A SHEPHERD SPEAKS GOD'S MESSAGE

Passage: Amos 1:1-15

Key verse: 2

NIV

1 The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa(A)—the vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake,(B) when Uzziah(C) was king of Judah and Jeroboam(D) son of Jehoash[a] was king of Israel.(E)

2 He said:

“The Lord roars(F) from Zion
    and thunders(G) from Jerusalem;(H)
the pastures of the shepherds dry up,
    and the top of Carmel(I) withers.”(J)

Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors

3 This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Damascus,(K)
    even for four, I will not relent.(L)
Because she threshed Gilead
    with sledges having iron teeth,
4 I will send fire(M) on the house of Hazael(N)
    that will consume the fortresses(O) of Ben-Hadad.(P)
5 I will break down the gate(Q) of Damascus;
    I will destroy the king who is in[b] the Valley of Aven[c]
and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden.(R)
    The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir,(S)”
says the Lord.(T)

6 This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Gaza,(U)
    even for four, I will not relent.(V)
Because she took captive whole communities
    and sold them to Edom,(W)
7 I will send fire on the walls of Gaza
    that will consume her fortresses.
8 I will destroy the king[d] of Ashdod(X)
    and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon.
I will turn my hand(Y) against Ekron,
    till the last of the Philistines(Z) are dead,”(AA)
says the Sovereign Lord.(AB)

9 This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Tyre,(AC)
    even for four, I will not relent.(AD)
Because she sold whole communities of captives to Edom,
    disregarding a treaty of brotherhood,(AE)
10 I will send fire on the walls of Tyre
    that will consume her fortresses.(AF)”

11 This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Edom,(AG)
    even for four, I will not relent.
Because he pursued his brother with a sword(AH)
    and slaughtered the women of the land,
because his anger raged continually
    and his fury flamed unchecked,(AI)
12 I will send fire on Teman(AJ)
    that will consume the fortresses of Bozrah.(AK)”

13 This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Ammon,(AL)
    even for four, I will not relent.
Because he ripped open the pregnant women(AM) of Gilead
    in order to extend his borders,
14 I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah(AN)
    that will consume(AO) her fortresses
amid war cries(AP) on the day of battle,
    amid violent winds(AQ) on a stormy day.
15 Her king[e] will go into exile,
    he and his officials together,(AR)”
says the Lord.(AS)

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Footnotes
  1. Amos 1:1 Hebrew Joash, a variant of Jehoash
  2. Amos 1:5 Or the inhabitants of
  3. Amos 1:5 Aven means wickedness.
  4. Amos 1:8 Or inhabitants
  5. Amos 1:15 Or / Molek
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

1 The words of Amos, who was among the (A)shepherds[a] of (B)Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel (C)in the days of (D)Uzziah king of Judah and in the days of (E)Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years[b] before (F)the earthquake.

Judgment on Israel's Neighbors

2 And he said:

(G)“The Lord roars from Zion
    and utters his voice from Jerusalem;
(H)the pastures of the shepherds mourn,
    and the (I)top of (J)Carmel withers.”

3 Thus says the Lord:

(K)“For three transgressions of (L)Damascus,
    and for four, (M)I will not revoke the punishment,[c]
because they have threshed (N)Gilead
    with threshing sledges of iron.
4 (O)So I will send a fire upon the house of (P)Hazael,
    and it shall devour the strongholds of (Q)Ben-hadad.
5 I will (R)break the gate-bar of (S)Damascus,
    and cut off the inhabitants from the Valley of (T)Aven,[d]
and him who holds the scepter from (U)Beth-eden;
    and the people of (V)Syria shall go into exile to (W)Kir,”
says the Lord.

6 Thus says the Lord:

(X)“For three transgressions of (Y)Gaza,
    and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because (Z)they carried into exile a whole people
    to deliver them up to Edom.
7 So I will send a fire upon the wall of (AA)Gaza,
    and it shall devour her strongholds.
8 I will cut off the inhabitants from (AB)Ashdod,
    and him who holds the scepter from Ashkelon;
I will turn my hand against Ekron,
    and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish,”
says the Lord God.

