Who Was Amos within the Bible?
Amos within the Bible was an Israelite who lived inside the break up kingdom; Uzziah reigned over Judah and Jeroboam served as king of Israel when Amos acquired the phrase of the Lord (Amos 1:1). This locations his writing round 760-750 B.C., which is roughly 170 earlier than Israel went into exile by the hand of the Babylonians as God’s judgment on the nation. Amos didn’t function a prophet by occupation, neither did his father, however he labored as each a shepherd and dresser of sycamore figs (Amos 7:14). These two details suggest Amos got here from a humble, impoverished background. Shepherds have been thought of among the many lowest caste of society and the very poor generally ate sycamore figs. Amos’ background provides irony to God’s alternative for a spokesman as a result of the rich oppressed the poor (Amos 4:1; 5:11).
What Is the E-book of Amos About?
The dynamic ebook of Amos addresses a number of sides of society. The primary themes of the ebook embody social justice as a essential end result of true piety, God’s neutral judgment of His personal folks, and His name for holy residing. God abhors evil in all types, and He judges sin no matter who transgresses. God calls for His folks search Him in earnest and do what is nice (Amos 5:14-15). Prosperity marked the nation of Israel, and other people loved an abundance of meals and led comfy lives (Amos 3:15, 5:11). Nonetheless, the society skilled religious and ethical decay (Amos 2:4; 3:10; 6:4-6). The poor and needy confronted exploitation (Amos 2:6-7a, 4:1, 8:4), and corruption highlighted the folks’s disingenuous, hypocritical worship (Amos 2:12-13; 4:4-5; 5:21-23; 8:5-6).
Amos begins the ebook with God’s judgment on international nations (Amos 1:3-2:3). Little question, the Israelites would have been comfortable after they heard or learn God’s plans to guage the pagans. They might have even felt a way of enjoyment or pleasure. Nonetheless, Amos then shifts the main focus onto the primary topic of God’s divine judgment, the folks of Israel (Amos 2:4, 6). Thus start the oracles of God’s contentions and plans of punishment for the nation of Israel.
How Is the E-book of Amos Related Right now?
It isn’t unusual for Christians to suppose the Outdated Testomony irrelevant and outdated, having nothing to contribute to our trendy period. Consequently, believers might keep away from studying the Outdated Testomony altogether. In fact, all the Outdated Testomony, together with the ebook of Amos, teaches us an amazing deal. As Solomon says, “There may be nothing new underneath the Solar” (Ecclesiastes 1:9), because the starting, humanity has all the time handled the identical transcendent ideas. Though expressed in numerous societal types, everybody offers with issues similar to lust, envy, wealth, selfishness, and sin. The ebook of Amos offers with points everybody can relate to in precept and supplies important perception into God’s view of them. These points embody, however should not restricted to:
Worship. In Amos’ time, Israel’s non secular practices didn’t equate to godly habits. Folks went via the motions, similar to making sacrifices and tithing, however their sinful hearts corrupted their worship. It included idolatry (Amos 5:26) and blatant disobedience (Amos 4:4). In chapter 4, Amos mentions Bethel and Gilgal, which have been areas of false worship and sacrifice.
In Deuteronomy, God gave clear instruction to the folks to carry their sacrifices to the place of God’s selecting (Deuteronomy 12:5-6, 13-14). The Lord established the Temple as the only real location to worship Him. King Jeroboam erected different locations of worship and sacrifice so the folks of Israel might keep away from touring to Jerusalem in Judah (1 Kings 12:26-30).
God cares about how we worship and the standard of worship we provide to Him. Displaying as much as service each Sunday doesn’t garner automated acceptance from the Lord. Our whole life is to be a steady act of real worship to the Lord which conforms to His Phrase (Romans 12:1).
Wealth and luxury. There may be nothing inherently mistaken with these items, however after they distract from and supersede God, they change into an idol in our life which causes main points. Amos shows how materials wealth and luxury can change into a curse that results in religious erosion. The inevitable result’s immoral residing (Amos 2:4, 6-7). We take pleasure in an abundance of fabric wealth in our society, and even a lot of these we take into account poor take pleasure in issues the kings of previous might have solely imagined, similar to electrical energy, prepared entry to wash water, and indoor plumbing. If we aren’t cautious, we might discover ourselves self-absorbed, just like the folks of Israel, and neglect the wants of others and conform our worship round our egocentric wishes (Amos 8:4-6).
