THE "FIRST" WILL BE THE FIRST TO GO - AMOS 6

 

Amos 6

Historical & Literary Context 

As a reminder:

Amos: 8th-century BCE prophet from Tekoa during the reign of Jeroboam II; prophesied to the northern kingdom (Israel) amid material prosperity and social injustice. 

This is a Prophetic oracle, a poetic denunciation and warning. It is the last of the “oracles against Israel” cycle (Amos 1–6). 

It contrasts a complacent elite with forthcoming judgment.

Woe to the Complacent

6:1-7

In this section, Amos again confronts those who are wealthy and comfortable, saying “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion and those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria”. Zion stands for Jerusalem, the capital of Judah and Samaria is the capital of Israel. So, Amos prophesied against both Judah and Israel, even though his primary calling was to speak to Israel. 

Both cities are centers of political power, wealth, and religious worship. Those who are wealthy and powerful feel secure as the nations have been prosperous. They had self-satisfaction. The notable men were the rich and powerful. They felt like their countries were at the top, the first of the nations. They believed in Israelite Exceptionalism to use modern terms.

But Amos bids them to look around at once powerful kingdoms around them that have now fallen. He asked, rhetorically, are Judah and Israel really better than those kingdoms? (2) He sarcastically calls them those who put away the day of disaster, meaning they did not believe the prophets word that they would soon be conquered. 

Jesus used this same theme in the parable of the rich fool. He was a successful farmer building bigger barns for his harvests. He decided to eat, drink, and be merry. But God said his soul would be required that night and he would not take any of his goods with him. Jesus called him a fool because he was not “rich toward God”. (Luke 12:13-21) He tried to put far aways the day of disaster as did the rich Israelites.

Prosperity often breeds spiritual apathy. Humans are vulnerable to pride and feelings of invulnerability when things are going well.  

Portrait of Luxury and Neglect

6:4–7

Verse 4 begins the second woe. Amos describes them as rich and self indulgent. Beds of ivory were wooden beds inlaid with ivory. They were very expensive and would be today. They had a lot of leisure time, so they could lay around on couches while eating extravagant meals. They listened to music and even made instruments for their entertainment. (5-6)  

We like our entertainment also. Americans spend an average of roughly 3 to 4.5 hours per day watching television, with total daily screen time often exceeding 5 hours when including streaming and connected devices. The average American eats out or orders takeout approximately 5 to 6 times per week.

The Israelites  drank a lot. They drank from bowls instead of cups. They could afford expensive oils to put in their hair and on their skin. 

Meanwhile, in the midst of luxury and indulgence, the spiritual life of Israel has disintegrated. But, they are happy with their lives and do not mourn this; they are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph. (6)

As Jesus said, “You cannot serve God and money”. (Luke 16:13)

Joseph here stands for the northern kingdom of Israel. Two of the largest tribes in Israel were Ephraim and Manasseh, named after Joseph’s sons. 

So Amos delivers a woe to them: those who think of themselves at the first of nations and first of this nation will be the first to go into exile. All of their comfort and indulgence will pass away. 

Divine Oath and Certainty of Judgment

6:8

The Lord God (YHWH Adonay) swore by himself. God swears by himself because there is no one greater by whom to swear. (Hebrews 6:13) He did this when he made a promise to Abraham. (Genesis 22:16)

God’s oath tells us the seriousness and inevitability of judgment. This is a serious as it gets. He swore that he would deliver up Israel and all that was in it because he abhorred its pride and self-sufficiency\arrogance. (8)

False Sense of Security in Leadership and Wealth

6:9–10

God despises Israel’s pride. We should not be surprised at this since the Bible has a multitude of condemnations of pride. It is in fact part of one of the covenant curses. God said: “And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, then I will discipline you again sevenfold for your sins and I will break the pride of your power…” (Leviticus 26:18-19) 

Even the small remnants of people will be killed. Very few will be left. Since God has brought this judgment upon them, they cannot call upon him for rescue or relief. (10)

From Peaceful Origins to Violent Ends

6:11–14

Amos tells Israel the devastation of judgment will be all inclusive, the rich and the poor shall be struck down. (11) This is because they have perverted the justice system and devalued righteousness. (12)

He again criticizes Israel’s pride in claiming to have won victories in their own strength. (13) To show them this is not the case, God decrees an invasion. He will raise up a nation which will defeat them and oppress them from the northern boundary (Lebo-Hamath) to the southern boundary (Brook of the Arabah). (14)

Takeaways

Prosperity often breeds spiritual apathy. Humans are vulnerable to pride and feelings of invulnerability when things are going well.  

Sin has communal consequences; motivate corporate repentance and structural reform. These are  concrete consequences: loss of material wealth, forced labor or exile, ecological failure. Amos sketches the collapse of the social and religious fabric.