9 Thus says the Lord:

(AC)“For three transgressions of (AD)Tyre,
    and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they delivered up a whole people to Edom,
    and did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.
10 So I will send a fire upon the wall of (AE)Tyre,
    and it shall devour her strongholds.”

11 Thus says the Lord:

(AF)“For three transgressions of (AG)Edom,
    and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
(AH)because he pursued his brother with the sword
    (AI)and cast off all pity,
(AJ)and his anger tore perpetually,
    (AK)and he kept his wrath forever.
12 So I will send a fire upon (AL)Teman,
    and it shall devour the strongholds of (AM)Bozrah.”

13 Thus says the Lord:

(AN)“For three transgressions of the (AO)Ammonites,
    and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because (AP)they have ripped open pregnant women in (AQ)Gilead,
    that they might enlarge their border.
14 So I will kindle a fire in the wall of (AR)Rabbah,
    (AS)and it shall devour her strongholds,
with shouting on the day of battle,
    (AT)with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind;
15 and (AU)their king shall go into exile,
    he and his princes[e] together,”
says the Lord.

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Footnotes
  1. Amos 1:1 Or sheep breeders
  2. Amos 1:1 Or during two years
  3. Amos 1:3 Hebrew I will not turn it back; also verses 6, 9, 11, 13
  4. Amos 1:5 Or On
  5. Amos 1:15 Or officials
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
INTRODUCTION TO AMOS Amos was a shepherd from Tekoa in Judah and was possibly a manager of shepherds (1:1; 7:14). He also took care of sycamore-fig trees. He lived during the long, prosperous reigns of King Uzziah (also called Amaziah) of Judah and King Jeroboam II of northern Israel (2 Ki 14). Amos was not a professional prophet nor from a family of prophets. But God called him to leave his home in Judah and go to Israel to prophecy to the people (7:15). Amos lived during strong economic and political expansion for both Judah and Israel. Jeroboam II had restored the former boundaries of Israel as they had been under David and Solomon (2 Ki 14:25). The resulting wealth from tribute and trade created a wealthy upper class that enjoyed winter and summer homes, the best foods and spent their days in music (3:15; 6:4-11). But the people became proud, selfish and complacent. Their religion was empty. They oppressed, cheated and humiliated the lower classes. Against this back drop, Amos repeatedly proclaims a message of social justice, righteousness and God's judgment. However, because of the Israelites' stubborn hearts, Amos also warns that the Assyrians would conquer Israel and exile the people. This prophecy was fulfilled in 722 B.C. The book ends with hope that one day, God would restore his people. This hope was fulfilled in the Messiah, Jesus Christ. There are many parallels between Amos' times and ours. May our hearts be challenged to genuinely love God and to seek justice, righteousness and compassion for others. A SHEPHERD SPEAKS GOD'S MESSAGE 1. Amos' vision of the LORD (1-2) Amos was a shepherd from Judah to whom God gave visions and prophecies of judgment. The surrounding nations committed terrible evils against people. Injustice was everywhere. But the LORD, the God of Israel, still ruled the world. He roared from Zion and thundered from Jerusalem. He would bring judgment against the nations. 2. Judgment on Israel's neighbors (3-15) Amos' message was primarily for Israel but he began with prophecies against the surrounding nations. The king of Aram would be destroyed and the people sent into exile for their mistreatment of the people of Gilead. The Philistines and the people of Tyre sold whole communities to Edom. The Edomites pursued their own brothers, the Israelites. Both Edomites and Ammonites killed women in war. God would bring fire, war, and destruction upon all these nations.

Prayer: Lord, though people are wicked, and the world is dark, you are sovereign and will bring judgment on all evil. Help me to pursue righteousness.

One Word: The LORD roars from Zion