AMOS (ay' mahs) Personal name meaning, "a load" or “burden”. 1. A prophet from Judah who ministered in Israel about 750 B.C. One might graphically describe the prophet Amos as a "burden bearer." He carried a heavy burden for his people. Or, from another perspective, his people were a burden he carried.
As a prophet, Amos was a primary figure among the series of courageous men known as the "Minor Prophets." Neither they nor their inspired messages were minor, and they are called "minor" only because their books are far shorter than "Major Prophets" such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. So brief were their writings that all twelve were written on a single scroll. Hence, those writings were commonly known as the Book of the Twelve or the Minor Prophets.
Amos was a layperson who disclaimed professional status as a prophet: "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son, but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel' " (7:14-15 RSV). (This verse is misquoted, mainly because it was taken from the RSV and not from the KJV. This misquote causes a misinterpretation of the verse. Amos didn't say he wasn't a prophet of God. He states that nobody in his family was a prophet. Verse 15 states that God took Amos as he followed the flock and instructed him to prophesy to the people. Doesn't this command make him a prophet? This misquote and misinterpretation shows how dangerous it is to add, subtract, or change in any way the Word of God! WWR) Because of God's call, Amos assumed his prophetic responsibilities as a lonely voice prophesying from both the desert and the villages. He indicted both Judah and Israel, challenging the superficial qualities of religious institutions. For Amos, his call and his continuing ministry rested in God's initiative and in His sustaining power: "The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who can but prophesy?' " (3:8 RSV).
Amos lived in a time of relative peace on the international political scene. Both Egypt and Assyria were in a period of decline, although Assyria was beginning to expand its power. Syria had become ineffective, but the reduction of this buffer state between Israel and Assyria was to have serious repercussions in the generation following Amos.
Internally, the political structures of both Israel and Judah were stable. Beginning his prophetic activity during the reign of Jeroboam II in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, Amos lived during an era that rivaled Solomon's generation in its stability and economic prosperity (2 Kings 14:23-27). Yet, it was precisely the social, moral, and religious problems attending that prosperity that became the focus for Amos' voice of judgment. In the Southern Kingdom of Judah, the noble king Uzziah reigned (Amos 1:1). Amos probably began his ministry with God's call in 765 B.C., "two years before the earthquake" (1:1). (Alan Greenspan has just announced [6/10/98] that the U. S. economy is more stable than it has been in the last 50 years. This doesn’t mean that God is blessing, or that He will continue to bless the U. S. The moral, social, and religious problems that now exist in the U. S. will bring about its downfall just as surely as these sins will bring about the downfall of any nation, people, church, or individual. WWR)
Morally, Israel and Judah were suffering under the corruption generated as a by-product of Canaanite and Tyrian Baalism, as well as infidelity to the Lord's covenant. Israelite society had experienced the inevitable decay which characterizes misdirected prosperity. It may appear strange that the corruption of Israelite society could be traced to its contemporary religious structures and to the material prosperity which Israelites so often interpreted as a sign of divine favor. Despite the contradictory nature of those circumstances, the debauched moral condition of the land was the product of both corrupt religion and perverted material prosperity. Rampant luxury and self-indulgence were clearly manifest (1:6ff; 4:1ff; 5:10ff; 6:1ff; 8:4ff).
Exploitation of the poor occurred throughout the land (2:6; 3:10; 4:1; 5:11; 8:4-6). Justice was distorted. The dynamism of personal religious experience gave way to the superficiality of institutional religion as demonstrated in the conflict between Amos and Amaziah, the priest of Bethel (7:10ff). Amos' opposition to those moral and religious evils led him to emphasize the primary theme of the book: "let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everlasting stream" (5:24 RSV).
One may divide the book of Amos into three sections. Chapters one and two are a basic section, divided into subsections which begin with a common literary introduction (1:3,6,9,11,13; 2:1,4,6). The second section of the book consists of judgment oracles directed against Israel (3:1-6:14). The third section contains the visions of Amos (7-9), which may have been the earliest revelations through the prophet. The visions were central to his call experience. Aware of the awesome reality of human sin and divine judgment, these visions shaped his prophetic messages (7:1-3,4-6,7-9; 8:1-3; 9:1-4).
