Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Bible #30

Amos - NIV

Rate this book
Book 30 of the Old Testament

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 751

14 people are currently reading
317 people want to read

About the author

Anonymous

791k books3,369 followers
Books can be attributed to "Anonymous" for several reasons:

* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author

Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.

See also: Anonymous

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
656 (71%)
4 stars
126 (13%)
3 stars
96 (10%)
2 stars
19 (2%)
1 star
19 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
484 reviews107 followers
May 17, 2022
This book by the minor prophet Amos, is a difficult read. It brings such things as repentance which is hard for the moddern day to deal with.
I recommend this book to all.
Profile Image for Warren Fournier.
842 reviews152 followers
Read
May 1, 2022
At the opening of the Book of Amos, God is pissed off. God stays angry through almost 100 percent of the Old Testament. Seriously, God needed to go to therapy, and I suppose that must have happened by the time of the New Testament or Jesus got him to chill out.

God is speaking through the prophet Amos, one of the twelve "minor" prophets that feature their own entries in the Bible. The two kingdoms settled by the Hebrew tribes were the Northern Kingdom, which was Israel, and the Southern Kingdom, which was Judah. Amos mostly hung around the Southern Kingdom from 795-754 BC, and I can understand why. He was literally one of the first social justice warriors, and was evidently quite a pain in the butt. When he tried to preach to the Northern Kingdom, the Israelite priests quickly got sick of him and clubbed him to death.

So I guess God had good reason to be like a dry drunk rageful parent coming home from a hard day at work to a house full of kids addicted to Xanax and Oxycontin who are pregnant again with no job. God's children could be more brutal than Twitter mobs. But the Israelites should have listened to Amos, as he evidently knew what he was talking about. Here, Amos predicts a terrible earthquake in retribution for all of their sins. Sure enough, two years later, according to the historian Josephus, such an earthquake indeed happened that must have been so awful that people were still writing about it 200 years later!

The main point of the Book is that Israel is on the same plane as the other nations when it comes to consequences. Just because they have a special covenant with God, it doesn't mean they can get away with things like incest and murder and eating raisin bread.

But the Book of Amos is also known for a single phrase that has generated controversy among scholars from Epicurus to David Hume. During God's tirade, a phrase is let slip that has troubled the faithful for generations. In Chapter 3, verse 6, God says, "If evil should be in a city, has not the Lord brought it?"

This of course brings up a vital question. What is the source of evil? How could there be evil in the world if God was not responsible, since God created all things?

The oft cited John Chrysostom says in the Orthodox Study Bible that the Hebrew word for "evil" gets translated in all sorts of ways, and that there are all sorts of meanings for evil in the first place. There's certainly "evil" that is the work of nature. Earthquakes, for example. Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Plagues. Pestilence. These things are not evil in themselves, but they are causes of human suffering that are part of God's overall design. Just because we don't like it doesn't mean there isn't a purpose. For example, a person who lost their house to a California forest fire would say the fire was evil. But such fires are an essential way of preparing and opening new growth and for the health of the forest. It isn't the fault of the forest that you decided to put a house there, or the fault of the sea for flooding your vacation home because you wanted to have beachfront property. Besides, adds Chrysostom, such evils can breed good within us, strengthening us, making us emotionally mature, helping us better face persecution and hardships, humbling our pride, and making us grateful for the important things.

A big part of Augustine's work (which I've also reviewed) concerns this very question, and he approaches it from the standpoint of free will. There would be none of the virtues necessary for freedom if we did not have the power to choose them or not to choose them. Could God have created a world where people had freedom but only chose the right ways? From a logical perspective, this is not really possible, and so God created the best if not the only possible world.

But any way you look at the problem of evil, it all boils down to the same thing--there are consequences to our actions. Cause and effect. And even to our relatively sophisticated minds, there are consequences we still can't conceive, since the universe is a perfectly linked harmony. That's the butterfly effect. So through the Old Law, God was trying to give humans some understanding of this concept of God's universe as best as our developing brains could comprehend it. So the Old Testament uses language that humans could understand. And everyone understands a list of rules and a pissed off parent.

It doesn't make for easy reading, I'll admit. If you are challenging yourself to read the Bible all the way through, you are going to be pretty fed up with all this fire and brimstone stuff by the time you reach Amos. But the Bible is structured in such a way as to be able to take breaks for extended periods of time, to jump around a bit, and to reference specific passages later. So my advice is to not sweat it and to plug along at your own pace.

NOTE:
I did not use the King James version for this review. My copy of the Book of Amos came from the Orthodox Study Bible published by Thomas Nelson.

