"I Shall Restore the Fortunes of My People Israel" -- Amos 7:1-9:15

Sermons on the Minor Prophet:  The Book of Amos (5)

About the year 760 B.C., YHWH sent the Prophet Amos to Israel (the Northern Kingdom).  Amos’ mission was to announce that YHWH’s covenant lawsuit was being served upon his disobedient and unfaithful covenant-breaking people who had separated from Judah (the Southern Kingdom) in a bloody civil war about two hundred years previously.  In the first six chapters of the Book of Amos, the prophet proclaimed YHWH’s solemn words to Israel in series of oracles of lament and warnings of impending judgment.  Amos’ message–God’s judgment was coming upon Israel, soon, within a generation.  Amos’ message is stark and jolting.  But as we will discover in our text (vv. 11-15 of chapter 9), Amos’ prophecy does not conclude with an announcement of a final covenant curse.  Instead, despite the immediate judgment to come upon Israel, Amos’ prophecy ends with YHWH’s gracious promise of future restoration of Israel, a restoration tied to a coming messianic age when God’s promise to renew his people extends beyond the borders of Israel to the ends of the earth.
 
We will wrap up our time in the Book of Amos–next time we will take up the Book of Jonah.  After a bit of brief review, we will survey the five visions recorded by Amos (in chapters 7-9), before turning to the concluding words of covenant blessing (vv. 9-15 of chapter 9)–a somewhat remarkable and hopeful ending to a book which is characterized by oracles of judgment, woe, lament, warning, and threats of covenant curse.

Recall, that in the first two oracles recorded in his prophecy (chapters 1-2), Amos’ words are intended to shock Israel to attention–like a bucket of cold water to the face.  Although the kings and priests of Israel foolishly expected God’s judgment be unleashed upon Israel’s pagan neighbors–thereby vindicating Israel as a break-away kingdom from Judah even in the midst of the nation’s current apostasy from YHWH’s covenant–the opposite was in fact the case.  Yes, God’s judgment was coming upon the Gentile nations because of their persecution of God’s people.  But God’s judgment was to fall on Israel first because, as Amos reminds Israel, judgment begins in the house of the Lord.  For six hundred years, Israel continuously and willfully broke the terms of their covenant with YHWH.  The warning that YHWH’s patience had run out should not come a surprise.  That it did, demonstrates how far Israel has fallen.

In chapters 3-4, we saw that Amos was sent to Israel at a time of relative peace, economic prosperity, and what seemed to be religious devotion.  But the reality was that the apparent peace, prosperity, and piety hid Israel’ self-righteous indifference to the things of the Lord.  Within a generation (in 722 B.C.), Israel’s peace would come to a crashing halt–as the nation was soon to fall to the Assyrian empire from the North.  Whatever economic prosperity the nation was experiencing in the days of Amos, came about because the rich (both the royal house and the land-owners) exploited the poor.  YHWH sent material blessing upon this people–but it never “trickled down” to those in deepest need.  During this time of prosperity, the royal house and estate owners acquired much property and fine luxury goods, but the people whose labor brought about such wealth were struggling to survive.  Even worse, Amos reports, those exploited were enslaved (through debt) and even mocked by those whom they served.  

As for the nation’s spiritual heath–things were no better, perhaps much worse.  Sacrifices were being offered at the various religious shrines (Bethel, Gilgal), but by priests appointed by the king, not those who were Levites.  As we saw in the oracle of woe in Amos 5:18-6:14, YHWH would not accept these sacrifices.  He hated them.  They did not turn aside YHWH’s righteous anger toward the people’s sin.  In offering sacrifices in such an illegitimate way and for all the wrong reasons, the sacrifices only increased the people’s guilt.  The worship of YHWH was conducted, but worship of Baal was not forbidden.  The people were going through the rituals commanded of them with their hearts far from YHWH–perhaps even inclined to the Canaanite gods.  Such religious hypocrisy increased the people’s guilt.  YHWH ceased listening to their songs and ceremonies.

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"The Day of the Lord" -- Amos 5:1-6:14

Sermons on the Minor Prophets:  The Book of Amos (4)

Friedrich Nietzsche, the nineteenth century German philosopher, is perhaps best known for his assertion that “God is dead.”  A very formidable critic of Christianity, Nietzsche spoke of Christianity as a religion possessing what he called a “slave mentality,” one symptom of which was the putting off of a final judgment until the end of time.  This encouraged people to avoid acting authentically in the present.  People should not wait for an imaginary God to act, they must decisively act now, freed from religious superstitions.  Nietzsche thought Christians foolish (and to be pitied) because advances in science and European culture had rendered the Judeo-Christian God an unworthy explanation of the universe–“God is dead,” a view which many of our contemporaries accept, if only in a practical way.  But a Hebrew Prophet named Amos once proclaimed the very doctrine Nietzsche railed against, the true and living God (transcendent and altogether righteous) enters human history at times to bring about his sovereign judgments upon his disobedient people and neighboring Gentile nations–that which the prophets describe as “the Day of the Lord.”  We come face to face with the God of the Bible who is very much alive, whether Nietzsche and his followers like him or not.