The words of Amos address various issues, but the central theme stresses sin and judgment. Whether in addressing other nations, Israel, or Judah, the prophet condemned those who sin against a universal conscience (1:1-2:3), the revealed law (2:4-5), or God's redeeming love (2:6-16). Amos challenged people to live by covenant standards and condemned them for their failure to reflect the covenant in daily life. He was concerned about people who "do not know how to do right" (3:10 RSV). His word of judgment was severe for the "first ladies of Samaria" who encouraged the injustice and violence of their husbands "who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to their husbands, 'Bring, that we may drink!' " (4:1 RSV). Because of such injustice and the failure to bind authentic religious experience with a social conscience, Amos claimed that the nation was already dead. One could sing Israel's funeral lament: "Fallen, no more to rise, is the virgin Israel" (5:1 RSV). For individuals who were superficially and confidently "at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria" (6:1 RSV), their only hope rested in the renewal of authentic religious experience leading to a life of justice and righteousness which overflow the land (5:24). For those who rejected that way, only judgment remained: "prepare to meet your God, O Israel!" (4:12). 2. An ancestor of Jesus (Luke 3:25). [1]
This Amos is not the father of Isaiah. This Amos may be an ancestor of Christ, See Luke 3:25. The name “Amos” means burden, which some take to mean that Amos had trouble speaking clearly. I take it to mean that he had a burden for Israel and Judah when he saw their corruption and the coming judgment of God.
II Chronicles 26 is a good chapter to read to discover the good reign of Uzziah and how God blessed him when he was faithful according to what Zechariah the prophet told him, and how God punished him when he tried to offer an offering as if he were a priest.
II Kings 14:23-29 is a good chapter to read about the evil exploits of Jeroboam II. He did many good things to restore Israel to her former glory, yet in all this, never stopped worshipping after the order of the first Jeroboam. God judges Israel because of this man’s sins.
Outline [2]
I. The Sermons: God Confronts His People's Sin (1:1-6:14).
A. God's Word is revealed in human words (1:1-2).
B. God identifies and condemns all human sin (1:3-2:16).
1. Acts against common human decency are sinful (1:3-2:3).
2. The rejection of God's law by substituting one's own wisdom is sin (2:4-5).
3. Rejecting God's love is sin (2:6-16).
C. God condemns empty religion (3:1-15).
1. The privilege of being loved by God brings responsibility (3:1-2).
2. God reveals His purposes to His people (3:3-8).
3. God uses historical agents in His judgment (3:9-12).
4. Centers of empty religion and ill-gotten prosperity will all fall (3:13-15).
D. God's love confronts His disobedient people in judgment (4:1-13).
1. Insatiable desire leads to sin (4:1-3).
2. Empty and meaningless worship is sin (4:4-5).
3. Temporal judgment is intended to lead God's people to repentance (4:6-11).
4. God's rebellious people face an ultimate confrontation with Him (4:12-13).
E. God calls His people to practice justice and righteousness (5:1-27).
1. God sees the end of His sinful people (5:1-3).
2. God's rebellious people are invited to seek Him (5:4-9,14-15).
3. God's inescapable judgment is on His people (5:10-13,16-20).
4. Practical righteousness is God's ultimate demand of His people (5:21-27).
F. False security in national strength leads to ultimate downfall (6:1-14).
II. The Visions: Seeing God Properly Reveals Both His Judgment and His Mercy (7:1-9:15).
A. God extends mercy in response to serious intercession (7:1-6).
B. Ultimate confrontation with God can never be escaped (7:7-9).
C. A proper view of God brings everything else into perspective (7:10-17).
1. A false view of the nature of God's message leads to wrong decisions (7:10-13).
2. A person transformed by a vision of God sees people and things as they really are (7:14-17).
D. The final consequences of sin offers judgment without hope (8:1-9:4).
1. An overripe, rotten religion is worthless (8:1-3).
2. The empty observance of meaningless ritual leaves our morality unaffected (8:4-6).
3. God's final judgment is a horrible sight (8:7-9:4).
E. God's mercy can be seen beyond His judgment (9:5-15).
1. God is Sovereign over all the universe (9:5-6).
2. God's mercy still offers hope beyond temporal judgment (9:7-10).
3. God's ultimate purpose of good for His people will be fulfilled (9:11-15).
Amos Chapter 1
Verse 1
Tekoa is in Judah, 9 miles south of Jerusalem.
Two years before the earthquake - the earthquake is a sign that all these prophecies will come to pass. El Nino is a sign that all the judgments of God will come to pass.
