Amos therefore owned and tended flocks, and collected sycamore figs. Watch our overview video on the book of habakkuk, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. Jeremiah was the voice of warning, the watchman who brings attention to hard truths. Amos declared that israels privileged position should have been an incentive to righteous living, not an excuse for satisfying sinful desires. The book of, one of the twelve minor prophets, is part of the christian old testament. We find two quotations from the book of amos in the acts of the apostles. His given name was prophetically significant to the work that he was called to do. Quite a few nations are described in the book of amos and its interesting that god is displeased with all of them. The book of amos is relatively short, spanning nine chapters. Amos was a shepherd in a region called tekoa, about six miles south of bethlehem.
God is a jealous husband and his people are his bride. This summary of the book of amos provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the. The time will surely come when you will be taken away with hooks, the last of you with fishhooks. Amos writings or sayings, collected into a separate book, begin a wonderful literary form known as the latter prophets isaiah malachi. Amos mission is directed to his neighbor to the north, israel. The book of zechariah is narrative history, prophetic and apocalyptic in genre. Read and study amos, including book summary, with the versebyverse bible commentary.
The book of amos was written 3,000 years ago, but this book remains relevant for today. In this book, amos accuses israel of breaking their covenant with god and highlights how their idolatry has led to injustice and the neglect of the. More than almost any other book of scripture, the book of amos holds gods people accountable for their illtreatment of others. His powerful message was just what gods people needed to hear. According to frankl, the way a prisoner imagined the future affected his longevity. Form, meter, and content powerfully drive home the message of judgment. Israel, the northern country consisting of ten tribes, and judah, the remaining two tribes in the south. Many have wondered about wars and death, especially the many women and children who died terribly as recorded in the old testament.
Amos, an older contemporary of hosea and isaiah, was active c. After a whole catalogue of denunciations from the prophet amos, he comes up with 5 great promises to the people of israel from the lord almighty. In the book of amos, we find two uses amos performed. Coogan, a brief introduction to the old testament, 2009, p. The books of reference used for this study of the book of amos were the bible, king james version, called the companion bible, publisher kregel. Mans search for meaning is a 1946 book by viktor frankl chronicling his experiences as a prisoner in nazi concentration camps during world war ii, and describing his psychotherapeutic method, which involved identifying a purpose in life to feel positive about, and then immersively imagining that outcome. The words of amos reveal jehovahs mercy towards an unworthy people. Israel has not returned to god hear this word, you cows of bashan on mount samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands, bring us some drinks. The prophet amos, a sheepbreeder and a tender of sycamore fruit, was from the southern kingdom, but jehovah sent him to prophesy to the northern kingdom of israel amos 1.
It repeatedly points out the failure of the people to fully embrace gods idea of justice. Book of amos bible survey what are the major prophets and minor prophets. Amos called by the lord to prophesy to the northern. Before the temple completed, and then wrote chapters 914 approximately 480 b. The book of amos was written during the era of divided kingdoms of israel but in an age which is much prosperous than the previous times especially the northern kingdom of isreal with ruler jeroboam ii reached at such a level of growth and prosperity as was not seen after david and solomon. It is beyond my ability to provide an exhaustive study of any biblical book, but i will attempt to provide a useful overview of the book of amos. Amos wrote during the reigns of uzziah and jeroboam ii, with this book written two years before a significant earthquake in the area believed to have occurred approximately 760 bc, indicating a date of around 762 bc. Amos urges the people to seek the lord that they may live am 5. Amos, an older contemporary of hosea and isaiah was active during the reign of jeroboam ii, making the book of amos the first biblical prophetic book written. Editors and copyists added comments to the prophets original oracles that they deemed appropriate in light of events that occurred after his death. It is a postexilic book, meaning it was written after post the return from captivity exile in babylon. Amos called the people to repentance during this difficult time. Bible names had meanings, and often, when a prophets name was given to him or her, it described the work that god had called the prophet to do. You will each go straight out through breaches in the wall.
Amos lived in the kingdom of judah but preached in the northern kingdom of israel. Summary of the book of amos the story of the bible. Throughout the book, the prophet speaks to the people of israel about the critical situation that developed during the. Overview of the book of amos third millennium ministries. Overview of the book of amos reformed answers to bible. The book of amos, which is the earliest of the prophetic writings to be preserved in book form. The prophet zechariah wrote chapters 18 approximately 520518 b. He sent the reluctant prophet named jonah to them, announcing impending doom. The prophet amos lived among a group of shepherds in tekoa, a small town approximately ten miles south of jerusalem. Book of amos read, study bible verses online bible study tools. The prophet amos was born in the territory of judah but he prophesied to the northern kingdom of israel and the wicked king jeroboam ii. Overview of the book of hosea reformed answers to bible.
