Who Speaks for God? – Amos 1:1
The very opening words of the book of the prophet Amos raise a question for us. The question is this: Who Speaks for God? The scholars often remind us that the prophets were people who spoke for God....
View ArticleTo Whom Does God Speak? – Amos 1:2
There is a lion roaring, but only the prophet can hear. I said that the opening editorial note in the book of Amos (1:1) already raises an issue for me. The issue is: Who speaks for God? It may not be...
View ArticleThe Moral Governor of the Nations – Amos 1:3-15
The time in which the prophet Amos lived was a time of peace and prosperity. But, the prophet could hear God roaring like a lion — in anger. Amos the prophet was certain that there was a God to whom...
View ArticleThe Prophecy Comes Home – Amos 2:1-5
Amos continues his prophecies against the nations (which I discussed last week) in this chapter. Review: You don’t see what the prophet is doing here until you see that Amos 1-2 is a unit. And, it is...
View ArticleThe Danger of Forgetting the Poor – Amos 2:6-16
The real heart of Amos’ prophecies was his message to the people of the northern kingdom of Israel (sometimes also called Ephraim, after its dominant tribe). So, when we get to verse 6 of chapter 2, we...
View ArticleGod Speaks Out Against the Nation – Amos 3:1, 2
It is amazing how self-critical the Hebrew Scriptures are. They do not glorify the nation or it’s heroes. The nation’s critics were remembered — they were remembered as prophets who told them, in...
View ArticleWe Need Prophets – Amos 3:3-8
The opening verses of chapter 3 identify the people against whom Amos is prophesying: “the whole family that [God] brought up out of the land of Egypt.” They are the people that God has especially...
View ArticleWhen God’s People Fail – Amos 3:9-15
Notice how the ideas in Amos chapter 3 are organized: The opening verses of chapter 3 identify the people against whom Amos is prophesying: “against the whole family that [God] brought up out of the...
View ArticleA Prophet at Prayer – Amos 7:1-6
Here we see the prophet Amos at prayer. Most often, in the book of Amos, we hear the prophet’s voice denouncing the nations and predicting their coming doom. Here we see him at prayer for the nation of...
View ArticleAn Unstable Nation – Amos 7:7-17
The verses that come before this set the scene. The opening verses of this chapter remind us that Amos was a man of prayer. He was an intercessor. He was not a politician. He was not even what we might...
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