Book of Amos

BACKGROUND:

Prophet: Amos of Tekoa, called from a shepherd's quiet life to a confrontational ministry at the political capital of the nation
Setting: Prosperous Israel/Northern Kingdom in reign of Jeroboam, 783-745 B.C.
Message: “God is about to destroy his people because of their sins”!

MESSAGE:

“The Lord roars from Zion and from Jerusalem he utters his voice; and the shepherds’ pasture grounds mourn, and the summit of Carmel dries up.” (1:2) At this time in the history of the Northern Kingdom, God's people are getting fat and happy at the expense of the poor. Their theology was twisted: they had come to see and relate to Yahweh as a simple God who needed only to be appeased by extravagant worship in order for them to keep receiving blessings of prosperity.

“Those who recline on beds of ivory and sprawl on their couches, and eat lambs of the flock and calves from the midst of the stall who improvise to the sound of th harp, and like David have composed songs for themselves, who drink wine from sacrificial bowls while they anoint themselves with the finest of oils, yet they have not grieved over the ruin of Joseph.” (6:4-7)

Amos proclaimed the true identity and expectations of Yahweh, likening him to a roaring lion, wild and powerful; declaring him to be the God of the powers of nature; and proclaiming his stern expectation of social justice and absolute obedience.

We discussed the uncomfortable familiarity of this message . . . perhaps in our times, now, a few are prospering at the expense of many impoverished people. What kind of a God do WE believe in? As a prosperous nation, are we confused about who God is and what God expects of us?

One of Amos' powerful images is a plumb line. He declares that God will drop a plumb line among his people: a measure of uprightness. We are challenged to consider how "straight and true" we are!