Disobedience brings real, historical consequences; God’s redemptive aim includes removing what hides idolatry.

 We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey” (Exodus 24:7). 

Thus later rebellion reflects not merely a flighty independent spirit, but the breaking of an oath, the trashing of a covenant. They are thumbing their nose at the treaty of the great King.

INSINCERE WORSHIP - AMOS 5

 Amos 5

1. A Lament Over Israel’s Fall (Amos 5:1–3)

Chapter 5:1-17 is a lament. A lament is an expression sorrow. Amos calls Israel to hear his lament. He speaks of the future in the present tense, signifying that their future is determined. He treats Israel as already fallen and unable to rise. There is no one to help her. Israel is referred to as a virgin, meaning she was cut down when in her prime and full of potential. 

The word “fallen” normally means fallen in battle. For example, when David lamented the death of Saul and Jonathan in battle, he said “How the mighty have fallen”.( 2 Samuel 1:27) Amos is saying Israel will be defeated and destroyed in a war with invaders. 

Israel will be decimated. Only 10% will survive. This is the covenant curse of Deuteronomy 28:62: “Whereas you were as numerous at the stars of heaven, you shall be left few in number because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your God”. 

II. The Call to Seek the Lord and Live (Amos 5:4–6)

God calls Israel to seek him. That is where life is for them. It is not in the worship of idols, as represented by the false worship centers of Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba. That worship has led them to be unjust and unrighteous. (7)

III. Israel’s Corruption of Justice (Amos 5:8–13)

As God decrees these curses, he identifies himself as God the creator. He made the stars, the daylight, and the sea. (8) He is Yahweh and he has the power to bring destruction even against strong nations. 

The people of Israel have become so evil that they abhor anyone who speaks the truth or objects to their behavior. (10) Abhor means to have disgust and hatred. The NIV uses the word “despise”. Their judges take bribes to rule against the poor.

They send the needy away rather than help them. 

Because they trample on the poor and steal from them, God will keep them from enjoying their riches, their fancy houses and pleasant vineyards. This evil is so prevalent that no one will speak against it. (13)

IV. A Second Call to Repentance (Amos 5:14–15)

Again God tells them what to seek if they want to live. They must seek good and not evil, justice, not oppression. When the seek these things, God will be with them. And, Amos says, God might be gracious to them again. (15)

Believers are called to live according to God’s standard of holiness. Regardless of the changing standards of the world, we are not to adopt them. Paul tells us not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed as our minds are renewed by the Holy Spirit so that we may discern what is good, acceptable, and perfect in God’s eyes. (Romans 12:2)

According to Jesus, we are to seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness as the first priority. (Matthew 6:33) We can then trust him to take care of the rest. 

True religion leads to ethical behavior.

V. The Coming National Mourning (Amos 5:16–17)

When Israel falls, there will be great mourning in the streets, town squares, and fields. When all you know and cherish is destroyed before your eyes, you have much grief and sorrow. 

This destruction will come from an invading army, but it is the Lord bringing it. He will pass through them in judgment just as the Lord passed through Egypt in judgment, killing the first born of every family. (17) (Exodus 12:23-30) As there was a “great cry” in Egypt, there will be great mourning when Israel falls. 

VI. The Day of the Lord Misunderstood (Amos 5:18–20)

Amos said: “Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord”. (18) Israel expected the Day of the Lord to bring victory, but Amos said it would bring judgment. He described it metaphorically several ways: (1) It is darkness, not light; (2) it is like running from a lion and meeting a bear; (3) it is like leaning on a wall for support but getting bit by a serpent. Their expectation was for good, but their reality would be bad.

VII. God Rejects Hypocritical Worship (Amos 5:21–27)

The reason the Day of the Lord will be judgment, rather than blessing, is that their worship of the Lord was hypocritical (in addition to their other sins). God spoke, beginning in verse 21, saying he hated and despised their gatherings and rejected their sacrifices. Their lives did not reflect their worship, indicating that their worship was in form only and not in spirit. They took advantage of the poor and they engaged in idol worship - they lacked justice and righteousness. (24). 

Instead, they should have sought justice and righteousness. (24) Not only did God reject their worship, he would send them into exile. (27) The historical fulfillment of the prophecy occurred in 722 B.C. with the Assyrian exile. 

Takeaways

Worship without righteousness is offensive to God. He does not accept it. 

Ritual cannot substitute for obedience. We worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:24)

The Day of the Lord is judgment for the unrepentant: “While people are saying there is peace and security, then sudden destruction will come up them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman and they will not escape.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3)

 To be united to Christ by grace though faith is to be counted as having lived His life, obeyed His law, suffered His punishment, died His death, and risen in His resurrection. 

