The words of Amos can be summed up into five words “Prepare to meet thy God (4:12b).” This sounds harsh, but it is true. The message of Amos is condemnation.
Condemnation may be the message but he ends with hope.[1] The condemnation of Syria is first (1:3-5), followed by Philistia (1:6-8), Tyre (1:9-10), Edom (1:11-12), Ammon (1:13-15), Moab (2:1-3), Judah (2:4-5), and lastly Israel[2] (2:6-16). Amos also said that Israel would not survive “the judgement of God (2:13–16; 3:11–12; 5:2, 18–20; 6:7, 14; 7:8; 8:2; 9:1–4,8a).”[3] Apparently, some were looking forward to the day of the LORD, and they were condemned for that (5:18-20).[4] In Amos, God lists Israel’s sins (2:6-8,12; 4:1; 5:12; 8:4-6) and pronounces judgements (2:14-15;3:11,14-15; 4:6-12; 5:2-3,16-24,27; 6:7-9,11,14; 7:8-9,11,17; 8:3; 8:8-9:5; 9:8-10). In verses 7:12-17, Amaziah earns condemnation and receives it. God will bring back Israel (9:14–15).[5] According to Dorsey there are 23 sevenfold groupings in Amos.[6]
Hosea represents condemnation through his exposing the nations breach of the covenants and announcing the curses to come.[7] Joel exhorts everyone to repent, using the plague of the locusts as a harbinger of worse to come – the destructive day of the Lord.[8] Obadiah speaks of the justice of God, even though the message is condemnation.[9] In Jonah through the repentance of Nineveh, God was condemning Israel for their not repenting.[10] Micah condemned the great and mighty men of the kingdom for their moral corruption.[11] The book of Nahum is condemning the nation of Nineveh, one hundred fifty years after Jonah.[12]
Habakkuk pleaded for divine condemnation. God answered with woes against the Babylonians.[13] Zephaniah condemns Judah for its disobedience and proclaims that it will be judged.[14] Haggai condemns the people by pointing out that they are neglecting the Lord.[15] Zechariah exhorts them to repentance[16] by condemning them for the sins that delayed the rebuilding of the temple and reminding them of the sins of their forefathers.[17] Furthermore, he condemns Jerusalem to the destruction by Rome and the dissolving of the nation of Israel.[18] Malachi condemns Israel for their breaking of the covenant.[19]
The law was given as a standard to show people what they would be condemned for. The condemned need a savior. Jesus died and rose again to fulfill that law as our savior. If we accept that savior we are in Christ. “There is now therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1a).”
[1] Donald R. Sunukjian, “Amos,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1426.
[2] Andrew E. Hill and John H. Walton, A Survey of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009), 611; Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 1 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 669.
[3] Billy K. Smith and Franklin S. Page, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, vol. 19B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), 31.
[6] David A. Dorsey, The Literary Structure of the Old Testament: A Commentary on Genesis–Malachi (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004), 277.
[7] Robert B. Chisholm, Jr., “Hosea,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1377–1378.
[8] Jamieson, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 664; Robert B. Chisholm, Jr., “Joel,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1413.
[9] Walter L. Baker, “Obadiah,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1453.
[10] Jamieson, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 683.
[11] Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, vol. 10 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996), 286.
[12] Jamieson, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 697; Keil, Commentary on the Old Testament, 352.
[13] J. Ronald Blue, “Habakkuk,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1505; Keil, Commentary on the Old Testament, 388–389.
[14] Keil, Commentary on the Old Testament, 435; John D. Hannah, “Zephaniah,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1524.
[15] F. Duane Lindsey, “Haggai,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1538.
[16] Keil, Commentary on the Old Testament, 507.
[17] F. Duane Lindsey, “Zechariah,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1548.
[18] Jamieson, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 716.
[19] Keil, Commentary on the Old Testament, 635.
Bibliography for Amos
Baker, Walter L. “Obadiah.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, 1:1453. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
Blue, J. Ronald. “Habakkuk.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, 1:1505. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
Chisholm, Robert B., Jr. “Hosea.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, 1:1378. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
Chisholm, Robert B., Jr. “Joel.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, 1:1409. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
Dorsey, David A. The Literary Structure of the Old Testament: A Commentary on Genesis–Malachi. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004.
Hannah, John D. “Zephaniah.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, 1:1523. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
Hill, Andrew E., and John H. Walton. A Survey of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009.
Jamieson, Robert, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown. Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Vol. 1. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997.
Keil, Carl Friedrich, and Franz Delitzsch. Commentary on the Old Testament. Vol. 10. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996.
Lindsey, F. Duane. “Haggai.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, 1:1536–1537. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
Lindsey, F. Duane. “Zechariah.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, 1:1545. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
Smith, Billy K., and Franklin S. Page. Amos, Obadiah, Jonah. Vol. 19B. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995.
Sunukjian, Donald R. “Amos.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, 1:1425. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
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