Prophecies against Israel

[mainly the Northern Kingdom]

3:1-2

• God says to Israel, ‘I know you, so [as your God] I will punish you for your sins’ [cf. 1 Pet 4:17]

3:3-8

• [Questions about Cause & Effect, e.g.] Can two people walk together without [first] having met?
• [Likewise] God does not act without [first] revealing His secret [plans] to His prophets!

3:9-12

• Say to the palaces in Ashdod [in Philistia] & Egypt: ‘Visit Samaria & witness its trouble!
• [Samaria] does not act right; enemies will come & snatch them [into exile, see 2 Kgs 17:5-6]!’

3:13-15

• God says: ‘I will destroy Bethel’s [idolatrous] altar [cf. 1 Kgs 13:1-2, 2 Kgs 23:15] & its buildings!’

4:1-3

• ‘You cows of Bashan (women) in Samaria will be exiled!’ [cf. ‘bulls of Bashan’ in Ps 22:12-18]

The people love their sin but must face God

4:4-5 Sarcasm:

• ‘Go to [your idols in] Bethel [see 1 Kgs 12:28-33] & Gilgal [Hos 12:11] & sin; then make morning sacrifices & tithes and boast about your offerings for that is what you love to do!’

4:6-12

• God says, ‘I brought against you famine, drought, mildew & plague [as warned in Lev 26:14-26],
• yet you failed to return to Me! [in humility & prayer, as suggested in Lev 26:40-45];
• Therefore, Israel, prepare to meet your God!’ [and face His judgement & be exiled, as warned in Lev 26:27-39]

4:13 Hymn^A:

• He created mountains & wind; He reveals His thoughts: Yahweh (the God-of-Hosts) is His name

[this is thought to be part of an ancient hymn, see also 5:8–9, 8:8, 9:5–6 (& perhaps 7:4?)]

A call for repentance before it is too late

5:1-3 A¹. Lament:

• Hear this lamentation: ‘Israel has fallen and no-one will help her up!’
• God says, ‘[The army of] Israel will be decimated!’ [contrast this with His blessing in Lev 26:7-9]

5:4-6 B¹. Instruction:

• God says: ‘Seek Me & live!’ Don’t seek Bethel[’s idols] or God will send a fire

5:7 C¹. Sinful ones:

• [Seek God,] you who turn justice to bitterness & who cast righteousness down

5:8-9 D. Hymn^B:

• He brings light & dark & the flood: Yahweh is His name; He destroys fortresses

5:10-13 C². Sinful ones:

• The [sinful] hate those who rebuke [their wickedness], but God knows their sin

5:14-15 B². Instruction:

• Seek good (not evil) & live; God will be with you and may show you mercy

5:16-20 A². Lament:

• God says: ‘There is wailing as I pass by, for the day of Yahweh brings darkness!’

Specific charges against the Israelites

5:21-24

• God says: ‘I hate your festivals & offerings! Let justice flow like a river!’ [cf. Isa 1:11-17]

5:25-27

• ‘Did you worship Me in the desert [cf. Eze 20:10-24]? You are idolatrous & will be exiled!’

6:1-7

• Woe to the complacent [& self-centred] in Zion & Samaria; they will be exiled [cf. Isa 32:9-13]

6:8-14

• God says: ‘I hate your pomp & [idolatrous] high places! Many will die & the survivors will fear Me! You have perverted judgement & been proud; I will bring a nation against you!’

The punishments prepared by God

7:1-3

• Vision #1: God is sending a locust swarm
• [BUT] Amos prays, ‘Forgive!’ and God relents

7:4-6

• Vision #2: God is sending a fire
• [BUT] Amos prays, ‘Stop!’ and God relents

7:7-9

• Vision #3: God is standing by a wall & holding a plumb-line
• [symbolising] God is setting a plumb-line in Israel & will destroy the [idolatrous] high places & the house of Jeroboam II

Amos versus Amaziah the false priest

7:10-13

• Amaziah tells king Jeroboam II, ‘Amos is treasonous!’ & tells Amos, ‘Run away to Judah!’

7:14-17

• Amos replies, ‘I was just a herdsman, but God told me, “Prophesy to Israel!”
• [Because] you tell me not to prophesy: your family will suffer, you will die, and Israel will be exiled!’

The day of Yahweh is coming

8:1-3

• Vision #4: God shows Amos a basket of [harvested] summer fruit
• [symbolising] The end has come for Israel & there will be many deaths [cf. harvest symbolism in Joel 3:12-13, Rev 14:14-20]

8:4-7

• Listen, you who oppress and cheat the poor of the land: God will not forget your [evil] deeds

8:8 Hymn^C:

• The land will tremble; all will mourn; the land will rise & sink like a river (cf. 9:5-6)

8:9-14

• In that day [see 5:17-20] there will be darkness, & lamentation,
• & a famine for God’s word [that causes] young ones [to] faint & thirst;
• any who swear by the [idolatrous] god of Dan will fall

9:1-4

• Vision #5: Yahweh is standing by the [idolatrous] altar [in Bethel] & says, ‘Strike the doorposts, and kill [the idolators] for none shall escape [judgement!’ cf. 3:14-15, 1 Kgs 13:1-5, 2 Kgs 23:14-16]

9:5-6 Hymn^D:

• Yahweh touches the land & it melts; all will mourn; the land will rise & sink like a river; He creates the heavens & sends the flood: Yahweh is His name (cf. 4:13, 5:8-9, 8:8)

9:7-10

• Israel has become like [pagan] Cush [i.e. Ethiopia, cf. Jer 13:23-25];
• God says ‘I will destroy [any] sinful kingdom, but [with] Jacob [Israel] I will sift, so the grain won’t fall, but sinners will’

9:11-15

• [God says:] ‘In that day [see 5:17-20] I will restore [King] David’s fallen house & kingdom;
• “the mountains will bring forth wine” [as prophesied in Joel 3:18];
• Israel will return from exile!’

Hos / Joel / AMOS / Oba / Jon