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Home , Amos 1, Amos 2, Amos 3, Amos 4, Amos 5, Amos 6

Tuesday Morning Women’s Study ! with Pastor Ritva Williams September-October 2014 Session 1 ’s Neighbors Indicted ( 1:1-2:3) Introduction “The ” is the second major portion of the , which is divided into two groups: “The Former Prophets”: Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings “The Latter Prophets”: “The Major Prophets”: , Jeremiah and “The Minor Prophets”: , Joel, AMOS, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi The content of the prophetic books originated as oral pronouncements (oracles) by the to a public audience. These oral sayings were subsequently written down, perhaps by the prophet or a disciple. Collections of prophetic oracles were edited, rearranged, annotated and expanded, e.g. by adding narratives about the prophet. Amos was a native of Judah (the southern kingdom). His home was in Tekoa, in the Judean hills south of , and by trade he was “a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees” (7:14). He was called to prophesy in Israel (the northern kingdom) specifically in its capital city of and its religious center at . He was active as a prophet during the reigns of King of Judah (783-742 BC) and Jeroboam II of Israel (786-746 BC). This was a time of peace for the two kingdoms. There were no major threats from major Near Eastern superpowers such as or . It was a time of prosperity, in which a wealthy class was emerging at the top of society. This led to a breakdown of old tribal and family systems of land ownership. The prosperity for a few came the expense of many. Amos’ oracles were originally addressed to the people of Israel. A written collection was brought to Judah after the fall of Israel in 722 BC. Later prophets, such as Isaiah of , seem to have had knowledge of Amos’ oracles. After the fall of

1 Judah in 586 BC, further editorial changes were made. The , in its current form, includes material that presupposes the fall of Judah (9:11-15). The Phenomenon of Prophecy • The prophets of ancient Israel were not ancient fortune-tellers. • The prophet was an intermediary between God and the people: a messenger. Some functioned as seers, visionaries, and holy men also. • Some prophets were private counselors of kings, e.g. Nathan in relation to . • Amos was a public figure who influenced opinion through pronouncements in public places • Prophetic messages had two primary purposes: (1) Criticize current events and practices in order to change them (2) Energize society in times of crisis by generating hope, affirming identity, and creating vision for a new future • They are better described as forecasters of the “forthcoming” rather than distant future, predicting the outcomes and consequences of things that were happening in their times. Reading Amos Amos’ pronouncements take the form of “indictment oracles” that have three elements: • The summons to the accused: the naming of the offenders • The indictment: an accusation or a list of offenses • The sentence: what will happen because of the offenses As we read :1-2:3, circle the summons, underline the indictment, and put a swiggly line under the threat/sentence. Discussion Questions: 1. Who is indicted? 2. What are their offenses? Is there a pattern to the offenses? Do they fall into one or more identifiable categories? 3. What will be the consequences of these behaviors? 4. We believe that God’s Holy Spirit speaks through these ancient texts to create and maintain our faith and fellowship for service in the world. How do we hear God speaking to us through Amos today?

2 Session 2 Israel Indicted (:4-3:15) Introduction: A comparison of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) Old Testament

Torah! Pentateuch! Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy Deuteronomy

Nevi’im! Historical Books! The Former Prophets! Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings, Joshua, Judges, 1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings 1&2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther The Latter Prophets! Major: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel Orthodox & Catholic include: Judith, Tobit, Minor (The Twelve): Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, 1,2,3 Maccabees Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Kethuv’im! Wisdom Books! Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, , Song of Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra- Solomon Nehemiah, 1&2 Chronicles Orthodox & Catholic Bibles include Psalm 151, Prayer of Manasseh, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach

Prophets! Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi Orthodox & Catholic Bibles include Baruch, Letter of Jeremiah, and the following additions to the : Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Jews, Susanna, Bel & the Dragon Recap of Session 1 Amos, a native of Judah, “a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees” (7:14), was called to prophesy in Samaria and Bethel about 760 BCE during a time of peace and prosperity that saw the emergence of a wealthy class in Israelite society. Amos’ pronouncements take the form of “indictment oracles” that name the accused, specify their offense, and its forthcoming consequences. Amos 1:1-2:3 consists of six indictments directed at Israel’s neighbors (, Gaza, Tyre, , the Ammonites, ). All of them are accused of violence against other peoples: beatings, selling communities into captivity, warfare, atrocities against non- combatants, and desecration of the deceased. All these crimes are motivated by

