Amos

Date Written: Probably during the reigns of Jeroboam II of Israel & Uzziah (Azariah) of Judah. About 760-750 B.C.

Author: Amos

 Setting: The wealthy people of Israel were enjoying peace & prosperity. They were quite complacent & were oppressing the poor, even selling them into slavery. Soon Israel would be conquered by Assyria & the rich would themselves become slaves. The book opens with this humble shepherd watching his sheep. God gave him a vision of what was about to happen to the nation of Israel.

Key People: Amos, Amaziah, Jeroboam II

Purpose: To pronounce God’s judgment upon Israel, the northern kingdom, for their complacency, idolatry & oppression of the poor.

Key Verses: Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say He is. 5:14

But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream. 5:24

Chapter Outline:

1-2 Announcement of Judgment

3-6 Reasons for Judgment

7-9:7 Visions of judgment

9:8-15 Future Hope

Importance of reading Amos:

What we read: Amos was a shepherd. Not exactly a “spiritual” job. Yet God called him & used him. What we can learn: God can use you no matter how ordinary you are. All He needs is for you to say yes Lord.

What we read: Amos pronounced judgment from God on all the surrounding nations. Then he included Judah & Israel. God is in control of all the nations. Everyone is accountable to Him. What we can learn: When Amos was giving judgment on the surrounding nations, the people were probably agreeing when they heard it. But then it was a different story when Amos spoke of their sin & judgment. It’s always easier to see the sin in others than to see the sin in us. Every single person will have to account for their sin. When those who reject God seem to get ahead, don’t envy their prosperity or feel sorry for yourself. Remember that we all must answer to God for how we live.

What we read: Even though many people had abandoned real faith in God, they still pretended to be religious. They would still go through their religious traditions, but they were done without a spiritual obedience toward God. What we can learn: Anybody can go through religious motions. Anybody can go to church, sing along, raise your hands & bow your head. But these external rituals isn’t what God wants. He wants a heart that trust Him, loves Him & obeys Him.

What we read: Amos, like the other prophets, would constantly remind the people what God had done for them. They seemed to forget easily. What we can learn: God’s past faithfulness should have built their faith up in God, but they soon forgot. Are you like them? Do you soon forget what all God has done for you or do you remember & let it build your faith that He will come through again.

What we read: Most of this book is focused on judgment rather than hope. The prophets came with warning of judgment for the disobedience of Israel & their rejection of God as their king. Yet Amos, like others, ends his ministry with a prophetic vision of the coming Messiah, the good shepherd who would win His people back & sit on the throne of Israel forever. What we can learn: Just as the people of Israel had reason to hope in the Messiah who was to come, we too have reason to hope & rejoice in the same Christ who was, who is & who is to come again.

Things to think about as you read Amos:

• Has wealth, the ease of life, the possession of things, or the pursuit of happiness led to complacency in your worship? Are you worshiping God His way or your way?
• Review the list of Israel’s sins. Are you guilty of any of these? According to what you read in Amos, could Israel or the other nations sin & avoid the consequences of their sin? Can you?
• What is the purpose of God’s judgments? When He decides to judge, what can we expect?

Obadiah

Date Written: Possibly during the reign of Jehoram in Judah, 853-841 B.C. or possibly during Jeremiah’s ministry, 627-586 B.C.

Author: Obadiah

Setting: Historically, Edom had constantly harassed the Jews. Prior to the time this book was written, they had taken part in attacks against Judah. Edom was a mountainous nation in the region to the southeast of the Dead Sea. As descendants of Esau, the Edomites were blood relatives of Israel & like their father, they were rugged, fierce & proud warriors. They should have ran to the aid of their northern brothers, but instead they gloated over Israel’s problems. They captured & took fugitives to the enemy & then looted Israel’s countryside. 

Key People: The Edomites

Purpose: To prophesy against Edom & show that God judges those who have harmed His people.

Key Verses: Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame; you will be destroyed forever. 10

The day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head. 15

Chapter Outline:

V1-9 Judgment Announced on Edom

V10-14 Edom’s Violations

V15-21 Israel’s Victory

Importance of reading Obadiah:

What we read: Obadiah predicted that God would destroy Edom as punishment for standing by when Babylon invaded Judah. Edom rejoiced as Jerusalem was ransacked by foreign armies. They cheered as the Temple was destroyed. They applauded while people were taken away to be slaves in Babylon. Because of this, Edom would be judged & their land would be given to Judah in the day when God rights the wrongs against His people. What we can learn: Never rejoice when you see people get what you think they deserve. We need to pray for each other. God will judge & punish all who harm His people. He will bring about true justice.

