The prophet Hosea spoke of the overcoming love of God and Joel spoke of the outpoured Spirit on those who had been prepared to receive Him by the blitzkriegs in life. Amos speaks of God’s mighty word and speaks out against those who ignore it.

The name Amos is taken from a Hebrew verb which means to bear a load. The load Amos bears in this book is the unresponsiveness to God’s word and injustice of the people of the northern kingdom of Israel. God uses Amos as a spokesperson against these sins of Israel.

From verse one we also see that Amos was a "sheepbreeder." Amos was a shepherd. The term "sheepbreeder" implies one who is a, "sheep-raiser, sheep-dealer, sheep-tender." (1)

Amos was born in "Tekoa" (literally "stockade" – Strong’s #8620). This town was built by king Rehoboam in the hill country of Judah near Hebron on the edge of the arid wilderness. Tekoa is about six miles southwest of Bethlehem, about 12 miles from Jerusalem, in a small valley. This town was, (and remains to this day) a small insignificant town that we only note because of its mention here in Amos. It was from this insignificant place that God called Amos to ministry. It’s interesting that God did not go searching for a prophet in a larger locale but sought out Amos in this little obscure location. God sees and searches everywhere, even the small places, for those whose hearts are loyal to Him (2 Chronicles 16:9). It’s also interesting that while Amos apparently lived in Judah, God called him to minister in the northern kingdom of Israel.

Amos 1:1b – "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,"

Amos ministered "in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel" which would place the time of writing in the 8^th century B.C. (2 Kings 14:23-29; 15:1-7). This would also make Amos a contemporary of Isaiah (see Isaiah 1:1). Jeroboam reigned for 41 years and was the most successful of the kings of the northern kingdom. Israel reached its zenith of power under the reign of Jeroboam. Therefore, God called Amos to proclaim this word to Israel when Israel was at its height of prosperity and power.

Amos 1:1c – "two years before the earthquake."

The reference to "two years before the earthquake," does not help us much in terms of dating this book. Zechariah also refers to this earthquake which must have been a notable one (Zechariah 14:4-5). Amos probably mentions the earthquake more to introduce the awesome power of God than to mark a period of time. Earthquakes are very disturbing since they shake the ground right out from under you. In the same way God’s people were living on shaky ground spiritually due to their breaking God’s laws and living unjustly.

Amos 7:10-17 – "Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words.11 "For thus Amos has said: ‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword, And Israel shall surely be led away captive From their own land.’ "12 Then Amaziah said to Amos: "Go, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah. There eat bread, And there prophesy.13 But never again prophesy at Bethel, For it is the king’s sanctuary, And it is the royal residence."14 Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah: "I was no prophet, Nor was I a son of a prophet, But I was a sheepbreeder And a tender of sycamore fruit.15 Then the Lord took me as I followed the flock, And the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’16 Now therefore, hear the word of the Lord: You say, ‘Do not prophesy against Israel, And do not spout against the house of Isaac.’17 "Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Your wife shall be a harlot in the city; Your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword; Your land shall be divided by survey line; You shall die in a defiled land; And Israel shall surely be led away captive From his own land.’ "

Amos was a sheepbreeder minding his own business when God put a call on his life to go and preach to a country in which he didn’t even live, Israel. And this call was not easy. This passage shows us that Amos faced great opposition for sharing the message God had given to him. He was commanded by Amaziah, priest of Bethel, to stop preaching and leave Israel. Amaziah trumped up lies against Amos in an effort to have him deported. While Bethel (Bethel means "house of God") had been named by Jacob who had encountered God in this place (Genesis 28:10-22), by the time of Amos, Bethel had become a center of idolatry in the Northern kingdom under king Jeroboam. It was in Bethel that Jeroboam had set up one of his two gold calves for the people to worship instead of God (the other calf was set up in Dan - 1 Kings 12:25-33). This is what Amos came up against. But none of this deterred Amos from communicating the message that because of Israel’s idolatry they would go into captivity. Amos sounds a lot like the apostle Paul who also faced great opposition to the message he brought. Paul said:

• Acts 20:22-24 - "And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there,23 "except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me.24 "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."

