so I wonder what do we know about Amos
anything
migrant worker love that
very contemporary Alistair what else
any images when we say Amos
a plumb line good that's probably the most famous
anything else
a shepherd
look at that today
well it's really good you all turned up because we're going to learn many wonderful
things
so if the minor prophets are like
glamping in sky Amos is a bit like Cote Bridge
it's a town
Amos is like a town but it's not a very nice town
kind of like Cote Bridge
if you're from Cote Bridge we can talk afterwards and you can hit me
it's a bit dark it's very rough
it's quite dangerous
but if you've ever been to Cote Bridge there's one building in Cote Bridge that stands out and it's called the time capsule
and it's the most fun swimming pool you've ever been to in your life
and so as we go through Amos
we're going to see lots of dark and rough things but there's going to be
when we finish there's going to be one
amazing gleaming building that we'll forever remember
the problem is we have to wait till chapter 9
before we get introduced to it
so I'm going to act like a tour guide
we're going to stroll through the town of Amos
and we're going to learn some wonderful things
last thing is introduction
there's a combination code
to Amos
and the combination code is
8351
perhaps we could all say that together
8351
and the reason that unlocks Amos
is because it's the
what happens in the book
so there's 8 oracles of judgment
3 sermons of rebuke
5 visions of judgment
and 1 oracle of salvation
that's the time capsule at the end
8 oracles of judgment
3 sermons of rebuke
5 visions of judgment
1 oracle of salvation
8351
ok
should have found Amos by now
it's not one that we go to often
so I thought I'd give you a little bit of time
to save your embarrassment
and so Amos chapter 1 verse 1 says this
the words of Amos
one of the shepherds of Tekoa
the vision he saw concerning Israel
two years before the earthquake
when Uzziah was king of Judah
and Jeroboam son of Jehoash
was king of Israel
he said
the Lord roars from Zion
and thunders from Jerusalem
the pastures of the shepherds dry up
and the top of Carmel withers
so we're introduced to this guy Amos
and Amos is a shepherd
he looks after sheep
in 714 of the book
we learn that he also looks after
sycamore fig trees
so he's kind of like a mixed farmer
a bit of sheep
a bit of trees
and actually
that frames this book really well
because so much of Amos
uses images of farming
there's so many pictures in it
that for a farmer
these would be day in day out
kind of things
and we're going to see those
as we go through
and I love that
because God is delivering his truth to Israel
through Amos who is a farmer
and it is God's truth through personality
Amos knows agriculture
and the message that comes is God's message
but through his personality
using a lot of this agriculture language
and Amos is a southerner
he's from this place called Tekoa
which is down in the southeast
near Bethlehem
and so he's in the south
that if you remember in 2 Kings 12
the kingdom splits
Rehoboam becomes the king of Judah
Solomon's son
but the ten northern tribes go off with
Jeroboam son of Nebat
and so Amos is a southerner
from the south
from Tekoa
near Bethlehem
but he's delivering his message
primarily to Israel
and therefore as Alistair said
he is a migrant worker
he is in a very real sense
a missionary
who's gone to deliver God's message
in a foreign country
Amos is written we think
and it's quite easy to date
because we've got very clear instructions
the vision he saw concerning Israel
two years before the earthquake
when Uzziah was king of Judah
and Jeroboam was son of Jehoash
and so we can date it about 760 AD
Amos is very rarely a contemporary of Isaiah
and this time of
the time this message is delivered to Israel
life in Israel is great
they are having a good time
they are flourishing
they are prospering
they win a victory against the Edomites
where 10,000 Edomites are killed