I have particular interest in these prophecies and will likely be leaving reviews on all the books of the "Twelve" at some point. But as usual, I will not be giving them a rating as I personally don't feel that a "score" is appropriate or necessary for religious texts of any faith.
Profile Image for Jules.
1,077 reviews233 followers
December 30, 2017
Amos is a prophet. This book seems to be mostly about sin, selfishness and the destruction of Israel.

In January 2015 I set myself the challenge to read the complete Bible within a year. I discovered that was an unrealistic challenge, and decided to pick up my Bible as and when I felt ready to read more of it. Here is a link to all the reviews in my Bible challenge so far:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
Profile Image for Ella あいみ M..
280 reviews16 followers
September 9, 2022
He is here:
the One who forms the mountains,
creates the wind,
and reveals His thoughts to man,
the One who makes the dawn out of darkness
and strides on the heights of the earth.
Yahweh, the God of Hosts, is His name.
Amos 4:13


This verse in itself shows me why God used the title "I AM." No word exists in this world that can describe how awesome and powerful He is!! No title can describe God accurately except for His own.
Profile Image for Becky Harris.
151 reviews14 followers
Read
January 15, 2025
I listed the whole Bible one year but didn't know you could list individual books like this. I thought it might be fun to see which books I read in which months, if I can remember to keep up with updating it like this.
Profile Image for Andy Zach.
Author 10 books97 followers
May 14, 2025
My! Whatever your conception of a prophet is, Amos is not it. He's a Judean farmer, but God sends him to Israel to pronounce doom to the king and whole country for their sins. Most of the population will die and those who live will go into captivity.

Naturally, the king and his people were upset, and they told him to go back to Judah. This is ironic, for Amos has been praying to God for mercy on Israel as God proposed various disasters to him. God's final decision was to measure Israel like a builder with plumbline and a crooked wall. God would straighten Israel out in His time.

Read the book for yourself and then read a good commentary to get the full background of Israel and Judah and Assyria at the time.

Spoiler alert: Assyria conquered Israel and took ten tribes into captivity. They never returned.
Profile Image for Francisco  Núñez .
224 reviews4 followers
October 2, 2025
Otro libro de la Biblia que nuestro Señor me guía hacia el, aprendí tantas lecciones con esta pequeña profecía con las denuncias de Amós con los excesos de la clase alta y como pisotean y explotan a los humildes.

Me resulta muy penoso constatar que prácticamente nada ha cambiado es lo mismo de aquel entonces con otros actores.

No es de asombrarme el castigo que promete nuestro Señor a estos seres nefastos para luego finalizar con un haz de luz y esperanza a aquellos que nos mantenemos firmes y justos.

Verdaderamente edificante un abrazo que nos da el Señor letra por letra.
Profile Image for Hawley Stewart.
208 reviews3 followers
October 22, 2023
Amos, a prophet during King Jeroboam #2 and King Uzziah. Most of his words are forecasting DOOM AND GLOOM for what is to come of Israel, but he wraps up with Gods promise for the future Rebuilding of Israel, and THAT is encouragement 👏
Profile Image for Sean Chick.
Author 9 books1,107 followers
August 2, 2022
This is part of a series where I am reading the Bible in chronological order. I am not doing this for reasons of faith, as I am agnostic, but because of my interest in mythology, ancient literature, and history. I chose the NRSV because I used to be Catholic and still have sympathies there. More importantly, this version seeks a balance between an accurate translation and the literary qualities of the King James Bible. So it seems you get the best of two worlds.

Amos is the first book I have read that has the apocalyptic flair The Bible is well known for and for good reason. This essentially is a series of prophetic poems about Israel's destruction followed by rebirth, an important theme considering the hardships that lay ahead for the Israelites. I found this book superb in its language, rhythm, and imagery.
Profile Image for Alex.
162 reviews20 followers
Read
June 1, 2019
“For three crimes...and for four, I will not revoke my word” is the distinct phrase one keeps encountering throughout the initial chapters. It is the phrase that heads the condemnation of all the nations throughout the Promised Land, echoing the vaster, worldwide condemnations of Isaiah.

As expected the worst of it befalls Israel, though I was expecting more for Judah. Regardless in Israel “they sell the just man for silver (as would eventually happen to Christ), and the poor man for a pair of sandals. They trample the heads of the weak into the dust of the earth...son and father go to the same prostitute, profaning my holy name” In response, God raised up prophets, but Israel “commanded the prophets not to prophesy” as we can also command our minds not to believe them.

There is a poignant reminder for those who have had access to God's graces. “You alone have I favored, more than all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your crimes”
In the end of days it is those who belonged to the faith who will be judged the most harshly. It is they who should've known better.