What we read: Because of their seemingly invincible rock fortress, the Edomites were proud & self-confident. Their pride made them believe they were okay & had no faults. But God humbled them & their nation disappeared from the face of the earth.  What we can learn: All those who defy God will meet their doom as Edom did. No one is exempt from God’s justice. Pride will cause you not to see your sin. Obadiah saw that one day all nations would be judged. The God of Israel will hold every nation responsible, especially for their attitude toward His people.

Things to think about as you read Obadiah:

• Sometimes when tragic & unjust things happen, we wonder where God is. If He is righteous, just & omnipotent, why doesn’t He intervene? What do you learn from this book that helps answer these questions? What can you learn from this for your own life?
• How should we respond to the tragedies of others? What does God think when we use their tragedy to our advantage?

Jonah

Date Written: 785-760 B.C.

Author: Jonah

Setting: Jonah was before Amos & ministered under Jeroboam II, Israel’s most powerful king. Nineveh was the capital of Assyria. Assyria was an evil empire, Israel’s most dreaded enemy. They flaunted their power before God & the world through acts of heartless cruelty. So when Jonah heard God tell him to go there to call the people to repentance, he ran in the opposite direction.

Key People: Johan, the ship’s captain & crew

Purpose: To show the extent of God’s grace – the message of salvation is for all people.

Key Verses: I knew that You are a gracious & compassionate God, slow to anger & abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 4:2b

But Nineveh has more than a hundred & twenty thousand people who can not tell their right hand from their left & many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city? 4:11

Chapter Outline:

1 Jonah Flees

2 Jonah Prays

3-4 Jonah Fulfills His Mission

Importance of reading Jonah:

What we read: Although Jonah tried to run away from God, God was in control. He knew God had a job for him, but he didn’t want to do it. But running got him into worse trouble. What we can learn: It’s always better to just obey God from the very start. Is there something that God is telling you to do, but you haven’t?

What we read: By trying to save Jonah’s life, the pagan sailors showed more compassion than Jonah, because Jonah didn’t want to warn the Ninevites of the coming judgment of God. What we can learn: Christians should be ashamed when unbelievers show more concern & compassion than they do. God wants us to be concerned for all people, lost & saved.

What we read: The pagan people of Nineveh believed Jonah’s message & repented. God’s words had a miraculous effect on these evil people. Their repentance was very different to Israel’s stubbornness. The people of Israel had heard many messages from the prophets, but they refused to truly repent. The people of Nineveh only needed to hear God’s message once. Jesus said that at the judgment, the men of Nineveh will stand up to condemn the Israelites for their failure to repent (Matthew 12:39-41). What we can learn: It isn’t hearing God’s Word that pleases Him, but it’s our response of obedience & surrendering to Him that He desires.

What we read: Chapter 4, Jonah became angry when God spared Nineveh. The Jews didn’t want to share God’s message with Gentile nations. They had forgotten their original purpose as a nation – to be a blessing to the rest of the world by sharing God’s message with them. Jonah thought that God shouldn’t freely give His salvation to a wicked pagan nation. Yet this is exactly what God does for all who come to Him in faith & repent. What we can learn: God loves the whole world. He loves the world so much that He gave His one & only son up to die for our sins. God’s forgiveness is for all who repent & believe in faith in Jesus Christ. What is your attitude toward people who are especially wicked & those that you think don’t deserve God’s mercy & forgiveness? Do you want them destroyed or do you hope that they will experience God’s mercy & forgiveness?

Things to think about as you read Jonah:

• What or who causes you to feel compassion in your heart? Compare Jonah’s heart with God’s heart. Now compare your heart with Jonah’s & God’s. Who are you most like?
• Is there something that you know God wants you to do that you haven’t done? What can you learn from Jonah’s life?

Link to Video: https://youtu.be/qeiaT65RZ3Y?si=NQGXnEwQpMx34PlR

Blessings,

Nichole Henson

Fullness of Joy Ministry