Being a prophet or minister of God is not always an easy task (is it ever?). But where God guides, God provides and His grace is always sufficient for the road he leads His people down (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Paul was able to say much the same as Amos would say if you had opportunity to ask him, "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish the race with joy . . ." Even though ministry was difficult, Amos, Paul and those before and after them possessed that grounding of God’s joy. Joy is the assurance of God being in control, a satisfaction that one is in the center of God’s will. These men had it. Amos was persecuted fro his preaching, but he pressed on.

Amos 1:2 – "And he said: 1 "The Lord roars from Zion, And utters His voice from Jerusalem; The pastures of the shepherds mourn, And the top of Carmel withers."

Amos likens God’s word as a roar (1:2; 3:8). If you have ever been to a zoo (or been so fortunate to actually spend time on the continent of Africa) you know that there is something awesome and powerful about the roar of a lion. The roar of a lion is deep and awesome; it resonates and penetrates the air in a way that cannot be ignored. That is what the LORD is doing here; he is piercing the darkness of this sinful people with a powerful and undeniable roar. This may not fit your concept of God. Perhaps you see God only as a mild kindly old gentleman. But God’s roar shatters such a view. Yes, God is a Father and even a Friend, but He is powerful and majestic as well and He makes this clear with His roar.

When does a lion roar? A lion roars when he is announcing victory, when he is proclaiming his sovereign rule over the other animals. Hosea speaks of God roaring in strength in the process of coming against Judah’s enemies (Hosea 11:10-12). The prophet Joel also spoke of God roaring from Zion against the enemies of His people (Joel 2:16). However, in Amos, (as in the book of Jeremiah 25:30-31) the LORD is roaring from Zion, but against the injustice of His own people.

This book is very much about God speaking. The phrase, "hear this word" introduces three chapters in this book (3:1; 4:1; 5:1). Amos uses the phrase, "thus the LORD God showed me," three times to emphasize that his message was from God (7:1,4; 8:1). But clearly the most repeated phrase in this book is, "says the LORD," which occurs 40 times in the book and at least once in every chapter of the book (1:3,5,6,8,9,11,13,15; 2:1,3,4,6,11,16; 3:10,11,12,13,15; 4:3,5,6,8,9,10,11; 5:3,4,17,27; 6:14; 7:17; 8:3,9,11; 9:7,8,12,13,15).

Having said this, one might ask, "What is the LORD roaring about?" That question leads us to the major message of this minor prophet.

As we have been seeing, each of these Minor Prophets has a major message to proclaim. This is true with Amos as well. What is the major message of Amos? Let’s see.

Seven times in this book the people are called upon to "hear" what God has said and is saying to them (3:1,13; 4:1; 5:1,23; 7:16; 8:4). Amos has a tremendous sense of the majesty, power and authority of God’s word. Yet there is a big problem, the people do not share his view and are deaf to the roar of the LORD. This raises a major question for us that encapsulates the major message of this minor prophet. That question is, when God speaks, do you listen?

God has spoken powerfully to Amos and he cannot keep from sharing what he has heard:

• Amos 3:8 – "A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy?"

Amos demonstrates the person who is alert and open to God and when God roars, he listens. Amos is a good example of what happens when a person takes God at His word and seriously submits to it. Amos was so in tune with the LORD that when God spoke to him it was loud and clear, like a mighty roar. Amos was compelled by his felt sense of awe at God’s word. He said, "The LORD has spoken! Who can but prophesy?" Amos could just not hold in what God had revealed to him. God’s word had been planted in him and it was bursting out of him. This tells us that Amos was not only a good listener to God’s word, but he was a doer of God’s word as well. Amos acted on the word he received from God. This is extremely important. To hear God’s word does not mean to simply sit and take it in, it also means to stand and put it into action. When we listen to God we need to be active listeners.

