Please read these study guide questions on Amos and Isaiah and then all nine chapters of Amos. Choose any of the first 13 study guide questions and suggest an answer to that question here.I would be particularly interested in your comments on Amos' use of imagery. Do you find any of Amos' images particularly effective? Particularly disturbing?
8 comments:
13. Is there anything at all pleasant or joyful in Amos’ message?
- There were many disturbing images in the Amos message. It must have been tough for him to prophesize this message to the people. I don’t believe we can fully understand how hard it must have been for Amos to convey this message to the people. I would think people are much more apt to believe when it is something good, but when it is something bad, maybe not so much. It seems like it would have to boil down to faith and with the desolate condition of Israel at this point, faith, might be a hard sell. However, I do believe there is some hope in his messages. There seems to be some chance for the people to redeem themselves. He puts it on their shoulders, because they are the ones that brought it on themselves. (Amos 5:14) “Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.” I hope the test went well for everyone. Happy Blogging!
1. What exactly is a prophet? How does one become a prophet? How is a prophet different from a priest? Why would prophecy be more difficult than priesthood?
As far as I understand the position, a prophet is a person who receives the word of the Lord and is to tell it to the people of Israel. We see in Amos that not all prophets come from obvious background. Hannah promised that she would give Samuel to the Lord's service and that he would become a prophet. Amos, however, tells the priest Amaziah that he was simply a shepherd until the Lord chose him. This shows that one becomes a prophet because it is the will of the Lord. No one can predict it or get a degree in prophecy; the ability to prophesy is give from the Lord to those he wants to have it.
What is the difference between a prophet and a priest? Well, both have a special connection with the Lord. Eli could assure Hannah that she would have a son, because the Lord was with him. And the words of prophets are the same words of the Lord. I think one main difference is that priests are supposed to be from the tribe of Levi. They are much more involved the parts of religion that people can see, even though men with the ability to prophesy, like Samuel, also are seen involved in typical priestly actions, like sacrifice. Prophets' work seems to be involved with those internal parts of religion, those messages from God that people cannot immediately see but are expected to believe.
Prophecy is more difficult that priesthood for one because the Lord seems to act more harshly towawrds prophets who disobey him as opposed to disorderly priests. Also, we usually see priests doing good things the people would appreciate--sacrificing to the Lord for them, giving counsel, etc. Prophets, however, often convey bad news and news of punishment from the Lord. As we see in Amos, prophets' negative messages often fill people (especially rulers) with resentment and anger, and these feelings are often released to the messenger--the prophet.
Also--I liked the imagery of the plumb line. God had measured Israel and they were found crooked and off center. Such things should be destroyed.
7. What are the specific sins Amos warns against?
Amos warns the people of Israel against the sins of hypocrisy, greed, mistreatment of the poor, cheating, and injustice including the separating of religious rituals from concerns for its citizens. Amos speaks most passionately about the importance of justice among the people. Amos 5: 7-15 “Woe to those who turn judgment to wormwood and cast justice to the ground!...Therefore, because you have trampled upon the weak and exacted of them levies of grain, though you have build houses of hewn stone, you shall not live in them! Though you have planted choice vineyards, you shall not drink their wine! Yes, I know how many are you crimes, how grievous you sins. Oppressing the just, accepting bribes, repelling the needy at the gate! Therefore the prudent man is silent at this time, for it is an evil time. Seek good and not evil, that you may live; then truly will the LORD, the God of hosts be with you as you claim! Hate evil and love good, and let justice prevail at the gate’ then it may be that the LORD, the God of host, will have pity on the remnant of Joseph.”
Amos not only speaks of justice in this section, but it seems to come up several times as something of extreme importance.
I liked Amos imagery when describing God’s building of heaven as His ‘upper chamber’ with His ‘vault over the earth’.
I think there are pleasant things in the book of Amos. An example of this is 5:14. “Seek good and not evil, that you may live; so the Lord God of hosts will be with you, as you have spoken”. This message shows that there is optimism in a dreary book. Even though this book is full of messages that the Lord is upset with his people and what the punishments could entail, there is that one verse of hope nestled in there.
"For three transgressions, and for four..., I will not turn away the punishment thereof"? This formula means 3 plus 4 is 7 so the Israelites might want to reconsider sinning. God promises horrible destruction for their sins.
Amos is filled with God's judgement on Isreal for the oppresison of the poor and the idol worship they partack in. What I find particularly interesting, but sad id the song of greif in chapter 5. It talks about how Isreal will be punished if it does not turn their eyes to God. "Seek the Lord and live", those are such simple and beautiful words that can sum up this entire book of Amos. There is a sense of hope in these words that is telling the Isrealites they can turn themselves around if only they put their trust in God.
10. What does Bethel stand for in Amos’ message? What was Bethel originally? Why does Amos so strongly condemn a place of such historical importance to the Hebrew faith?
Bethel was a great religious center in Israel at the time of Amos and before him. Bethel is where Amos conducted most of his prophesizing, and it is also where the priest kicked him out of "the king's temple", not the Lord's temple. This is also what Amos has found wrong with Bethel. It is a place of sin and corruption and is a bad example for the rest of Israel.
"For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: Seek me, that you may live, but do not seek Bethel; Do not come to Gilgal, and do not cross Beer-sheba. For Gilgal shall be led into exile, and Bethel shall become naught."
It must have really been a bad place for the Lord to say that you will live if you DON'T go to this place. It may be a significant place to the Hebrews, but it represents everything that is wrong with the people at the time.
9. What images does Amos use to get his message across? Are any of these images particularly disturbing? Are any of them particularly effective?
Some of Amos’ images come across as quite disturbing. The first one that came to mind was Amos 6:9, “If 10 people remain in one house, they shall die. And if a relative, one who burns the dead, shall take up the body to bring it out of the house…”
Another use of imagery that I particularly liked was Amos 3:4-8, “Does a lion roar in the forest, when it has no prey? Does a young lion cry out from its den, if it has caught nothing? Does a bird fall into a snare on the earth, when there is no trap for it? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when it has taken nothing?...” etc. Amos effectively uses vivid imagery to prove his point. While some instances of his imagery comes across as disturbing it is still is very effective and beautifully written.
Post a Comment