Week 3: Amos

Week 3: Amos 1-9

Objective: 

• TheAmos's Locustintroduction

  Plague

• Mourning for the Land

• The DayAuthority of the LordProphet’s Message

• God’Punishment of Israel’s SpiritSins

  Poured Out

• GodIsrael BlessesDid HisNot PeopleAccept Correction

• A Call to Repentance

• Visions of the locusts, the fire, and the plumb line

• Amaziah’s Complaint

• Vision of the Summer Fruit

Resources:

• Fr Tadros Y Malaty Commentary
• Catena Bible Commentary
• Fr Dawoud Lamie Bible study (Arabic)
• Fr. Daoud Lamie - Amos (Full)
• Minor Prophets SUSCOPTS

Activity for every week: Can you recite the 12 minor prophets?

Reading:

• JoelAmos 1:1-201
• JoelAmos 2:3:1-328
• JoelAmos 3:18-214:6-13
• Amos 5:4-15
• Amos 7
• Amos 8

Key verse(s):

“And it shall come to pass afterward,in that day,” says the Lord God, “That I will pourmake outthe Mysun Spiritgo ondown allat flesh"noon, And I will darken the earth in broad daylight" JoelAmos 2:288:9

NOTE TO SERVANT:

• Please plan to ask and review these questions every week:

  • Who are the minor prophets? Can you recite them?
    
  • The theme for last week's minor prophet
  • Highlight Messianic prophecy

Minor Prophets introduction:

• The Major and Minor Prophet division of the Holy Bible does not denote the importance or rank of the writing prophets, but the length of the Holy Books which bear their prophecies.

  • Ex: Jonah 4 chapters - Isaiah 66 chapters
• There are 12 minor prophets and 4 major prophets (5 books including Lamentations)
• In the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), all these books were listed under "prophets". In the Septuagint and Vulgate translations, this classification of major and minor was mentioned.
• The prophet in the OT was someone who passed God's message to the people. A prophet in the NT is also someone who passes God's message or news (God's love and salvation for all mankind).
• In the OT, there were many prophets (Moses, David, Elijah, Elisha, etc.), but when we refer to the "Prophets", we refer to the ones who recorded their prophecy. 
• All prophecies had one goal: Repentance!
• Recorded prophecies were split into three groups: Before, during, and after the exile.
  • Before: Repent so God doesn't bring the exile
  • During: Repent so God can end the exile and take us back to our land
  • After: Repent because the Messiah is coming
• The books of the prophets are rich with Messianic prophecies. All were fulfilled by Our Lord.
• All books have different themes. All books have the same message (repentance).
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Comments:

Theme of Joel: God's judgment - The Day of the Lord
Messianic Prophecy: TheDarkness Holyat Spirit on Pentecostnoon (2:28)8:9)

• JoelAmos is one of the minor prophets.

• The book of Joel was written for the SouthernIsrael, the Northern Kingdom of Israel

