Amos

Definition and Meaning

Amos is a book of the Old Testament consisting of nine chapters. In Protestant Bibles it follows Hosea and Joel and precedes Obadiah. The book takes its name from the prophet Amos, whose name is generally interpreted as related to a Hebrew word meaning "to carry a burden." The Korean Revised Version also renders the name of the father of Isaiah as "Amos" (Isaiah 1:1; Amoz in English Bibles). In the Hebrew text, however, the two names are spelled differently, and the two men are regarded as different people.

Biblical and Historical Background

According to Amos 1:1, Amos was a herdsman from Tekoa in the southern kingdom of Judah. He prophesied in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and Jeroboam II king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. This period is generally dated to the middle of the eighth century BC. Amos said of himself, "I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son," and described himself as "a gatherer of sycomore fruit" (Amos 7:14).

The northern kingdom of Israel was economically prosperous at the time, yet oppression of the poor and perversion of justice were common. The book's main contents are as follows:

• Declarations of judgment against the surrounding nations and against Judah and Israel (chapters 1–2). Here appears the accusation that "they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes" (Amos 2:6).
• Criticism of luxury and false worship (chapters 3–6). The people of Israel expected "the day of the LORD" to be a day of salvation, but Amos proclaimed that it would instead be a day of darkness (Amos 5:18-20).
• Five visions, including the locusts, the fire, the plumb line, and the basket of summer fruit (chapters 7–9). Chapter 7 also records Amos's confrontation with Amaziah, the priest of Bethel.
• The promise of restoration, in which God pledges to raise up the fallen tabernacle of David (9:11-15).

In the New Testament, Stephen's sermon in Acts 7 quotes Amos 5. In Acts 15:16-17, James quotes Amos 9:11-12 at the Council of Jerusalem.

Use in the Korean Church

Two passages are the most widely known in the Korean church. One is "But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream" (Amos 5:24). The other is the "famine ... of hearing the words of the LORD" (Amos 8:11).

• Amos 8:11 is frequently used as a theme verse for sagyeonghoe (gatherings devoted to intensive Bible study), revival meetings, and Bible study groups. Amos 4:12, "prepare to meet thy God," is also quoted at evangelistic rallies and in year-end sermons.
• Amos 5:24 is often quoted in sermons on the social responsibility of the church. Churches and organizations that took part in the democratization movement of the 1970s and 1980s are also known to have cited this verse frequently.

The emphasis varies by denomination. Churches that stress social engagement read Amos as a prophetic book that denounces structural injustice. Evangelical churches tend to place greater weight on personal repentance, a longing for the Word, and the restoration of true worship. Nevertheless, both streams agree that Amos criticized worship reduced to mere ritual (Amos 5:21-23).