Verse 2
The problems in the world are caused by Israel and Judah. Their unfaithfulness has caused pagan nations to get worse and worse. God has used pagan nations to judge Israel, then He uses other pagan nations (or perhaps Israel) to judge them. Today there is a “backward comparison” because there are many who say that God’s people are getting worse and worse because the world is getting worse and worse. The truth is that God’s people are not holding to God’s standards, therefore the world believes they can get worse and worse, and still be as good as God’s people. The people in the world are losing sight of the values God would have them to have. There has been too much compromising on the part of God’s people.
Three transgressions and for four:
This phrase occurs in Amos 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 13, 2:1, 4, and 6.
This phrase illustrates how God will endure so much wickedness, but He will go only so far.
Notice that the limits God has is the same for all people and for all nations, but the extent of His judgments is greater for those whom He has given the greater opportunity for knowledge and service.
The reason God plagues all these pagan nations is because they have plagued Israel.
The reason God plagues Israel is because they haven’t kept His commandments.
I think it is important to remember that Israel as a nation was still in existence when Christ organized His church. Israel was dispersed to all nations in the year 70 A.D. by Titus. Israel was made a nation in 1948. The Bible states in Matthew 24:32-34 that the generation that sees the fig tree putting forth leaves, ye shall know that the summer is nigh. It seem to me that this passage is stating that Israel will be in existence once again before the church is taken out, that is, before the rapture. If this passage means that the generation that is alive when Israel is made a nation once again will be the alive when Christ returns and if the life span of an average individual is 70 years, then that matches with Israel and the church “overlapping” at the beginning and at the end of the church age.
It is important to note the great wickedness that is in the world today. The Bible states that as it was in the days of Lot, and in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the son of man. Abortion (bowing the god of fleshly lust) has murdered some 40 million babies at this point of time. Homosexuals have practically taken over with their filthy lifestyle, and not only expect to be allowed to live their perversions in peace, but expect everybody else to accept their wickedness as an “alternate life style”, even giving them preference above everybody else. It is no accident that Lot (a saved man) accepted homosexuals, even to the point of giving his daughters to them to be abused. Today, people expect God’s people to accept their sinfulness as “normal”, and not speak against those things. Many so called churches today are falling into the trap of accepting all kinds of wickedness in order to swell their rolls. The purpose of churches today is not to preach the everlasting gospel, but to have a big church, numerically speaking.
I. Amos 1:3-5 - Syria will be plagued because of their evil against Gilead - II Kings 6, & 7. About 892 B. C.
A. It is important to notice that God isn’t in any hurry when it comes to judging wickedness. This is exactly the opposite of the way we humans think. We believe that judgment should come speedily.
B. I Kings chapters 17-19 - God gave Elijah a great burden for the wickedness of Judah and Israel. He prayed and God gave a 3 ½ year drought, at the end of which Elijah slew 450 prophets of Baal and had a great victory for God.
C. Israel and Judah didn’t change, but Jezebel tried kill Elijah and nobody stood in her way.
D. I Kings 19 is a revelation in which Elijah seems to be saying that he was more zealous to stop the wickedness in Israel than God. Elijah believes that God should be harder on Israel than He is.
E. To comfort Elijah, God shows him His great power, but that isn’t enough.
F. Finally, God commands Elijah to anoint Hazael to be kind over Syria because God will use him to further the judgment of God against Israel. See II Kings 8:10-15. Benhadad sends Hazael to Elisha to see whether he will recover of his sickness. Elisha confesses that Benhadad will recover, yet will surely die. Elisha confirms the anointing of Elijah and the wickedness that Hazael will do to Israel.
G. Elijah is dead when all this takes place, but God will still show Elijah how Israel will turn to Him.
H. Elijah didn’t die, but was translated.
I. I believe Elijah will be one of the two witness during the tribulation period, who will be allowed to preach the everlasting gospel and see the repentance of Israel, as God pours out His fiery wrath upon them.
II. Amos 1:6-8 - The Philistines will be plagued because of their evil against Judah when they took all the kings captive except one: Jehoahaz -. About 891 B. C.
A. “…because they carried away captive the whole captivity…” This evil of the Philistines is recorded in II Chronicles 21:16-20. God took the Philistine activity as an attempt to not only wipe the inhabitants of Judah off the face of the earth, but also as an attack against the person of Jesus Christ, who will come through the lineage of Judah. Needless to say, the Philistines and Edomites won’t get away with their wickedness toward Judah.