Our pursuit of God doesn’t revolve round our consolation or comfort. He’s to be the central focus of our lives, and sacrificial love stays the core of Christian residing (Matthew 6:33; John 13:34-35). Christians would do effectively to look at their very own lives and heed the warnings in Amos concerning this problem.
God’s judgment. A somber reality revealed in Amos is God judges His personal folks for his or her sin (Amos 3:2). It may be straightforward for believers to have a false sense of safety. One might really feel they don’t seem to be obligated to attempt for holiness as a result of they stay underneath God’s grace and now not stand condemned for his or her sin. Nothing could possibly be farther from the reality. It’s as a result of of God’s grace a believer ought to attempt with all their coronary heart to stay for His glory (Romans 6:1-2, 10-13; Col. 3:23-24).
When a believer or church physique finds themselves in a state of revolt, they’ll anticipate God to carry judgment in the event that they don’t repent. God’s judgment on His folks has two capabilities; it calls them to repentance (Amos 4:6-11) and it separates those that are actually His from those that should not (Amos 9:8-10). The Church physique exists to present Christ glory. If this fails to occur, the Church can anticipate to be pruned by God’s judgment till it’s restored to His meant goal.
God’s sovereignty. God brings the seasons of life we expertise (Ecclesiastes 7:14). In Amos, God identifies Himself because the One accountable for the pure occasions in Israel He orchestrated for His divine functions (Amos 4:6-11). God’s sovereignty ought to carry peace to a believer as He’s all the time in management and works all issues for our good (Romans 8:28). It ought to likewise trigger the believer to suppose twice earlier than rebelling in opposition to God. We can’t escape His hand.
Why Ought to Each Christian Learn about This Minor Prophet?
The teachings gleaned from Amos apply to each believer’s life. We stay in an age just like the one wherein Amos lived, the place the identical challenges threaten our stroll with the Lord. Many within the industrialized elements of the world benefit from the comforts of our trendy period. This isn’t mistaken, nonetheless, there are believers everywhere in the world that suffer injustice and oppression. With the advance of expertise, the Church can prolong its attain to world brothers and sisters in want. If we’re not cautious, we are going to look no higher than the Israelites of Amos’ day, who uncared for and exploited the helpless and needy. Injustice can actually exist inside the Church. Believers ought to all the time make a aware effort to hunt out the poor and needy whether or not they’re in their very own neighborhood or overseas (Acts 20:35). Whether or not we select to present our time, power, or assets, we are able to make a distinction within the lives of the destitute. God doesn’t merely bless us to take pleasure in life, however He additionally blesses us so we are able to bless others (James 2:15-16).
James warns us to not present favoritism to others primarily based on our private biases (James 2:1-4). If believers should not on guard, they might neglect to minister to the wants of sure folks primarily based on private, sinful bias.
Moreover, as talked about above, God judges the Church. Believers is not going to endure condemnation, however they’ll nonetheless be held accountable to God for the way they lived throughout this life (1 Corinthians 3:9-15; 1 John 2:28). If we enable ourselves to slide right into a self-indulgent stupor simply because the Israelites did in Amos’ day, God is not going to get pleasure from us. We must always all heed the warning our Lord gave to the church of Laodicea. Complacent of their wealth, Jesus rebuked them for his or her religious poverty (Revelation 3:15-17).
The ebook of Amos supplies Christians with much-needed reminders to not stay for ourselves. Though our lives heart across the Gospel and never mere humanism, good works ought to actually be the pure outworking of a life reworked by Jesus Christ. The best way we love our neighbors supplies a great indicator of how effectively we enable Jesus to be the Lord of our life. Believers ought to take coronary heart. God doesn’t fee our work by evaluating it to different folks. As a substitute, He judges the standard of our service primarily based on the bodily and religious means He’s given us
(Luke 21:1-4). With this in thoughts, “let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:24).
Picture credit score: ©Sparrowstock
Initially revealed June 04, 2021.