Amos is a shepherd and a fruit picker from the judean village of tekoa when god calls him, even though he lacks an education or a priestly background. At various times, he had the unenviable tasks of challenging the religious hypocrisy, economic dishonesty and oppressive practices of judahs leaders and those who followed them. Their spiritual and national well being depended on. While hosea only prophesied regarding israel amos also prophesied concerning the neighbouring nations of israel. Its fourteen chapters contain both a warning concerning future events and an interpretation of these events meanings.
Strongs exhaustive concordance of the bible, numbered to the hebrew, chaldee, and greek, and english, coded to the strongs concordance numbers. Even though the book of amos is a message of impending doom, it isnt without notes of hope and restoration. Hear this word which i take up for you as a dirge, o house of israel. What was the significance of the horns of the altar amos 3. To reveal the severity of divine judgment for covenant infidelity in israel and judah and to declare the hope of a great restoration after the approaching destruction and exile. Amos can see that beneath israels external prosperity and power, internally the nation is corrupt to the core. Also interesting is gods handling of the citystate of ninevah.
The book of amos was likely written between 760 and 753 b. The book of jeremiah reflects the everworsening situation jeremiah encountered. Amos with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. The main purpose of a summary is as a simplification highlighting the major points from the original and much longer version of the subject. Amos overview jamieson, fausset and browns unabridged. Book of amos summary we have detailed a brief summary of the book of amos for bible study or sunday school lessons.
To explain that the turmoil of the northern kingdom was gods just judgment leading to exile and to assure gods people that a great restoration would take place after the exile. Theses promises are of great blessing and restoration for gods people, put in the following terms. Like the book of amos, the book of hosea is addressed to the people of the northern kingdom israel. God raised up the prophet amos, as an act of his great mercy to a people who repeatedly shunned. The purpose of the book of amos was to announce gods holy judgment on the kingdom of israel the northern kingdom, call them to repentance, and to turn from their selfrighteous sins and idolatry. Shepherds in that region had to make extensive trips to feed their flocks. Studying the book of amos in view of the others in the same century is like assembling a three dimensional puzzle difficult, sometimes frustrating, yet rewarding when complete.
Amos, the first hebrew prophet to have a biblical book named for him. The book of amos is the third of the twelve minor prophets in the tanakh old testament and the second in the greek septuagint tradition. An overview of the book of jeremiah bible commentary. Book of amos, the third of 12 old testament books that bear the names of the minor prophets, collected in one book under the jewish canon titled the twelve. Not all of the material found in these chapters came from amos himself. During the time of the minor prophets, the nation of israel had divided into two separate countries, each with its own government. Amos 4 israel has not returned to god hear bible gateway. Transcribed and edited by david sielaff, february 20. The book of amos, which is the earliest of the prophetic writings to be preserved in book form, consists of nine chapters. Commentaries describe the area as somewhat rugged, rocky, and with sparse grazing fields. A summary, synopsis or recap is a shortened version of the original. Amos burden, native of tekoa in judah, about six miles south of bethlehem, originally a shepherd and dresser of sycamore trees, who was called by god s spirit to be a prophet, although not trained in any of the regular prophetic schools. Editors and copyists added comments to the prophets original oracles that they deemed appropriate in light of events that occurred after his. The book of amos is one of the least understood in the holy scriptures.
It begins with a very short introduction from amos himself, in which. Amos, a judaean prophet from the village of tekoa, was active in the northern kingdom. As with each of the minor prophets, the title comes from the name of the prophet to whom god gave his message 1. He is not to be confused with amoz stout, strong, the father of isaiah isaiah 1. The book opens with a historical note about the prophet, then a short oracle announcing yahwehs judgment. This summary of the book of amos provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of amos. Watch our overview video on the book of amos, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. Amos used the funeral dirge meter to emotionally communicate gods coming judgment. Lessons from the book of amos, part i steps to life. He accurately foretold the destruction of the northern kingdom of israel although he did not specify assyria as the cause and, as a prophet of doom, anticipated later old testament prophets. Truth fellowship live bismarck nd church amos overview. The book of hosea consists of fourteen chapters, which was the record for a minor prophet until zechariah tied it a couple centuries later.
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