A sermon serieson the

Minor Prophets

What Does the LordRequire of Us?

The Minor Prophets inChronological Order

Obadiah840 BC

Joel835 BC

Jonah760 BC

Amos755 BC

Hosea740 BC

Micah730 BC

Nahum660 BC

Zephaniah625 BC

Habakkuk607 BC

Haggai520 BC

Zechariah515 BC

Malachi430 BC

6 With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high?Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?

7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil?Shall I give my first born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you, but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Theme: Micah 6:6-8

Injustice flourishes where indifference prevails (Obadiah)

Injustice flows from a low regard for human worth (Joel)

Injustice finds a home where the heart does not feel what the eye sees (Jonah)

Lessons of Social Justice:What We Have Learned

Messages of the Minor Prophets:Amos

Let Justice RollLike a River

Meaning of the name: “Burden”Amos 1:1-2, 7:10-17

Home town: Tekoa in JudahOccupation: Shepherd, but also growing

figsTenure

Uzziah reigned in JudahJeroboam II reigned in Israel

Overlap – 791-753 BCTwo year before the earthquake

Date uncertainMost likely between 767 and 753 BC

Unpopular

Who Is Amos?

The nation of Israel (Northern Kingdom) during the reign of Jeroboam IIWorld power Great wealthLuxurious livingArrogancePhysical securityFormal worshipMoral decayOppression of the poor

Who Are His Audience?

OutlineIntroduction (1:1-2, 7:10-17)

Amos the prophetBurden of the nations (1:3-2:16)

General statements of judgment of Israel and surrounding nations

Burden of Israel (3:1-6:14)Specific statements of judgment of Israel

Visions (7:1-9; 8:1-9:10)Symbols of the impending judgment of Israel

Conclusion (9:11-15)Promise of renewal and restoration

What Is His Message?

Burden of the Nations:Not One Nation Was Innocent

Israel 2:6-16

Damascus (1:3-5)

Gaza (1:3-6)

Tyre (1:9-10)

Edom (1:11-12)

Ammon (1:11-12)Moab (2:1-3)

Judah (2:4-5)

“X and X+1”1, 2 (Job 33:14, Psalm 62:11)2, 3 (Job 33:29)3, 4 (Proverbs 30:15, 18, 21, 29)6, 7 (Job 5:19, Proverbs 6:16)7, 8 (Micah 5:5)

Also used in other ancient Near Eastern cultures

Items enumeratedOften the second number

Convey the concept of “enough, more than enough”

“For three . . . and for four”

Message One (3:1-15)Excessive luxury

Message Two (4:1-13)Economic exploitation and religious hypocrisy

Message Three (5:1-17)Legal injustice

Message Four (5:18-27)Religious hypocrisy

Message Five (6:1-14)Complacency and self-indulgence

Burden of Israel

Locust PlagueJudgment averted (7:1-3)

Devouring FireJudgment delayed (7:4-6)

Plumb LineJudgment determined (7:7-9)

Basket of Summer FruitJudgment imminent (8:1-14)

Striking of the DoorpostsJudgment executed (9:1-10)

Visions of Judgment

Renewal of the Davidic kingdom (9:11-12)Salvation will continue to be extended to

Gentiles as is in the Church ageActs 15Romans 11

Restoration of the blessings of the kingdom (9:13-15)Complete restoration Complete security

Promise of Renewal and Restoration

Message One (3:1-15)Excessive luxury

Message Two (4:1-13)Economic exploitation and religious hypocrisy

Message Three (5:1-17)Legal injustice

Message Four (5:18-27)Religious hypocrisy

Message Five (6:1-14)Complacency and self-indulgence

Burden of Israel

Prophet AmosAnnouncing judgment (1-3)

Beseeching repentance (4-6)Charging injustice (7)

Describing God (8-9)Charging injustice (10-13)

Beseeching repentance (14-15)Announcing judgment (16-17)

Legal Injustice in Israel

Turn justice to wormwood (5:7)Judicial system meant for healingTurned into bitter poisonous weedTurning aside the needy in the gate (5:12)Closing the courthouse to the poor

Cast righteousness to the ground (5:7)Parallel in 6:12Tossed away as a useless weedAfflicting the righteous or innocent (5:12)Accepting bribe to pervert justice

Practices of Legal Injustice

Structure of Message 3 (5:1-15)A – B – C – D – C – B – AEmphasis on D (5:8-9)Description of God

God controls the universe (5:8)Creation of the constellationsControl of timeConsignment of the seasons

God controls the nations (5:9)Human strength cannot thwart God’s purpose

Message: Injustice is contrary to God’s order and will result in judgment

What Is Wrong with Injustice?

Don’t Be Like This

Amos 5:24Message 4 (5:18-27)

A – C – B – C – AEmphasis on repentance

Chiastic arrangement of the verse

Roll down - like waters - justicerighteousness – like stream –

flowJustice/righteousness

Related to social orderRoll/flow

Bubbling and pervasive

Change Your Way

ObadiahInjustice flourishes where indifference

prevailsJoel

Injustice flows from a low regard for human worth

JonahInjustice finds a home where the heart

does not feel what the eye sees.

Provenance of Social Justice

AmosIt is an injustice when the access to

redress for the oppressed is cut off or perverted by people who claimed to be religious.

RemedyJames 1:27“Religion that is pure and undefiled

before God, the Father, is this: to visit the orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

Practices of Injustice