The “Day of the Lord” is an important theological concept central to the Christian doctrine of a final judgment.  Amos, writing about 760 B.C., is the first of the Minor Prophets to call attention to the “Day of the Lord,” but this is a concept found throughout the Minor Prophets, with the exception of the prophet Jonah.  When used by Old Testament writers, the term “Day of the Lord” refers those times (often in both the immediate and at the same time distant future) when God decisively intervenes in human history to bring about his righteous judgment upon his people Israel, and then upon Judah, because of their prolonged disobedience and indifference to YHWH’s covenant, their religious hypocrisy and their idolatry.  The phrase is also used in connection with God’s judgment upon the Gentile nations which have persecuted God’s people (at times as agents of God’s judgment upon Israel) and who reject God’s own anointed king who comes from the biological line of David–the coming Messiah (Jesus).  In these instances, the Day of the Lord points ahead to that future time when God will save a believing remnant of his people Israel, through the same Messiah who, ironically, Israel will reject.  The Day of the Lord then can be seen as YHWH meting out covenant curses, and dispensing covenant blessings.

As used throughout the New Testament, the Day of the Lord refers to that final day of human history (judgment day), when Jesus Christ returns to raise the dead, judge the world, and make all things new.  It will be a time of cosmic distress when all of creation convulses, and when all men and women will be judged according to what they have done (good or ill).  On that day, the Lord will purge away every hint and trace of human sin, creating a new heaven and earth (as we read in 2 Peter 3:10-13–our New Testament lesson), which will be the home of everlasting righteousness, all traces of human sin now removed.

These repeated acts of God in judgment upon his disobedient people and the Gentile nations spoken of throughout the prophets, function as dress rehearsals for that day when Jesus returns at the end of the age.  As used throughout the prophets, the Day of the Lord both foreshadows and forewarns God’s people of his righteous judgments upon human sin, the consequences of disobedience to his commandments, and the eternal danger of rejecting his saving mercy both in this life and in the next.  At the same time, the Day of the Lord provides an illustration of God’s covenant promise to preserve his people and deliver them from sin and death.  Those who know Jesus as their Savior long for his coming–the return of our great God and Savior to usher in our promised inheritance–the resurrection of our bodies and entrance into eternal life.

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"Hear This Word That the Lord Has Spoken" -- Amos 3:1-4:13

Sermons on the Minor Prophets:  The Book of Amos (3)

Everyone dreads the thought of being sued.  It is an unnerving thing to get a summons informing you that you must appear before the municipal court.  Image what it would like to be sued by YHWH, the covenant landlord of the Promised Land.  It falls to the prophet Amos to announce the terms of YHWH’s lawsuit from the heavenly court to the people of Israel.  In our text (chapters 3 and 4 of the Book of Amos), we find two parts of such a covenant lawsuit–stern words of warning (chapter 3) and frightening words of inevitable judgment (chapter 4).  Since Amos functions as a heavenly process server, this raises the question, “what exactly does it mean to be “sued by YHWH?”  Whatever it means, it cannot be good.  In fact, it is a declaration of the worst  thing imaginable–YHWH’s wrath is soon fall upon his disobedient people, Israel.  

YHWH’s verdict and words of indictment do come in a legal form grounded in his covenant made with Israel.  But at this point whatever analogy exists between a heavenly court and an earthly court breaks down.  Judge Judy, the People’s Court, and Law and Order are of little help to us as illustrations.  YHWH’s judgments are altogether righteous, made in light of his perfect holiness and justice.  His decrees are issued in conformity to both his promises and his commands.  He is a judge unlike all earthly judges.  As creator of all things, he is the sovereign king whose judgments reflect his divine nature. YHWH alone has the right and the power to execute justice as he sees fit.  YHWH has a perfect record of dealing righteously and patiently with his disobedient, rebellious, covenant subjects, Israel.  Unless we keep this in mind, the words we read may strike us as foreign, even cruel.