3 greed, the desire for political and economic gain. The consequences include “fire” and going into exile. Believing that God speaks to us through these ancient tests to create and maintain our faith and fellowship for service to the world, we are challenged by Amos to repent of the violence that we perpetrate on others in order to get ahead socially, economically or politically in our own little corner of the world, across the country, and across the globe. Session 2 - Discussion Questions: 1. Read Amos 2:4-16. Who is indicted? What are their offenses? Is there a pattern to the offenses? Do they fall into one or more identifiable categories? What will be the consequences of these behaviors? Definitions – an ancient Semitic speaking nomadic people who lived west of the Euphrates ( & Canaan). Beginning about 2200 BCE they occupied parts of southern Mesopotamia where they established city-states, e.g. Mari and . The Amorite language belongs to the same family of languages as Hebrew, Phoenician, Edomite, Ammonite, Moabite, Punic and Amalekite. – literally means, “separated or consecrated one,” refers to persons who took vows for a specific period of time. The vows that included abstinence from wine and other strong drink, consuming nothing produced by the grapevine, not cutting the hair and/or beard, and avoid all contact with human corpses (see Numbers 6:1-12). Samson and Samuel were lifelong . 2. Read :1-2. What point is the Lord, speaking through the prophet trying to make here? 3. Read Amos 3:3-8. What is the point of these rhetorical questions? 4. Read Amos 3:9-15. Who/what are “” and “Egypt”? What role is God calling them to play? Who is being indicted in these oracles, for what? What will God do? 5. We believe that God speaks to us through these ancient texts in order to create and maintain our faith and fellowship for service in the world. What is God trying to tell us here today?

4 Session 3 Samaria Indicted (:1-5:17) Recap of Session 2 In chapter 2, Amos indicts: • Judah (the southern kingdom) for rejecting God’s law and commandments. • Israel (the northern kingdom) for injustices against the poor, e.g. enslavement for nonpayment of debts, denial of due process in the courts, exploitation & prostitution of young girls, impose abusive fines and debts the proceeds of which they use for their own comfort and idolatrous worship. They prohibit God’s prophets from prophesying and corrupt the Nazarites (persons consecrated to God). Amos announces that God’s judgment will take the form of a military catastrophe (2:13-16). Because of God’s special relationship with Israel (saved from slavery in Egypt) God expects better from them and will hold them accountable for their actions, even more than other peoples. Amos calls on the (Ashdod) and Egypt to serve as witnesses to Samaria’s corruption. The military defeat will be so total that only broken fragments will remain, e.g. two legs or a piece of an ear, the corner of a couch, part of a bed…. Believing that God speaks to us through these ancient tests to create and maintain our faith and fellowship for service to the world, we are challenged by Amos to repent of: • The ways that we – and especially those of us in positions of civic and community leadership – contribute to making the lives of the poor more difficult. • The ways that idolatry creeps into our live. Luther in the Large Catechism says, “A god is that from which we expect all good, and to which we take refuge in all distress.” He points out that many people who think they worship God are actually worshipping money, possessions, skill, prudence, power, favor, friendship, honor/prestige….

5 Session 3 - Discussion Questions: 1. Read Amos 4:1-5. Who is indicted? What are their offenses? What will be the consequences of these behaviors? Definitions: – a region east of the known for its sleek cattle. Bethel – the place where dreamt of a ladder extending to heaven (Genesis28), and to which Jacob returned as Israel, built an altar and committed him and his family to worship YHWH alone (Genesis 35). Here King Jeroboam I (922-901 BC) installed a golden calf, and declared “Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt” (1 Kings 12:28). Another golden calf was also set up in at the north end of his kingdom. - literally means “a circle of standing stones,” and may refer to the place where the Israelites first camped after crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land. Joshua ordered the Israelites to set up 12 stones as a memorial to the event (Joshua 4:19-5:12). The prophet Samuel offered sacrifices and renewed Saul’s kingship at Gilgal (1 Samuel 7, 11). It appears to have housed a group of prophets included Elijah and Elisha (2 Kings 2:1-2). 2. Read Amos 4:6-13. According to the prophet, who is responsible for all the disasters that he lists? What is the purpose of the disasters? 3. Read :1-9. Lamentation is a dirge or funeral song. Who is dying, according to Amos? Is death inevitable? Is there hope? 4. Read Amos 5:10-13. Who is being indicted here? Who are “they”? What are they doing, and what will be the consequence? 5. Read Amos 5:14-17. Good news or bad news? Has the outcome of been determined? 6. We believe that God speaks to us through these ancient texts in order to create and maintain our faith and fellowship for service in the world. What is God trying to tell us here today?