“Yet you did not return to me” is another recurring phrase, this time found throughout the fourth chapter in which God lists all of the chastisements he's sent to his people to no avail. Much like miracles do not cause everyone to believe, chastisements will not cause everyone to return.

It particularly struck out to me when it was said “Woe to those who yearn for the day of the Lord! What will this day of the Lord mean for you? Darkness and not light!” Perhaps the satisfaction at seeing others' sins judged will be outweighed by the punishment you have incurred over your own sins, and perhaps wishing for the world to end because you are tired of facing all the evil in the world, betrays cowardice and lack of fortitude rather than a humble subjection to God's will, and an eagerness to patiently face, and fight by whatever your vocation entails, any evil He allows to be sent your way.

Luxury, which people have been chasing instead of virtue, is unsurprisingly condemned. “The ivory apartments shall be ruined and their many rooms shall be no more.” “Lying upon beds of ivory, stretched comfortably on their couches...they drink wine from bowls and anoint themselves with the best oils; yet they are not made ill by the collapse of Joseph!” The collapse of Joseph in this case meaning, the destruction of Israel which preceded that of Judah. Taking into account the condemnation of selling a poor man for a pair of sandals and “[trampling] upon the needy and [destroying] the poor of the land” just makes the whole picture worse.

Rather than viewed as a prophet Amos is taken as a traitor and a danger to the state. “Amos has conspired against you here within Israel; the country cannot endure all his words,” words written by a priest no less, and addressed to the king. This priest has never really gone away. He's the same one that sided with Henry II, Frederick II, Philip the Fair, and so forth.

In typical fashion there is also a note of hope. “I will not destroy the house of Jacob completely.” God never seeks to annihilate his people but to bring them back from their immoral practices. There is an important point made about chastisement, which applies to all suffering in general: “I have given the command to sift the house of Israel among all the nations, as one sifts with a sieve, letting no pebble fall to the ground.” Suffering is a sieve, the wicked perish, but the good are strengthened, and use it as an opportunity to grow closer to God.
Profile Image for Joan Haughton.
1,387 reviews6 followers
May 22, 2020
The book of Amos was revelation given to the prophet Amos. Words of Wisdom Amos 3: 3-7: Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing? Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him? shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all? Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it? Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. DON'T YOU JUST LOVE GOD, HALELUJAH!

Famine for the word Amos 8: 11-12: Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.

Bless the name of Jesus!
Profile Image for Wren (fablesandwren).
676 reviews1,570 followers
September 17, 2020
Sidenote: The reason for such vague and short and "eh" words on each of these books, is because I wasn't challenging the study of the Bible when I read these. I was challenging myself to read the whole Bible in a year because I knew it would be discipline to keep at it daily. I do, however, plan to pick up a book and study what it is saying. Those will be longer reads and more notes.

So here is my review from my "Read the Bible in a Year" challenge. Usually just snippets of thoughts and random things I liked about the book itself. Nothing in-depth.

So here is my review of Amos.

This one was very interesting read. A lot of examples and story-like telling. I liked it enough.

I love reading the Bible! I can't wait to finish so I can study them at my own pace.
Profile Image for Kristin Hodge.
175 reviews6 followers
August 16, 2023
WHY IS AMOS NOT TAUGHT ABOUT?!?!? Study this book! I challenge you! Go deep! His message is tough but it’s prevalent!

Gods character is that if one that wants justice for the oppressed and enslaved.

There is such thing has too much sun, for which God has no mercy for unrepentance and will bring his wrath.

But he has so much grace!

This privileged enough to know the father have great responsibility.

Wow wow wow!