B. “…to deliver them up to Edom.” II Chronicles 21:8-11 records that Jehoram rebelled against God’s dominion over him, therefore God caused the Edomites to revolt from his dominion over them. When the Philistines rebelled against Jehoram and captured the sons of Jehoram, they delivered these captives to Edom.
C. “I will sent a fire on the wall of Gaza…” There are several instances where God brought judgment upon this city because of their hurting Judah. Which of these times is meant by Amos I do not know. It is likely that God allowed the destruction of Gaza several times because they were against Israel.
1. This happened very shortly, during the reign of Uzziah (a good king who served God most of his life), as recorded in II Chronicles 26:6. Amos was still prophesying at this time.
2. II Kings 18:8. During the reign of Hezekiah (another good king who served God), God granted that Judah would not be under the dominion of Assyria, or the Philistines (Gaza).
3. Jeremiah 25:20 - Jeremiah made all the nations of the land drink of the cup of the wrath of God. This verse mentions the land of the Philistines, which contains Gaza.
4. Alexander the Great also took Gaza after besieging it for two months. This occurred after Alexander had taken Tyre.
III. Amos 1:9-10 - The inhabitants of Tyre will be plagued because of their evil against those Jews that were trying to escape from their enemies. They were captured at Tyre and turned over to the Edomites, who were pursuing them. (This pursuing took place when the Edomites rebelled from Judah’s control, and the Philistines [described in Amos 1:6] tried to destroy Judah.) The brotherly covenant is either:
A. The covenant between Esau and Jacob, where Jacob and his descendants receive the promised land, and Esau and his descendants the land of Edom.
B. The covenant between David and Hiram.
1. II Sam. 5:11 - David and Hiram made an agreement for Hiram to supply trees for the building of David’s house.
2. I Kings 5:1 - Hiram was ever a lover of David, and this caused him to also respect Solomon and to provide timber for the building of the temple.
3. I Kings 5:11 - Hiram and Solomon made a league together.
IV. Amos 1:11-12 - The Edomites were plagued because they continually pursued Israel and Judah and would not allow them to remain peaceably in the land.
A. This is not talking about Esau pursuing Jacob with the sword because he never did. Esau seemed to be content with the blessing God had given to him and his descendants. It is the generations after Esau that lost their respect for the covenant of God.
1. Genesis 10,11 - The eldest son of Esau was Eliphaz, whose mother was Adah.
2. Eliphaz’s eldest son was named Teman.
3. I suppose the town of Teman, verse 12, is named after the grandson of Esau.
4. I do not think the destruction of this town necessarily has anything to do with any supposed rebellion against Jacob.
5. Esau was angry with Jacob for stealing his birthright, but it seems to me this was all settled when Jacob returned from Laban.
6. Esau seemed content with the blessings God had given to him and his descendants.
7. I believe the discontentment mentioned in the following verses has nothing to do with Esau, but everything to do with the generations that followed him.
B. Numbers 20:18 - When Israel was in the wilderness and wanted to pass through the land of Edom, they weren’t allowed to, moreover, Edom came against them with a great army.
C. II Chronicles 28:16,17 - The Edomites captured some people from Judah, when Ahaz was king. Ahaz was a wicked king and God sent these plagues upon the land of Judah because of this great wickedness. At the same time, the Philistines invaded Judah and captured several cities.
V. Amos 1:13-15 - The Ammonites were plagued because Hazael, their king, committed wickedness against Israel and Judah.
A. The fact that God caused Elijah to anoint Hazael as king of Syria in no way showed that God approved of what Hazael did to Benhadad, or to Israel.
1. I am sure God didn’t approve of Hazael murdering Benhadad, or committing the atrocities against Israel.
2. God allowed Hazael to do the wicked things he did, but God didn’t cause him to do it.
3. Hazael was under no instruction from God.
B. Prophesied by Elisha in II Kings 8:12. I believe Elisha got this message from Elijah, because God instructed that Hazael would fight against Israel.
1. See I Kings 19:15. God also told Elijah to anoint Jehu to be the kind of Israel, and Elisha to be the next prophet. All of these various people being appointed to various offices reveals that God intends them to bring judgment upon Israel because of their great wickedness.