6 Session 4 The Day of the Lord (Amos 5:18-6:14) Recap of Session 3 After indicting Israel’s neighbors, the , and the northern kingdom , Amos zeroes in on: • The women of Samaria (Israel’s capital city) for oppressing the poor, for arrogance, and for their religious devotion to idolatrous worship at Bethel and Gilgal (Amos 4:1-5). • The wealthy and powerful who take advantage of the poor through corrupt courts, fines and taxes that they use to build make themselves even richer (5:10-13). All of God’s attempts to correct Israel have failed. After every disaster, God cries out, “yet you did not return to me” (Amos 4:6-13). God laments Israel’s sin and its forthcoming consequences even as God pleads with Israel “seek me and live” (Amos 5:4, 6), “seek good and not evil that you may live” (Amos 5:14-15). Believing that God speaks to us through these ancient tests to create and maintain our faith and fellowship for service to the world, we are challenged by Amos to repent of the ways our affluence has negative implications for the poor, the way our system is “rigged,” and the ways that idolatry creeps into our lives. Session 4 - Discussion Questions: 1. Read Amos 5:18-20. This is the earliest prophetic reference to “the day of the Lord.” What do you think it means? The phrase “day of the Lord” occurs twelve times in the Hebrew Bible in addition to its double appearance here in Amos (Isaiah 13:6, 9; Jeremiah 46:10; Ezekiel 13:5, 30:3; :15, 2:1, 2:11, 3:14; Obadiah 1:15; :7, 14). In the New Testament it occurs five times (1 Corinthians 5:5; 2 Corinthians 1:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 2 Peter 3:10). Interestingly it is not a term that Jesus used. RELEVANCE: Lutheran Theology espouses A-Millennialism a.k.a. “Present or Realized Eschatology,” a ancient tradition dating from ~ AD 200, and promoted by the early Church Fathers, St. Augustine, Martin Luther, John Calvin, as well as the Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran and most mainline Protestant churches). The basic premise is that we are currently living in “the end times” understood as a transitional time between the “old” and the “new” ages/worlds. Both the old and new

7 co-exist simultaneously together, hence each of us is sinner/saint throughout life, the world is simultaneously broken and in the process of being restored. God has two strategies for healing the world and transforming sinners into saints: • Spiritual/Inner: Word & Sacrament • Physical/Outer: vocations of people in their homes, workplaces, faith communities, neighborhoods, towns, counties, states/provinces, and countries Lutherans generally do NOT espouse Pre-Millennialism (an idea that emerged in ~1800s in the writings of JN Darby, and promoted by Hal Lindsey’s book The Late Great Planet Earth, Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins’ Left Behind series) and its belief in Christ’s 1st 2nd coming to “rapture” believers to heaven while the earth experiences tribulation until Christ’s 2nd 2nd coming with believers to rule on earth for 1000 years prior to the last judgment (see Revelation 20).

For a Lutheran take on the whole business of the “rapture” see Barbara R. Rossing’s book, The Rapture Exposed (Westview Press, 2004). 2. Read Amos 5:21-24. What point is God through the prophet trying to make? 3. Read Amos 5:25-27. A historical disagreement: did Israel make sacrifices and offerings to God during the wandering in the wilderness? The stories in the books of the Pentateuch would indicate they did (e.g. Exodus 24 and other texts). Yet the prophet Jeremiah records God has saying “For in the day that I brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to them or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Jeremiah 7:22). Sakkuth: a Mesopotamian deity, cupbearer to the gods Kaiwan: a Mesopotamian name for the god/planet Saturn (alternate ancient Greek translation has “ and Raephan” two underworld spirits associated with rising up to receive sacrifices at -peor in Numbers 25:1-5, Deuteronomy 4:3, Hosea 9:10, Psalm 106:28). 4. Read :1-14. Who is indicted here? What are they accused of? What shall be the consequence of their actions? 5. We believe that God speaks to us through these ancient texts in order to create and maintain our faith and fellowship for service in the world. What is God trying to tell us here today?