When God’s word is roared and people ignore it, a dangerous principle is set in motion. God warns of this negative principle in chapter eight which states:

• Amos 8:11-12 - "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord God, "That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the Lord.12 They shall wander from sea to sea, And from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, But shall not find it."

Notice what is implied here by what is and is not said. It does not say that there will be a famine of the word. The word will still be preached and distributed amongst them. What is stated here is that they will experience a "famine . . .of hearing the word." The word of God will be roared around them, but they will not be able to hear it. If when God speaks you do not listen, your ability to hear His word is diminished. If a person persists in ignoring the word of God, they risk not being able to hear God’s word. How many people go to church every Sunday and even on Wednesday but their lives reveal they are not really hearing the word of God? Repeatedly being exposed to God’s word and not taking it in dulls the spiritual haring. This truth is conveyed in the following verses:

• Jeremiah 7:23-24 - "But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’24 "Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward."
• Matthew 13:15 – "For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’"
• Acts 7:51 - "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you."
• 2 Timothy 4:3-4 – "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables."

Persistently ignoring God’s word leads to spiritual deafness and that is a dangerous place to be. That is what Israel had been doing since the split with the southern kingdom of Judah and since Jeroboam had become king. Amos was sent to explain the importance and danger of casually hearing what God was communicating or even turning a deaf ear to God. Why is it important to actively hear (i.e. hear with a desire to implement) God’s word?

It says, " a famine . . . of hearing the words of the LORD." What does "hearing " mean? What is implied by how this word is used? The word, "hearing" is translated from the Hebrew term shama (Strong’s #8085) which literally means, "to hear, listen to, obey." (2)  This is not simply hearing a word and leaving it at that. To "hear" in this context means to hear and act on, to hear and obey. It does no one any good to simply acknowledge what God says as if to say, "Oh yes, I knew that." Unless you apply what you know it does you no good. This is communicated throughout the Bible but one notable place is found in the New Testament book of James which states:

• James 1:22-25 – "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does." (See also James 2:14-20; 4:11, 17; Deuteronomy 26:16; Matthew 5:19; 7:21-25; 12:50; 28:20; Luke 6:46-48; 8:21; 11:28; 12:47, 48; John 8:31; 13:17; Romans 2:13; Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 4:8, 9; Colossians 3:17; Titus 3:8; 1 John 2:3, 9, 10. 3:7. 3 John 11; Revelation 22:7) (3)

To hear and not implement is the utmost in self-deception because by hearing the word you believe you are doing something spiritual when it is the applying in the strength of the Spirit that brings the growth. Indeed, persistent failure to actively hear or live out what is taught leads to spiritual dullness of hearing.

It is important to actively hear God’s word because it is what gives spiritual life to us. This is what the Scripture states:

• John 6:66-68 – "From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?"68 But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."
• 1 Peter 1:22-25 – "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,24 because "All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away,25 But the word of the Lord endures forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you."

Since God’s word is the means by which He communicates eternal life, to experience a "famine . . . of hearing the words of the LORD" is a very precarious position to be in. If you merely listen to God’s word without applying God’s word (in the Spirit) to your life, there will be no effect. It’s like preparing a full meal with the complete compliment of proteins and carbohydrates, of vegetables, salads, meats etc. and then laying it all out on the table and taking a seat, Now look at it, smell it, fill your plates, then get up and leave. That food smells great and looks good but unless you take it in and process it biologically, it will do you no good. God’s word may sound great, but unless you really take it to heart and seek God’s application of it in your life, it will do you no good.

One of the most notable parts of Amos is found in chapter 5 which states:

Amos 5:21-24 - "I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savor your sacred assemblies.22 Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings.23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs, For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.24 But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream."