in the Valley of Salt
they've won some skirmishes against Judah
who they don't get on with anymore
so they have some pitched battles
and
Israel comes out on top
they even have a foray into Jerusalem
and manage to steal the temple articles
the boundaries of Israel are expanded
and so life in Israel is good
they are really flourishing
they are really on it
all is seemingly well with the world
and it's in this backdrop
that a lone prophet
from the southern kingdom
rides into town and starts to speak
look at verse 2
what he says
the Lord roars from Zion
and thunders
from Jerusalem
that's a tough message to bring
to the northern kingdom
because they've rejected Jerusalem
as the nation's capital
as Jeroboam sets up
golden calves in Dan and Bethel
in some attempt at statecraft
to diminish Jerusalem's influence
on the nation
and look what it says
that the Lord roars from Zion
the language of a lion
and when he roars
look what happens
the pastures dry up
the top of caramel withers
if you're a shepherd
the absolute worst thing
that could ever happen to you
is that the pastures dry up
and the foliage on top of caramel withers
that'd be the worst thing
your job basically as a shepherd
is to keep your sheep healthy
safe
and plump
and to keep them plump
you need good pasture
but the Lord roars
from Zion
and we learn
don't we
that God
through Amos
who is
declaring the roars of God
and the thunders of God
he is
ruling
and acting
in history
he's decided
that it's time
to intervene
in Israel's life
and so we have a God
who rules
and acts
in history
and a God
who speaks
and communicates
he doesn't sit
at the corner
of the universe
in a deck chair
drinking a pina colada
and let people
get on with it
he's intimately
interested
in the affairs
of the world
he created
and owns
and governs
sovereignly
and notice
that God
roars
this is not
God
coming
to put his
hand
put his
arm
around
Israel's
shoulder
and say
well done
you're being
very good
and you're
flourishing
as a result
God is roaring
this God
is to be
feared
as we read
through Amos
we're going to see
they're incredibly
complacent
and so God
roars
to shake
them
and wake
them out
of their
complacency
and God
roaring
is a good
thing
God
roaring
is a good
thing
that actually
when a lion
roars
it's warning
you
says this is
my territory
don't come
any closer
it's far
more dangerous
when a lion
is prowling
than it's
when the lion
prowls
that it
sneaks up
so the
fact that
God is
roaring
is a real
warning
to Israel
because God
is kind
and he's
trying to
influence
their lives
and though this
book is
majoritively
dark
it's good
that they
know these
things
that he's
giving them
a chance
to change
a chance
to move
the worst
thing
that could
happen
is if
God
stopped
speaking
if God
gave up
communicating
with his
people
and just
left them
to their
own
devices
sadly
we're going
to see
that that
does actually
happen
in Amos
chapter 8
verse 8
God says
there's going
to be a
famine
of the word
of God
as he
stops
speaking
but right
now in
Amos 1
he is
roaring
at his
people
and so
we have
a farming
prophet
who speaks
on behalf
of the
sovereign
lord
who is
roaring
let me
read verse
3 onwards
this is what
the lord
says
for three
sins of
Damascus
even for
four I
will not
relent
because she
threshed
Gilead
with sledges
having iron
teeth
I will
send fire
on the
house
of
Hazael
that will
consume
the
fortresses
of
Ben-Hadad
I will
break down
the gate
of Damascus
I will
destroy
the king
who is
in the
valley
of
Avon
and the
one who
holds
the scepter
in Beth
Eden
the people
of Aram
will go
into exile
to
Ker
then drop
down with
me to
verse 13
this is what
the lord
says
for three
sins of
Ammon
even for
four I
will not
relent
because he
ripped open
the pregnant
woman in
Gilead
in order to
extend his
borders
I will
set fire
to the
walls of
Rabbah
that will
consume her
fortresses
amid war
cries on the
day of
battle
amid violent
winds on a
stormy day
her king
will go
into exile
he and his
officials
