Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

If you have not done so yet, please turn your Bibles to the book of Amos.

We looked at chapters four through six in our last lesson, seeing the things that Israel and Judah put their trust in: their comfort, security, and riches physically and their worship of God.

They blinded themselves from seeing that their wealth and comfort physically did not prove that God was pleased with them and that the fact that they are “worshipping” did not erase the fact that their worship was all about themselves and could not make up for their sin.

Today, our goal is to finish the book of Amos.

We will study chapters seven through nine.

This section contains a series of visions that Amos is given by the Lord.

Vision 1 - Locusts

Amos is shown a swarm of locusts.

This is not a good thing.

Locusts destroy the crops.

A swarm of locust

How do you feel about locust if you live in Amos’ day?

God says that the locusts were going to come “after the king’s mowing.

This is talking about his share of the crops - his tax of the crops.

He gets the first mowing, and the rest of it belongs to the people;

When does the locust come?

After the king’s mowing

The king has gotten his share and the people haven’t gotten theirs yet, and the locust will come along and devastate it.

Just when they were about to harvest for themselves the locust come in and eat the vegetation of the land…

What’s the king’s mowing?

The king’s taxes…he gets the first mowing; that would be his and the rest of it belongs to the people; the king has laid in his; the people haven’t gotten theirs yet and the locust come along and devastate it…just when they were about to harvest for themselves the locust come in and eat the vegetation of the land

That’s what God shows Amos.

What does Amos do?

He pleads with God.

He intercedes on Israel’s behalf.

He is concerned about how weak Israel can survive this.

This is surely not what they thought about themselves.

They thought they were big and strong.

But Amos, knowing better, is concerned.

What does Amos do?

He pleads with God.

He intercedes on Israel’s behalf.

What argument does he use to get God to pardon and relent against Israel?

We are small…how ironic; how did Israel see themselves? as big and strong

They only hope for their survival is pleading with God that they are so small that they need His mercy.

Amos knows that God helps the weak and helpless.

APPLICATION

When we ask for help from God what is our best tactic?

To ask for help on the basis of how great we are?

We need to humble ourselves.

Too often we think we need to prove we deserve it; we need to prove we need it.

Instead, we need to depend on God.

Don’t try to recite our resume to God; we need help.

To ask for help on the basis of how great we are?

We need to humble ourselves…too often we think we need to prove we deserve it; we need to prove we need it; we need to depend on God; don’t try to recite our resume to God; we need help

God responds to Amos’ request.

He changes His mind!

He decides not to bring the locusts upon Israel!

Does prayer change God’s mind?

Yes.

Remember other cases where people intervened with God and God relented and did not punish…Moses is the classic example

Vision 2 - Fire

This time, Amos sees fire coming to destroy.

Fire and locust are kind of in the same genre.

They both just destroy everything in their path.

Fire

Amos once again pleads on behalf of Israel, asking the LORD not to bring this judgment.

And what does the LORD do?

He once again changes His mind!

Fire and locust are kind of in the same genre….they

both just destroy everything in their path and what does Amos do?

The very same thing

and what does Amos do?

The very same thing

And what does the Lord do?

The same thing

vs 1-3 and vs. 4-6 are parallel….emphasize

the same point

Now let’s look at the third vision.

This one is a little different.

Vision 3 - A Plumb Line

This time what does Amos see?

A plumb line.

A plumb line is a string with a weight on one end.

This tool was used to assist builders judge the straightness of a wall vertically.

A plumb line is a line with a weight on one end.

This tool was used to assist builders judge the straightness of a wall ver cally.

What’s a plumb line?

Line with a weight on the end of it

This was a common Old Testament picture of judgment.

The application here is, “How does Israel line up with the standard God has given?”

Are they on the straight or narrow or are the crooked?

They are crooked and perverse.

IT seems like the reason for this third vision is to remind Amos what kind of people he is praying for.

He is praying for a stubborn and obstinate people.

God is showing Amos how crooked they are and how they need to be punished, helping Amos see the people how God sees the people.

To show how crooked Israel was

Up until now, Amos has been begging for mercy from God for the people

God is showing Amos how crooked they are and how they need to be punished…letting Amos see the people how God sees the people

Now Amos doesn’t plead for mercy because the plumb line shows the need for justice.

And we see in this vision that God is going to devastate a couple of things?

Their religion…their high places and sanctuaries

The kingly dynasty - the house of Jeroboam.

Israel goes by a lot of names; just like the U.S.; America; Washington; Uncle Sam

Next we have a narrative section

Interlude - Opposition (7:10-17)

Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, hear’s Amos’ message, and he goes to the king - to Jeroboam II.

He tells Jeroboam, “Amos has conspired against you; the land is unable to endure all his words; we can’t tolerate this; Amos is speaking in treasonous terms.”

Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, tells Jeroboam what?