These verses depict a people who were very religious, they observed "sacred assemblies" and even offered sacrifices to God, but it was all hated and despised by God. "Hate" and "despise" are very strong words and they are the words God uses to express His view of these practices. The problem was that this people went to church so to speak, and while in church they performed all the proper ceremonies, but when they weren’t in church, they were unjust and unrighteous. The effect of Gods’ word actively heard is "justice" and "righteousness." "Justice" is translated from the Hebrew term mishpat (Strong’s #4941) which means appropriate application of God’s word to life. "Righteousness" is translated from the Hebrew term tsedaqah (Strong’s #6666) which in this context would seem to mean applying a true ethical standard of God’s word to life.

Throughout the Old Testament provision is made for caring for the weak, needy and poor (Leviticus 19:9,10,13; 25:25-30; Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 24:14-15). The same provision is made in the New Testament where I would just like to note a few particular portions of Scripture:

• Matthew 25:34-46 - "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:35 ‘for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;36 ‘I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?38 ‘When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?39 ‘Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’40 "And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’41 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:42 ‘for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;43 ‘I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’44 "Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’45 "Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’46 "And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
• James 2:14-17 – "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
• 1 John 3:16-18 – "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth."

The effect of God’s word heard actively is that it moves us to take the initiative in seeing God’s word fulfilled and applied practically in life. These above verses only touch on situations of material need, but there are the spiritual needs as well such as in the following verses show:

• Romans 12:3-21 – "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.20 Therefore 1 "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head."21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

• Galatians 6:1-6 – "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.5 For each one shall bear his own load.6 Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches."

The major message of this Minor Prophet Amos is that when God speaks, we need to listen (actively). This book will declare the consequence of turning a deaf ear to God, as well as the importance of seeing our need to actively listen when the Lion roars.

In this section of Amos we see the fiery judgment of God mentioned seven times, once for each nation of city mentioned (1:4,7,10,12,14; 2:2,5). It would be an understatement to say that God is hot over the injustices committed by Israel, Judah and her enemies. Notice, God’s judgment of fire is pronounced on all these peoples, not just His peoples. God is Ruler over the world, not just Israel or Judah. What fuels God’s fire of judgment?

Eight times in these first two chapters of Amos the phrase, "For three transgressions . . .and for four" is repeated (1:3,6,9,11,13; 2:1,4,6). This phrase is a device to express the full depth of iniquity demonstrated by those the pronouncements of judgment are made against. The word "transgression" is translated form the Hebrew term pesha (Strong’s # 6588) which means, "transgress; rebel." Pesha is derived from the word pasa (Strong’s # 6585) which means, "to step; march; step forward." Therefore the idea is that transgressing is to rebelliously and defiantly step over the line of God’s law and word. God gives us His word to direct us in a fruitful and loving path of right living. To transgress is to rebelliously cross over God’s stipulated boundaries and enter an area where self-serving behavior leads to pain in its victims.

God is merciful and longsuffering, He is full of grace, but a time comes when transgressions repeated over time reach a point of no return and God determines judgment is required. It is the continued disregard of God and the committing of transgression of God’s word which brings God’s fiery judgment. What are some of the particular transgressions which bring the fiery judgment of God?

The first six messages of judgment are pronounced against the perennial enemies of Israel. No doubt Amos began pronouncing judgment on the enemies of Israel to in part draw a crowd of the people he was called to minister to. People tend to look favorably upon those whom they perceive as having the same enemies as them.

Amos 1:3-5 – "Thus says the Lord: "For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they have threshed Gilead with implements of iron.4 But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, Which shall devour the palaces of Ben-Hadad.5 I will also break the gate bar of Damascus, And cut off the inhabitant from the Valley of Aven, And the one who holds the scepter from Beth Eden. The people of Syria shall go captive to Kir," Says the Lord."

Damascus, the capitol city of Syria was to be judged for her merciless actions against Israel (1:3-5). God was going to "break the gate bar of Damascus" which alludes to the defeat of this city.

