God speaks judgment with a fiery fury.
The Book of Amos reports that the prophet for whom the book is named was also a sheepbreeder and cultivator of sycamore figs (Amos 7:14). Probably not a wealthy man, Amos herded his own sheep (7:15), perhaps leading them into the highlands in late summer where he could undertake the tedious and time-consuming task of piercing a small hole in thousands of figs to help them ripen. Tekoa, Amos’s hometown (1:1), was a short walk from Jerusalem, the capital of the southern kingdom of Judah. Yet Amos left his flocks and fields and marched to the northern kingdom of Israel to deliver a stinging call for justice. He was a hardworking man, and his messages were full of energy.
Amos preached during a period of renewed economic prosperity and military success for Israel, made possible by a brief era of Egyptian and Assyrian weakness. But Israel’s wealthy elite were rich because they exploited the poor and ignored their suffering. Furthermore, the nation had grown dependent on its military prowess and no longer looked to God as their ultimate protection.
Amos probably only preached for a few days, but he took his message directly to the top of Israelite society. He spoke to political leaders and religious authorities and demanded they repent and reform. Within thirty years of ignoring Amos’s warnings of judgment, Israel was conquered by the Assyrians, its people killed or led into captivity. Amos prophesied to Israel around 760 B.C., making him slightly older than his contemporaries Hosea and Jonah.
Key Verses in Amos
• “They sell the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals” (Amos 2:6).
• “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” (Amos 3:3).
• “Prepare to meet your God” (Amos 4:12).
• “Seek Me and live” (Amos 5:4).
• “Let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream” (Amos 5:24).