It is common to hear people say things like, “My God would never do such a thing.”  Or “I think God is like . . .”  Or even, “God is love, he would accepts everyone, he wouldn’t judge people.”  A passage such as the one before us should disavow us of all such wrong headed notions about God.  God is not “your” God.  He is the God who dwells in unapproachable light.  He is your creator–you are his.  It doesn’t matter what we think God is like because God reveals himself to us in his words and judgments, such as the judgment about to come upon Israel.  As for the notion that God accepts us as we are without judging us, such a notion attempts to evade the truth that God judges everyone according to the standard of his holy law.  We may not like it, but this is the God who is, not the God we want and then invent.  God is love–the reason why he provides a means of salvation for his rebellious creatures.  But God is also holy and must judge and punish all people for their sin.  Given the heightened sensitivity people have today to any form of personal criticism (“who are you to judge me?”), we must acknowledge that what we are about to hear from YHWH through the mouth of the prophet Amos are difficult words.  But they are YHWH’s words nonetheless.

This is why it is vital that we place Amos’ oracles of warning and impending doom in their historical context (as we labored to do in those weeks when we covered background to the Minor Prophets).  Recall from our brief survey of the closing chapters of Deuteronomy (28-34), before Joshua led the nation of Israel into the promised land (Canaan), Moses (on the day of his death) presided over a covenant renewal ceremony on the plains of Moab with the assembled nation, rehearsing in detail the blessings and curses of the covenant which YHWH made with his people.  The blessing-curse principle is a simple as “obey and receive God’s blessing,” or “disobey and come under God’s curse.” 

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"Transgressions of Israel" -- Amos 1:3-2:16

Sermons on the Minor Prophets:  The Book of Amos (2)

Amos was a cattle herder and a fig harvester.  He was from Judah–a nation still estranged from Israel.  YHWH calls Amos to his prophetic office in order to proclaim to the people of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) that God’s judgment in the form of covenant curse is drawing ever nearer.  But Amos’ preaching catches Israel completely off guard.  The people of Israel are experiencing a time of great economic prosperity.  The nation is producing large amounts of olive oil and wine, and shipping it across the region bringing great wealth to merchants and to the royal house.  King Jeroboam II defeated Israel’s nearest enemy, the Arameans, and extended Israel’s kingdom as far north as Damascus (in modern day Syria).  God’s people had experienced nothing like this since the days of Solomon.  The people kept up their religious obligations toward YHWH, setting up several shrines with golden calves (representing YHWH) and where priests offered sacrifices.  Surely, these were signs that all was well with the people of Israel and their relationship to YHWH, their covenant Lord.  And then comes Amos about 760 B.C., preaching about impending judgment.  All is not what it seems in Israel as Amos is about to reveal.

Amos is the first of three of the so-called Minor Prophets sent by YHWH to Israel.  Jonah and Hosea are soon to follow before Israel is swept away in 722 B.C., by the powerful Assyrian empire.  Through a vision God revealed to Amos what cannot be seen by the human eye.  This vision provided the contents  which Amos was to preach throughout Israel to that generation living before disaster finally comes.  By preaching that which YHWH has revealed, Amos’ words will penetrate beyond mere outward appearances to recesses deep in the human heart.  

Yes, Israel has grown rich–the apparent fruit of God’s covenant blessing.  But these blessings never made their way to the vast majority of those living in the ten tribal lands which now made up Israel.  Wealth was hoarded by the ruling class, ostentatiously displayed by the king’s courtesans, and flaunted by  wealthy land owners.  The nation’s wealth was earned at the expense of the poor and the laborers who did the back-breaking work of producing the oil and wine, folk who never saw the fruit of their labors, even though living in the shadow of those who filled their estates with ivory, imported couches and beds (the luxury items of the day), and who treated their workers as though they were slaves.  The wealthy show contempt for the poor and feel no need to help them.  But YHWH hears them when they cry to him.

Yes, Israel was at peace–relatively speaking.  They defeated the Arameans and had grown strong enough to ward off their traditional enemies, the Moabites and the Ammonites.  Jeroboam II, they thought, was a strong leader who carried them to victory while keeping their enemies at bay.  What the people of Israel did not know was the Assyrian empire to the north was growing in power and would soon exercise an aggressive military campaign against its neighbors to the south, Syria and Israel.  Israel’s military success and the peace the nation enjoyed were illusory.  Neither could the people of Israel foresee that Jeroboam II would die before 750 B.C., (soon after the ministry of Amos).  Jeroboam’s  son and successor to the throne (Zachariah) would rule only six months before being murdered by Shallum, an army officer who reigned for a month, and who, in turn, was killed by one his own captains, Menahem, who likewise claimed the throne.  Whatever peace was enjoyed under Jeroboam II, it was short-lived.  

