Amos was a shepherd belonging to no prophetic confraternity, he was divinely called from his flock and sent to prophesy to Israel. After a brief ministry mainly, perhaps exclusively concerned with the schismatic shrine at Bethel. He was expelled from Israel and returned to his former occupation. He preached under Jeroboam II, 783-743, by material standards a glorious reign during which the Northern Kingdom expanded and grew wealthy but during which the rich exploited the poor and fine liturgical show disguised the lack of sound religion. Amos in the name of God condemned corrupt city life, social injustice, the deceitful consolations of insincere ceremonial and preached the coming 'day of Yahweh' as a visitation of wrath from which only remnant would be spared.

AMOS - (1) Judgement on the Neighbours of Israel and on Israel itself - Damascus, Gaza and Philistia, Tyre and Phoenicia, Edom, Ammon, Moab, Judah, Israel - Chapter 1 to 2 - (2) Israel Warned and Threatened - Election and punishment - Samaria will perish for her corruption - Against Bethel, domestic luxury and the women of Samaria - The self-deception, obstinacy and punishment of Israel - Doxology - Lament for Israel - No salvation without repentance - Doxology - Threats - Exhortation -Impending punishment - The day of Yahweh - Against formalism in religion, the self-indulgent and their false sense of security - The punishment and its horrors - Chapter 3 to 6 -

(3) The Visions - First vision: the locusts - Second vision: the drought - Third vision: the plumb-line - The intervention of Amaziah: Amos expelled from Bethel - Fourth vision: the basket of ripe fruit - Against swindlers and exploiters - Prediction of a mysterious punishment: darkness and mourning - Famine and drought of the word of God - Fresh prediction of punishment - Fifth vision: the fall of the sanctuary - Doxology - No special privileges for Israel - Only sinners will perish - Chapter 7 to 9 - Prospects of Restoration and of Idyllic Prosperity - Chapter 9 -

In summary : The prophet never once gives the impression of innovating: his preaching is merely a reminder, a sharp one, of the demands of pure Yahwism. A prophecy of eight pronouncements of judgment against Israel.

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -