Text: Amos 5:1-27 To Israeli’s surprise, Amos sang to them a funeral song as if they were already dead (v.1). They believed in their wealth and religious practices to which Amos assures them amounted to nothing. Their only remedy was to come back to the Lord and live (v.6). In seeking God there is hope;[…]
Text: Amos 4:1-13 The “cows of Bashan” (ESV), were wealthy women of Israel (v.1). They selfishly encouraged the husbands to oppress the poor in order to maintain their lavish lifestyles. Sarcastically, Amos calls people to continue sinning in Bethel and Gilgal (v.4) as they worshiped Idols and not God there. At Bethel, God had renewed[…]
Text: Amos 3:1-15 The Lord laments that it’s Israel He has known (v.2). The Hebrew word for “know” has several meanings, including sexual relations (Gen. 4). However, here it denotes God’s Sovereignty in choosing or electing of Israel; God never chose Israel because they deserved special treatment; it was all by God’s grace (Deut.9:4-6). They[…]
Text: Amos 2:1-16 After God punished the neighbouring nations, He also promised to punish Judah and Israel because they failed to follow and apply God’s Law that had been revealed to them (vv.4-6). This was because while other nations were ignorant, God’s people in Judah and Israel, knew what God required of them. They instead[…]
Text: Amos 1:1-15 Amos a shepherd and a sycamore tree farmer was from the Southern Kingdom (Judah). But he prophesied to the Northern Kingdom (Israel). At the time Israel was a very prosperous nation in terms of economics and politics, but was spiritually bankrupt due to idol worship, especially at Bethel, the nations religious centre.[…]
Text: Joel 3:1-21 In this chapter Joel is prophesying against nations that are enemies of Judah and Jerusalem (v.2). “At that time”, refers to the time when those calling on the Lord are being saved. The prophecy consists of three fulfillments: (1). There is an immediate happening which can apply to King Jehoshaphat in his[…]
Text: Joel 2:1-32 Joel continues to describe the devastating effect of locusts’ invasion as he blows the trumpet. The trumpet which was mainly a ram’s horn, in Hebrew called shophar, was used in signaling danger or gathering people for special occasions (Num. 10:10; Exod.19:13, 16, 19). For example, blowing the trumpet in order to gather[…]
Genesis 15:13, Exodus 12:40-41. Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. There was a set time for Israel to be in bondage in Egypt; there was an expiry date to[…]
Text: Jeremiah 52:1-34 This last chapter of prophet Jeremiah is more less a repetition of 2 Kings 24:18-20; 25:1-21; 25-30. It concerns the siege and capture of Jerusalem and the arrest of King Zedekiah. From the world point of view, Jeremiah was not successful; for he had no family, no money, or even friends (v.34).[…]
Text: Jeremiah 51:1-64 The Lord says that Babylon will be winnowed like chaff and be blown away by wind (v.2). Babylon that was allowed to oppress God’s people is now going to be judged. God cannot allow evil to go unpunished, much as He can bring good out of it. Many times the wicked may[…]