Im steve conover, with me is chris katulka and were continuing our series in the book of amos. Structure of and literary features in the book of amos 22. Mathew bartlett and derek williams skillfully bring out the historical background, the meaning, and the applications in the prophecy of amos. Amos made clear in his writings that he did not come from a family of prophets, nor did he even consider himself one. Sep 09, 2015 this book certainly has many applications and warnings for the people of god today. Prophecy became more developed as it progressed through the biblical period and biblical prophets should be seen in the context of an international prophetic tradition. The covenant lawsuit, woe oracles, laments, promise oracles, visions, and parallelism.
The prophetic books are anthologies of oracles the sequence of which is often determined by literary rather than chronological considerations. Find out what true worship looks like in the book of amos. The apostle james, bishop of jerusalem, in the acts of the apostles 15. The book of amos is a prophetic book of the hebrew bible largely dating to the 8th century bce and considered to be scripture by modernday. He was willing to do gods will when he was called to prophetic ministry.
Although he hailed from judea, amos preached in the northern. The book of amos is the third of the twelve minor prophets in the tanakhold testament and the second in the greek septuagint tradition. Amos ministered to the northern kingdom of israel around 759 b. The prophet amos lived among a group of shepherds in tekoa, a small town approximately ten miles south of jerusalem. The book of amos, which is the earliest of the prophetic writings to be preserved in book form, consists of nine chapters. God raised up the prophet amos, as an act of his great mercy to a. Amos lived in the kingdom of judah but preached in the northern kingdom of israel. A study of this prophetic prefatory exclamative in particular, therefore, is beneficial both to a study in prophetic literature, christology, and new testament studies as well. The book of amos, the third of the twelve minor prophets, has been one of the most significant and influential books of the bible from the time it was written 8th century bce down to the 20th century. Proposes that describing the prophetic books as prophetic fictions not only draws together much previous consideration of these books. This book certainly has many applications and warnings for the people of god today. Differences between deuteronomistic and prophetic interpretations of. God called amos to prophesy to israel, and it seems that he did most of his work at bethel amos 7.
Comprising only nine chapters of oracles, it was composed during the age of jeroboam ii, king of israel from 786 to 746 bce. A contemporary of hosea and isaiah, amos preached from about 760 to 746 bce in northern israel on subjects of social injustice. In this book of amos study guide, we take at look at the historicalcultural context whenwhy it was written, who it was written to, and what was. The woe exclamation of jesus, micah and amos davidlgray. In his daat mikra commentary, amos hakham suggests that amos may have begun his prophecy with the downfall of other nations to catch the attention of his audience. Instead of choosing between prayer and service, the book of amos teaches us that both are essential. No other prophetic book begins with a prediction of the downfall of other nations.
Amos wrote at a time of relative peace and prosperity but also of neglect of gods laws. Amos, thus, was no professional prophet nor a member of a prophetic guild. Mar 29, 2016 a study of this prophetic prefatory exclamative in particular, therefore, is beneficial both to a study in prophetic literature, christology, and new testament studies as well. Please provide a detail exegesis of the book of amos. Apr 02, 2020 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. The book also includes a narrative description of an event in amos s life and a few fragments of hymns, which have been interspersed throughout the book probably by an editor.
Rather, he was a grower of sycamore figs as well as a shepherd amos 7. Book of amos overview insight for living ministries. Introduction to the minor prophets learn religions. Amos is the first prophet to use the term the day of the lord. While previous scholarship speculated on reconstructions of the life of amos, eidevall analyzes this prophetic book as a literary composition, rejecting the conventional view of the book of amoss origin and providing a new rationalization for the form and meaning of the text. And when were talking about amos, we are looking at a time period that the prophet ministered its about 762 bc and. Amos contains all of the literary types he described. 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. Amos accuses israel of breaking their covenant with god, and highlights how their idolatry has led to injustice and the neglect of the poor. The book of the twelve prophets was originally on one parchment roll because of the brevity of the text, and originally formed one book of the 24 books of hebrew. 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. His major themes of justice, gods omnipotence, and divine judgment became staples of prophecy.
The prophecy of amos should simplify the choices in our lives. As with each of the minor prophets, the title comes from the name of the prophet to whom god gave his message 1. The words of amos, who was among the shepherds of tekoa, which he saw concerning israel in the days of uzziah king of judah and in the days of jeroboam the son of joash, king of israel, two years before the earthquake. Most prophetic books position their prophecies against the nations after prophecies to israel. He says, the lord took me and sent me to go and prophesy to my people israel 7. May 18, 2017 the book of amos is a prophetic book of the hebrew bible largely dating to the 8th century bce and considered to be scripture by modernday jews and christians. The book of, one of the twelve minor prophets, is part of the christian old testament. He spoke against an increased disparity between the very wealthy and the very poor. At one point, amaziah the priest had commanded amos to go south to speak his words of doom, yet the prophet answered by a thus saith jehovah amos 7. As in the book of hosea religion was prospering but faith in the one true god yhwh was on the decline. The book of amos is a collection of prophetic messages delivered by the prophet amos.