2. Fulfilled in II Kings 10:32, 33. It is no accident that this passage is followed by verse 34, which states that Jehu was king of Israel, and speaks of the mighty acts he did.
C. “…that they might enlarge their border…”
1. This is exactly the same thing Ahab did when he had Naboth killed.
2. Naboth died, and Ahab was judged.
3. Hazael killed many Israelites, and was judged by God.
D. An entire nation is judged when the leader goes wrong.
1. This was true over and over again to the nations of Israel and Judah.
2. It is true in the case of Syria with their leader Hazael.
3. It is true in the United States of America.
4. The minority have brought in abortion on demand, but the entire nation will suffer.
5. Homosexuals make up a minority of our great nation, but the entire nation will suffer because of their wickedness.
E. Verse 14-15 describes the suddenness and surety of the destruction.
1. A fire will burn Rabbah, the capital city.
2. “…shouting in the day of battle…” As when the invading army enters and destroys the city.
3. “…with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind.” Like a terrible storm that cannot be controlled, the invading army cannot be stopped. God is leading the invading army to destroy those that destroy Israel.
4. Verse 15 - the last king of Syria, Baalis, was carried into captivity. It may be that God judged him because of Jeremiah 40:14. Nebuchadnezzar had overtaken Judah for the 70 year captivity. Nebuchadnezzar had placed Gedaliah over the Jewish remnant. In an attempt to scatter the remnant, Baalis hired Ishmael to kill Gedaliah, which he did, plus 60 other Jewish men who were going to worship God.
5.
Amos chapter 2
VI. Amos 2:1-3 - The Moabites were plagued because they unjustly burned the king of Edom’s bones to lime. The Moabites showed no respect to the covenant between Esau and God, therefore this plague will come upon them.
A. The Moabites were descended from the firstborn daughter of Lot, who had a son named Moab, Gen. 19:37. This son, Moab, was conceived in an incestuous relationship between Lot and his firstborn daughter.
B. Numbers 22-25 records the story of how the Moabites convinced Balaam to come to Moab and curse Israel, which God would not allow him to do. This incident explains the hatred the Moabites had for Israel, even though they are related.
C. Exactly what is meant by the phrase “…because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into line:” I don’t know. John Gill makes many speculations, none of which seem satisfactory to me. It may be that the king of Moab exhumed the body of the king of Edom and burned it. Whatever the circumstance is, it seems reasonable to understand that God looks on the heart, not just on the action. Probably, it is the hatred in the heart of the king of Moab that causes him to commit such a barbarous act, thus bringing upon himself, and his nation, the judgment of God. I do not believe that II Kings 3:26,27 are pertinent to the judgment of God in this chapter. I do not believe, as some do, that the King of Moab offered the son of the king of Edom upon an altar. I believe the king of Moab offered his own son on the altar because of great contempt against the God of Israel, who was defeating the army of the Moabites, and who would so destroy Moab that the eldest son would not reign.
D. In Jeremiah 48:24, the capital city of Kerioth is mentioned as being destroyed by the Babylonians. It may very well be that the plagues that come upon the Moabites will come by the Babylonians. It would be good to study this chapter to see the total destruction of Moab and why God will destroy this great nation.
VII. Amos 2:4-5 - The nation of Judah will be plagued because they continually broke the commandments of God.
A. It will be noted that God judges all the others of the world as to their relationship with Israel, but He judges Israel as to their relationship with Him.
1. God judges all nations according to what is right or wrong.
2. Nations that have more light from God are judged more severely.
3. Nations with lesser light from God are judged less severely.
B. It should be noted that this prophecy comes at a time when Israel is in great prosperity. Uzziah is a good king, leading the people to serve the Lord and rebuilding Judah to a state of glory. This is a time of great prosperity for the nation of Judah. Jeroboam II is a wicked king, but he is leading Israel in a time of great prosperity. Both Judah and Israel are enjoying the greatest economic prosperity in a long time. But the judgment of God is coming because they have forgotten God. It may look like God is blessing both Judah and Israel, and He is, but He is not going to continue blessing them because their wickedness is that they have forsaken the laws of God, and followed lies instead of the truth.
1. It is important to understand that the judgment of God will come upon a people who know nothing but prosperity.
2. They do not know how to conduct themselves, or how to take care of their material needs, because they don’t understand the difference between their needs and their wants.