The religious shrines in Israel were full of worshipers of YHWH on the Sabbath.  There were priests and plenty of sacrifices offered, along with ceremonial acts of devotion and religious feasts.  By all appearances, Israel maintained some level of devotion to the Lord.  But as YHWH will reveal to Israel through the mouth of Amos (5:21-24), “I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.  Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them.  Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen.  But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”  Israel’s priests were not Levites.  The worship they conduct was anything but heart-felt. or grounded in a desire to be faithful to YHWH’s word.  Completely overlooked is the fact that YHWH is not to be worshiped in the form of images (as made clear in the second commandment).  Animal sacrifices were to made because the people felt the weight of their sin and the need to satisfy YHWH’s holy justice, not because the sacrifices were just another religious obligation, like going to church on Easter and Christmas.

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"The Lord Roars from Zion" -- Amos 1:1-2

Sermons on the Minor Prophets:  The Book of Amos (1)

"The Lord Roars from Zion,” “He has spoken against you the people of Israel,” “An adversary will bring you down,” “I will send you into exile,” “I will send a famine of the word upon the land,” and then “I will restore the fortunes of my people.”  These are just some of the words of blessing and curse YHWH declares to his people through the Prophet Amos.

Whenever we take up the study of a new book of the Bible it is important to take the time to consider who wrote this book and when.  We should also ask why the book was written, as well as identify the specific issues it addresses.  Because the books of the Minor Prophets are God’s word, they speak powerfully to us today.  But we are not the original audience.  If we do not take the time to do ask and answer these questions, it becomes all too easy to use the ancient text as a springboard for any number of moralistic object lessons: “what does Amos teach us about how to be better people?” “Dare to be an Amos.”  Or, we can turn his message into a political diatribe about the evils of wealth and materialism.  

The latter is an especially strong temptation in the case of the Minor Prophets because they do speak truth to power.  Yet unlike political figures seeking reform and change, these prophets speak God’s words to power in a particular redemptive-historical context, a context which we’ve spent the past few weeks working to establish.  If we take up each of the books of the Minor Prophets without considering the background questions, “who?” “when?” and “why?” these books were written to the original audience, we risk falling into one of the previously mentioned misuses of the text, and then we likely miss the message these prophets bring to God’s people.  We will briefly answer these questions and conduct a fly-over survey of the contents and issues raised in Amos’ prophecy.  

Who was Amos?  Like Elijah, Amos suddenly appears in Israel (the Northern Kingdom), during the reign of Jeroboam II, about 760 B.C.  Jeroboam II is the twelfth king of Israel, taking the name of one of those from whom he descends, Jeroboam I.  Jeroboam II’s reign is approximately 130 years after Jeroboam I, and nearly one hundred years after God sent Elijah to confront king Ahab and his successor, Ahaziah.  Jeroboam II is likely the most successful of the kings of Israel.  He defeated Israel’s nearest enemy (the Arameans–2 Kings 14:25-28) and extended his kingdom as far north as Damascus (in Syria).  As a benefit of relative peace, Israel’s economy grew strong through international trade–making land owners wealthy, while their servants suffered terribly because of the demands of a greatly increasing harvest.  The population of Israel had grown to more than 350,000, and archaeological evidence demonstrates significant olive oil and wine production during this time, even, perhaps horse breeding.

Israel’s spiritual heath in this period does not match its economic prosperity.  YHWH was still officially worshiped at Israel’s chief ancient shrines at Dan (in the north) and Bethel (to the south).  But it was also likely that such worship was tied to the use of statues and/or images of golden calves representing YHWH (as instituted by Jeroboam I).  This practice becomes the subject of much of the prophetic activity in Israel, as YHWH sends forth his messengers to condemn all such idolatrous use of images throughout Israel and Judah.  Those priests conducting services in Israel’s holy places continued to renounce Judah, Jerusalem, and the temple.  Israel’s heart toward YHWH had grown increasingly cold and distant after the days of Elijah and Elisha.  Many have come to believe their apostate form of Judaism is actually the true religion to be practiced by God’s people. 

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"I Will Restore the Fortunes of My People, Israel" -- Amos 9:11-15

Here's the audio from this morning's sermon on the Minor prophets from the Book of Amos

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"The Day of the Lord" -- Amos 5:18-6:14

Here's the audio from this morning's sermon, the fourth in a series on the Minor Prophets from the Book of Amos:  Click Here

"Hear This Word the Lord Has Spoken Against You" -- Amos 3:1-4:13

Here's the audio from this morning's sermon, the third in our series on the Minor Prophets from the Book of Amos  

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"Transgressions of Israel" -- Amos 1:3-2:16

Here's the audio from this morning's sermon, the second in our series on the Minor Prophets from the Book of Amos.   Click Here

"The LORD Roars from Zion" -- Amos 1:1-2

Here's the audio from this morning's sermon, the first in our series on the Minor Prophets from the Book of Amos.  Click Here