It is a short book full of passion and anger whose subject matter is a protest in the name of god against social injustice, complacency and hypocrisy. This lecture studies the literary features and major themes of classical israelite prophecy as evidenced in particular in the. God raised up the prophet amos, as an act of his great mercy to a people who repeatedly shunned and disobeyed him. Studying the book of the prophet amos is an excellent way to begin a study of the prophetic tradition of israel. Transcribed and edited by david sielaff, february 20. Prophetic amos accuses israel of breaking their covenant with god, and highlights how their idolatry has led to injustice and the neglect of the poor.
May 16, 2018 amos says, i am no prophet, nor the son of a prophet 7. Little is known of his life, but by interpreting the prophecies in the book he authored, obadiah likely lived some time in the 6th century bce. September 21, 2019 prophetic justice in amos, part 3. Although he may have been just a sheepherder from tekoa, he was a well educated one and a skilled writer, and his book has quite an elaborate structure. Not one of the recognized prophets of israel, nor was he a priest, not even a native of israel but a farmer called of the lord from judah to warn the northern kingdom of the coming judgement. Dec 06, 2012 structure of and literary features in the book of amos 22. He is not to be confused with amoz stout, strong, the father of isaiah isaiah 1.
The book identifies the author as the prophet amos, who wrote probably between 760 and 753 bc, during the reign of jeroboam ii in israel. The book of amos is an intriguing scripture from a unique individual, amos, a shepherd and fig tree farmer dwelling in southern judah who is called by god to go to bethel and announce warnings of. Amos, a judaean prophet from the village of tekoa, was active in the northern kingdom of israel during the reign of jeroboam ii c. Book of amos part 1 foundation of amos prophetic literature. Amos the prophet the historical background a wandering.
Oct 29, 2018 book of amos part 1 foundation of amos. 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. In amos case, the book begins with the words of amos, but he immediately writes, the lord roars from zion verse 2 and thus says the lord verse 3. Book of baruch the major prophets in christianity are. Besides the prophetic genre, the book of amos has shown itself to be useful in a variety of ways, as theologians and historians have used the work to discuss and analyze the history of the composition of the biblical texts, the understanding of the minor prophetic books of the bible, and recently, even the exodus out of egypt itself.
Prophecy became more developed as it progressed through the biblical period and biblical prophets should be seen in the context of. Lessons from the book of amos, part i steps to life. The first chapter broadly covers the history of amos research from wellhausen until 1990, discussing major figures and movements in amos research and. But the focus of this prophetic book soon shifts primarily to the 10tribe northern nation of israel and secondarily to the southern country of judah.
Compared with the superscriptions of other prophetic books, amos 1. Amos lived in the kingdom of judah but preached in the northern kingdom of. This lecture studies the literary features and major themes of classical israelite prophecy as evidenced in particular in the book of the eighthcentury northern prophet amos. Summary the book of amos, which is the earliest of the prophetic writings to be preserved in book form, consists of nine chapters. It is a prophecy for the period just ahead of us, a prophecy dealing with a. Amos is a prophet of divine judgment, and the sovereignty of the lord in nature and history dominates his thought. Major and minor prophetic books of the bible learn religions. To say that it is a prophetic book names this genre, but does not describe it. Jul 29, 2010 but the focus of this prophetic book soon shifts primarily to the 10tribe northern nation of israel and secondarily to the southern country of judah. At the time amos was called to ministry, the nation of israel had been in existence for approximately 700 years.
It also accurately describes their content and form and reflects what is most distinctive about this genre as we. Amos, an older contemporary of hosea and isaiah, was active c. The book of amos is a prophetic book in the old testament. This short paper, will examine the usage of woe heb. But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like. While most of the prophets interspersed redemption and restoration in their prophecies against israel and judah, amos devoted only the final five verses of his. 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.
With each verse, commentary is provided to help the reader understand and apply the text. The book of amos is one of the minor prophets in the old testament, and a great place to begin looking at prophetic literature in christianity. For those christians whose tendency has been to focus more on the. God inspires but does not dictate, as if the prophet were simply a tool like a typewriter or loud speaker. Editors and copyists added comments to the prophets original oracles that they deemed appropriate in light of events that occurred after his death. Amos lived in a day of prosperity for israel, and his primary message was that the israelites had abandoned the concept of justice because of their material greed. Amos was a prophet who desired to reestablish biblical justice in israel. Our study of the old testament prophetic books this year will cover these writings in chronological, not canonical, order. The prophetic books are a division in the christian old testament, corresponding to the latter prophets of the hebrew neviim, with the addition of lamentions which in the tanakh is one of the five megillot and daniel also included among the books of the hebrew ketuvim. Amos the prophet the historical background a wandering people. God has called christians not only to be in relationship with him but also to be in relationships with others. 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.
The book of amos begins and ends with references to an earthquake 1. Amos says, i am no prophet, nor the son of a prophet 7. Trailer studying the book of the prophet amos is an excellent way to begin a study of the prophetic tradition of israel. However, amos tells the people that the day of the lord was coming soon and that it meant divine judgment for their iniquity. The redactions or continued growth of the book of amos has a richer complex literary history that extends into the sixth and fifth centuries b.
Amos, the first hebrew prophet to have a biblical book named for him. Bible prophecy of great britain in the book of amos intro all the tribes of israel in the desert camp are figurative of nations who ascend to world power each in turn in the exact order of the desert march in the book of numbers for the tribes of israel1. At the general time of his prophecy, amos appeared to be out of step with the times in prophesying disaster for the house of israel. Although he hailed from judea, amos preached in the northern kingdom of the neighboring nation, israel.
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