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Amos Chapter One

1. Amos’ ministry is dated within the reigns of Uzziah (Azariah) (790-739BC), & Jeroboam II (793-753BC).
   1. Two years before the earthquake would really nail it down, except we don’t know precisely when the earthquake occurred (Am. 1:1; Zech. 14:5).
   2. Josephus connects this earthquake with the Uzziah’s leprosy (2nd Chr. 26:16-20).
   3. Archaeology has uncovered evidence of a violent earthquake in Israel about 760BC.
2. “The Lord roars from Zion” (Am. 1:2) indicates that Amos’ message is not a happy, peaceful message.  It is a message of Divine wrath and judgment, an echo of Joel’s message in the south (cf. Joel 3:16).
3. “Thus says the Lord” introduces eight prophecies in chapters 1&2.
4. The x & x+1 formula indicates the process by which the recipients of these oracles descended into evil and judgment.
5. Damascus is judged for the evil they inflicted upon Gilead (Am. 1:3-5).
6. Gaza is judged for their enslavement of people (Jews) and deliverance of them to Edom (Am. 1:6-8).
7. Tyre is also judged for assisting in that endeavor (Am. 1:9-10).
8. Edom is judged for receiving those captives, and executing them (Am. 1:11-12).
9. Ammon is judged for their brutality against Gilead (Am. 1:13-15).

Amos Chapter Two

1. Moab is judged for their brutality against Edom (Am. 2:1-3).
2. Judah is judged for their rejection of the Word of God (Am. 2:4-5).
3. Israel is judged for their abusive & predatory materialism (Am. 2:6-8).
4. The judgment upon Israel is then expanded in the following passage and chapters (Am. 2:9-16).
   1. The Lord reminded Israel that the Amorites were a happy & wealthy people in their day as well.
   2. The Lord reminded Israel that He was the One Who brought Israel out of the bondage they could not escape, through the wilderness they could not survive,  & into the land they could not conquer.

Amos Chapter Three

1. The Lord goes beyond the northern kingdom of Israel, to address the entire Nation of Israel (Am. 3:1). The lion’s roar continues with three “Hear this” messages (Am. 3:1; 4:1; 5:1) and a Woe (Am. 6:1).
2. Because Israel is the one chosen earthly nation upon the Earth, theirs is the strictest accountability (Am. 3:2; 1st Pet. 4:17).
3. Amos delivers a series of common-sense, rhetorical-question proverbs (Am. 3:3-6), to illustrate how obvious it should be that judgment is on the way (Am. 3:7-8).
4. The Lord calls the Philistines & Egyptians to bear witness (Am. 3:9-10) to the Divine discipline He inflicts upon the nation of Israel (Am. 3:11-15).

Amos Chapter Four

1. The Lord rebukes the cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria (Am. 4:1).
   1. He is once again addressing the northern kingdom of Israel.
   2. The Bulls of Bashan are the fallen angels under Satan’s kingship (Ps. 22:12), and Israel has spiritually married themselves to that demonic influence through their incessant idolatry (1st Cor. 10:19-21).
2. Israel’s abusive & predatory materialism once again is pictured as the Lord declares His judgment against them (Am. 4:2,3), and invites them to continue in their idolatry (Am. 4:4-5).
3. Israel was repeatedly warned, and yet failed to pay heed to the warnings (Am. 4:6-11).
4. Israel’s judgment will introduce them to the Lord God of Hosts (Am. 4:12-13).

Amos Chapter Five

1. Amos sings a funeral dirge for Israel, prophesying a 90% casualty rate for Israel in their captivity (Am. 5:1-3).
2. Israel’s only answer, at this point, is to humble themselves, and seek the Lord in the southern kingdom of Judah (Am. 5:4-15).
   1. Israel is reminded of the Lord’s sovereign omnipotence (Am. 5:8-9).
   2. The political and judicial establishment of Israel was growing fat by victimizing the helpless (Am. 5:10-13).
   3. The Lord was calling them to account (Am. 5:14-15).
3. The chapter concludes with another message from the Lord telling Israel that they had no idea what to expect on the Day of the Lord (Am. 5:16-27).
   1. It will be a day of intense mourning (Am. 5:16-17) (followed only afterwards by rejoicing, Jer. 31:13b).
   2. The Day of the Lord will be a day of darkness and despair for unbelieving Israel (Am. 5:18-20).
   3. External religious ritual will be worthless for them (Am. 5:21-24).
   4. They have been idol worshippers ever since the wilderness wanderings, and are being disciplined according to the conditions of the Mosaic Covenant (Am. 5:25-27).

Amos Chapter Six

1. Amos addresses chapter six both to Judah (Zion) and Israel (Samaria) (Am. 6:1a), but focuses directly upon the rulers of the house of Israel (Am. 6:1b).
2. God invites Israel to examine past cities that enjoyed economic prosperity through idolatry, and observe what happened to them (Am. 6:2-3).
3. The description of Israel’s decadence is again highlighted (Am. 6:4-7).
4. The certainty of God’s judgment is guaranteed by the vow He takes (Am. 6:8-11).
5. The concluding paragraph includes more rhetorical questions—tinged with sarcasm, and insults (Am. 6:12-14).