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

“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.


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


CONtext

When did Amos preach?

Bible TimelineBible Timeline

Cre

atio

n

Flo

od

Ne

w h

ea

ven

s & e

arth

Mo

ses &

cove

na

nt

Josh

ua

& la

nd

Exile

Jesu

s

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


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

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

CONCONtext text


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


CONversation

Is there more than one “voice”?

Questions imply someone to answer

5:21 change of “speaker”


CONversion

What change does Amos want?


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.


Greed Amos 6:1ff. Supermarkets,

Photo by Anthony Albright


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

Photo by slgckgc


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

Throway society photo by Lizof perspicacious.org


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

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

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