The message of Amos lands on the global church today with as much force and necessity as it landed on the people of God 2,700 years ago. The message of this book is basically to declare the impartiality of God. The Relevance of the Prophet Amos Today In closing, the Book of Amos continues to be relevant concerning social and economic (in)justice. Purpose of Writing. THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET AMOS The Prophet Amos - עָמוֹס lived in the Eighth Century BC and was a common herdsman and keeper of sycamore fig trees (7:14) before he was called by God. Let’s look at Amos from the prospective of learning more about God, about His ways, His message, and what He would have us do and to be. Book of Amos. This was a warning. Amos' harsh message eventually gets him banished from the northern kingdom (7:12-14). Today, they are known as the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. Amos is not a happy book to read. Transcribed and edited by David Sielaff, February 2013. In fact, the book of Amos has an extremely important message for us today in the United States of America, the English-speaking peoples, and the world, and for all nations. Amos was a shepherd in a region called Tekoa, about six miles south of Bethlehem. The next verses, verses 3 to 6, speak of a truth which is totally disregarded in the church today, at least in the UK. It is an extremely important book, as we will see. Some mistakenly assume that the prophecies recorded by Amos and the other prophets were completely fulfilled by past events, such as the demise of Israel in 722 B.C. Amos’ name means “burden” or “burden-bearer”. The book of Amos is relevant and current in the times that we are living. Amos, an older contemporary of Hosea and Isaiah, was active c. 750 BC during the reign of Jeroboam II (788–747 BC), making Amos the first prophetic book of the Bible to be written. God plays no favorites. Yet, as I read through Amos this week, I was struck by the "hard" lessons it contains for us today. Title: As with each of the Minor Prophets, the title comes from the name of the prophet to whom God gave His message (1:1). Based upon Amos 1:1, scholars have surmised that a man named Amos, who lived during the time when Israel was divided into two kingdoms, was the author.A shepherd and grower of sycamore figs, he resided in the town of Tekoa. It was disregarded in Israel in the time of Amos. Jeroboam the son of Joash (not to be confused with Jeroboam the son of Nevat, the first king of the Northern Kingdom of the Ten Tribes) reigned over the Ten Tribes of Israel for forty years (from the year 3114 till 3153 after Creation). Warning 1: Forsake Cruelty (Chapter 2:1-2:3) For the people of Israel "the day of the LORD" is the day when God will fight against his and their enemies, and it will be a day of victory for Israel. Amos was called by the Lord to preach to the Northern Kingdom of Israel and warn the people of the consequences of their sins. The book of Amos is so interesting because it could have easily been written to the church in America today. While Hosea only prophesied regarding Israel Amos also prophesied concerning the neighbouring nations of Israel. "The days are coming," declares the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine through the land – not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD." As such pertinent sections on the book of Amos (pp. That being the case, God is perfectly right to bring the overwhelming disaster of which Amos speaks. We hope will you join us for these timely and challenging messages. Amos could see. Amos had been chosen by God to share His message of imminent destruction. Each nation has sinned unforgivably, and now will bear God’s wrath, expressed through the upcoming Assyrian invasion that will ravage the entire region. This is an important phrase in future prophetic and apocalyptic writing. ... but on the other hand we have his warnings which are still relevant today — both for those living abroad as well as for those living in the Land. Amos declared that Israel’s privileged position should have been an incentive to righteous living, not an excuse for satisfying sinful desires. His short book is so relevant to these present days as we observe what is going in America and across Europe and throughout the Middle East. Isn't the word of God to Amos relevant today. Rather, he was “a grower of sycamore figs” as well as a shepherd (Amos 7:14–15). Amos is one of the prophets who documented what is ahead for the nations of the world. The Message of the Prophets: Hosea. The message of Amos is just as important today as it was when it was spoken to Israel. Amos was very critical of the way the Israelite elites were living, especially in an economic sense. The prophet Amos lived among a group of shepherds in Tekoa, a small town approximately ten miles south of Jerusalem. Michael Green says, "Alec Motyer has clearly got the spirit of Amos in his blood. Choose a text from Amos, for example Amos 7:7–17. This article also will deal with the message of the whole book of Amos in its contemporary setting and attempt to interpret that message for the modern world. Isn't God sounding the trumpet to the church in England. Amos, a prophet of Judah sent to the North, warned Israel in no uncertain terms that not only was God displeased with this nation’s sin, but also would not sit idly by while it continued its