The prophets are weird and confusing they all

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

Three CONs CONtext not timeless CONversation not monologue CONversion not prediction http: //5 minute. Bible. com > OT > prophets > 3 simple rules

Amos 5: 18 ff.

Amos 5: 18 ff. CONtext Who was Amos?

Who was Amos? Prophetic books Not biographies • • Few events Lots of messages By somebody else • • Gospels “he” “In the reign of king. . ”

Who was Amos? 1: 1 “Among the shepherds of Tekoa” 7: 14 -15 Not a professional Herdsman and cutter of sycamores 1: 2 -9: 10 Sharp tongued 1: 2 -9: 15 God's spokesperson

Amos 5: 18 ff. CONtext When did Amos preach?

Bible Timeline New heavens & earth Jesus Exile Kingdoms Creation Flood Joshua & land Moses & covenant Prophets

CONtext Amos 1: 1 Jeroboam (Israel) and Uzziah (Judah) Power: borders almost like David Control of highways, taxes, growth of army and cities

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

CONtext Amos 1: 1 Jeroboam (Israel) and Uzziah (Judah) Power: borders almost like David Wealth Control of highways, taxes, growth of army and cities Greed (Amos 6: 1 ff. ) Oppression (Amos 5: 10 -13) Amos 5: 18 Day of the Lord Time when God puts things right

Amos 5: 18 ff. CONversation Is there more than one “voice”? Questions imply someone to answer 5: 21 change of “speaker”

Amos 5: 18 ff. CONversion What change does Amos want?

Amos 5: 18 ff. 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 righteousness Word pair Same type of word Found together, used in parallel Completeness, heaven & earth difference, cats & dogs sameness justice & righteousness Justice & righteousness Greed & oppression

Justice & righteousness Greed & oppression Greed Amos 6: 1 ff.

Justice & righteousness Greed & oppression Greed Amos 6: 1 ff. Supermarkets,

Photo by Anthony Albright

Justice & righteousness Greed & oppression Greed Amos 6: 1 ff. Supermarkets, weight-watchers,

Photo by slgckgc

Justice & righteousness Greed & oppression Greed Amos 6: 1 ff. Supermarkets, weight-watchers, throwaway

Throway society photo by Liz of perspicacious. org

Justice & righteousness Greed & oppression Greed Amos 6: 1 ff. 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 Burma Photo by Jacob Baynham

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

http: //5 minute. Bible. com for the 3 CONs go to: OT prophets