The Strand Study Bible

AMOS

Author : Amos Theme : Israel’s Fall to Assyria Book’s Main Character : Amos (and the Nation of Israel)

About the Author : Amos, whose name means “burden bearer,” was a simple herdsman and dresser of Sycamore fruit (Amos 7:14). Although he lived in Judah (Tekoa, a town approximately 10 miles south of Jerusalem), his message was directed at King Jeroboam II, who lived in Israel. He began his ministry in Bethel in c. 765 BC, while tending sheep in that area. Amos was a contemporary of Jonah and Hosea (in Israel) and of Isaiah and Micah (in Judah). About the Book : Amos was sent to Bethel with this message of warning – “ Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel .” Time and again, God chastened Israel for her sins. However, because pain is too easily forgotten once the punishment is over, Israel never changed her ways. With few exceptions, punishment rarely affects or corrects those who have never had their “minds” changed first. Helpful Background: Unlike Judah, Israel never experienced good leadership under any of her kings. Throughout her 249-year history (from c. 970-721 BC), Israel failed repeatedly to please the LORD. Like Jonah and Hosea, Amos lived and preached at a time when Israel was at her zenith economically. Spiritually, however, her condition had gone unchanged since her beginning under Jeroboam I. Chastisement was inevitable. Notes of Interest : 1. Amos is quoted in the NT 2 times (Acts 7:42-43 & 15:16-17). 2. Prophecies are referred to 71 times in Amos . 3. Prophecies concerning CHRIST are referred to 3 of those 71 times. 4. There are 3 inset maps used in the book of Amos . They are numbered chronologically (#220-222). Outline of Amos :

1. God will judge the Nations (Amos 1:1-2:3) 2. God will chasten his people (Amos 2:4-9:15) Amos 1 Warning, God will judge the surrounding nations

3 Thus saith the LORD ; For three trans- gressions of 5 Damascus, and for four, 6 I will not turn away the punishment there- of; 7 because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron: P 4 6 But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Ben-hadad. P 5 6 I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD. P The promise of Philistia’s fall to Assyria (Fulfilled - 713 BC) 6 Thus saith the LORD; For three trans- gressions of Gaza, and for four, 8 I will not turn away the punishment thereof; 9 be- cause they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom: P 7 8 But I will send a fire on the wall of

1. Amos 7:14-15 2. II Ki 15:1-7 3. II Ki 14:23-29 4. Fulfilled - Rev 19:11-21 (Christ’s Second Coming) (See - Gen 49:9 & Hos 11:10 & Joel 3:16 & Jere 25:30) 5. Isa 8:4 & 17:1-3 6. Fulfilled - II Ki 16:9 (Fall of Syria) 7. I Ki 11:23-25 & II Ki 8:12,29 & 10:32-33 &13:4-7 & 16:6 8. Fulfilled - 713 BC (Fall of Philistia) 9. II Chro 21:16-17

(Note - Amos’ prophecy took place in the 38th year of King Jeroboam II’s reign and the 35th year of King Uzziah’s reign) Date Written - c. 765 BC/AM 3235

1 The words of Amos, who was among the 1 herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw con- cerning Israel 2 in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in 3 the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. The promise of Wrath when CHRIST returns (Fulfilled - Rev 19:11-21) 2 And he said, The 4 LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Je- rusalem; and the habitations of the shep- herds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither. P The promise of Syria’s fall to Assyria (Fulfilled - II Ki 16:9 - 732 BC)

1:1 a Th e phrase " The words of Amos " means that Amos is speaking for the LORD here. (See note on Malachi 1:1) 1:1 b If the Jewish historian Josephus is considered to be right, then the earthquake spoken about here occurred as a result of King Uzziah’s sin, which was in acting as a priest (II Chro 26:16-23). 1 This earthquake to which Amos refers, must have been one of the worst in Israel’s history, because Zechariah mentioned it again in his prophecy (247 years later, in 518 BC - Zech 14:5). 1:4 a Hazael ruled Syria from c. 883 BC (II Ki 8:15) to c. 835 BC (II KI 13:24). 1:4 b Ben-hadad II , the son of Hazael, ruled Syria after his father’s death in c. 835 BC (II Ki 13:3,24). 1:5 Kir was a city or region located somewhere in the land of Assyria. 1 Whiston, William. The Works of Josephus . Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Pub. 1987. Print 1380