What was the significance of the horns of the altar amos 3. Assyria would eventually engulf nearly the entire near east, from ur to ararat to egypt. However, in spite of its small size, it has been the object of intense study. The book of amos is a stinging rebuke of a nation that has rejected and forgotten god. Amos used the funeral dirge meter to emotionally communicate gods coming judgment. Jan 02, 2020 book of amos bible survey what are the major prophets and minor prophets. Two quotations from amos occur in the new testament compare acts 7.
Transcribed and edited by david sielaff, february 20. The books of 1 and 2 kings or 1 and 2 chronicles do not mention this prophet, and he should not be confused with amoz, the father of isaiah the prophet isaiah 1. The book of amos is not an easy work to read and understand. First, the prophet amos was not a prophet in the same sense that the other prophets were prophets.
In fact, when we consider his conviction that his words were gods words it is unlikely that he would have left them to the risk of oral tradition or to unpredictible later editors cf. There are scholars who attribute almost the whole book of amos. The book of amos records some of the prophecies and teachings that the prophet amos delivered to the kingdom of israel during the reign of king jeroboam ii. Amos the prophet the historical background a wandering people at the start of what is a series looking at some of the prophets of israel, it might be helpful to do a little history which gives us a feel of the background. More than almost any other book of scripture, the book of amos holds gods people accountable for their illtreatment of others. Amos was a shepherd in a region called tekoa, about six miles south of bethlehem. Amos introduction, new american bible, revised edition. After a brief introduction to the concept of the public square, the study introduces. The people have become greedy and have stopped following biblical values. Y doubleday, 1990 appeared too late for me to incorporate its exegetical insights into my work. The book of amos has come to us as a carefully edited piece of literature and there is no reason to doubt that amos was his own editor. Introduction united states conference of catholic bishops.
Though amos is considered a minor prophet is influence and impact is anything but minor. He was not a man of the court like isaiah, or a member of a priestly family like jeremiah and ezekiel. Social justice in the book of amos the marcus j borg. Amos writings, collected into a separate book, begin a wonderful literary form known as the latter prophets isaiah malachi. Amos was from tekoa, a small town in judah about 6 miles south of bethlehem and 11 miles from jerusalem. His oracles can be found in the biblical book of amos. This commentary is a product of several decades of research into and teaching of the book of amos. This may indeed be providential inasinuch as amos bore a heavy burden for the lord. It is a stirring warning to all of the dangers of apostasy, rebellion and complacency.
He earned his living from the flock and the sycamorefig grove 1. He was a native of the southern kingdom of judah, from the town of tekoa about six miles south of bethlehem, twelve miles south of jerusalem, and eighteen miles west of the dead sea. The sins of israel during amos ministry included empty ritualism in religion, oppression of the poor by the rich, idolatry, deceit, selfrighteousness, arrogance, greed, materialism, and callousness. He prophesied in israel at the great cult center of bethel, from which he was finally expelled by the priest in charge of this royal sanctuary 7. Amos lived in the kingdom of judah but preached in the northern kingdom of. Since much of the book is addressed to the northern kingdom, it is clear that the book was. Amos is the thirtieth book in the christian old testament and is found between joel and obadiah. The resurgence of this ancient empire dominated much of the politics of the ancient near east from the time of jeroboam until the end of the seventh century b.
Pdf the book of amos lesson for nigeria researchgate. At the heart of this message is the covenant between yahweh and his people. Philo, josephus, melitos catalogue, jerome, justin martyr dialogue with trypho, 22, quoting the fifth and six chapters of amos as one of the twelve minor prophets, and the sixtieth canon of the laodicean council support the canonicity of the book of. Amos writings or sayings, collected into a separate book, begin a wonderful literary form known as the latter prophets isaiah malachi. Outline of the book of amos you only have i know of all the families of the earth. The only ways we have to assign a date to amos are the superscription to the book 1. It is traditionally placed at the beginning of the twelve minor prophets and amos is the earliest of them. Commentaries describe the area as somewhat rugged, rocky, and with sparse grazing fields. He was the first of those called prophetic writers of the 8th century b. One of the most striking features of biblical history is the emergence of literary. Amos intro to amos biblica the international bible society. They were selling off needy people for goods, taking advantage of the helpless, oppressing the poor, and the men were. And we must never forget that amos is speaking to us, the church of god, the israel of god. Take your bible and turn please to the book of amos.