transgression. It does not contain the encouraging, soaring and hope-inspiring prophecies of Isaiah. To help students understand the historical context of Amos’s ministry, you may want to invite them to locate “Amos” on the diagram “The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah at a Glance” (see lesson 102). And in principle, the spiritual lessons drawn from the book of Amos apply across the board in … He was a prophet of the Northern Kingdom during and after the reign of Jeroboam II. The Background of Amos and Its Implications Today. Today, in commenting on the daily reading which was still the prophet Amos, the priest mentioned that Amos was the social justice prophet. The dating for Amos is in the mid-eighth century BC. He confronts the nation of Israel with the unchanging nature of God and warns them to repent before judgment falls. Originally published in Prophecy Today, Vol 11 No 4, July/Aug 1995. Here is the introduction to the Book of Amos. It would be useful, then, to examine exactly what activity Amos condemns in God’s name. In four ways, the Old Testament book of Amos is essential for a robust understanding of the gospel. If we are living with blind spots to areas in our lives and spirituality, in what ways is the message of Amos an important word for us today? Amos begins with the justice of God, then, and shows how that relates to justice in society. I enjoy teaching the book of Amos because his message of social justice is as relevant today as it was in the eighth century B.C. Read the accompanying . Some favorite and important verses include Amos 3:2, 3; Amos 3:7, Amos 4:12, Amos 5:6, Amos 5:24; Amos 9:11. The task is both historical and hermeneutical. Series Schedule: October 21 – Intro to Amos: Does God still judge today? It is not uncommon for Christians to think the Old Testament irrelevant and outdated, having nothing … Are there any other Bible books that seem very relevant? The Gospel in Amos. In our series on the relevance of the prophets today, Howard Taylor looks at the heart-breaking symbolic message lived out by Hosea. "The days are coming," declares the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine through the land – not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD." While Amos 1:2–2:3 includes judgments against the nations surrounding Israel, the bulk of the book is directed at Israel (with Judah, the southern kingdom, included). Amos How God sees us today In his commentary The Minor Prophets , James Montgomery Boice writes, "The Book of Amos is one of the most readable, relevant, and moving portions of the Word of God. The book of Amos is a collection of prophetic messages delivered by the prophet Amos. In the book of Amos, we find two uses Amos performed: he kept sheep (Amos 1:1), ... We can see this grace in the book of Jonah where God determined to destroy the city of Nineveh on account of its wickedness, withdrew the judgement on their sincere repentance on hearing the preaching of Jonah. Amos 9:1 is eerily familiar. Isn't the word of God to Amos relevant today. That was part of the prophetic ministry of Amos that is still relevant for us today. The book of Amos was written 3,000 years ago, but this book remains relevant for today. Commentaries describe the area as somewhat rugged, rocky, and with sparse grazing fields. Amos 5:6-7, 10-15. The Book of Amos . NIV. It is a prophecy for … For example, Cragie suggests that, “Amos was not a simple shepherd. THE RELEVANCE OF AMOS SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR TODAY Objective of the essay This essay focuses on the final form of Amos; working under the assumption that this book was completed either during the lifetime of the eight-century prophet or shortly after his death. What Can We Learn from Amos Today? The name means “burden-bearer.” Amos further describes himself as a “shepherd”1 from Tekoa.” Some suggest that the designation “shepherd” is somewhat misleading. Amos rails against the cult in its collusion with the state and other powerful people. Amos, the first Hebrew prophet to have a biblical book named for him. Go To Amos Index. Amos was written with God’s people in mind. The Book of Amos is the third of the Twelve Minor Prophets in the Tanakh/Old Testament and the second in the Greek Septuagint tradition. The Book of Amos opens with prophecies against seven nations (1:3–2:5). Key Verses: Amos 2:4, "This is what the LORD says: 'For three sins of Judah, even for four, I will not turn back [my wrath]. Because they have rejected the law of the LORD and have not kept his decrees, because they have been led astray by false gods, the gods their ancestors followed.". Amos 8:11. How Is the Book of Amos Relevant Today? The Work of Dismantling -- Amos 5:18-24 (MLK Day Observance) Amos is a prophet whom Dr. King loved to quote. The book of Jonah is one of the most important prophetic books written as he is the first prophet sent to a gentile nation. GOD IS SPEAKING -- ARE WE LISTENING. The time of Amos: Economic and military circumstances were almost ideal in both kingdoms. Amos was speaking to a small part of the world in the Ancient Near East, the problem of exploitation of the poor today, reaches far beyond, into every corner of the world. It is bad in other parts of the world too. The book of Amos was written 3,000 years ago, but this book remains relevant for today. 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