Minor Prophets With a Major Message

Sermon Notes, June 12, 2016 PM

Minor Prophets with a Major Message

Amos

Seve W. Reeves

INTRODUCTION

A. If there is any prophetic book in the Old Testament that has a message for the United States of America in 2016 it is the book of Amos. If there is any prophetic book in the Old Testament that has a message for the church in America today it is the book of Amos.

    1. The economic, political, religious and social conditions of both nations are strikingly

       similar.

    2. Israel in the 8^th century B.C. was blessed with a high standard of living. So are we.

    3. Israel had become a strong economic power in the ancient world. With all of our

       difficulties we are still a strong economic power.

    4. Israel had become a strong military power. So are we.

    5. Israel was known for its religious rituals. The majority of Americans claim to be

       spiritual people.

B. The real story with ancient Israel was that they had turned their backs on God. The

    real story with our nation is that we have done the same thing.

     1 The setting for the book of Amos is the northern kingdom of Israel in the 8^th century

       before Christ. From 805 B.C. until approximately 740 B.C. Israel and Judah enjoyed

       a peaceful period of prosperity. Jeroboam II was king of Israel in the north. Uzziah

       was king of Judah in the south.

    2. The Syrian army that had kept Israel in subjection for years had been defeated

       by the Assyrians. This allowed Israel to have about 75 good years.

    3.  The borders of the kingdom were restored to their limits under David and

       Solomon. The military was well funded and equipped. There was great national

       pride and patriotism. The economy was strong. Everyone felt good.

    4. In 1984 when President Reagan was running for re-election the theme of his TV

       ads was, “Morning in America.” The ads pictured families playing, people

       working, blue, sunny skies and a sense of peace and tranquility. This is what

       Israel was like in the early years of the 8^th century before Christ. It was a bright

       morning of hope.

    5. National defeat and calamity were the last things on their minds. No one could

       imagine that within their lifetime or the lifetime of their children it would all come

       tumbling down. Yates says, “Their supreme moment of success was merely a

       prelude to their hour of darkest doom” _{(Kyle Yates, Preaching from the Prophets, p. 33).}     

C. Into this context there came a simple, unknown, backwoods preacher from a 

    remote village.

    1. He had spent his life in Tekoa, located near the Judean wilderness about 15 miles

       south of Jerusalem.

    2. We know nothing of him outside the book that bears his name.

    3. His entire life had been spent in a wilderness village where he tending

       sheep. 

       a. The word used for “shepherding” is different from others. It denotes one who

           owns the flock. He wasn’t shepherding someone else’s sheep.

       b. He also tended sycamore trees. These were more like a fig/mulberry tree that

           had fruit. They would grow up to 40 feet tall. Each fruit had to be pierced at the

           bottom to help ripening process. Amos crawled all over trees doing this.

       c. We are not sure about his education. The Hebrew of Amos is finest in the O.T.

    4. He had seen the hardships imposed  on those who worked hard but were

       oppressed by the wealthy landowners  who flourished in luxury in the largerc  

       towns.

    5. He was not a man of eloquence. He used simple language. He was blunt. He

       was direct. He “cut to the chase,” as he delivered a message from God

       denouncing the social, economic, political and religious conditions of Israel.

    6. Though he was from a village in Judah he traveled twenty miles to the north to

       the village of Behel which was one of the religious centers of Israel.

    7. For an example of his preaching from the book that bears his name, consider a

       few verses from Amos 6.

       a. Vs. 1 – “Woe to you who are at ease in Zion, And trust in Mount Samaria,

           Notable persons in the chief nation, To whom the house of Israel comes.”

       b. Vss. 4-7- “Those who recline on beds of ivory And sprawl on their couches,
           And eat lambs from the flock And calves from the midst of the stall, ⁵ Who

           improvise to the sound of the harp, And like David have composed songs for

           themselves, ⁶ Who drink wine from sacrificial bowls While they anoint

           themselves with the finest of oils, Yet they have not grieved over the ruin of

           Joseph.  ⁷ Therefore, they will now go into exile at the head of the exiles, And

           the sparklers’ banqueting will pass away.”

    7. If you think that’s blunt wait until you read the rest of Amos’ prophecy.

D. To help us understand the book of Amos I want you to visualize a large river like the

    Mississippi River. As that mighty river flows towards the Gulf of Mexico there are

    numerous tributaries that flow into it. As it approaches the gulf it branches out. We’re

    going to approach the book of Amos in a similar way.

    1. The mighty river flowing through the entire book is the impending judgment of God

       that is getting ready to come upon Israel. 

    2. Along the way there are numerous streams that feed into the river. In Amos these

       are the reasons why judgment is coming on Israel. There are four of them.

       a. They had turned their back on God.

       b. They were addicted to a life of luxury.

       c. They ignored dishonesty.

       d. They had no compassion for the poor.