I did this study with Kelli lincecum, Caitlyn Osborn, Simone Dies, Callie Weldon, and Lindsay Ohara… just incase I forget years from now. This was an awesome summer small group that last 9 weeks. And Amos shook me up and made me want to fight for those who can’t fight for themselves!
Profile Image for Marlene.
557 reviews127 followers
Read
July 16, 2025
7/11/24-7/12/24 Read with The Bible Recap
7/11/2025-7/12/2025 Read with The Bible Recap
Profile Image for Hannah Watson.
202 reviews11 followers
December 26, 2019
I find Amos prophecy style refreshing. Previously Israel had heard Isaiah and Elijahs style. Elijiah was inpatient. But Amos is all you ‘cows of Bashan’ and to Amaziah ‘your wife will be a harlot’. Clearly getting to the nut of the issue 😂
Profile Image for Abigail Burdett.
101 reviews3 followers
June 10, 2024
I had never read this book of the Bible but I think it was an incredible read. The relationship between God and the Israelites is depicted as so complex in this book and God promises a lot of harsh things, but I love the last verse that essentially says “you will build cities on the conquered ones and you will plant gardens and vineyards on the ruins and drink wine and eat fruit”. There is also a verse that is used in Acts during the Jerusalem council when the Gentiles were being merged into the early Christian’s churches, about David’s tabernacle being rebuilt. I enjoyed that connection
Profile Image for Benjamin Stahl.
2,274 reviews73 followers
May 22, 2018
Another day, another prophet. Israel's punishment and ultimate forgiveness if they repent.
Profile Image for Becca.
437 reviews23 followers
July 27, 2019
Hopefully by now I am sufficiently warned that ignoring God is Not a Good Idea.
225 reviews
January 20, 2023
It is amazing to me how God calls out His power and names Himself several times in this book. Like - - see that wonder in nature? I did that - ME! It's like He's reminding His people He has the right to make this judgment upon them. And He is very clear that He is personally offended by falsity, in relationships, in worship, in business dealings, in family, and in covenants. This is a rich book - with a rich, RICH conclusion.

Good News According to Amos

God sees and speaks of what lies still
Within men’s hearts and their dark wills.
Their worship, false, their broken vows
God sees. And God will not allow
His name to be profaned, brought low.
He sees the faithless, and He knows.
He speaks it out. He prophesies
To listening ones. He does not lie.
He claims dominion, power, and might.
He changes daytime into night.
He warns He’ll come – His day won’t wait.
He’ll punish sin. And yet, He hates
To see His precious ones so harmed.
He begs, “Choose good and live!” He warns
Of coming dangers, and He gives
A prophesy: Despite their sins
His shaken people He will save,
And bless them, plant them, give them grace.
Profile Image for Shantelle.
Author 2 books372 followers
February 19, 2016
It would be interesting to know what's going on in Israel at the time this book was written ... quite the heavy stuff in Amos! The notes in my Bible say the people Amos was prophesying against were very selfish, rich, and oppressive toward the poor.

"He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth - the LORD God Almighty is his name." Amos 4:13 NIV
Profile Image for Emma Macchia.
176 reviews
July 11, 2022
2022 - I remember liking Amos, but can't remember why. It's so short that you almost feel like you get through it before there's time for anything to sink in.

2022-Okay, I admit, Amos went by really quickly. It's not long, and it switches between verse and prose. It's not as compelling or interesting as Hosea. I will definitely need to give it a second read.
Profile Image for Jessica.
83 reviews2 followers
October 12, 2021
I highly recommend pairing The Bible Project (found on YouTube) as well as The Bible Recap studies (free podcast/youtube) to your Bible reading. It's helped to bring a fresh perspective to these well-loved books.
Profile Image for Dave.
1,355 reviews11 followers
October 24, 2025
A short book of prophesies through the prophet Amos.
Profile Image for #DÏ4B7Ø Chinnamasta-Bhairav.
781 reviews2 followers
Read
December 26, 2024
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
~}-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-{~
~}--- :}|{:-:}|{:- * FOLLOW 4 FOLLOW * -:}|{:-:}|{: ---{~
~}-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-{~
~}--------:}|{:-:}|{:- * LINKS * -:}|{:-:}|{:----------{~
~}-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-{~
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
***********************************************

~} * -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- * - * -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- * {~
* -} https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... {- *

~} * -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- * - * -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- * {~

* -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- *

* -:}|{}|{:- ^ AUDIOBOOK ^ -:}|{}|{:- *

~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~

~}-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-{~

~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~

* -:}|{}|{:- * SUMMARY * -:}|{}|{:- *

~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~

* -:}|{:- * RATING * -:}|{:- * /10 * -:}|{:- *

~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~

* -:}|{}|{: =EXPERIENCES=&=DISCERNMENTS= :}|{}|{:- *

* -:}|{}|{: = THE PERFECT VOICE = 4 THE BIBLE = DAVID SUCHET = ITS NO SUPRISE IN PSLAM 47 - THE LORD HIMSELF IN FLESH = DANCED IN A MYRIAD OF REFLECTIONS OF LIGHT - THAT CLEARLY - STATES - IN THE UNDOUBTABLE CLARITY ONLY THE LOOORDDSSS PHENIMINAL - ECXSTATIC INFNITE DANCE COULD - DESCRIBE IN AN INEPHABLE - WAY - WITH THE DEAPEST OF KNOWINGS - HIS GREATEST OF AL PRECEPTS ----> THO SHALT BE SMIGHTED - IF THO LISTENS 2 ANY OTHER AUDIO-VERSION OF THE BIBLE ( OTHER THEN DAVID SUCHET ) <--- - & THO SHALT FIND ONES SELF CONDEMMED 2 ETERNAL DAMNATION - & ONES SALVATION SHALL BE FOUND IN THE - GRACE FOUND IN THE NARRATION ONES LIFE IN ITS INTIRITY READ IN 0.25 SPEED BY DAVID SUCHET= }|{}|{:- *