B. Luke 12:47 - “And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.” There is absolutely nothing wrong with the law of God – except that it goes exactly opposite to the mind and will of man. Judah was given the precious law of God, which would allow them to have a greater peace, contentment, and prosperity than any nation on the face of the earth. Judah not only didn’t obey the laws of God, they open condemned God’s holy law by seeking to themselves the ways of the heathen.
C. Right here, it is important to stop and consider our own ways. We also have the laws of God, yet our nature is totally against these righteous laws. Our nature, our mind, our feelings, our desires lead us into the most terrible depravity there is. We are saved by the grace of Almighty God, yet it is absolutely sure that if God doesn’t continue to bless us with the riches of His grace, that we are going to walk in the ways of the heathen. God’s children should never be content with a superficial worship, but continually examine their worship, their lives, and their motives to make sure they conform to the laws of God.
1. Verse 4 - “…their lies have caused them to err…”
2. This is the same thing as I Tim. 4:1-3, where people will turn from the faith in the last days. Their conscience will be seared with a hot iron. People will know what they believe is wrong, but they will continue to believe it anyway.
3. II Timothy 3:13 states that “…evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” The words “deceiving and being deceived” speak for themselves. The evil teachers will know they are teaching a lie, but they will continue in their teaching lies, and they will enjoy their deceptions and their conquests of deceptions.
VIII. Amos 2:6-16 - The nation of Israel will be plagued because of multiple sin which are described in these verses.
A. Verse 6-7 - Israel has tried to get all the wealth of the poor for themselves.
1. Israel has no trust that God will provide their needs.
2. They are not walking by faith, but walking by those things they can see, therefore they want more and more from others, and are less and less willing to give of their own resources.
B. Verse 7 - A man and his father will go in unto the same maid.
1. According to Leviticus 18:8-20 - it is an abomination for to see the nakedness of certain people, among whom is another’s wife or husband.
2. I Cor. 5:1 records another example of this abomination. The church at Corinth was instructed to put the person out of their midst - the worse punishment that could be administered by the church. God instructed Israel to kill the person that was guilty of this abomination.
C. Verse 8 - They use their pledges.
1. We are not used to this terminology.
2. Israel was making a pledge, then using that pledge for their own personal advancement.
3. Matt. 15:1-6 records that during Jesus’ days, this exact same thing was continuing. Israel didn’t learn much from their past - just like we don’t learn much from our past. The story in Matthew is that the Jews were making a pledge of what would be used to support their parents in their old age. The Jews declared that doing this freed them from taking care of their parents. Jesus declared that this was a sin in His sight.
4. Giving designated offerings is a way for church members to give their tithes and offerings to God and still retain control of those tithes and offerings. It is not right to give designated offerings, and it isn’t right for a church to accept designated offerings, except in exceptional circumstances. And these exceptional circumstances will be completely above board, never hidden from the knowledge or examination of the general population of the church.
D. Verse 9 - Drinking wine.
1. This involves the worship of false gods in the house of God.
2. This doesn’t involve drinking wine in the Lord’s supper.
VIII. Amos 2:9-11 - God declares to all Israel all the good things He has done for them.
A. Verse 9 - God destroyed the Amorite in their own land.
1. God destroyed their fruit, and their root.
2. They will never again rise to be a problem to Israel.
B. Verse 10 - God has brought Israel from Egypt, sustained them 40 years in the wilderness, and then given them the land of the Amorite.
C. Verse 11 - God has bless Israel by calling their young men into His service.
1. God called some of the young men to be Nazarites.
2. God has called other of their young men to be prophets.
IX. Amos 2:12 - Israel failed to receive the blessings God gave to them.
A. Verse 12 - Israel did all they could to force the Nazarites to break the commandments God wanted them to keep.
B. Verse 12 - Israel told the prophets to preach somewhere else.
X. Amos 2:12-16 - God describes to Israel what He will do to them.
A. Remember Amos does all this prophesying during a period of great economic prosperity.
B. Verse 13 - God declares that Israel is a heavy load to Him.
C. Verse 14-16 - All those people ready to fight shall not fight, the strong shall be weak, the one that shoots with the bow shall miss, the one who is swift shall not be able to run fast enough to get away, even the rider of a horse shall not escape, the most courageous of all shall be so afraid, he shall run away completely naked, and not even know it.