The Book of Amos

Introduction

1. THE HUMAN AUTHOR
1. His Name
1. The name Amos means “burden-bearer.”
2. Mentioned by name seven times within the Book of Amos (Amos 1:1The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
   See All...; Amos 7:8And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the LORD, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:
   See All..., 10, 11, 12, 14; Amos 8:2And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the LORD unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more.
   See All...).
2. His Hometown
1. Amos was among the herdmen of Tekoa (Amos 1:1The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
   See All...).
2. Tekoa was built by Rehoboam the son of Solomon (2 Chronicles 11:5-6 [5] And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah. [6] He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,
   See All...).
3. Tekoa was a fenced city (2 Chronicles 11:6He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,
   See All..., 10).
4. Tekoa was a place of wilderness (2 Chronicles 20:20And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
   See All...).
5. Only three verses mention Tekoa before Amos comes on the scene and no verses mention Tekoa when Amos leaves the scene.
3. His Occupation
1. Amos was among the herdmen of Tekoa (Amos 1:1The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
   See All...).
2. This position was not one of glory, but a job of a servant (Genesis 13:7-8 [7] And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. [8] And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.
   See All...; 1 Samuel 21:7Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.
   See All...).
3. Amos was also a gatherer of sycomore fruit (Amos 7:14Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
   See All...).
4. This is consistent with other God-called men.
1. Moses was on the backside of the desert when God called unto him a second time (Exodus 3:1-6 [1] Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. [2] And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. [3] And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. [4] And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. [5] And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. [6] Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
   See All...).
2. Gideon was in the threshing floor when God called him (Judges 6:11-16 [11] And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. [12] And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. [13] And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. [14] And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? [15] And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. [16] And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
   See All...).
3. David was with his “few sheep” when God called him (1 Samuel 16:11-13 [11] And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. [12] And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. [13] Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
   See All...).
4. Elisha was plowing a field when God called him (1 Kings 19:19-20 [19] So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. [20] And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?
   See All...).
5. Simon and Andrew were casting a net when God called him (Matthew 4:18-19 [18] And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. [19] And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
   See All...).
6. Note:  “It is important to observe that only he who has thus learned of God in the school of obscurity is likely to shine in the blaze of publicity”- taken from Notes on the Minor Prophets by H. A. Ironside page 142.
4. His Calling
1. The origin of his calling
1. Not by lineage (Amos 7:14Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
   See All...)
1. Not previously a prophet
2. Not a son of a prophet
2. By God Himself (Amos 7:15-16 [15] And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. [16] Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.
   See All...)
1. The Lord called Amos.
2. The Lord sent Amos.
3. The Lord gave Amos the message.
2. The place of his calling
1. Amos was from the southern kingdom of Judah (Amos 1:1The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
   See All...; 2 Chronicles 11:5-10 [5] And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah. [6] He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, [7] And Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam, [8] And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, [9] And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, [10] And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.
   See All...; Amos 7:12Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
   See All...).
2. Amos has been sent with a message for the northern kingdom of Israel (Amos 1:1The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
   See All...).
3. Amos is asked to leave Bethel and go back to Judah (Amos 7:13But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court.
   See All...).
3. The time of his calling
1. During the reigns of Uzziah and Jeroboam (son of Joash) (Amos 1:1The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
   See All...)
1. Uzziah the King of Judah (2 Chronicles 26)
1. Uzziah became king at sixteen years old (2 Chronicles 26:3Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
   See All...).
2. Uzziah reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 26:3Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
   See All...).
3. Also called Azariah (2 Kings 14:21-22 [21] And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. [22] He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.
   See All...; 2 Kings 15:1-2 [1] In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign. [2] Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.
   See All...)
4. His mother’s name was Jecholiah (2 Kings 15:2Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.
   See All...; 2 Chronicles 26:3Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
   See All...).
2. Jeroboam (son of Joash) the King of Israel
1. Began to reign in the fifteenth year of Amaziah king of Judah (2 Kings 14:23In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.
   See All...)
2. Reigned forty-one years in Samaria (2 Kings 14:23In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.
   See All...)
3. In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam, Uzziah (Azariah) began to reign in Judah (2 Kings 15:1-2 [1] In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign. [2] Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.
