(787 B.C.?) [A prophecy of Amos, a herdsman from Tekoa in Judah, to the Northern Kingdom, Israel, in the days of Uzziah, 9th king of Judah, and Jeroboam II, 13th king of Israel, two years before the great earthquake. Delivered at Bethel.] A prophecy from God, a 4-fold indictment against the surrounding nations. His roar will come from Zion, in particular, Jerusalem, devastating the land.

Syria's Judgment  =  Fire in the house of Hazael (king). Damascus, their capital, destroyed and the people taken captive into Kir.
Their Sin  =  They threshed Gilead with iron.

Gaza's Judgment  =  Her walls burned, palaces destroyed, inhabitants cut off from Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Ekron; even the remnant of the Philistines will perish.
Their Sin  =  They carried away the Hebrews, delivering them to Edom.

Tyre's Judgment  =  Walls and palaces of Tyrus burned.
Their Sin  =  Forgetting their brotherly covenant, they likewise delivered their captivity of Hebrews to Edom.

Edom's Judgment  =  Teman burned, palaces of Bozrah devoured.
Their Sin  =  Through anger, with no pity, pursued his brother (Israel) with the sword in wrath perpetually.

Ammon's Judgment  =  Walls of Rabbah burned, palaces destroyed, king and princes carried away captive.
Their Sin  =  Ripped open Gilead's women with children to increase their borders.

Moab's Judgment: Great destruction of Moab, palaces of Kirioth burned, judge cut off, and princes slain with him.
Their Sin: They burned the bones of Edomite king into lime. (Now turns to God's own people, Judah and Israel.)

Judah's Judgment: Fire upon her; palaces burned and destroyed.
Their Sin: They despised His law, did not keep His commandments, and through lies, erred ( Prov.13:13).

Israel's Sin: They sold the righteous for silver, poor for shoes, oppressed the meek and poor, engaged in degraded sexual sin, desecrated holy clothes, and consumed wine in the Temple bought with exacted fines. He reminds them of His past care in establishing them in the land; condemns their present sin of giving Nazerites drink and forbidding prophets to speak.
Israel's Judgment: Mighty to be brought low, with no deliverance.

[Israel's continued judgment.] God's lamentation over her for her rebellion to His goodness. His Proverb: Two can walk together only when they both agree. His secrets are revealed to His prophets, and they must speak them. Summons their assembly to the mountains of Samaria to view their own wickedness as He sees them. An adversary will be brought up to them. A remnant will be spared. The altar erected at Bethel ( I Ki.12:29), destroyed, and the king's winter and summer homes in Samaria and Jezreel. The great houses of ivory will cease in His visitation.

Kine (fat cows), women of luxurious lives living in Samaria, will be taken captive with hooks of humility because they oppressed the poor and needy. He rebukes them for their idolatry at Bethel and Gilgal, central sites of Calf worship. (I Ki.12:28-29; Hosea 13:2) Famine and drought to come. His signs for repentance went unheeded, even that of their army being reduced. All warnings were ignored. SO PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD, O ISRAEL! The Lord, The God of Hosts, is His Name!

[A lamentation over Israel.] The virgin of Israel is fallen. Once arrayed in great glory and proud, now reduced to little with great shame. ( Prov.11:2,4; 16:18; 29:23) A warning against seeking Gilgal and Bethel (praying to false gods for help). Seek only Him and live! Israel's many sins are known to their God. There is no justice in the land. They have no defense. No excuse will suffice. He encourages them to genuine repentance. There is no place to run, no place to hide. He despises their empty worship and feast days. Israel abandoned the gracious God for the terrible Moloch and Chiun (offering to them their children in bloody sacrifices!). Therefore, He sentences them to be carried into captivity beyond Damascus, capital of Syria.

[A woe to the rich of Zion and Samaria.] They amass off the backs of the poor, living in luxury in their tiled houses, lying upon their beds of ivory, eating the créme de la créme of His abundance, ungrateful and unrepentant for their sins. Their feasts are a stench in His nostrils. Therefore, they who are much blessed will go captive first: Samaria, abhorred by God to be delivered up. Great human tragedies will befall man. A nation will advance on Israel from Hamath to the river of the wilderness.

[5 Visions For Coming Judgment Are Revealed In Chapters 7-9.]

Vision #1 = Vision of grasshoppers. Amos intervenes for mercy. God yields.
Vision #2 = Vision of fire. Again Amos intercedes and again God relents.
Vision #3 = Vision of the plumb line. This time God will "no more pass them by."

Amaziah, Bethel's high priest (to false gods), sends a communiqué to king Jeroboam II of Amos' prophecy against Israel, accusing him of conspiracy. Amos ordered by Amaziah to cease from his prophecy and return and prophesy only in Judah. Amos informs him he is no regular prophet, only a shepherd and reaper of sycamore fruit, called of God for this specific mission to Israel. He prophesies against Amaziah for his interference: his wife to become a harlot, his sons slain by the sword, his land given to another, and to die amidst disgrace in a spoiled land. Israel will go captive regardless of his beliefs!

[Visions Continue.]
Vision #4 = Vision of summer fruit basket, picked and assembled, ripe and luscious, ready for spoil. Amos no longer intercedes. Again, as in 7:8, God will no longer pass them by. Their Temple singing will turn to bitter wailing. His judgment is due to their unjust treatment of the poor. The sun will disappear at noon, the Earth darkened, and their feasts turned into mourning, etc. The destitute will be desperate for His word, but it will not be found. His word will be as precious as bread and water when the famine comes. Even the fairest and strongest will faint in their thirst for both. The wicked idolaters will cease and rise no more.

[Visions Continue.]
Vision #5 = Vision of the desolate sanctuary. It will be smitten. There will be no escaping His judgment, not in hell, heaven, the top of Carmel, nor the depths of the sea, not even if they run to the security of other nations. God sees their sins. Israel (the Nortern Kingdom) will be laid desolate, a sinful kingdom never to be again! But a remnant of Jacob (Judah - the Southern Kingdom) will be spared and the Tabernacle of David restored. The remnant will be returned. They will prosper, never to be plucked away again.