Major Lessons from the Minor Prophets Amos Hosea Zephaniah Zechariah
Israel was ripe for God's judgment of doom Theme of Amos Israel was ripe for God's judgment of doom Thus the Lord GOD showed me: Behold, a basket of summer fruit. And He said, "Amos, what do you see?" So I said, "A basket of summer fruit." Then the LORD said to me: "The end has come upon My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore.” Amos 8:1-2
Outline of Amos Judgment on Eight Nations, "For three transgressions and for four“ (1:3‑‑2:16) On Damascus (1:3‑5) On Gaza of Philistia (1:6‑8) On Tyre (1:9‑10) On Edom (1:11‑12) On Ammon (1:13‑15) On Moab (2:1‑3) On Judah (2:4‑5) On Israel (2:6‑16)
Outline of Amos II. Three Sermons Pronouncing the Judgment of Israel (3:1‑‑6:14) Sermon to the "whole family" of Israel ‑ A sermon of present warning (3:1‑15) Sermon to the "cows of Bashan" ‑ Past judgments have gone unheeded (4:1‑13) Sermon of "lamentation" and "woe" ‑ The future judgment of God on Israel would be overwhelming (5:1‑‑6:14) III. Five Visions of the Judgment of Israel (7:1‑‑9:10) Locust (7:1‑3) Fire (7:4‑6) The plumb line (7:7‑9) [Historical Parenthesis] (7:10‑17) The summer fruit (8:1‑14) The door posts of the sanctuary (9:1‑10) IV. Promises of a Bright Future for Spiritual Israel (9:11‑15)
A Sermon of Lamentation and Woe Future judgments would be overwhelming (5:1‑‑6:14) Each of the 3 sermons in this section begin with “Hear this word…” (5:1, cf. 3:1; 4:1) “Israel has fallen” (5:2-3) She was once like a pure “virgin” The past tense indicates future certainty Only a tenth will remain in each city (perhaps a reference to the remnant, 5:15) They could seek God and live or seek their idolatrous cities and experience captivity and destruction (5:4-6; Isaiah 55:6-7) Note: Though far to the south, Beersheba was renowned as a city of idolatry (cf. 8:14; 2 Kings 23:8) 2 Kings 23:8 Josiah, “brought all the priests from the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba…”
Gilgal
A Sermon of Lamentation and Woe Future judgments would be overwhelming (5:1‑‑6:14) God’s power and justice contrasted to the unrighteousness and vulnerability of Israel’s rulers They made justice a bitter thing and buried righteousness as one buries something dead (5:7) God is the all-powerful Creator (5:8) He has made Orion and the Pleiades and controls nature for His purposes (cf. Job 9:9) He rains ruin on strong men and their fortresses (5:9) Job 9:9 He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;
“He made the Pleiades and Orion…” - Amos 5:8 NOTE: These constellations are visible from every part of the globe. (Psalm 19:1-3)
Additional charges of sin (5:10-13) A Sermon of Lamentation and Woe Future judgments would be overwhelming (5:1‑‑6:14) Additional charges of sin (5:10-13) They hate the one who rebukes and speaks uprightly (5:10; Proverbs 9:8; 15:31-32; 29:1) They oppress the poor (5:11; Proverbs 14:31) The Lord would not allow Israel to enjoy the fruits of this oppression (5:11b; Proverbs 22:16) They had afflicted the just, taken bribes, and perverted justice for the poor (5:12) In such an evil time, the prudent would not even complain or seek justice (5:13) Proverbs 9:8 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. Proverbs 15:31-32 The ear that hears the rebukes of life Will abide among the wise. 32 He who disdains instruction despises his own soul, But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding. Proverbs 29:1 He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. Proverbs 14:31 He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy. Proverbs 22:16 He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.
Additional call to repent and seek God’s grace (5:14-15) A Sermon of Lamentation and Woe Future judgments would be overwhelming (5:1‑‑6:14) Additional call to repent and seek God’s grace (5:14-15) What do we learn from the prophets about the availability of God’s grace even to the vilest sinners who repent? (Joel 2:12-13; Jonah 4:2) Lamentation will permeate the land when the Lord passes through (5:16-17) From the city streets to the highways, from farmers to professional mourners, and in all the vineyards. Joel 2:12-13 "Now, therefore," says the LORD, "Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." 13 So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. Jonah 4:2 So he prayed to the LORD, and said, "Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.
Woe to those who desire the Day of the Lord (5:18-27) A Sermon of Lamentation and Woe Future judgments would be overwhelming (5:1‑‑6:14) Woe to those who desire the Day of the Lord (5:18-27) It will be a day of grave misfortune & darkness (5:18-20) The Lord despised their hypocritical worship; it would not benefit them (15:21-26, Isa. 1:11-15) “Let justice roll down like water…” The words “Sikkuth of Molech” (“tabernacle of your king,” ASV) and “Chiun” are difficult to translate, but plainly refer to false astral deities (in contrast to the God of hosts who created Orion and the Pleiades) Israel would be sent into captivity “beyond Damascus” (15:27)
“I will send you into captivity beyond Damascus” says the Lord
“But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.” (Amos 5:24)
Woe to those secure in luxury (6:1-14) A Sermon of Lamentation and Woe Future judgments would be overwhelming (5:1‑‑6:14) Woe to those secure in luxury (6:1-14) Woe is pronounced on the rulers of Jerusalem and Samaria who lived in false security. (6:1-2) Were they any different from neighboring cities? By denying their impending doom they were actually hastening it (6:3) They enjoy lives of ease and luxury “but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph” (6:4-6) Prosperity may lead to false security, mixed-up priorities, and doom (Deut. 8:11-20; Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:6-19) The Lord had “sworn by Himself” that He would utterly destroy Israel (6:8-11; Heb. 6:13-17)
“Do horses run on rocks. Does one plow there with oxen “Do horses run on rocks? Does one plow there with oxen? Yet you have turned justice into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood” (Amos 6:12)
Woe to those secure in luxury (6:1-14) A Sermon of Lamentation and Woe Future judgments would be overwhelming (5:1‑‑6:14) Woe to those secure in luxury (6:1-14) Israel had wasted her strength in vain and useless pursuits, all the while boasting that she had gained power by her own strength (6:12-14) “Lo-debar” (NKJV, ESV) literally means “thing of nought” (ASV) or “nothing” (NKJV margin) “Taken Karnaim” literally means “taken horns”. God would raise up a nation that would afflict Israel from “the entrance of Hamath to the Valley of the Arabah" (beyond the northern and southernmost borders)
“And they will afflict you from the entrance of Hamath to the Valley of the Arabah.” (Amos 6:14)