OT Characters: Amos

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.Hebrew: 'Amos (Amos) – “borne, burden." 7x in AmosFurther study:Passages read or referred to in this podcast:Amos 1:1, 7:10-17, 7:1-9; Jeremiah 37; Galatians 1; Amos 3:8; 1 Corinthians 9; Jeremiah 20:9; Amos 7:1-9.Amos 2:6-7a, 3:2-8, 4:1-2, 5:14, 4:12, 5:18-24, Micah 6:8, 6:1-6, 8:4-6, 8:9-12, 9:7-8, 9:13-14a.Advanced:Consider Amos 9:11, which is cited during the Jerusalem Council (49 AD). The passage prophesied that once the fallen tent of David (the Tabernacle) was restored, the Gentile mission will flourish. James (Acts 15:16) explains the success of the Gentile mission in light of this passage. In other words -- and on this point I come into disagreement with many scholars -- by the time of Acts 15, the "restoration" of Israel had already taken place (through the ministry of the first century leaders). As a result, the Gentiles mission was underway.PowerPoint presentation from Sunday School at Angelfire. Click here.If you want to be challenged by some great historical fiction, checkout Francine Rivers’ The Prophet.Be sure to check out the Amos series (premium subscribers) at this website. 13 lessons in all, going in detail through all 9 chapters of Amos.Some things we learn about God:When we ignore God’s warnings, he punishes us. Yet the judgment is followed by blessing.God works among the nations, and cares for all of them (1:3-2:6, 6:2, 9:7, etc).For kids: Here is a lesson based on Amos 8:11-12 (hunger for the word).Read the passage.Ask the kids:Are you hungry?If yes, for what? If not, what would you really want if you were hungry?What's “famine”? (Define.) How do people behave when they’re veryhungry? (Desperate, will eat anything. Share about some of the famines – esp. sieges – of the Old Testament.)But what do people really need to “eat”? The word of God. Eating it means they digest it; it becomes part of them. “You are what you eat.”Explain that, in Amos’ day, people needed the word of God, but they weren’t getting it. There was lots of religion, but not much “meat.”Take a minute or two to bring this principle to life. Ask:How do you feel after eating a light meal? (Give some examples.) You’d be hungry again in a half-hour!In contract, what sorts of things are in a filling, nutritious dinner?How do we “eat” the word of God? What can I do every day to make sure I am eating right?Take time to read the Bible.Don’t just wolf it down – eating without thinking. (Does your dog give a lot of thought to the food it is eating? We shouldn’t be like that when we study God’s word.) Think about what you are taking in.Even though the prophet Amos spoke 2800 years ago, the message is still for today.There is a famine for the word.People aren’t finding the word of God.They are wandering around looking for the truth.Yet a lot people who are wandering around prefer not to find the truth.But there is a great banquet prepared for us and everybody else. This is good news.