8 Session 5 Four Vision Reports (:1-8:14) Recap of Session 4 In chapter 5, Amos challenges his hearers’ expectations of the “day of the Lord.” They are hoping for a day of vindication and victory over their enemies, but the prophet says it will be a dark day of judgment. His hearers seem to be grounding their bright hopes on their religious devotion manifest in solemn assemblies, burnt offerings, grain offerings, and offerings of fatted animals. God will not accept these, nor will God listen to their songs of praise because they have failed uphold justice and right relations (righteousness). Amos’ prophecy suggests that sacrifices and offerings were not offered to God during the forty years in the wilderness. In chapter 6, Amos indicts the “notables” in Jerusalem and Samaria, i.e. the wealthy ruling class that lives in idle luxury and arrogant self-satisfaction, unconcerned over the troubles facing the people (6:1-14). Exile and destruction will follow. Believing that God speaks to us through these ancient tests to create and maintain our faith and fellowship for service to the world, we are challenged by Amos to repent of: • our tendency/temptation to be Sunday Christians only as if God has no claim on our lives from Monday through Saturday of each week. Justice and right- relations ultimately count more than church-attendance!?! See Matthew 25. • our affluenza: (1) the relentless pursuit of acquiring more and more even to the detriment of our physical, emotional and spiritual health, (2) the arrogant complacency and insensitivity that presumes that the ends justify the means, and (3) individualistic, consumeristic attitudes that fail to recognize the impact of our pursuit of more. Session 5 - Discussion Questions: 1. Read Amos 7:1-6. What is going on here? What does the prophet see? What does it mean? How does Amos respond? What is the outcome? A Word about “Vision Reports” “Visions” are visual and/or auditory experiences that occur in altered states of consciousness, e.g. while sleeping (dreams), meditating, praying, or in a trance state. They are involuntary, i.e. the person cannot make the experience happen. They are messages from God. They almost always require interpretation. Often the meaning of the vision does not become clear until much later.

9 These experiences are not hallucinations. They are not drug/alcohol induced. They are not symptoms of mental illness or other pathological states. See work by Andrew B. Newberg, e.g. Why God Won’t Go Away (2001) 2. Read Amos 7:7-9. What point is God through the prophet trying to make? 3. Read Amos 7:10-17. What is Amaziah’s complaint against Amos? How does Amos respond? 4. Read :1-4. What does Amos see? What does it mean? 5. Read Amos 8:5-14. Who is indicted this time? For what? What are the consequences? 6. We believe that God speaks to us through these ancient texts in order to create and maintain our faith and fellowship for service in the world. What is God trying to tell us here today?

10 Session 6 Destruction and Salvation (:1-15) Recap of Session 5 Amos reports receiving four visions from God: • locusts (Amos 7:1-3) • a shower of ire (Amos 7:4-6) • the LORD holding a plumb line beside a wall (Amos 7:7-9) • a basket of summer fruit (Amos 8:1-3) After the irst two visions symbolizing destruction, Amos intercedes for the people and God relents. The next two visions point to judgment and time running out. Amos does not intercede and the sentence is not lifted. Amos 7:10-17 describes how Amaziah, the priest at Bethel regarded Amos’ prophecy as evidence of a conspiracy against King Jeroboam of Israel, i.e. an attempt to incite rebellion and/or treason. Amaziah sent a report to the king, and confronted Amos telling him to return to Judah. Amos refused. Businessmen, merchants and traders are indicted for their corrupt practices that defraud and oppress the needy and the poor (8:4-8). Believing that God speaks to us through these ancient tests to create and maintain our faith and fellowship for service to the world, we are challenged by Amos to repent of economic and business practices that benefit the few at the cost of the many. Session 6 - Discussion Questions: 1. Read Amos 9:1-4. This is the ifth vision report. What does Amos see this time? Deinitions: Sheol: literally is the abode of the dead, i.e. the place where all the deceased dwell. It is associated with death, the grave, the realm of the dead, the underworld. N.B. There is no concept of a separate heaven or hell in the Hebrew Bible. “Life” and “death” are who ways of being. “Life” is a way of being/living in vital connection with God. By way of contrast “death” is a state of being/living that is less and less connected with God. Carmel: a mountain range in northern Israel. The name literally means “God’s Vineyard.”