In the hebrew bible, these books follow ezekiel at. In the book of amos, we find two uses amos performed. Tekoa was located about twelve miles south of jerusalem. The wealthy elite are becoming rich at the expense of others. Click download or read online button to get the theology of the book of amos book now. In fact, when we consider his conviction that his words were gods words it is unlikely that he would have left them.
Lessons from the book of amos, part i steps to life. 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. Spoke in bethel center for idol worship in israel and then in judah under jeroboam. Although we do not know precisely when the book of amos was written, the book begins with the explanation that amos preached during the reign of uzziah in judah and of jeroboam ii in israel in the eighth century b. Amos was a contemporary of hosea, isaiah, and jonah. The book is ultimately addressed to all israel hence the references to judah and jerusalem. The book was written for college students and for those who desire to gain a better understanding of the bible. The book of amos amos was a sheepbreeder of tekoa in judah, who delivered his oracles in the northern kingdom during the prosperous reign of jeroboam ii 786746 b. Pdf this study focuses upon the ot prophet amos and his life, mission. Instead of focusing on,dare i wryly point to the obvious, the theology of amos, barton spends most of his work fixating on textual criticism questions, particularly issues regarding the validity of amos s authorship, the integrity of the book, and its dating. 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 was a rather humble person thats why god called him he was a herdsman and a gatherer of sycamore fruit. God called amos to prophesy to israel, and it seems that he did most of his work at bethel amos 7. Amos the prophet the historical background a wandering people at the start of what is a series looking at some of the prophets of israel, it might be helpful to do. The theology of the book of amos old testament theology. Constables notes on amos 7 message the book of amos is distinctive from the other prophetic books of the old testament in two respects. Whether he owned the flocks and groves or only worked as a hired hand is not known. In the bible book bearing his name, the prophet amos warns of gods judgments and foretells the establishment of the messianic kingdom. Lexical there are several excellent lexicons available for ancient hebrew. Amos introduction commentary commentary critical and.
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. The book of amos was likely written between 760 and 753 b. Traveled north to israel bethel to preach as one called of god 7. The concept of justice in the book of amos heartwell. Clicking on a chapter will show you the text of that chapter of amos in the bible king james version. Marcus borg speaks on the topic of social justice in the bible, specifically book of amos, he looks at the societal context and world orders contemporary to jesus and his disciples to help understand their views of. Introduction the book of amos was written in a time when the people of israel have reached a low point in their devotion to jehovah, the god of israel.
This amos we are studying was a writing minor prophet. The nine chapters in the book of amos are written in a poetic style beginning with a prose introduction. Amos the prophet the historical background a wandering. Click download or read online button to get the book of the prophet amos book now. As it is presented in this book, amos s message is one of almost unrelieved gloom but see 5. The book of amos comes third in the hebrew collection of minor prophets which is also its place in the christian canon.
The theology of the book of amos in modern times, amos has come to be considered one of the most important prophets, mainly for his uncompromising message about social justice. Hasel 1991, 26 noted that in the three decades from the 1960s through the 1980s, sixty different commentaries on amos appeared. Amos therefore owned and tended flocks, and collected sycamore figs. Pdf the composition and redaction of the book of amos. The book comes substantially from the prophet amos himself. The major themes in the book of amos judgment, injustice, lament, the sin of gods people, repentance are not easy subjects. Amos the prophet the historical background a wandering people. 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. Hebrew and english lexicon of the old testament by francis brown, s. This is the second part of the introduction of amos from pastor allen. Astronomical calculations indicate that a solar eclipse occurred in israel on june 15, 763 b. Shepherds in that region had to make extensive trips to feed their flocks. Amos may have been a fellow laborer with the prophet hosea in the kingdom of israel. Gods judgment is about to fall on israel key words.