Amos 1:6-8 – "Thus says the Lord: For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they took captive the whole captivity To deliver them up to Edom.7 But I will send a fire upon the wall of Gaza, Which shall devour its palaces.8 I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, And the one who holds the scepter from Ashkelon; I will turn My hand against Ekron, And the remnant of the Philistines shall perish," Says the Lord God."

Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Ekron, were all cities of the Philistines and therefore God is judging this nation of Philistia. There was probably no more perennial enemy to God’s people than the Philistines. As a technologically advanced people the Philistines were an ever-present thorn in the side of God’s people. Enslavement and slave trade was the reason for God’s judgment against Philistia. The Philistines sold God’s people to Edom. God is opposed to the cheapening of life and anything that would bind people. God is in the business of liberating slaves (Romans 6). God’s judgment was just and sure as He stated they would "perish." Heard have or know any Philistines lately? No, and you won’t either, because there are none. God eliminated the Philistines just as He said He would.

Amos 1:9-10 – "Thus says the Lord: "For three transgressions of Tyre, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, And did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.10 But I will send a fire upon the wall of Tyre, Which shall devour its palaces."

Tyre was a main city of the Phoenicians. The Phoenicians commanded the seas and were also apparently involved in the slave trade. The mention of "brotherhood" implies that the crime of Tyre was compounded by her betrayal of a covenant that had been made with God’s people. The KJV Bible Commentary states, "King Hiram of Tyre and David and Solomon. This covenant had been long-standing (cf. II Sam 5:11; I Kings 5:2–6, 15–18; 9:11–14), and no king of Israel or Judah ever made war upon Phoenicia." (4)

Amos 1:11-12 – "Thus says the Lord: "For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because he pursued his brother with the sword, And cast off all pity; His anger tore perpetually, And he kept his wrath forever.12 But I will send a fire upon Teman, Which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah."

The Edomites were descendants of Esau, brother of the patriarch Jacob and thus related to God’s people. Despite this relation, the Edomites are to be judged because of the pitiless and rageful treatment of God’s people. "He kept wrath forever," means that they held a grudge and found no place for forgiveness or true reconciliation. God’s finds such bitterness offensives and deems it due judgment.

Amos 1:13-15 – "Thus says the Lord: "For three transgressions of the people of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they ripped open the women with child in Gilead, That they might enlarge their territory.14 But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, And it shall devour its palaces, Amid shouting in the day of battle, And a tempest in the day of the whirlwind.15 Their king shall go into captivity, He and his princes together," Says the Lord."

The Ammonites sought to expand their territory and in the process they not only invaded God’s people but committed horrific atrocities against the people of God. The, "ripped open women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their territory." In other words, possessing possessions was of greater import to the Ammonites than were people. For this the Ammonites would be judged with fire. Rabah was the capitol city of Ammon and its king would be taken into captivity.

Evidently the Moabites were an instrument of God in the judgment of the Edomites. Their offense was being so filled with hatred and contempt that they not only killed the king of Edom but also "burned the bones of the king." Such severe and deep hatred is offensive to the God of love.

Amos 2:4-5 – "Thus says the Lord: "For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they have despised the law of the Lord, And have not kept His commandments. Their lies lead them astray, Lies which their fathers followed.5 But I will send a fire upon Judah, And it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem."

As the Israelites heard the pronouncement of Amos against Judah they must have thought, "It can’t get any better than this." The Israelites hated their brother Judahites from the south. This was sibling rivalry on a national scale and to the max. The Israelites must have been whooping it up as they heard pronouncements one after another against their enemies, but when Amos said the name Judah, it must have gotten them into a frenzied froth.

Amos proclaims that Judah will be judged, "because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept His commandments." Judah was guilty of the same transgression that Israel would be condemned for, they ignored God’s word. God is impartial in His judgment. In 586 B.C. Judah was literally fired up by the onslaught of the Babylonians who literally burned Jerusalem to the ground.

