Amos

Write one paragraph explaining the historical background and purpose of the prophet.

      Amos wrote this book even though he was untrained as a prophet. He was was simply a shepherd and someone who took care of sycamore-fig trees (1:1, 7:14) Amos was from Tekoa a town in Judah. He wrote this book when Uzziah was king over Judah and Jeroboam II was king over Israel (1:1). He wrote this book to Israel (7:15), but gave God's judgment to Israel, Judah and foreign lands (1:3 – 9:4). God calls out the injustice of the people a number of times (3:1, 2:13, 4:1, 8:4-6). He mostly speaks to the wealthy who oppress the poor. Amos was around about 40 years before the exile of Israel. He was used by God to address the greed of the nation and to warn them of coming destruction if they do not turn from their sin.

What does this book show about the character and nature of God?

      God shows his mercy and grace to His people in 3:7 when He says, “the Sovereign Lord never does anything until he reveals his plans to his servants the prophets.” This shows that He always leaves room for repentance, and leaves it in the hands of the people whether they will turn from their sin or not. God is an intimate God and was intimate with Israel from the beginning (3:2). God is Lord of all creation, He controls the winds, He made the mountains, and He reveals His thoughts to man (4:13). God is not interested in showy religious acts, but is concerned about justice (5:21-24). God can and is willing to use anyone. They don't have to be well known, well educated, or special in the worlds eyes (7:14-15). God uses a simple shepherd like Amos to be a prophet for Him.

What does this book show about God's redemptive plan for mankind?

      God looks back and how He has carried out His redemptive plan in the past with the Israelites. In 2:10 God refers back to the time when He led them out of Egypt and in the wilderness for 40 years. This book has a lot to do with God's judgments and punishments but in 9:9-15 God gives hope for redemption. He tells them that even though punishment is sure to come He will restore them once again. They will be brought out of exile in distant lands and be planted back in their land. God also gives a prophecy of the Messiah in 9:11-12 saying that He will repair the fallen walls of David and that all the nations will be called to Him through that. It is an open invitation to everyone and is fulfilled in the new testament by the evangelism to the gentiles.

Personal Application

Amos 21:24 in my own words:

I hate all of your religiosity,

All of your religious events, and conferences.

I refuse to look at the way you try to please yourselves through your offerings of worship to me.

I will not hear your songs of praise and your fancy music,

I want justice, its plain and simple.

Bring me righteous living as an offering of worship.

     When I looked at Amos 5:21-24 from a modern day perspective God spoke something. Should I be so worried about all of these showy things? Show I worry about the things Christian culture says are part of a good Christian life. All the big conferences and gatherings are not what God desires. He was us to fight against what is unjust and to live righteously. He'd rather that I be someone who sees justice ended and who lives righteously than to hear me worship and sing songs of praise to Him all day. What good are my words if I don't have a life that shows I mean them. My words are empty to God. What good am I to God if I think I am doing what is good because I can act the part and be in the right circles. God is not interested in my great acting or if I can gather a thousand people to gather together. Not if we don't work together to bring justice and live righteously.

Point of Passion New York City (Wealthy Areas)

I used to go to a church in Manhattan.  What I found the people to be like in this church was much different than what Jesus tells His children to be like.  Many attended church simply to meet people, others because it was relevant, and some because they could make good connections.  They were nice and they sang along with the worship band, but I can't help but look back and think that Amos 5:21-24 could have been written to them.  People didn't want to evangelize because they were afraid of offending people and turning them away from God.  They said that they wanted to build relationships first, but I realized that some of them were just making excuses so they wouldn't have to do hard things.  Basically, people were more concerned about their own affairs and their own comfort to really care about what God has commanded us to do.  God had a lot to say through Amos about this kind of living and I believe there is something greater for the church than this.  Lives lived in the fear of God are true worship to God.