together
says the
lord
look with
me at
verse 4
of chapter
2
this is what
the lord
says
for three
sins of
Judah
even for
four I
will not
relent
because they
have rejected
the law
of the
lord and
have not
kept his
decrees
because they
have been
led astray
by false
gods
the gods
their ancestors
followed I
will send
fire on
Jerusalem
on Judah
that will
consume the
fortresses
of Jerusalem
this is the
best sermon
that the people
of Israel have
ever heard
they are
loving this
as he
speaks
they are
going
amos
guy at
the back
two hands
in the air
preach it
brother
let us
have it
amen
there is a
few Scottish
people in
so there is
just that
really edifying
mmm
and these
seven oracles
follow a
really standard
form
he says
thus says
the lord
this is
god
speaking
this is
amos
as god's
prophetic
mouthpiece
and then we
get the
standard form
for three
sins
even for
four
for three
sins
even for
four
this is a
hebrew idiom
talking about
completeness
that god says
you have
completely
sinned
your sin
is now
full
so i tried
this this week
as i did the
grocery shopping
in our house
aileen said
did you get
everything i
said for
three groceries
even for
four and
she didn't
get it and
thought i was
even weirder
than normal
and so god
says i've
looked and
i've seen that
their sins are
full they're full
of sin and
all these places
all seven of
these nations
are the
surrounding
districts the
enemies of
israel this is
the best news
they've ever
hurt
all these
people that
have inflicted
damage on
them over
the years
who have
caused them
pain and
anguish
who have
had pitch
battles against
them
god says i'm
going to judge
them because
their sin is
full
and look what
he says i will
not relent
every time for
three sins of
god's even for
four i will
not relent
for three sins
of tyer even
for four i will
not relent there's
going to be no
ninevite reprieve
for these nations
and then he
brings charges
against them
and i'm sure as
we read some of
these charges are
abominable
the damascus has
massacred the
people of gilead
he's they've
massacred them
like a combine
harvester going
through them and
just cutting them
down
the people of
gaza have done
wholesale slave
trading
they've taken
captives and
passed them on
to edom in
some
abominable
way
the people of
tyre have
become human
traffickers
even selling
their own
brothers by
breaking treaties
that were made
edom
disproportionate
anger
slaughter of
women and
slaying people
people that
back in the
day were
related to
them the
edomites
being
esau's
descendants
the red
ones if you
like and
then these two
tribes amon and
moab amon and
moab the
incestuous
offspring of
lots two
daughters from
genesis 19
and amon and
moab who have
graphic
horrendously
graphic
butchering pregnant
women and
cutting out their
unborn children in
the name of
expansion
and moab who
have desecrated a
royal corpse which
is an abomination in
the ancient world
and then see verse
four even judah
even judah's come
under the radar
of god for
their idolatry
their gross
idolatry
because they have
rejected the
law of the lord
and have not kept
his decrees
because they have
led astray
they have been led
astray by false
gods the gods
their ancestors
followed
just catalogs the
sins of these
nations
and israel is
loving amos
right now
he can't get
enough of it
he's going to get
a cover piece on
israel magazine
he's got 10,000
twitter followers
overnight
he's now got a
limo and an
entourage he's been
given keys to the
city
best guy they've
ever heard preach
he says god's seen
it all
he's heard it all
he knows it all
and he's going to
judge it all
and this god who
sees this
so comforting
that he sees
our world as
well as we
prayed so many
people picking
out that the
world is very
chaotic
and god sees
it all
and he's no
less inclined to
judge it
he's not stopped
keeping score
and taking
account of
the sins of
the world
and that's so
good
because nothing's
happening under
god's radar
nothing
do you know we
see the news all
the time we wake