• JoelAmos meansmeans: "Jehovah“Burden” isor God"
“Burden-bearer” 
• TheAmos booklived up to the meaning of Joelhis canname beby dividedbearing intoup twounder majorhis sections:divinely thegiven dayburden of thedeclaring Lord in retrospect (ch. 1); and the day of the Lord in prospect (chs. 2,3).
• Chapter 1:
  • The waves of locusts are like levels of sin:
    • Chewing locust: small - can't move much. Small thoughts into the heart and mind
    • Swarming locust: startedjudgment to move.rebellious
    • Crawling locust: developed small wings.
    • Consuming locust: Strong wings that can fly. Sins when they completely grow and take over the humanIsrael
  • St.Amos Jermonewas symbolizesfrom theseTekoa four(1:1) waveswhich is south of Jerusalem. Even though Amos was from the South kingdom, God chose him to prophesy to the fourNorth kingdomsKingdom
  • Amos mentioned that disciplinedhe Judahwas a sheep breeder (Southern kingdom): Babylon, Persia, Greece,1:1) and Rome.a tender of sycamore fruit (7:14-15)
    • Even though he was a simple man and not a prophet or a son of a prophet (7:14), God chose him to prophesy
    • His V.6:prophecy Symbolizeshas thedeep nationsmeanings thatand will beis very strong and take them to captivity
    • V.9-10: No worship is taking place due to the lack of everything = no joy or communion with Godpoetic
  • ChapterAccording 2:to
    1:1, Amos prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah, king of Judah (767–739 B.C.), and Jeroboam, king of Israel (782–753 B.C.), thus leaving a possible time frame from 767 to 753 B.C.
    • V.1-11:Amos Theministered dayafter the time of Joel and Jonah, and just before Hosea, Micah, and Isaiah. At this time Uzziah reigned over a prosperous and militarily successful Judah.
    • In the north, Israel was ruled by the capable king Jeroboam II. Economic and military circumstances were almost ideal, but prosperity only increased the materialism, immorality, and injustice of the Lordpeople.
    • During these years, Assyria, Babylon, Syria, and Egypt were relatively weak.
    • Thus, the people of Israel found it hard to imagine the coming disaster predicted by Amos—a disaster that occurred barely three decades later.
    • Chapter 3:1-8
      • God asked 7 questions and all are to be answered with "No"
      • Question 1: God wanted to walk with His people but they did not keep the agreement
      • Question 2: The Lion will only roar if there is prey. The devil is roaring cause of their actions
      • Question 3: A young lion will roar out happiness that he found a prey. The devil is happy he found a prey
      • Question 4: The bird will fall because of a trap/snare. God's people should be fearfulaware of satan's traps/snares
      • Question 5: A snare will not be removed unless it catches something. The devil is removing the traps as they caught many souls
      • Question 6: The trumpet was a sign of war. People would be scared when they hear it. God's voice is loud and clear like a trumpet and the people ignore Him. 
      • Question 7: Any calamity happens from God for the people’s correction and repentance. If they witnessed all these calamities and did not repent, this is a sign of their ignorance.
        • Discuss with the youth about different calamities that happen around us (Ex. COVID) or hardships that happen to thoseus whoand didn’how God uses these things so we can repent and get back to him. You can give Biblical examples.
        • V.7: God doesn’t do anything unless He tells his prophets. The people should listen to hisAmos. voice/warningsWe (locusts).shall Those who fear God, wait for this day joyfully.
        • V.12-17: God is calling for repentance.
        • V.13: God wants our heartslisten to followthe Himpriests and offerbishops truewhen repentance.they Nottell just an outside fake repentant look.
        • V.15-17: God is calling everyoneus to repentrepent.
        • V.23: Rain/water is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Former rain comes at the beginning right after sowing to help the seeds grow and bud. Latter rain comes later to help the small buds become big trees and produce fruits. The Holy Spirit (Former rain) comes on the day of baptism to purify us and keeps coming again (latter rain) during our life to sanctify us until the end of our life.
        • V.28: A prophecy on the day of Pentecost. When His Spirit was poured on His disciples. St. Peter quoted Joel in his sermon (Acts 2).
    • ChapterAmos 3:4:6-13: God has done many things to correct His people. The message is very strong which reflects the people's spiritual status at this time. Reflect on things that happen nowadays for our correction and repentance.
      • V.18:Soon Thereafter willall bethese joymessages and happinessthings afterGod weallowed receivefor thetheir Holyrepentance, Spirit.they Thewere drytaken mountainsinto arecaptivity. nowThat drippingshows with wine (wine is a symbol of Joy in the Bible).
      • The Book ends with a message of hope and joy in seeingthat God's workmessages inare Hisreal Church.
      if
      • Egyptpeople do not repent. God is merciful and Edom:compassionate, symbolsbut ofhe sin.is Sinalso just and violence will end,judge and Godkeeps willhis reign forever (V.20)word.

    Review/recap questions:
    **Servant may add more questions

    1. Whom do the locusts represent?
    2. What is meant by the day of the Lord?
    3. Who quoted the prophet Joel in the NT?
    4. Find a prophecy is in this book and when it was fulfilled. Give verses.
    5. How can the people escape this invasion?
       

    Homework:
    **Servant may add more questions

    1. Joel asked the priests to a) Consecrate a fast b) Call a sacred assembly c) cry out to the LORD d) all of those
    2. To whom should the beasts of the field cry out? a) each other b) the Lord c) the hunters d) Joelan
    3. What do verses 28-29 in chapter 2 prophesy about?