Every prophet has his own story. For Amos, his call came late in his life, when he was well established in his career in farming. He responded, though he had no training to carry out the task God put upon him (Amos 7:14-15).
Amos’ name means “burdened,” and indeed, his message comes across as a deep burden for justice in the lives of those who claim to follow God.
According to the list of kings and events he gives for his preaching events in verse 1:1, Amos delivered his oracles around 760 B.C. This verse also suggests the written form of his book falls at least two years after the spoken content.
Context
The mid-eighth century B.C. in Israel was an interesting time. Most historians describe it as a golden age for the kingdom. Jeroboam II’s long reign brought stability and wealth to the region.
Additionally, several matters led to an economy that saw a deep divide between the wealthy and the poor. Amos tells us the former oppressed the latter in several ways.
Ironically, this was also a time of intense religious activity. The people went overboard in their gifts to Yahweh, thinking this was the source of their success (Amos 4:4-5).
Amos was from Tekoa, a town in southern Judah about 14 miles southeast of Bethlehem. That his whole ministry took place in the northern kingdom of Israel couldn’t have been easy or comfortable for the farmer from the south. But when Yahweh said, “Go and tell,” Amos found no other option (Amos 7:15).
The book of Amos starts with what is called parallelism, common in Hebrew poetry in the Old Testament. In Amos 1:2, Amos repeats both the idea Yahweh’s message comes from his dwelling place in the temple in Jerusalem, and that his message is one of utter devastation.
The twin images of the shepherd’s pastures drying up and the almost always wet Carmel mountains withering away set a tone for the book. Amos won’t relent from it until the final chapter. Destruction is coming, and no one will escape.
Sign up for our weekly edition and get all our headlines in your inbox on Thursdays
Structure and substance
Chapters 1 and 2 of Amos are comprised primarily of a type of prophetic expression known as oracles against foreign nations. Nearly every prophetic book has a section dedicated to this type of expression. Indeed, some books such as Nahum and Obadiah are totally composed in this form.
The most important thing to remember when reading these oracles is they were not intended for the ears of the nations mentioned. So, when one is interpreting these passages, one should ask how Israel—or Judah—would hear the message.
In Amos’ case, he uses God’s judgment on the sins against humanity by the pagan nations and God’s judgment against Judah for religious sins to set up a message against Israel who is guilty of both.
In Chapters 3 through 6, Amos seeks to address the disparity between Israel’s religiousness and their oppression of the poor. He begins in Chapter 3 by pointing out, much like the author of Hebrews, God chastises those he loves. Amos then uses many metaphors and similes to illustrate the surety of that chastisement, and Israel should be clear when it does take place, it is from God.
In Chapters 4 and 5 the subject of worship becomes a focal point. Amos begins by identifying the women of Samaria as “cows of Bashan,” a breed known for its beauty and being well taken care of, but also for its cruelty (Deuteronomy 32:14, Ezekiel 39:18, Psalm 22:12-13). He then moves to highlight Israel’s overzealous worship activities that bare little to no resemblance to anything God desired. In fact, he calls their worship sin (Amos 4:4-5).
Chapter 6 paints a picture of the security of the wealthy of Israel being stripped away from them. Their wealth, displayed in ivory and choice meals, will be taken away from them. The pride they take in their strength will vanish, and God will deliver Samaria up into the hands of a foreign nation.
In Chapters 7 and 8, Amos takes a new tack when he lists five visions Yahweh gave him about Israel. The first two visions involve the destruction of the land itself, something any descendant of Abraham fears. Amos begged God to withhold this judgment, and God agreed.
The third vision was of God holding a plumbline up to the walls of Samaria, suggesting the city did not measure up to God’s expectations. Amos’ mention of the royal house likely gave rise to the interlude discussion with the Israelite priest, Amaziah.
The fourth vision is of a basket of ripe fruit, highlighting the time for judgment had come. The fifth vision has God standing by the altar and pronouncing judgment on the people coming to worship, an act he had declared earlier to be sin.
Chapter 9 continues with the theme of judgment but concludes with a twist. It is not all Israel who will be judged, only the unrighteous who fall through God’s sieve of justice.
In the end, Amos promises a new day of agricultural bounty, a return to control under Davidic rule and living in security.
Conclusion
Amos’ journey of proclamation highlights the incongruity between a people who say they love God but mistreat his people. It is not accidental that his book was among Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s favorites to quote in addressing America’s racism and social injustice.
What is clear in both the tone and nature of Amos’ sermons is the urgent need for the people of God to change their course. As was noted earlier, when Amos preached, Israel was in a golden age. Within 40 years of his warnings, the northern kingdom of Israel didn’t exist anymore.
For further reading, I recommend Joel and Amos: Tyndale Old Testament Commentary by Tchavdar Hadjiev.
Timothy Pierce is associate professor of Christian ministry at East Texas Baptist University. The views expressed are those of the author.
We seek to connect God’s story and God’s people around the world. To learn more about God’s story, click here.
Send comments and feedback to Eric Black, our editor. For comments to be published, please specify “letter to the editor.” Maximum length for publication is 300 words.