The book of amos is a collection of prophetic messages delivered by the prophet 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. It is a prophecy for the period just ahead of us, a prophecy dealing with a. Intro to amos biblica the international bible society. Amos, whose name means, he who carries the load, was a native of the sinful people of tekoa in the hills of judah, some 16 km. This book provides a detailed exploration of this theme and other important elements of the theology underlying the book of amos. The book was composed, therefore, between 664 and 612 b. This book of the prophet amos is the only mention we have of this man in the old testament. The book of amos is the third in the hebrew canon known as the twelve minor prophets. Amos amos is not a large book, only nine chapters consisting of 146 verses and 2,042 words. It is based on the german lexicon by william gesenius. This prophet amos was a citizen of the kingdom of judah, yet he obeyed god rather than man, and preached in the ten tribe kingdom of israel gods message as god called him to do.
Book of amos overview insight for living ministries. Therefoe the event would have been fresh in the mid of the people when amos wrote in amos 8. Gods election and covenant with israel sets the stage for his severe judgment. The bible journey introduction to the book of amos. Seven times in the book of amos god says i will send fire.
Pdf the prophetic voice of amos as a paradigm for christians in. Then he says something to his own people who live in israel and judah. Introduction to the book of amos the book of amos was written between c. Not all of the material found in these chapters came from amos himself. Amos these are all of the chapters of the book of amos. Nahums book is a sequel to, and a dramatic contrast with, the book of jonah.
Amos, a judaean prophet from the village of tekoa, was active in the northern kingdom of israel during the reign of jeroboam ii c. The lord who roars from zion took a sheep herder from judah and sent him to israel, the kingdom of the northern tribes, to roar from bethel. The superscription, or heading, was probably added by a later editor, but it may nevertheless give accurate information. The book of amos, which is the earliest of the prophetic writings to be preserved in book form, consists of nine chapters. The book of the prophet amos download ebook pdf, epub. May 18, 2017 the book of amos is considered one of the earliest biblical books by scholars, as it dates to the middle of the 8th century bce. Nineveh, the arrogant capital of the assyrian empire, will be destroyed. Amos bible book with full chapters king james version. Gods relationship with his people includes judging them in righteousness when they sin and restoring them in grace. But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like. God spoke through amos, a prophet whose message was to endure throughout. Covenantal concerns are central to the yahwehs accusations e.
Amos informs us that he is writing during the reigns of jeroboam ii and uzziah, both of whom are biblical kings known from the archaeological record to have reigned from the 8th century bce. Apr 30, 2012 how disappointing theology of the book of amos instead proved to be. 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 chapters of the book of amos. Willoughby bruce, the book of amos in the anchor bible dictionary, vol 1. Amos was a herdsman of an ugly, stunted, fine wooled sheep called eobed in hebrew, but highly esteemed on account of their wool. Introduction to amos background rediscovering the bible. Social justice in the book of amos march 24, 2014 by the marcus j borg foundation 0 categoryies. The minor prophets are 12 prophets grouped together in the bible. Form, meter, and content powerfully drive home the message of judgment. Before you attempt to answer the questions below you should read these chapters in the bible and answer the questions at the end of each chapter found at the website answer the questions below and then click ok to send your answers. Eerdmans has made available online in pdf format a general introduction to the book and an introduction to the book of amos. He writes about the terrible things that they have done.
Amos denounces the injustices evident in contemporary society and warns that god will punish the nation for the widespread oppression of the poor. The theology of the book of amos download ebook pdf. Amos, an older contemporary of hosea and isaiah, was active c. And amos made it plain that israel would be judged severely unless the people turned from their sin and looked to the one true god for strength and guidance. Discover the basics of the book of amos with the esv study bible from crossway, video from the bible project, audio from mark dever, and more. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. The only time the name of amos appears in the old testment is in the book of amos. Amos was apparently an earnest student of the torah, the law, otherwise known as the five books of moses or the pentateuch. In the notes, when an authors name appears, followed by a page number, the reference is to that authors. Uzziah was king of judah, and jeroboam ii was king of israel. It repeatedly points out the failure of the people to fully embrace gods idea of justice. The book of amos is one of the least understood in the holy scriptures. Editors and copyists added comments to the prophets original oracles that they deemed appropriate in light of events that occurred after his death. This introduction shows how to read the bible on the literary, historical, and theological levels.
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