Concise Bible Dictionary:
Though Amos and Hosea were prophets at the same time, and both prophesied of the sins of Israel, there is much difference in the style of the two. Hosea is more fervent, stirred with righteous indignation at the sins of the people; whereas with Amos there is great calmness in declaring God’s judgments. Hosea’s prophecy is confined to the sins of Judah and Israel, whereas Amos tells of the judgments that should fall upon some of the surrounding nations that had molested Israel, especially upon those that retained any part of the land that had been promised to Abraham; and then he recounts the sins, not only of Judah to which he himself belonged, but also of Israel, indeed there is more concerning the latter than the former. In the heading we have the words, “The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem”; which are also in Joel 16; thus, as it were, taking up the theme where Joel leaves off.
In the first two chapters there are eight short denunciations of judgments, introduced by the words “for three transgressions and for four.” Three witnesses were adequate testimony; four is the cup running over, of which the four quarters of the earth can testify. The judgments are against
1. Syria under its chief city Damascus. 2. The Philistines under Gaza. 3. Tire. 4. Edom. 5. Ammon. 6. Moab. 7. Judah. 8. Israel.
Amos 3 speaks of both Judah and Israel, “the whole family,” thus counting it as one, though division had come in: then follows the momentous statement that this family was the only one God had known — had taken into relationship — therefore God would punish them for their iniquities: showing that responsibilities are measured by the privileges enjoyed. Though judgments would come there would be a remnant left, as when a shepherd recovers from a lion “two legs or a piece of an ear” — a small remnant indeed! (Amos 3:12).
Amos 4 is against Israel, and especially because they had oppressed the poor. God had brought minor judgments upon them, such as
1. Scarcity, “cleanness of teeth.”
2. Want of rain, which was sent on one city but not on another.
3. Blasting and mildew.
4. Pestilence and a stink, their young men being slain with the sword.
5. They were overthrown as Sodom and Gomorrah, some being saved as firebrands out of the burning. After each judgment is added the result, “Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord,” ending with “Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel....the Lord, the God of hosts is his name.”
Amos 5 Israel is still denounced, but is exhorted to seek the Lord. Some desired the day of the Lord, but that will be very dark and with judgment. Such was their wickedness that God hated and despised their assemblies and their offerings: indeed they had turned to idolatry.
Amos 6 denounces those that are at ease in Zion, living in luxury and pleasure, in a false self-confidence notwithstanding all the warnings that had been given.
Amos 7, Amos 8 and Amos 9 are visions, and their applications. Amos 7 exhibits the patience of Jehovah. The prophet interceded for Jacob, and Jehovah repented of the evil he was bringing on them; still judgment must follow. The declaration of the doom of the high places was distasteful to Amaziah the priest of the king’s false religion at Bethel, who was dwelling at ease. He bade Amos flee to Judah. But Amos replied that he had been no prophet, nor prophet’s son, but only a herdman, and Jehovah had sent him. Judgments should fall upon Amaziah and Israel should go into captivity. Amos 8 again denounces Israel especially for self-ease and oppression of the poor.
Amos 9. None could escape the eye and judgment of God. He would destroy them from off the face of the earth, but not utterly: a remnant should be saved (Amos 9:9). Amos 9:11-15 speak of restoration and blessing. The plowman shall overtake the reaper; the mountains shall drop wine. The captives shall return. God will plant them upon their land and they shall no more be pulled up. Promises still to be fulfilled, for no such things have yet been. May God hasten them in His own time!
Bible Handbook:
787 B.C. – 9 Chapters – 146 Verses
This was one of the earliest of the prophets, and contemporary with Hosea. The latter, however, confines his predictions to the ancient people only; whereas our prophet denounces judgment upon the surrounding nations, as well as upon Israel and Judah. The date of the prophecy — ”two years before the earthquake” (ch. 1:1), which happened in the long reign of Uzziah, king of Judah — is regarded as an important epoch in the prophetic writings. We have no account of this earthquake — the fact only being recorded; but it must have been a truly dreadful calamity, as the terror inspired and hasty flight of the people from the awful catastrophe are symbolic to some extent of the flight of the Jews for shelter into the miraculously-opened valley on the yet future occasion of the Lord’s descent from heaven to Mount Olivet for the deliverance of His earthly people (Zech. 14:5).
Amos prophesied in the country of Israel, and chiefly in Bethel, the southern seat of idolatry in that land (1 Kings 12-13). He seems, however, to have been a Jew residing in Tekoa, a small town south-east of Bethlehem, and from thence Divinely called to prophesy in midst of Israel. The prophet’s account of himself is told with charming simplicity. Amaziah, the apostate priest of Bethel, as well as all Israel (ch. 7:10-15), was so troubled by the plain, outspoken threatenings of judgment upon king and people, that the monarch was appealed to, and the apostate priest forced to own the true and Divine character and mission of the prophet; he said unto Amos, “O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there.” The reply of Amos is striking for its very simplicity: “I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman (or shepherd) and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: and the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me: Go, prophesy unto My people Israel.”
This pastoral prophet, therefore, has judgment as the great burden of his prophecy. The hypocrisy and wickedness of Israel are specially pointed out. Stephen, in Acts 7, and James, in Acts 15, quote from this prophet. Israel’s blessed future, as in all the prophetic writings, is also unfolded, and expressed chiefly in symbols drawn from the quiet occupations of a pastoral life.
These prophecies of unsparing judgment upon Damascus, Syria, Gaza, Philistia, Tyre, Ammon, Moab, also upon Judah and Israel (chs. 1-2), were in measure fulfilled upon the nations bordering on Immanuel’s land by the splendid victories and successes of Jeroboam II. who restored to Israel something of her ancient glory (2 Kings 14:23-29), and also Judah’s magnificent conquests over the adjoining nations under Uzziah (2 Chron. 26:6-15). But these judgments were only an earnest or pledge on Jehovah’s part of future retribution upon the troublers of His people.
Israel is threatened with “captivity beyond Damascus,” and this after her guilt had been forcibly expressed and proved from the time of her departure out of Egypt. The captivity of the ten tribes to Assyria, and of the two tribes to Babylon, vindicated this Word of Jehovah (ch. 5).
The last five verses of the prophecy are peculiarly rich and full in their anticipations of Israel’s future blessedness under the sway of their Messiah.
General Divisions
Chapters 1-2 — Judgment denounced upon various states, nations, and cities, including Israel and Judah.
Chapters 3-6 — Idolatry and other wickednesses of Israel (or ten tribes) pointed out, and their captivity to Assyria predicted.
Chapters 7-9 — Symbolic visions of judgment upon all Israel, with promises of future restoration and blessing.
Note
Jewish tradition asserts that our prophet was badly used by the apostate priest Amaziah, on his refusal to leave the land of Israel for Judah, and, further, that the priest’s son completed the work of his father by driving a nail into the prophet’s temple, whose friends then removed him in a dying condition to his native place, where he died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his fathers, but, as we have already observed, this is merely tradition.
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