11 2. Read Amos 9:5-6. These verses are described as a “hymnic passage” or “doxology” (i.e. a liturgical formula of praise). What aspects of God are being highlighted and praised? 3. Read Amos 9:7-10. What is God’s intention toward Israel, according to Amos? 4. Read Amos 9:11-15. What is God’s inal word to the Israel? 5. What do we hear in this inal chapter of Amos – law or gospel? 6. How would we summarize the overall message of Amos for our time?

12 Summary of Amos Around 760 BCE, God called Amos, a herdsman and dresser of sycamore trees from his native Judah to prophesy in Israel’s capital city of Samaria and its religious center at Bethel. Amos’ pronouncements take the form of “indictment oracles” that name the accused, specify their offense, and its forthcoming consequences. Amos indicts: • Israel’s neighbors -- Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, the Ammonites, and Moab -- for violence, enslavement, warfare, and atrocities against other peoples (Amos 1:3-2:3). • Judah (the southern kingdom) for rejecting God’s law and commandments (Amos 2:4-5) • Israel (the northern kingdom) for injustices against the poor, e.g. enslavement for nonpayment of debts, denial of due process in the courts, exploitation & prostitution of young girls, impose abusive ines and debts the proceeds of which they use for their own comfort and idolatrous worship. They prohibit God’s prophets from prophesying and corrupt the Nazarites. (Amos 2:6-16) • The women of Samaria (Israel’s capital city) for oppressing the poor, for arrogance, and for their religious devotion to idolatrous worship at Bethel and Gilgal (Amos 4:1-5). • The wealthy and powerful who take advantage of the poor through corrupt courts, ines and taxes that they use to build make themselves even richer (5:10-13). • The “notables” in Jerusalem and Samaria, i.e. the wealthy ruling class that lives in idle luxury and arrogant self-satisfaction, unconcerned over the troubles facing the people (6:1-14). • Businessmen, merchants and traders for their corrupt practices that defraud and oppress the needy and the poor (8:4-8). Amos announces that God’s judgment will take the form of a military catastrophe (Amos 2:13-16; 3:11-15; 4:2-3). All of God’s attempts to correct Israel have failed (Amos 4:6-13). God laments Israel’s sin and its forthcoming consequences even as God pleads with Israel “seek me and live” (Amos 5:4, 6, 14-15). The prophet warns his hearers that the “day of the Lord” will be darkness for them even though they are very religious and devout in their worship (assemblies, offerings and sacriices) they have failed to uphold justice and right relations (5:18-25). Amos’ irst two visions (locusts, a rain of ire) presage destruction. The vision of the plumb line suggests that Israel fails to measure up to God’s expectations. The vision of the basket of summer fruit says their time has run out. In the ifth vision (Amos 9:1-7), Amos sees and hears the LORD giving orderings for the destruction of the people, declaring that there will be no escaping from God’s judgment not even in death or captivity. The people are reminded that even though they are God’s chosen people, God has also been concerned for and cared for other nations (Amos 9:7). The sinful kingdom will be destroyed, but the house of Jacob will not be destroyed; rather God will sift the house of Israel to separate out the sinners (9:8-10). Amos’ concludes with divine promises of restoration, the rebuilding of cities, the rejuvenation of the land and its fertility, peace and security in their reclaimed territories.

13 Amos is both law and gospel. Law for all those indicted, gospel for all who are victims of those indicted. Believing that God speaks to us through these ancient tests to create and maintain our faith and fellowship for service to the world, we are challenged by Amos to examine our world views, our attitudes, our values, our practices in light of God’s preferential option for the poor and oppressed.

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