Things had become very bad in Israel; the corruption, the oppression, the sin. The point was reached where the very survival of the nation was at stake. For this reason, Amos composed a lament to mourn the coming death of Israel (Amos 5:1-15). Often in the prophetic books, no distinction is made between the word … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Amos 5:1-15, Heb. 5:14, Isa. 5:20, Amos 7:10-17, 9:11-15, Acts 15:13-18. Memory Text: “Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and thus may the Lord God of hosts be with you, just as you have said!” (Amos 5:14, NASB). Key Thought: Amos reminds us that only in seeking the Lord is there life. “Had Israel been true … Continue reading –>
Juan had found Christ and discovered the Sabbath while reading the Bible in his jungle home in southeastern Ecuador. God led him on a quest to a city several days’ journey away, where he met Adventists and asked to be baptized. But when the pastor asked him to stay in the city, Juan refused. “I … Continue reading –>
Read the following quotations and discuss how they help us to understand the messages from Amos 1-4 and Obadiah in a clearer way. “From the beginnings of Israelite religion the belief that God had chosen this particular people to carry out His mission has been both a cornerstone of Hebrew faith and a refuge in moments of … Continue reading –>
Read the book of Obadiah. What important moral and spiritual truths can we take away from this book? Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament, and it reports on the prophetic vision of God’s judgment upon the land of Edom. The message of the book focuses on three issues: Edom’s arrogance (vss. 1-4), Edom’s … Continue reading –>
“Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel” (Amos 4:12). Chapter 4 of Amos begins with the description of Israel’s sins, and it ends with the announcement of the day of reckoning. God makes His people especially accountable for the ways in which they live and treat others. Amos has listed a series of natural disasters, any … Continue reading –>
Amos’ prophetic message was not intended to be restricted to the historical situation in Israel but to expand the scope of the message beyond Israel and Judah. In the Old Testament, Israel had a unique but not exclusive claim on God. Read Amos 3:1-2. The Hebrew verb yada, “to know,” which is used in verse 2, bears a … Continue reading –>
God’s universal judgment is one of the central teachings found in Amos. In the beginning of his book, the prophet announces God’s judgment on several of Israel’s neighbors because of their crimes against humanity. Then, however, Amos boldly declares that God also will judge Israel. The anger of the Lord was directed not only at … Continue reading –>
Read Amos 1 and 2. Why does the Lord warn that punishment is coming? The first two chapters in Amos’ book contain seven prophecies against neighboring nations, followed by a prophecy against Israel. The foreign nations are not judged because they are Israel’s enemies but because of their violations of universal human principles. Two things stand … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Amos 1-2, Isaiah 58, Luke 12:47-48, 1 Kings 8:37-40, Amos 4:12-13, Obadiah. Memory Text: “A Lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy?” (Amos 3:8, NKJV). Key Thought: Acts of inhumanity are sins against God and will be judged accordingly. lion in Scripture often represents the king of the animal world. His … Continue reading –>