~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~

* -} https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VWrl... {- *

* -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- *

* -} Gestalt Psychology Simplified with Examples and Principles {- *

* -:}|{}|{: = MY SYNTHESISED ( ^ GESTALT ^ ) OF THE * -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- * ( WAY THE AUTHOR FRAMES = HIS WRITING PERSPECTIVES ) & ( POINTERS & IMPLICATIONS = the conclusion that can be drawn IMPLICITYLY from something although it is not EXPLICITLY stated ) = :}|{}|{:- *

* -:}|{}|{: = ? = }|{}|{:- *

~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~

~}-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-{~

~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~

To SEE a WORLD in a Grain of Sand,
And a HEAVEN in a Wild Flower,
Hold INFINITY in the palm of your hand
And ETERNITY in an Hour"
~ William Blake ~

~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~

“Wisdom tells me I am nothing. Love tells me I am everything. And between the two my life flows.” Nisargadatta Maharaj

~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~

Form is Emptiness; Emptiness is form.
Form is not different than Emptiness;
Emptiness is not different than form
~ Heart Sutra ~

Like the ocean and its waves,
inseparable yet distinct

~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~

" I and The Father are one,
I am The Truth,
The Life and The Path.”

Like a river flowing from its source,
connected and continuous

~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~

Thy kingdom come.
Let the reign of divine
Truth, Life, and Love
be established in me,
and rule out of me all sin;
and may Thy Word
enrich the affections of all mankind

A mighty oak tree standing firm against the storm,
As sunlight scatters the shadows of night
A river nourishing the land it flows through

~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~

~}-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-{~
Profile Image for Abe Gabe .
56 reviews1 follower
July 24, 2025
Amos was a regular Israelite who was a shepherd and also worked in vineyards. As a simple man with a regular life, God chose him to send his message to the Israelites who were living their luxurious and lustful lives and ignored their poor brothers and sisters in Christ. Just like other prophets he warned them about their dark future and his revenge for turning their back on the God, I mean Yahweh who was their only hope to change their bitter destiny and also their father and teacher who was gonna punish them for what they’d done by the moment that Amos was preaching the word of God. My favourite verses are 3:3 when Yahweh warns them that their spiritual relationship with him may get disconnected and also 4:12 that warns them to get ready for the judgemental day as it would be the hardest, darkest and worst day for them. I wish that I won’t let my Lord and Saviour down by my sins and manners as I’ve decided to dedicate my whole life to serve our mighty Lord Jesus Christ as he sacrificed himself for saving us and for the Holy goal that would make us the children of God. So I would be ready to sacrifice myself for making our Heavenly Father happy, just like how Jesus Christ was heading to the holy cross to save us all. God sacrifice his only son as an atonement for our sins, so how can I commit more sins when I understand that both Father and Son helped us to show us the way to our salvation and make us ready for the Holy Spirit. I hope my body would be a suitable residence for the Holy Spirit of God. I wish the same for all of my brothers and sisters in Christ who believe in Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. Amen and Hallelujah
Profile Image for John Stanifer.
Author 1 book12 followers
January 9, 2020
Once again, much of Amos feels familiar, the language mirrored in other books. There is, however, at least one passage I feel compelled to highlight.

Amos 7.

Amaziah, the so-called "priest of Bethel," goes to Israel's king Jeroboam and says, "Hey, this guy Amos over here is saying bad things about the king and bothering everyone with his gloomy and doomy prophecies."

Then he finds Amos and says, "Get out of here, dude. Go over to Judah and bother them instead."

I may be paraphrasing a bit, but that's the gist of it. The thing is . . . we're also told that Amos was a herdsman and didn't want to be a prophet in the first place. This, I think, makes his actions all the more powerful (it's worth keeping in mind that Israel's most famous king, David, was a shepherd).

Also, Israel at this point was noticeably more corrupt than Judah, so basically you have a regular blue-collar man standing up to the powers that be in one of the most corrupt times in his nation's history. That takes some serious guts and some serious help from above.

I don't want to be a prophet either . . . but I hope if I'm ever compelled to take a stand against evil in some way, that I have half the nerve that Amos did.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.