up to sky news in
my house every day
and it's horrendous
and we get numb to
it numb to
injustice
another school
shooting this week
you think well i've
seen lots of those
before and we start
to become very hard
to it
and yet this
passage comforts
us because it
says our god
sees and
knows
and if this
temporal judgment
is certain
then eternal
judgment where
god will call to
account all
sin
all wickedness
all bloodshed
all needless
violence
all oppression
then we can
have real
comfort that
our god
knows
and so when
we pray god
this world
is in chaos
we can thank
him that it
won't go
unaccounted
for
israel's
loving amos
right now
he's had
10 000
youtube
views
by the time
we get to
chapter 2
verse 5
but chapter
2 verse 6
everything changes
so we had a
farming prophet
we then had a
fantastic prophecy
that israel was
loving now we're
going to have a
frightening
prophecy chapter
2 6 to 16
and so the
auditorium is full
we love
amos t-shirts
are emblazoned
on everyone's
chest
there's been a
fervent prayer
meeting in the
auditorium for
amos's next
speech
and as he takes
the stage
there's hushed
silence
and this is
what amos
says
this is
what the
lord says
for three
sins of
israel
even for
four i will
not relent
they sell the
innocent for
silver and the
needy for a
pair of
sun
they trample
on the heads
of the poor
as on the
dust of the
ground and
deny justice
to the
oppressed
father and
son use the
same girl
and so profane
my holy name
they lie down
beside every
altar on
garments taken
in pledge
in the house
of their god
they drink
wine taken
as fines
yet i destroyed
the amorites
before them
though they
were tall as
the cedars
and strong
as the oaks
i destroyed
their fruit
above
and their
root below
i brought you
up out of
egypt and led
you for 40
years in the
wilderness
to give you
the land
of the
amorites
i also
raised up
prophets from
among your
children and
nazarites from
among your
youths
is this not
true people
of israel
declares the
lord
but you
made the
nazarites
drink wine
and commanded
the prophets
not to
prophesy
now then
i will
crush you
as a cart
crushes when
loaded with
grain
the swift
will not
escape the
strong will
not muster
their strength
and the
warrior will
not save
his life
the archer
will not
stand his
ground
the fleet
footed soldier
will not
get away
and the
horseman
will not
save his
life
even the
bravest
warriors will
flee naked
on that
day
and as
amos delivers
this there's
gasps
there's
faints
there's
crying
because it
seems that
god has
left the
vilest
offender
till
last
the
other
seven
were
just
the
prawn
cocktail
before
the
steak
and
ale
pie
as
amos
delivers
the
thunderbolt
of god
right in
the
midst
of a
people
who have
a
catalogue
of crimes
before
them
it is a
sweeping
accusation
there's
perverted
justice
they sell
innocence
for silver
and they're
needy for
a pair
of sandals
human
life is
nothing
and those
that are at
the bottom
of the
food chain
are picked
off by
those at
the top
they trample
on the
poor
they deny
justice
to the
oppressed
this is a
civilization
that has
disintegrated
with perverted
justice
not only
that but
there is
sexual
immorality
the end
of verse
seven
father and
son use
the same
girl
and so
profane
my name
this idea
that sex
is just
a thing
and the
girls are
just to
be used
and so
even father
and son
are indulging
with the
same
person
they
disadvantage
the unfortunate
they lie
down besides
every altar
on garments
taken in
pledge
it says
in the
the law
of Moses
that you
can take
a garment
as a
pledge
if you're
in debt
but you
must give
it back
by nightfall
so people
aren't cold
when they're
asleep
it's a
really good
law
that those
who are
right at
the down
at the
bottom
are not
in this
downward
spiral
and look
what they
do
the people
that have
taken the
garment
on pledge
keep
it
for the
night
and they
use it
as a
mattress
but not
just in
their own
home
beside the
altar
of God
and they
take
fines
that are
supposed to
be used
for the
restitution
of people