Amos 2:6-13 – "Thus says the Lord: "For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they sell the righteous for silver, And the poor for a pair of sandals.7 They pant after the dust of the earth which is on the head of the poor, And pervert the way of the humble. A man and his father go in to the same girl, To defile My holy name.8 They lie down by every altar on clothes taken in pledge, And drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.9 "Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, Whose height was like the height of the cedars, And he was as strong as the oaks; Yet I destroyed his fruit above And his roots beneath.10 Also it was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt, And led you forty years through the wilderness, To possess the land of the Amorite.11 I raised up some of your sons as prophets, And some of your young men as Nazirites. Is it not so, O you children of Israel?" Says the Lord.12 "But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, And commanded the prophets saying, ‘Do not prophesy!’13 "Behold, I am weighed down by you, As a cart full of sheaves is weighed down."

As Amos pronounced judgment on one after another of Israel’s enemies and then to their glee on their hated brother nation of Judah, they most have been pumping themselves up with self-exalting righteous indignation. But when Amos said, "For three transgressions of Israel, and for four," their jaws must have dropped. Any self-deceived notion that they were above the judgment of God was quickly eliminated with Amos’ opening words here. Israel was guilty too.

What were the transgressions of Israel? Israel made money, purchasing power and possessions a priority over righteousness and caring for the poor (2:6). Israel was so infatuated with getting and accumulating things that they even panted after the dust or what little the poor possessed (2:7a). They put stumbling blocks in the way of the humble and were so perverted that "a man and his father" indulged their sexual desires with the same "girl." Certainly the passing on of God’s morals from one generation to the next according to God’s word had broken down. Fathers, rather than training their sons in the ways of the LORD were leading them into deeper and deeper perversions (2:7b; Deuteronomy 6). The Israelites were involved in idolatry to such an extent that they used garments set aside for the poor in their ceremonies. The KJV Bible Commentary states the following:

The garments mentioned are the outer garments that were given as a pledge that some other obligation would be met. Moses had commanded that this garment be returned to the poor before sunset so that it could be used as a covering to protect against the cool night (cf. Ex 22:25–27; Deut 24:12–13). Those who had taken the garments in pledge not only refused to return them, in violation of God’s law, but they used them themselves in their idol temple. (5)

But the worst transgression of all was that the Israelites had forgotten the God who had birthed them, as well as had protected and provided for them (2:9-13). God was the One who had destroyed the Amorite (Joshua 10:12). God had brought the people up form the land of Egypt (Exodus). God had sent numerous prophets and "Nazarites" or those called to a holy life of ministry. But all the Israelites did was tempt the Nazarites to disobey their vows and tell the prophets to, "Shut up!" Such were the grave and totally depraved transgressions of Israel that Amos was sent to pronounce judgment upon.

Amos 2:14-16 – "Therefore flight shall perish from the swift, The strong shall not strengthen his power, Nor shall the mighty deliver himself;15 He shall not stand who handles the bow, The swift of foot shall not escape, Nor shall he who rides a horse deliver himself.16 The most courageous men of might Shall flee naked in that day," Says the Lord."

Such transgressive behavior and rejection of God would lead to the sapping of all strength from Israel and the rest of those upon which God’s judgment has been pronounced. "You can run, but you can’t hide," the prophet is saying. There is no escape for those who wantonly rebel against God. The only hope is to, "Hear this word . . ." (3:1; 4:1; 5:1). The remainder of the book of Amos is God’s attempt to correct this wayward people and get them to actively hear His word.

