Amos is set around the time of Hosea just before the destruction
and deportation of the northern kingdom of Israel. The prophet is not a
professional prophet like those among the school of the prophets in Israel, but
was instead a shepherd and farmer of fig trees. He is ultimately told to get
out of the land (he’s from the south and goes up to the north to prophesy) by a
priest who complains to King Jeroboam II, and told not to speak against God’s “chosen
people” again. Hence, his ministry is rejected.
Theology: The judgment of God falls on the pagan nations for their abuse of
power over others and because they do not help their poor. The book then turns
to argue that Israel is under the judgment of God for this very reason.
Amos also argues that if the people are hearing a warning from the
prophets, God is about to judge them. It is not an idle threat or something far
off in the distance. Judgment is nigh if a warning has gone out. Hence, the people
are in grave danger of being destroyed for their distorted views of God and
their many injustices toward His people.
Various tragedies are means by which God nudges His people to
repentance so that they do not end up in final judgment. The book argues that
none of these warnings of calamity have been heeded, and hence, the greater coming
judgment is still about to fall. The final warning, as noted above, is the
warning of God’s Word through the prophet.
As is a common promise in the Prophets, those who repent have the
hope of being fully restored under the Davidic King who will reign over an
eternally prosperous land.
Ethics: Amos is a book about social justice, as it argues that God is not
pleased with any of the sacrifices and religious practices of His people if it
is not first accompanied by the worship of the true God (i.e., loving God) and
the care of the marginalized within the covenant community (i.e., love of the
people of God). Hence, to pursue the truth in terms of right theology and right
practice is true acceptable religion to YHWH. Anything less brings about His
judgment upon the people, and they are rejected as pagans. It is not a book
about social justice in the sense that it is often taught by the inclusive
American folk religion. God will hold each nation accountable for its own
crimes against the weak and the poor. The people of God are a nation to
themselves. They will be judged concerning whether they treated their marginalized
with care, and did not oppress others or commit atrocities in war. They poor
they are to take care of are their own. Israel, therefore, is being judged for
not taking care of its own marginalized people, and Amos argues that this is a
result of worshiping false gods.
To display the idea connected to Genesis, the image is a
life-giver, and when he worships the true God, he joins God in His life-giving
work; but when he worships false gods, gods who demonically become obstacles to
the life-giving work, they reject the role of the image and replace the work
that is to be done with false works (e.g., religious rituals that do not
preserve life by themselves, oppressive behaviors, or acts of benevolence
toward the wrong people, so that the people for whom they are responsible are
not taken care of). Hence, wrong practice is linked to wrong theology, so Amos
argues that the false worship of Israel has led to their mistreatment of the marginalized
among them, and hence, has brought horrible judgments, as well as an even worse
final judgment, upon them.
If they want to live they must reverse their false theology and
ethics by seeking both YHWH (5:4–6) and good rather than evil (v. 14).
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