THE
WRITER.
His name means
"Burden", or "burden-bearer"
A citizen of
Tekoa, in the tribe of Judah.
A herdsman and
dresser of sycamore trees
Am 7:14
His call
Am 7:15
The attempt to
silence him
Am 7:10-13
DATE.
Prophesied during the reigns of Jeroboam II in Israel, and Uzziah in Judah.
STYLE,
simple but picturesque. The book abounds in striking metaphors.
Illustrations,
(a) The
straining of God's mercy by sinners compared to the overloading of a wagon
Am 2:13
(b)
The pressure of duty upon the prophet compared to the roaring of a lion in his
ears
Am.:8
(c) The narrow escape of a remnant of Israel compared to a shepherd recovering
two legs or the piece of an ear from a lion
Am.:12
(d) The scarcity of God's Word compared to a famine in the natural world
Am 8:11,12
Amos, as a
prophet, was in many respects like Christ.
(1) In his
occupation, a working man
Am
7:14
(2) In his
humility,-acknowledged his lowly origin
Am
7:15
(3) In his
method of teaching by illustrations
(4) In his
claim of Divine Inspiration, Thus said the Lord," occurs forty times in his
prophecy
(5) In being
charged with treason
Am
7:10
Joh
19:12
(6) In the
pressure of duty which was upon him
Am
3:8
Joh
9:4
(7) In
denouncing the selfishness of the rich
Am
6:4-6
Lu
12:15-21
SYNOPSIS.
(1) Impending
judgments on surrounding nations
Am
1:3-15 2:1-3
(2)
Threatening discourses.
(a) Against
Judah
Am
2:4,5
(b) Against
Israel
Am
2:6-16
(3) The call
to Israel to seek God in sincerity, ch 5
Am
5:1
(4) Luxurious
living condemned
Am
6:4-14
(5)
A series of five visions.
(a) A Vision of the Locusts
Am 7:1-3
(b) A Vision of the Fire
Am 7:4-5
(c) A Vision of the Plumb-line
Am 7:7-9
(d) A Vision of a Basket of summer fruit
Am 8:1-3
(e) A Vision of a Smitten sanctuary
Am 9:1-10
(6) The
visions interrupted by an attempt to intimidate the prophet
Am
7:10-13
(7) The
prediction of the dispersion and restoration of Israel
Am
9:9-15
(Outline
from Thompson’s Chain Reference Bible)