YET YOU DID NOT RETURN TO ME - AMOS 4

 

Amos 4

1. Indictment of Social Oppression (4:1–3)

It was not just the men who oppressed the poor. Here, God addressed the women of Samaria as oppressors who were obsessed with drinking parties. He used a derogatory term, “cows of Bashan”, when addressing them. 

Bashan was an area of good pastureland where the cattle ate well and grew fat, having a nice life. It was east of the Jordan River in the area originally allotted to Manasseh. The area is now partially in the Golan Heights of Israel and partially in Syria.

As a result of this oppression, God swore that the women would be taken away from their land and exiled somewhere else. (3)  The city would be conquered and the all torn down. The women would be tied or chained together and make to walk straight ahead, in a single file line, through the breaches in the wall, all the way to Assyria. 

II. Condemnation of Empty Worship (4:4–5)

It turns out that God can be sarcastic. Sarcasm is a form of verbal irony, characterized by stating the opposite of what is actually intended, typically with a mocking, critical, or humorous intent. It is designed to insult, amuse, or convey irritation, often utilizing a specific, drawn-out, or lower-pitched tone of voice to signal that the words should not be taken literally. 

God called the people to worship at Bethel, the site of one of the golden calf idols. He said bring those sacrifices, tithes, and offering. Let people know you did it (publish it). Because this is what you love to do. 

The people were engaged in public displays of worship of these idols. They did all the things they were supposed to do in the worship of God at the temple in Jerusalem. But, they had perverted the proscribed worship with idolatry. We can see that the idea “it does not matter what you believe as long as you believe” is false. God actually finds it abhorrent. 

In the New Testament, Jesus condemned the Jews for some of these same things. They did not worship idols, but they deed all their deeds to be seen by others. (Matthew 23:5) Like the Israelites of Amos’ time, they had a lot of ritual, but failed to practice justice, mercy and faithfulness. (Matthew 23:23)

III. Discipline Rejected: “Yet You Did Not Return to Me” (4:6–11)

In this passage, God lists the covenant curses he imposed on them to bring them to repentance. (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28). But they did not repent. After God recites each covenantal curse imposed on them, he concluded with “Yet you did not return to me”. (6,8,9,10,11)

First, God brought famine (cleanest of teeth) to them. But, that did not bring repentance.

Next, he brought drought (withholding the rain) during the months before harvest. (7-8) They did not have enough water to drink and their fields dried up, killing the crops. Yet, they did not return to God.

He struck them with blight and mildew in their gardens, vineyards, and orchards. He sent locusts to eat their fruit trees, a pestilence. (10) Yet that did not make them repent.

God then brought war to them. Their young men were killed and their horses taken. Yet, they still did not repent. 

Finally, God overthrew some of their cities just as he had overthrown Sodom and Gomorrah. Yet, they still did not repent and return to the Lord.

God’s judgment was not just punitive. It was corrective. He did it to bring them to repentance. It was discipline to bring restoration.

In the New covenant, God delegates corrective discipline partially to the church. In Matthew 18:15-20, Jesus set out the process for church discipline. If a person sinned, the one harmed should speak to him. If he does not listen, the person takes others with him to speak to the one who sinned. If he refuses to listen to them, the matter is to be taken to the church. If he still refuses to listen, he is to be removed from the church and treated as an outsider.

Paul urged the Corinthian church to impose disciple on a member who was living in sexual immorality by removing him from the congregation. (1 Corinthians 5:1-2) 

Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians deals with the follow-up to excommunication. In 2 Corinthians 2:5–11, Paul seems to be talking about the very same person he had instructed the church to excommunicate. 

The sinner had repented, and Paul writes, “The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him” (verses 6–8). 

As soon as the excommunicated believer repents, he should be welcomed back into warm relationship with the church community. Once repentance has been established, the excommunication should be fully reversed. The goal has been accomplished.

However, God also reserves the right to judge and discipline churches. We see this in the letters to the churches in the book of Revelation. For example, God called the church in Ephesus to repent and do the works they did when they first came to faith. If not, God did he will come to them and remove their lamp stand. (Revelation 2:4-5)

God may also discipline individual believers. The book of Hebrews addresses this. The writer quotes Proverbs 3:11-12:

My son, do not regard lightly the disciple of the Lord,

Nor be weary when reproved by him.

for theLord disciplines the one he loves

and chastises every son whom he receives.

The writer goes on to say that God disciplines us for our good, to move us toward holiness. (Hebrews 12:3-10) 

IV. The Climactic Warning: “Prepare to Meet Your God” (4:12–13)

Because of Israel’s refusal to repent, God says he is coming in judgment. The Israelites may have looked to the Day of the Lord as rescue or vindication, but God says it will be judgment instead. 

God then identifies himself as the creator of the earth, the one who knows all things, and as God of hosts, (Sabaoth).“Hosts” refers to vast angel armies. Some translations, such at the New International Version, use the term Lord God Almighty instead of LORD of Hosts.

