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Amos #1 I. Amos pronounces God’s judgments upon the nations. 1:2-15;
2:1-16
1. Damascus will be punished for three, yea for four
transgressions. 1:3
a. Particularly their cruelty toward Gilead in war. 1:3
b. Their punishment is described in verses 4-5.
2. Gaza will be punished for three, yea for four
transgressions. 1:6
a. Particularly for their slave traffic with Edom. 1:6
b. Their punishment is described in verses 7-8.
3. Tyrus will be punished for three, yea for four
transgressions. 1:9
a. Particularly for delivering up their “brothers” in
slave traffic to Edom. 1:9
b. Their punishment is described in verse 10.
4. Edom will be punished for three, yea for four
transgressions. 1:11
a. Particularly for their implacable wrath toward their
brother. 1:11
b. Their punishment is described in verse 12.
c. Edom descended from Esau, the brother of Jacob, from
whom Israel descended.
5. Ammon will be punished for three, yea for four
transgressions. 1:13
a. Particularly for their inhuman treatment of the women
of Gilead. 1:13
b. Their punishment is described in verses 14-15.
6. Moab will be punished for three, yea for four
transgressions. 2:1
a. Particularly for their vengeance upon the bones of the
body of the king of Edom. 2:1
b. Their punishment is described in verses 2-3.
7. Judah will also be punished for three, yea for four
transgressions. 2:4
a. Particularly for their religious apostasy. 2:4
(1) They have despised the law of the Lord.
(2) They have not kept God’s commandments.
(3) Their lies caused them to err.
b. Their punishment is described in verse 5.
8. Israel will also be punished for three, yea for four
transgressions. 2:6
a. God’s judgment against Israel forms the theme for the
reminder of Amos’ prophecy.
b. Sins of Israel are listed as:
(1) They had sold the righteous for silver. 2:6
(2) They had sold the poor for a pair of shoes. 2:6
(3) Not content with having taken the land which the
poor had by inheritance, he begrudged the dust
with which he covered his head in mourning, since
the dust was a part of the land also. 2:7
(4) They turned aside the meek, i.e., they turned them
aside from the truth and that which was right and
good, by open injustice or by perverted justice.
2:7
(5) A man and his father would commit fornication with
the same maid. 2:7
(6) They would confiscate to their own use clothes
given in pledge. 2:8 See Exodus 22:25-27
(7) They drank wine of the condemned in the house of
their god. 2:8
(8) They gave the Nazarites wine to drink. 2:12
(9) They commanded the prophets, saying “Prophesy
not.” 2:12
9. The prophet Joel had prophesied of God’s judgment upon
Tyre, Zidon, Philistia, and Edom due to their sins
against Judah, and that God would make Egypt desolate.
a. Amos omits Egypt and adds Damascus, Ammon, and Moab,
along with Israel and Judah.
10. Robinson makes the observation that this whole series of
Judgments announced by Amos teaches “the fundamental
principle of Biblical sociology, namely, (1) the
universal sovereignty of God; (2) the sin of inhumanity;
and (3) the moral responsibility of all mankind, Amos was
the first prophet of the Hebrews to preach
internationalism; that there is such a thing as
international morality!” Robinson, The 12 Minor Prophets,
P. 53
II. The Sins of Israel and God’s pronouncement of Judgment upon
Them. Ch. 3, 4, 5, and 6
1. In chapters 3, 4, and 5 Amos begins by calling upon
Israel to “Hear (ye) this word.”
2. God had chosen Israel and blessed them, but His choice of
Israel was conditional.
a. God having known them and blessed them made their sins
even worse and they must be punished. 3:1-2
3. Amos questions – “Can two walk together, except they be
agreed?” 3:3
a. See Exodus 33:3; Leviticus 26:23-24
b. In this question and that which follows, Amos defends
his mission as a prophet.
(1) God, who rebukes, and Israel, who is rebuked, are
two.
(2) They are not in agreement. Hence, as Israel had
ceased walking with God, so God can no longer walk
with them.
(3) God rebuked through His prophets, but Israel,
refused the rebuke and justified themselves.
(4) Israel said to the Prophets “Prophesy not;” 2:12;
or “The Lord hath not sent thee.” Jeremiah 43:2
(5) While Israel continued to disobey God, the
prophets could not speak good of them, but evil.
See 1 Kings 22:8
c. Each question in verses 4-8 suggests its own thought.
(1) The idea being “As the roaring of the lion causeth
terror, for he sendeth forth his terrible roar
when he is about to spring on his prey, so God
threathens by His prophets, only when He is about
to punish.” (Barnes)
(2) The lions roar is a warning to escape. God’s
pronouncements of judgment through His prophets
are warnings to repent and thus escape God’s
wrath. If the warnings are neglected, how can
they be rescued from the wrath of God.
d. Amos affirms that God will “do nothing”, unless or
until he reveal his secret unto his servants the
prophets.” 3:7
e. But “the loin hath roared,” or God has spoken,
therefore there is cause for you to fear. 3:8
f. “The Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy.” 3:8
(1) Amos affirms that he was called by God to
prophesy. See also 7:14-15
(2) Others were fearful not to speak God’s message
when He had revealed His message to them.
(a) Moses was not excused, though slow of speech.
Exodus 4:10-16
(b) Isaiah was not excused, though of polluted
lips. Isaiah 6:5-10
(c) Jeremiah was not excused because of his youth.
Jeremiah 1:7; 20:9
(d) Ezekiel was admonished, “be not rebellious,
like that rebellious house.” Ezekiel 2:8
(e) Peter and John. Acts 4:19-20
(f) Paul. 1 Corinthians 9:16-17
(3) Since God place upon each Christian the
responsibility to teach His Word, 2 Timothy 2:2; 1
Peter 3:15; Hebrews 5:12-14 etc. What should be
the Christian’s attitude toward this
responsibility?
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