Scripture Reading: Amos 1:1-15; 2:1-16
The book of Amos, as one of the Minor Prophets, also covers the chastisement of Israel and the punishment upon the nations to bring in the manifestation of Christ, issuing in the restoration, which consummates in the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and new earth.
In this message we will cover three matters: the introductory word, Jehovah’s judgments on the surrounding nations, and His judgments on Judah and Israel.
The introductory word is in 1:1-2.
Amos in Hebrew means “burden bearer.”
The time of Amos’s ministry was about 787 B.C. (1:1a).
The object of his ministry was the northern kingdom of Israel (1:1b).
The place of his ministry was Bethel in the northern kingdom of Israel.
The subject of the book of Amos is Jehovah’s judgments on Israel and the surrounding nations, with the issue of restoration.
The central thought of the prophecy of Amos, which is nearly the same as that of Hosea and Joel, is that Jehovah punishes the nations, taking Israel as the center, that the age of restoration (Matt. 19:28) may be brought in for the kingdom of David — the kingdom of Christ (Rev. 11:15).
In the book of Amos the revelation concerning Christ is implied in the tabernacle of David, the kingdom of David, which is a type of the kingdom of Christ (Amos 9:11-12; cf. Acts 15:16-17).
The book of Amos has five sections: the introductory word (1:1-2); Jehovah’s judgments on the surrounding nations (1:3—2:3); Jehovah’s judgments on Judah and Israel (2:4-16); Jehovah’s contending with the house of Jacob (3:1—9:10), including Jehovah’s three reproofs to Israel (3:1—5:27) and the plagues of the five signs seen by Amos (6:1—9:10); and the restoration of the house of Israel, with the rebuilding of the fallen tabernacle of David for the kingdom of Christ (9:11-15).
In 1:3—2:3 we have Jehovah’s judgments on the surrounding nations.
In 1:3-5 the prophet speaks concerning Damascus.
The words “because of three transgressions of Damascus” and “because of four” indicate repeated transgressions (v. 3a). Damascus was to be judged for its repeated transgressions — for its threshing Gilead with sharp threshing tools of iron (v. 3b).
Jehovah would send fire into the house of the king and devour the palaces of the king. Also, he would break its bar and cut off the inhabitant and the one in power, and put the people into captivity (vv. 4-5).
In verses 6 through 8 we see Jehovah’s judgment on Gaza.
Gaza would be judged for its repeated transgressions. Gaza carried away captive the entire captivity in order to deliver them up to Edom, a synonym of Esau (v. 6).
Gaza’s sin offended God to the uttermost. Verses 7 and 8 say that He would send fire to the city of Gaza to devour its palaces and that He would cut off the inhabitant and the one in power and cause the remnant of the Philistines to perish.
In verses 9 and 10 the prophet goes on to speak concerning Tyre.
Tyre also would be judged for its repeated transgressions in delivering up the captivity of Israel to Edom and not remembering a covenant among brothers, the covenant among Esau and Jacob (v. 9).
In His punishment of the city of Tyre, Jehovah would send fire to the city, and it would devour its palaces (v. 10).
In verses 11 and 12 we have Jehovah’s judgment on Edom.
Edom’s repeated transgressions were related to pursuing his brother (Jacob) with the sword, stifling his compassions, causing his anger to rage continually, and keeping his overflowing wrath perpetually (v. 11).
In His punishment of Edom, Jehovah would send fire upon it and devour the palaces of its capital (v. 12).
Verses 13 through 15 deal with Jehovah’s judgment on Ammon.
Ammon (a son of Lot by incest) ripped up the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their border (v. 13).
Jehovah would kindle a fire in the capital, and it would devour its palaces with shouting in the day of battle and a tempest in the day of the storm wind (v. 14). Also, their king and his princes would go into captivity (v. 15).
In 2:1-3 we have a word regarding Moab.
Moab (also a son of Lot by incest) burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime (v. 1).
Jehovah would send fire upon Moab and devour the palaces of its capital. He would cause Moab to die with a crash, with shouting, and with the sound of a trumpet. Furthermore, He would cut off its judge and slay all its princes with him (vv. 2-3).
Amos 2:4-16 is a record of Jehovah’s judgments on Judah (vv. 4-5) and Israel (vv. 6-16).
Jehovah’s judgment on Judah was due to their rejecting the law of Jehovah and not keeping His statutes and due to their following their fathers to lie (v. 4). Judah’s lies caused them to err.
Jehovah’s punishment of Judah was to send fire upon Judah, a fire that would devour the palaces of Jerusalem (v. 5).
Jehovah’s judgment on Israel was due to their having sold the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals (v. 6), panting after the dust of the earth upon the heads of the poor (v. 7a), and turning aside the way of the meek (v. 7b). Israel also transgressed in that a man and his father went in unto the same woman, in order to profane Jehovah’s holy name (v. 7c). Upon garments taken as pledge, Israel lay themselves down beside every altar (v. 8a). The poor were so destitute when borrowing money that they would give their bedding as a pledge. The person who took the pledge would then spread the bedding around an altar as he worshipped idols. This was evil in the eyes of God. Moreover, in the house (the temple) of their God, Israel drank the wine of those who had been fined (v. 8b). They also made the Nazarites drink wine and commanded the prophets not to prophesy (vv. 9-12). The prophets and the Nazarites were the holy people raised up by God, but these holy people were damaged because Israel charged the prophets not to prophesy and seduced the Nazarites to drink wine.
In His punishment, Jehovah would press on Israel like a cart that is full of sheaves (v. 13). Flight would perish from the swift; the strong would not strengthen his force, nor would the mighty deliver his soul. He who wielded the bow would not stand, he who was swift of foot would not deliver himself, and he who rode the horse would not deliver his soul (vv. 14-15). Finally, Jehovah declared that he who was stout-hearted among the mighty men would flee away naked in that day (v. 16). As these verses make clear, when God comes in to judge, there is no way to escape.
