Overview Article
“Prepare to meet your God,” Amos proclaimed to those who worshiped idols (4:12). Let there be “a mighty flood of justice,” Amos admonished the rich who oppressed the poor (5:24). What brought this shepherd from Tekoa to Bethel to pronounce such powerful judgments? Amos did not make his living as a professional prophet (7:14); the “roar” of God (1:2; 3:8) had moved him to make the journey. His message calls for righteousness—right worship that yields right social ethics. God’s people still need the prophet’s help to make that connection.
Key People, Places, and Terms
People 13
Places 43
Key Terms 42
Themes
God's Rule and Power Over All Nations 8 In ancient times, most people thought each nation had its own god or gods. For example, the king of Aram thought Israel's gods were only powerful in the hills ( 1 Kings 20:23 ). When the judge Jephthah talked about th... Social Justice 8 In the Old Testament, prophets often challenged evil in society and called for social justice (fair treatment of all people, especially the poor and vulnerable). An early example is the prophet Elijah's response to Na... Concern for the Poor 5 God instructed Israel to care for its people's well-being. Israel's covenant (special agreement) with God and its view of itself as a large family helped prevent claims to privilege. A family should support members in... The Day of the Lord 4 The phrase Day of the Lord describes a time when God judges his enemies with righteous punishment. The ungodly receive the punishment they deserve, while the righteous gain their complete salvation (see Isaiah 3:16–4:... What Is Good 3 Micah 6:8 , a famous and often memorized verse, answers questions from people who became confused and had lost their moral and spiritual direction. The people of Israel wanted to know how to please the Lord. In a soci...
See all (20)
Messages Against the Nations 2 Why did Israel’s prophets speak to nations who were unlikely to hear their messages? Why did the prophets care about these nations' thoughts and actions? The real audience was God's people. These messages reminded the... Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility 2 The Bible shows that everything is under God's control. In other words, God is sovereign over everything. For example, rain falls on both good and bad people as part of God's plan ( Matthew 5:45 ). God is not responsi... God’s Uniqueness 2 As Creator, God is separate from what he has made. God is not part of nature. He created nature and governs it. He has always existed as the living God. God planned how everything in the universe would work according... True Justice 2 The community of God's people in Old Testament Israel had to care for widows, orphans, and foreigners ( Deuteronomy 27:19 ). God wanted the Israelites to represent his justice (see 10:17–19 ). He wanted them to always... Worship in Jerusalem 2 The Old Testament prophets understood that true worship requires knowing God and his expectations. God decided that the temple in Jerusalem would be the main place for his people's worship. The Lord's voice came from... Darkness and Light 2 Darkness means there is no light. There was no light until God commanded it to appear. He then separated light from darkness ( Genesis 1:2 , 4–5 , 18 ). The ninth plague he sent against Egypt was three days of deep da... God’s Justice 2 God is just ( Psalm 9:7–8 ). He hates sin and fairly rewards people and nations based on what they do ( Psalm 67:4 ; Isaiah 1:27 ; Jeremiah 46:28 ; Joel 3:1–8 ; Acts 17:31 ). God has complete control over the natural... Bribery and Gifts 1 The Bible provides clear teachings about bribes (payments given to unfairly influence decisions) and gifts (offerings given to show respect or maintain relationships). Bribes are strongly condemned because they corrup... Famine 1 Famine happened early in the lives of the patriarchs Abraham and Isaac ( Genesis 12:10 ; 26:1 ). When the patriarch Jacob’s family experienced famine, God had already placed his son Joseph in Egypt to help God's peopl... God’s Change of Mind 1 The Old Testament describes God 34 times as “changing his mind” or “being sorry” (the Hebrew word nakham ). What does this mean? Does God relent, feel pity, experience sorrow, or grieve? One thing is clear: God never... God’s Judgment of His People 1 The kings of Israel and Judah were very important in the history of the divided kingdom. But the people also influenced events. They followed their wicked rulers ( 2 Kings 3:3 ; 17:22 ; 21:9 , 11 , 16 ). They stopped... Hope Beyond Judgment 1 In the Bible, the prophets often proclaim messages of judgment and doom, but sometimes they also provide hope. In the prophecy of Jeremiah, the first sign of hope is the Lord's command for Israel reject idolatry and o... Making Sense of the Exile 1 The kings and people of Israel repeatedly disobeyed God and failed to keep their special agreement (the covenant) with him. As a result, God announced that he would bring the covenant curses upon them (see Deuteronomy... Oppression of God’s People 1 God does not want his people to suffer under oppression. From the time when God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt under Moses (the exodus), to when Joshua led them to conquer the promised land, and through Da... Preaching to a Tough Crowd 1 Sometimes God asks people to share the good news about Jesus with a difficult audience. The listeners might resist God's truth and reject both the message and the messenger. This was especially true for the Old Testam...
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Outline
Use of Amos in the New Testament
Quoted 4 times across 1 New Testament books
Total quotations 4
Connected books 1
Most-connected book Acts 4
All References
| Amos | bookOverview.connections.ntReference | Compare |
|---|---|---|
| Amos 5:25 | Acts 7:42 | Compare |
| Amos 5:26–27 | Acts 7:43 | Compare |
| Amos 9:11 | Acts 15:16 | Compare |
| Amos 9:12 | Acts 15:17 | Compare |
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