Introduction
Imagine you are living in a country where there is good economic growth, the borders are secure, and the roads have no potholes. You have a good job that allows you to enjoy life and travel. Weekends are spent shopping, eating, and drinking. If you get bored of the city, you go to your second home in the countryside or by the sea. Life is good.
Now this does not mean that there are not some problems. God is less important than he was in the past—some people still have religion to comfort them but most have left the Bible behind. Along with that there are also some social ills. The gap between rich and poor keeps growing. The people who has the right contacts always seem to escape punishment for their crimes; and most of the gold, food, and other products are produced by people who work for almost nothing and are treated like slaves. But for the most part, life is good and so people turn a blind eye.
The situation just sketched is a summary of conditions in the eighth-century Israel when Jeroboam, son of Jehoash, was king. In the book of Amos we find God’s message to the people who lived during that time—a record of the words that Amos preached as he travelled throughout the northern kingdom from one city to the next.
Now, for the people of Israel, Amos was not someone to whom they would have wanted to listen. Everything about him was wrong. First of all, he was a farmer who looked after sheep and not someone trained in God’s Word. What does he know about the Mosaic covenant? An amateur coming to tell the professionals how they should do things. Along with that, he is also from Judah, he is a southerner with the wrong accent. You know what those people from the south are like, don't you? They always think that their ways of doing are better, and then they come over here and try to change everything. And why do we need a prophet now? Things are going well. We do not need council or advice; we do not need any words of comfort. Now is not the time for religion. We will call you when we get in trouble.
Amos is the wrong man from the wrong place coming at the wrong time—but God has called him and God is speaking through him. The Lord has roared from Jerusalem and he has a message for Israel.
The Lord’s wrath and judgment is certain
Explain the coming judgment of the Lord.
Explain the nature of the transgressions of the foreign nations.
Explain why God’s justice is a good thing.
Apply: What can we do when we experience injustice? What can we do to help others when they experience injustice?
The Lord is perfectly just
Explain the significance of Israel and Judah also being judged by God.
(Bridge)
Consider what would have been going through the mind of a general Israelite as he listens to Amos’s sermon. He would probably have been quite happy. Judgment of the pagan nations around him was good news, also the judgment of Judah.
We like to hear of judgment when it concerns other people, don’t we? We want corrupt government officials to be put in prison. We want murderers and rapists behind bars. We want to see the bullies at school getting detention or being expelled. We want our boss to be fined and fired when he mistreats us. And we are right for wanting these things—God has made us in his image, and therefore we all have a natural longing for fairness and justice.
But what about us? When the spotlight of God’s Word turns to shine on our hearts and minds, do we still want justice? Are we prepared to listen?
Privilege will not save
Explain what the people of Israel did and why.
Explain how the Israelites trusted in their privilege.
Explain how the actions of the Israelites showed that they did not have true faith in God.
Explain that privilege will not save anyone from God’s wrath.
Explain how only faith in Jesus Christ can save from God’s wrath.
Apply: How do you respond to the warnings of Scripture? Do you ignore them as if they do not apply to you? When you hear the voice of the Lord, do you repent and believe?
3 Thus says the LORD: “For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron.