Amos 6 Bible Study
AMOS TIMELINE:
A commonly agreed date for the writing of the Book of Amos is between 760-750 B.C. The first verse of the book informs readers that Amos‘ book opens during the reigns of Uzziah in Judah and Jeroboam II in Israel, two years before the earthquake. The earthquake must have been a significant one because it was also mentioned by the prophet Zechariah in his writing (Zec 14:5) around 250 years later.
REVIEW OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS:
Amos 1 – Amos is introduced and God condemned several of Israel’s neighboring nations, including Syria, Philistia, Edom, Tyre, and the Ammonites.
Amos 2 – God condemned Moab and the southern kingdom of Judah before turning His anger against Israel. They were guilty of trampling the poor, worshiping idols, and ignoring God’s law.
Amos 3 – Amos asked Israel a series of obvious questions and told them Israel’s destruction would be equally obvious as being the work of God. Israel was portrayed as a sheep devoured by a lion.
Amos 4 – God rebuked the women of Israel who crushed the needy to feed their appetite for sin and luxury. He listed His past efforts to discipline Israel, which they had ignored, and because they had ignored them, they were told to prepare to meet their God.
Amos 5 - Chapter 5 repeats many of the themes from previous chapters but does it in more poetic language. God wanted justice and righteousness to wash over Israel and purge the land of its wickedness.
OUTLINE:
WOE TO THOSE WHO FEEL SECURE IN SAMARIA (6:1-14):
God warned the nobles of Israel, those who sat on the mountain of Samaria, that they were not safe.
Israel would fall, just like the nations that surrounded them, like Calneh, Hamath, and Gath. They were no better than those nations, and their fate would not be different.
But Israel didn’t believe God. They figured judgement was far off, so they embraced the sins they loved.
Amos once again rebuked the wealthy in Israel that had obtained their money by taking advantage of and ignoring the needy. They piddled their days away with wine and music, but gave no thought to the sorry moral state of the nation.
God told these wealthy individuals they would be the first to go into exile.
God swore by His own name that Isarel would be given over to an enemy. God would empty out the houses of Israel. If a house had 10 men, it would soon have none.
Then God asked some interesting questions, He said, “Do horses run on rocks? Does one plow there with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood” (6:12).
No one in their right mind would make a horse run or an ox plow through large rocks. Israel had done something equally as nonsensical; they had turned justice into poison and righteousness into bitterness. They had turned virtue into evil. They were out of their minds!
Amos prophesied that God would raise up a powerful nation to act as His sword of punishment against Israel.
APPLICATION:
Amos told Israel they were foolish because they assumed the day of their judgement was far off, so they brought “near the seat of judgement.”
They didn’t mind bringing their sins near to them because they figured accountability was in the distant future.
Have you ever acted that way?
Have you ever indulged in some sin because you figure you’ll have time to repent later and fix your behavior later?
You might think, “I’m young, healthy, and there is no sign of the Lord’s return, so I can indulge a little and I’ll be safe.”
But that’s a fool’s game!
There are many people who assume their day of judgement is years in the future, who are surprised when it finds them much sooner.
People die unexpectedly of heart attacks, natural disasters, car crashes, violent attacks, and freak accidents.
You can never confidently conclude that the day you’ll be called to account for your actions is a long way off, so don’t ever let yourself believe that a little short sinning is safe.
