“ The prophets are weird and confusing, they all sound alike.” Philip Yancey's student William Blake “The Ghost of a Flea”

“The prophets are weird and confusing, they all sound alike.”

Philip Yancey's student

William Blake “The Ghost of a Flea”

Three CONsThree CONs

CONtext not timeless

CONversation not monologue

CONversion not prediction

http://5minuteBible.com > OT > prophets > 3 simple rules

Amos 5:18ff.Amos 5:18ff.

Amos 5:18ff.Amos 5:18ff.

CONtext

Who was Amos?

Who was Amos?Who was Amos?

Prophetic books

Not biographies• Few events

• Lots of messages

By somebody else • “he”

• “In the reign of king....”

Gospels

Who was Amos?Who was Amos?

1:1 “Among the shepherds of Tekoa”

7:14-15 Not a professionalHerdsman and cutter of sycamores

1:2-9:10 Sharp tongued

1:2-9:15 God's spokesperson

Amos 5:18ff.Amos 5:18ff.

CONtext

When did Amos preach?

Bible TimelineBible Timeline

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Exile

Jesu

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Kingdoms

Prophets

CONCONtext text

Amos 1:1 Jeroboam (Israel) and Uzziah (Judah) Power: borders almost like David

Control of highways, taxes, growth of army and cities

CONCONtext text

Amos 1:1 Jeroboam (Israel) and Uzziah (Judah) Power: borders almost like David

Control of highways, taxes, growth of army and cities Wealth

Greed (Amos 6:1ff.) Oppression (Amos 5:10-13)

CONCONtext text

Amos 1:1 Jeroboam (Israel) and Uzziah (Judah) Power: borders almost like David

Control of highways, taxes, growth of army and cities Wealth

Greed (Amos 6:1ff.) Oppression (Amos 5:10-13)

Amos 5:18 Day of the Lord Time when God puts things right

Amos 5:18ff.Amos 5:18ff.

CONversation

Is there more than one “voice”?

Questions imply someone to answer

5:21 change of “speaker”

Amos 5:18ff.Amos 5:18ff.

CONversion

What change does Amos want?

Amos 5:18ff.Amos 5:18ff.

Conclusions so far (from 3 CONs) Israel is part of the problem not the solution

vv.18-20 God rejects Israel's worship vv.21-23 God wants justice and righteousness

Justice and righteousnessJustice and righteousness

Word pair Same type of word Found together, used in parallel Completeness, difference, sameness

heaven & earth cats & dogs justice & righteousness

Justice & righteousness Greed & oppression

Justice & righteousnessJustice & righteousness Greed & oppression Greed & oppression

Greed Amos 6:1ff.

Justice & righteousnessJustice & righteousness Greed & oppression Greed & oppression

Greed Amos 6:1ff. Supermarkets,

Photo by Anthony Albright

Justice & righteousnessJustice & righteousness Greed & oppression Greed & oppression

Greed Amos 6:1ff. Supermarkets, weight-watchers,

Photo by slgckgc

Justice & righteousnessJustice & righteousness Greed & oppression Greed & oppression

Greed Amos 6:1ff. Supermarkets, weight-watchers, throwaway

Throway society photo by Lizof perspicacious.org

Justice & righteousnessJustice & righteousness Greed & oppression Greed & oppression

Greed Amos 6:1ff. Supermarkets, weight-watchers, throwaway

Oppression Amos 5:10-13

People choose to live on the Mae Sot Rubbish Dump because life there is better than in BurmaPhoto by Jacob Baynham

OppressionOppression

Eight-year-old twins Hassan and Hussein open cocoa pods in Ivory Coast.Photo by Jessica Dimmock, CNN

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for the 3 CONs go to:OTprophets