Dec 5, 2022
AMOS 1-2:
If you are new to reading the Bible, I hope that you will remember
the events and expressions that Joel used. One or two ideas were
repeated by Jesus in the Gospels, and we will soon see how
important Joel’s predictions are in Revelation.
We turn now to Amos, whose name means ‘burden bearer’. Amos— like David and Gideon, started out as an ordinary guy going about his business as a shepherd and grower of sycamore figs. He was not a priest or a man with training as a prophet when God called him. Because of the mention of a great earthquake and king Uzziah, it is likely that Amos was working as a prophet around the year 760 BC. This makes him a contemporary of Jonah, Hosea, Isaiah, and Micah.
Although Amos’ home town of Tekoa is only 12 miles south of Jerusalem, Amos prophesied primarily about the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He was wise in his delivery. First he prophesied judgment for Israel’s enemies before lambasting Judah and Israel themselves. Although from a humble occupation, Amos was very gifted as a writer, using very graphic and unique figures of speech. Amos would have had a difficult ministry because he prophesied horrible events that would have been unimaginable for his comfortable and prosperous listeners. The fulfillments were 50 years away, so he was quite ‘ahead of his time’. Mears quotes someone else in saying, “Amos proclaimed a message so far ahead of his time that most of the human race— and a large part of all Christendom, have not yet caught up with it.”
ISAIAH 44:24-45:
Because
the prophecy at the end of chapter 44 is so stunning as to mention
Cyrus some 150 years before his birth, skeptical scholars claim
that this portion of Isaiah was not written until after the events
happened and by a different author. But what then? If you say
something like that, are you going to claim that Isaiah 53 was
written after Christ came and died?
2TIMOTHY 4:
There are more than one wonderful 3:16 verses in the Bible, and we
read one of them in chapter 3 yesterday:
2Tim. 3:16 NLT All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
NLT Translation notes:
2Tim. 4:5 [Stay alert//But you should keep a clear mind] in every
situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at
telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God
has given you. And [such a/the] prize is not just for me but for
all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.