The 2000 presidential election has just taken place and the nation is so divided that the candidates are only separated by a relative handful of votes. In fact, the votes are still being counted and recounted and only God knows when a final winner will be declared. The election has turned into an ugly affair that has tarnished the democratic process as well as this nation. One news report spoke of some party representatives who paid off street people with cartons of cigarettes if they would vote for their candidate! The vote in Florida came down to a few hundred votes separating the two candidates. The loser has demanded a recount and when that didn’t bring their desired outcome they are now sending lawyers and others in what appears to be an effort to insight unrest. They are not satisfied to win or lose according to the process of democracy; they are out to win at any cost. I wonder what God is thinking about this election? I’m sure He is neither a Democrat nor Republican. But I do thin He cares about the issues before this nation. He does care about the poor and the weak, about those who cannot stand up for themselves. Our national elections show us on the one hand a group in favor of abortion and partial birth abortion, on the other hand you have a group that stands for life, (although indications are that that stand has been weakening) and who are against partial birth abortion. But those issues pertaining to the murder of the innocent don’t seem to be a primary concern for the candidates or the populace. For them the most important thing seems to be the money. Who is going to give me the best bang for the buck? Who will keep the economy going strong? Who will put more money in my pocket? Who will get me the best medical care for the least amount of money? Is that just? Both groups have set aside and shunned what the media refers to as the "religious right," while both espouse vague religious beliefs of their own. It appears that both parties have bought into the media propaganda that depicts anyone who believes in the Bible and the Gospel as an extremist or on the lunatic fringe (although George Bush testifies to being born again). Where is the justice in all of this?

This year’s election was said to have had a good voter turn out with nearly 100 million citizens voted. But wait a minute, there are about 290 million people in the United States, that means only about 1/3 of the populace voted, and that’s a "good’ voter turnout? This country is supposed to be made up of about 60-80% Christians. That would make the United States consist of between 174 – 232 million strong. Even if all of those voting were believers, more than half of the estimated Christians in the country would have stayed home. And that is a very generous estimate! Of those who did vote, how many have cast votes on the basis of what they would get out of the candidate as opposed to how that candidate lined up with God and His word? Obviously Christians, who God calls to civic responsibility (Romans 13: 1 Timothy 2:1-4) are not hearing the LORD actively. The question I ask is, are they hearing the LORD at all?

The point I am trying to make here is that the roar of the LORD in the book of Amos was against the injustices of Israel and how Israel had ignored the LORD and His word. Is there a parallel between Israel and America? I think so; I think America has neglected God and His word and I think that is why there is so much division and injustice in this country. The children have not been taught about God in the homes and those who do go to church have been fed the candy and fast food of psychobabble, human wisdom and tradition rather than the meat of God’s word. I think it is because Christians are hiding or aloof to the world in which they live. That’s not what Jesus called us to do. Jesus said:

• Matthew 5:13-16 - "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.15 "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

Salt is a seasoning agent, it brings flavor to food. It is also a purifying agent. Christians are called to bring flavor to the lives of people they come into contact with as well as serve as agents of purification. Christians are to live Christ’s love and be an attractive flavoring in the world. When the world tastes the salt and seeks out the reason for the tastiness, that’s when the believer sheds the light of the gospel of Christ on the seeker. That’s what all believers are called upon to do, especially the disciples of Jesus Christ. Where are the Christians who will take a stand against injustices in our country? Who will shine the light of the gospel?

The philosopher Francis Bacon once stated:

It is not what men eat but what they digest that makes them strong; not what we gain but what we save that makes us rich; not what we read but what we remember that makes us learned; not what we preach but what we practice that makes us Christians. (6)

God is roaring His word. Have you heard it? Are you living it? Hear the roar of the LORD and let God apply His word to your life. Let justice run down like water and righteousness like a mighty river. Hear, actively hear, the roar of the LORD!

(1) Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) 1995

(2) Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) 1995.

(3) Jerome H. Smith, editor, The New Treasury Of Scripture Knowledge [Computer File], Electronic Edition Of The Revised Edition Of The Treasury Of Scripture Knowledge, Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1992 by Jerome H. Smith.

(4) Jerry Falwell, executive editor; Edward E. Hinson and Michael Kroll Woodrow, general editors, KJV Bible Commentary [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1994.