I. THE IMPENDING JUDGMENT OF GOD

    A. Amos began his prophecy by denouncing the neighbors of Israel.One by one he

       denounced their ungodliness

       1. Chapter 1:3-5 against Damascus (Syrians) for their cruelty in war.

       2. Chapter 1:6-8 against Philistia for enslaving captives.

       3. Chapter 1:9-10 against Tyre for their slave trade.

       4. Chapter 1:11-12 – against Edom for their ungodly conduct.

       5. Chapter 1:13-15 – against Ammon for their cruelty.

       6. Chapter 2:1-3 – against Moab for their inhumane treatment of others.

    B. The people of Israel listened with open ears and nodded their heads in approval

       as Amos condemned the unrighteousness of the other nations. You can almost

       hear the response, “Let ‘em have it Amos.” “Atta boy, Amos, you sure did tell them.”

       “ Keep it up Amos. They need to hear this.”

       1. Amos then turned his attention toward Judah in 2:4-5 for their unfaithfulness to

           God. This was the greatest rivalry of all. There was no brotherly love between the

           divided kingdom. It was a fierce rivalry. (Even worse than Arkansas / LSU).

       2. As Amos denounced Judah’s sins you can almost hear the “Amens” in the

           crowd.

       3. Have you noticed how much easier it is to listen to preaching when it is directed

           at someone else.

    C. Beginning in Chapter 2:6 Amos unloads on Israel. “Thus saith the Lord; For three

       transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because

       they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes; ⁷ That pant after the

       dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a

       man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name.”

       1. In Chapter 4:6-11 Amos says that God has been doing his best to get their

           attention and persuade them to return to Him. 

“But I gave you also cleanness of teeth in all your cities And lack of bread in all your places, Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord. ⁷ “Furthermore, I withheld the rain from you While there were still three months until harvest. Then I would send rain on one city And on another city I would not send rain; One part would be rained on, While the part not rained on would dry up. ⁸ “So two or three cities would stagger to another city to drink water, But would not be satisfied; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord. ⁹ “I smote you with scorching wind and mildew; And the caterpillar was devouring Your many gardens and vineyards, fig trees and olive trees; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord. ¹⁰ “I sent a plague among you after the manner of Egypt; I slew your young men by the sword along with your captured horses, And I made the stench of your camp rise up in your nostrils; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.¹¹ “I overthrew you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And you were like a firebrand snatched from a blaze; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.

       2. In verse 12 the river of judgment flows through the book. “Therefore thus I will do

           to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O  

           Israel.”

       3. They did not see what was coming. In 722 the Assyrians rose up and marched

           right in taking Israel captive. Never again would Israel be sovereign.

II. WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?

    A. Remember the four tributaries that flow into the river of judgment in Amos.

       1. They had turned their back on God.

           a. “No way!” they would have said. They were still going to “church.” They were

               still offering sacrifices and carrying out their religious rituals. Though they did

               these things their hearts were not in it and they were not honoring God with

               their lives.  

           b. In chapter 5:21-24 God said to them:

“I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.
²² “Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. ²³ “Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. ²⁴ “But let justice roll down like waters And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

       2. They were addicted to luxury.

           a. The king, Jeroboam II had enlarged the borders and expanded the economy.

           b. There was a considerable increase in the standard of living for those who were

               wealthy. The rich were becoming richer as they took advantage of the poor.

           c. The vast majority of the wealth was in the hands of a few.Most of the land was

               owned by a small group of landholders.

           d. Judges were dishonest. Government was corrupt. Politics were brutal.

           e. In chapter 8:4-6 they had beds of ivory, sprawled on couches, ate the best

               meat from their flocks and herds, entertained themselves with music, drank

               wine and had a good time.

       3. They were indifferent to dishonesty and had no compassion for the poor. Notice

           chapter 8:4-6:

⁴ Hear this, you who trample the needy, to do away with the humble of the land, ⁵ saying, “When will the new moon be over, So that we may sell grain,
And the sabbath, that we may open the wheat market, To make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger, And to cheat with dishonest scales, ⁶ So as to buy the helpless for money And the needy for a pair of sandals, And that we may sell the refuse of the wheat?”

III. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US?

    A. God’s judgment is real.

       1. They did not see it coming. It came.

       2. We may not see it coming. It is coming. The same conditions that existed then

           exist today in our nation. The same type of worship that took place then is taking

           place in churches in America today.

    B. God’s message is for us. Israel thought it applied to everyone else. It also applied

       to them. The concern Amos had about them is the same he would have about us.

      “What about our hearts?” Do we possess compassion for those less fortunate? Are

       we concerned about justice? Are we concerned about the plight of the poor?

CONCLUSION:

A. Would Amos be a welcomed speaker in most churches today? I doubt it.

B. His message, however, is one we need to and must hear. Amen!