who have
got it
wrong
but what
do they
do
they go
to
thresher
and odd
bins
and they
buy a lot
of wine
and they
drink it
in the
house
of their
gods
and it's
perpetuated
by the
most powerful
people
the people
at the
top
abusing
the little
ones
at the
bottom
and the
dogs
with the
biggest
teeth
are eating
the biggest
dinners
they're
violating
God's
holiness
they're
saying
his
law
it's
nothing
to us
we can
just
trample
over
it
and they
perform
sacrilege
because even
in God's
special
symbolic
places
they're
indulging
in all
kinds
of sin
so it
seems
quite apart
from the
other
seven
nations
Israel
is being
judged
and they're
being judged
especially on
account of
the amount
of revelation
that they
have received
from God
they should
know better
it seems
that the
pagan
nations
are being
called up
for gross
injustice
and offences
against human
morality
but here
it's very
specific
because they
know God's
law
and they're
trampling
over it
anyway
and then
in verses
9 and
10
God reminds
them that
he's been
so good
to them
I destroyed
the Amorites
before you
I gave
you this
land
I led
you through
the wilderness
and I
did it
in such
a way
that you
wouldn't
be polluted
by the
surrounding
nations
and now
you're acting
just like
them
and just
as I
judge
them
I
will
judge
you
they've
forgotten
that the
only reason
that they're
a nation
with a land
is because
their God
was so
kind
to them
then verses
11 and
12
God again
raised people
up to speak
to them
and to lead
them
but the
people rejected
them
he gave
them prophets
to speak
God's word
to them
and Nazarites
these
incredible
people we
have in the
Old Testament
these real
hairy men
who are like
the X-Men
of the Old
Testament
who do
incredible
things
and bring
about reforms
in the
nation
and the
prophets
are not
allowed
to speak
and the
Nazarites
if you're
a Nazarite
there's
three big
no-nos
you can't
have a
haircut
you can't
touch a
dead body
and you
can't drink
alcohol
and what
do they
do
verse 12
you made
the Nazarites
drink wine
it's going to
trample all
over God's
goodness
and God's
grace
they forced
them to
break vows
and forced
the prophets
not to speak
a total
disregard
for God
doing really
well but
they've come
incredibly
complacent
and their
hearts have
become cold
towards God
and injustice
reigns
and so
Jesus says
the two
greatest
commandments
are to
love the
Lord your
God
with all
your
heart
soul
mind
and
strength
and to
love
your
neighbour
as
yourself
and as
they've
stopped
loving
the
Lord
their
God
with all
their
heart
soul
mind
and
strength
and become
incredibly
tokenistic
is it
any
wonder
that they're
the ones
trampling
on their
brothers
and sisters
as a
result
he says
two things
you're very
guilty of
hypocritical
worship
you say
you're
worshipping
me
but you're
not
it's outward
appearance
but the
inward
reality
is miles
away
and as a
result
there's
social
injustice
God
set up
his
law
there
would
be
equity
there
would
be
community
there
would
be
people
looking
after
each
other
but
that's
not
here
in
Israel
in
760
BC
there's
just
social
injustice
everywhere
and God
says
I've
seen
it
all
and
I'm
going
to
judge
it
all
because
it
matters
to
me
it
really
matters
so
verses
13
to
16
are
brutal
now
then
I
will
crush
you
as
a
cart
crushes
when
loaded
with
grain
the
juggernaut
of the
ancient
world
running
over
them
and
there's
no
escape
for
anyone
doesn't
matter
if
you're
the
quickest
the
strongest
the
bravest
doesn't
matter
if
you're
great
at
fighting
or
the
quickest
on
the
draw
with
the
arrows
you
will
not
escape
this
so
total
is
God's
judgment
this
book is
a bit
like
Cote
Bridge
there
are
some
dark
streets
and this
is
the first
of
them
and so
what are
we to do
with this
well I
think
there's
some
real
challenges
isn't
there
a real
challenge
that are
we
engaging
in
hypocritical
worship
or are
we
really
loving
God
as
we
should
are
we
listening
to
God's
word
and
obeying
it
or are
we
just
keeping
up
appearances
is
Jesus
the
Lord
and
saviour
of our
lives
or is
that