   See All...).
4. The later years of Jeroboam’s reign were prosperous years and this can be seen in the Book of Amos (Amos 3:15And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the LORD.
   See All...; Amos 5:11Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.
   See All...; Amos 6:4-8 [4] That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; [5] That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David; [6] That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. [7] Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed. [8] The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.
   See All...).
2. Two years before the earthquake (Amos 1:1The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
   See All...)
1. This must have been a notable event for it is mentioned nearly 200 years later in Zechariah (Zechariah 14:4-5 [4] And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. [5] And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
   See All...).
2. Zechariah 14 connects the earthquake with the days of Uzziah without mentioning Jeroboam.
3. Josephus connects the earthquake with the time when Uzziah thought to take to himself the office of the priest (2 Chronicles 26:14-21 [14] And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones. [15] And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong. [16] But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. [17] And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: [18] And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. [19] Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. [20] And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. [21] And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.
   See All...).
3. During a time of peace (Amos 6:1-13 [1] Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came! [2] Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border? [3] Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; [4] That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; [5] That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David; [6] That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. [7] Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed. [8] The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein. [9] And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die. [10] And a man's uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD. [11] For, behold, the LORD commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts. [12] Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock: [13] Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?
   See All...)
4. During a time of pleasures (Amos 5:11-12 [11] Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them. [12] For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.
   See All...; Amos 6:4-6 [4] That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; [5] That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David; [6] That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.
   See All...)
5. During the ministries of other men of God
1. Possibly during the ministry of Hosea (Hosea 1:1The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
   See All...)
2. Possibly during the ministry of Jonah (2 Kings 14:25He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.
   See All...)
3. Possibly during the ministry of Isaiah (Isaiah 1:1The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
   See All...)
4. The message of his calling
1. A message of sin committed (Amos 1:3Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:
   See All..., 6, 9, 11, 13; Amos 2:1Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:
   See All..., 4)
2. A message of the end of the longsuffering of God (Amos 2:13Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves.
   See All...)
3. A message of God’s judgment (Amos 1:4But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad.
   See All..., 7, 10, 12, 14; Amos 2:2But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kirioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet:
   See All...)
4. A message of future restoration (Amos 9:13-15 [13] Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt. [14] And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. [15] And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.
   See All...)
5. His Boldness
1. Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, tells King Jeroboam that Amos has conspired against him (Amos 7:10Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.
   See All...).
2. Amaziah tells Amos to go back to Judah (Amos 7:12Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
   See All...).
3. Amos rebukes Amaziah with the word of God (Amos 7:14-17 [14] Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: [15] And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. [16] Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac. [17] Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.
   See All...).
4. At one point Bethel had been the location where Elijah and Elisha dealt with the “sons of the prophets” (2 Kings 2:3And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
   See All...).
5. Consider the words of Charles Wesley:                        Shall I, to soothe the unholy throng,                              Soften Thy truth or smooth thy tongue,                         To gain earth’s gilded toys, or flee                                The cross endured, my Lord, by Thee?                       
2. BREAKDOWN OF THE BOOK
1. The Delivery of the Book
1. The book begins with the phrase “the words of Amos” and Amos l:2 begins with the words “And he said” speaking of Amos, yet at least fifteen times Amos credits his words to the words of God.
2. This is common and actually fits the detail of how we got the word of God according to the New Testament (2 Peter 1:21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
   See All...).
2. The Statistics
1. 9 chapters
2. 146  verses
1. Chapter 1 – 15 verses
2. Chapter 2 – 16 verses
3. Chapter 3 – 15 verses
4. Chapter 4 – 13 verses
5. Chapter 5 – 27 verses
6. Chapter 6 – 14 verses
7. Chapter 7 – 17 verses
8. Chapter 8 – 14 verses
9. Chapter 9 – 15 verses
3. 4,216 words
1. Chapter 1 – 455 words
2. Chapter 2 – 441 words
3. Chapter 3 – 397 words
4. Chapter 4 – 432 words
5. Chapter 5 – 658 words
6. Chapter 6 – 399 words
7. Chapter 7 – 471 words
8. Chapter 8 – 414 words
9. Chapter 9 – 549 words
4. 30th book in the Bible