This is the one who will impose judgment against them. He is not weak or incapable, rather he is powerful and sovereign. 

Takeaways

God’s Holiness - he is holy and expects his people to be

Social Justice Matters to God

Religious Activity ≠ Repentance and worship

Divine Discipline Aims at Return

God’s Patience Has Limits

Repentance

 

Bible knowledge without repentance will be but a torch to light men to hell. 

Thomas Watson

COVENANT ACCOUNTABILITY - AMOS 3

 Privilege and Accountability

Amos 3:1-2

Chapter 3 begins a series of 3 prophecies. Each starts with the words “Hear this word”. When Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury, put he chapter divisions into place in the 1200s, he divided these prophecies into 3 chapters (3, 4, & 5).  

God begins this message again referring to himself as the one who brought Israel out of Egypt. God’s act of redemption established the basis for his covenant with Israel. Remember that God prefaced his giving of the law by saying “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery”. (Exodus 20:2) 

God chose the people of Israel to have this relationship with him. He knew them. 

Because Israel took this special relationship for granted and violated the covenant by worshipping other gods, he now has the right to enforce the curses of the covenant and punish them for disobedience. 

So, the privilege Israel enjoyed as God’s chosen, covenant,  people was accompanied by the requirement of accountability. As Jesus said, “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more”. (Luke 12:48) 

Since God says his word is against the whole family he brought out of Egypt, this prophecy applies to Judah and well as Israel. 

Since all of Jacob’s descendants, his family, are in covenant  with God, he has a duty to punish them in accordance with the terms of the covenant. If he did not, he would not be faithful to the covenant. And God is always faithful. (1 Corinthians 1:9) 

What are the relevant terms of the covenant? 

First is the prohibition of idolatry. Israel may have no other gods besides the LORD (Yahweh). A corollary to that is, Israel cannot make images of anything and cannot worship them. (Exodus 20:2-4) 

Second is the proscribed progressive punishments for violating the covenant. God details the punishments in Leviticus 26, ending with devastation of the land and being scattered among the nations (exile). (Leviticus 26 27-33; Deuteronomy 4:23-28; Deuteronomy 28:15-68)

The Inescapable Logic of Judgment 

3:3-6 

Amos uses seven vivid analogies to show that God's warning through the prophet signifies that judgment is coming.

Two people walking together means they agreed to meet. (3) A lion roaring signifies that he caught his prey. (4) A bird caught in a snare means there was a trap set for it. (5) If a trumpet is sounded from the city walls, the people become afraid because it signals an attack. 

Also, when disaster comes, it means the Lord has done it. (6) That is a word for us in a time where many Christian people say the Lord had nothing to do with it when a disaster strikes. 

The Prophetic Call 

3:7-8 

God vouches for his prophets here. When he is going to do something for or to his people, he tells it to his prophets. The prophets are his servants in these matters. 

God thus warns his people through prophets to provide an opportunity for repentance before judgment. So they should fear these warnings as one would fear the lion roaring before it attacks.

God also affirms that prophets must prophesy when he speaks to them and through them. This will be relevant later in the book when a priest tells Amos not to prophesy.

We have examples of this in the Bible. Jeremiah, upon being called to be a prophet, tried to beg off for being too young. God said do not say that, you will go where I send you and say what I tell you to say. (Jeremiah 1:7) Jonah tried to flee. God caught him in the ocean and sent him back in the right direction. 

Balaam tried to curse Israel, but God made him bless them. (Numbers 22)

The Sanhedrin told Peter and John not to speak about Jesus. Peter and John said “we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard”. (Acts 4:13-22) 

Social Justice and Corruption 

3: 9-10

God called Ashdod, the Philistine city, and Egypt, a perennial enemy, to witness the sins of Israel. Samaria was the capital of Israel which was built on a high hill. The nation is condemned for storing up violence and robbery in their palaces. They were so far gone into sin they did not know how to do right. (10)

Decree Of Invasion And Defeat

3:11-12

Because of their sins, God decreed an adversary to defeat and plunder Israel. We know this to be Assyria. There would only be a small remnant left. (12)

That remnant intermarried with gentiles who were resettled into the area by the Assyrians as they conquered other nations. They became known as Samaritans. 

Destruction of False Worship 

3:14 

God said he would destroy the altars at Bethel, the golden calves, representing the corrupt religious system established by Jeroboam I. 

Wealth Won’t Save

3:15

The wealthy might have thought they were insulated from trouble. But God dispels that notion, saying their many houses and their expensive houses will not be spared when he strikes.

Takeaways

As God chose Israel, redeemed them, and knew them, God chose believers, redeemed them, and knows them. (Ephesians 1:4) Like Israel, believers (the church) are called to holy living. Holy living reflects the holiness of God. (1 Peter 1:16)