just
a
tokenistic
gesture
because
we've
come
this
far
in
our
Christian
faith
and
we
can't
turn
back
now
are
our
insides
the
same
as
our
outsides
or is
this
just
a
hypocritical
facade
mask
that we
put on
on a
Sunday
because
God
sees
not
just
that
we're
here
but
how
we're
hearing
not
just
that
we're
singing
but
where
our
voices
are
coming
from
not
just
where
we
are
physically
but
where
we
are
spiritually
before
him
and
this
is
a
real
warning
that
we
can't
pull
the
world
over
his
eyes
and
secondly
that
he's
really
passionate
about
social
justice
he is
that
he
really
cares
and
I
wonder
how
that
affects
our
lives
the
trainers
we
wear
the
food
that
we
eat
our
attitude
to the
people
that
we
pass
on
the
street
whether
this
gospel
as we
looked at
this
morning
is
really
working
its
way
into
every
area
of
our
lives
because
God
says
I
really
care
and
he
has
a
special
heart
for
those
that
are
poor
and
marginalized
and
he
trusts
us
as
his
people
to
specially
go out
of the
way
for
them
and
so
he
says
I've
looked
and
you're
going
to
be
crushed
and
there
be
no
escape
and
resistance
is
futile
and
so
800
years
around
after
Amos
said
this
another
prophet
born
in
the
region
of
Bethlehem
turned
up
to
see
a
lot
of
God's
people
gathering
together
this
time
right
in
the
middle
of
Jerusalem
in
a
temple
and
he
was
appalled
by
what
he
saw
there
were
money
changers
ripping
off
poor
people
they
were
even
selling
doves
now
the
reason
you
could
bring
doves
as
a
sacrifice
was
so
even
if
you
had
nothing
you
could
bring
something
to
offer
to
God
but
yet
these
doves
are
being
sold
at
extortionate
prices
and
not
only
that
but
the
marketplaces
in the
court
of
the
Gentiles
where
even
if
you
weren't
a
Jew
you
could
come
and
worship
God
and
so
they're
getting
pushed
out
as
well
and
the
same
God
who
judges
these
people
goes
mad
and
he
turns
over
the
tables
and
it
all
goes
everywhere
and
says
get
these
out
of
here
this
temple
is
to
be
a
house
of
prayer
for
all
nations
then
he
says
destroy
this
temple
in
three
days
build
it
again
and
so
with
this
we
finish
the
in
and
of
ourselves
we
don't
worship
rightly
and
we
do
oppress
and
look
after
number
one
but
Jesus
says
to
worship
me
rightly
is
through
my
death
and
resurrection
and
it's
as
we
do
that
and
he
moves
into
our
lives
and
changes
us
that
we
start
to
worship
God
with
all
our
heart
soul
mind
and
strength
and
he
gives
us
the
ability
to
love
our
neighbor
as
ourselves
and
so
our
tokenism
is
gone
we
start
to
live
counter
cultural
lives
we
stop
looking
out
for
ourselves
but
we
start
living
and looking
after
others
the reason
is
is because
Jesus
was
crushed
with a
cartload
of my
sin
and as
he's
crushed
in my
place
because
he didn't
escape
I can't
escape
and
I'm
free
to
worship
God
rightly
and
so
hypocritical
as I
am
unholy
as I
am
I'm
able to
come
before
God
without
fear
of
judgment
because
Jesus
was
judged
in
my
place
God
still
roars
in
judgment
but
through
the
cross
those
ferocious
growls
are
dissipated
to
whispers
of
grace
for
you
know
the
grace
of
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
that
though
he
was
rich
yet
for
your
sake
he
became
poor
so
that
you
by
his
poverty
might
become
rich
let
me
pray
father
god
we
know
that
nothing
in
all
creation
is
hidden
from
your
eyes
father
that
right
now
you
see
the
depths
of
our
hearts
you
see
what's
for
real
and
what's
for
show
you
see
what's
for
Sundays
and
what's
for
keeps
and
so
lord
we
invite
you
into
our
lives
to
continue
your
work
of
changing
us
changing
us
so
that
we
might
worship
you
rightly
and
live
for
you
fully
father
thank
you
so
much
for
Amos
your
servant
who
even
amidst
a hostile
crowd
was
prepared
to
declare
your
truth
and
so
lord
would
you
be
changing
us
this
week
that
we
might
love
you
with
everything
and
love
our
neighbours
as
ourselves
and
that
might
make
a
real
difference
in
your
hand
and
we
might
be
able
to
declare
your
truth
even
when
it's
tough
and
hostile
father
bless
us
and
thank
you
for
this
time
in
Jesus
name
Amen