Amos 1

Book Introduction - Amos

Read first chapter of Amos

Amos, a Jew, but prophesying (B.C. 776-763) in the northern kingdom (Amos 1:1; 7:14,15) exercised his ministry during the reign of Jeroboam II, an able but idolatrous king who brought his kingdom to the zenith of its power. Nothing could seem more improbable than the fulfilment of Amos' warnings; yet within fifty years the kingdom was utterly destroyed. The vision of Amos is, however, wider than the northern kingdom, including the whole "house of Jacob."

Amos is in four parts:

• Judgments on the cities surrounding Palestine, 1:1-2:3.
• Judgements on Judah and Israel, 2:4-16.
• Jehovah's controversy with "the whole family" of Jacob, 3:1-9:10.
• The future glory of the Davidic kingdom, 9:11-15.

roar

"Roar," etc. Cf. Isaiah 42:13; Jeremiah 25:30-33; Hosea 11:10,11; Joel 3:16. It will be found that wherever the phrase occurs it is connected with the destruction of Gentile dominion (see "Times of the Gentiles," Luke 21:24. (See Scofield "Revelation 16:19") and the blessing of Israel in the kingdom. Without a doubt a near fulfilment upon Syria occurred 2 Kings 14:28 but the expression, "the Lord will roar," looks forward to a vaster fulfilment. See Scofield "Joel 1:4".