Study Four – Amos Chapter Three – A Lion Has Roared!

Judgment on “all who came out of Egypt”, both Northern and Southern Kingdoms.

1. Amos 3:1,2 “You only have I known of all the families of the earth”. Since God is omniscient, what is meant by this? What kind of “knowledge” is God talking about here?
2. How does the knowledge of God, if rejected, lead to judgment? (Luke 12:43-48)
3. Amos 3:3-6 A series of rhetorical questions that should each be answered with “No”. What do they mean? What is the final point that they make?
4. Amos 3:7,8 What is the role of prophets in declaring the plans and purposes of God?
5. Amos 3:9,10 Who was Amos to “proclaim to” as witnesses against the sin in Israel? What was the central problem?
6. “They do not know how to do right” speaks of a totally ruined national conscience. How do nations lose all sense of right and wrong in public life? (Isaiah 5:16-23)
7. Amos 3:11,12 What sort of a devastating judgement was the Lord going to bring on the northern kingdom of Samaria? What eventually happened?
8. Amos 3:13-15 Judah is not exempt.  What happens to the false altar at Bethel (a high place) and to the Judeans living in luxury? What do you think was wrong with the way the people of Judah lived in luxury? (Isaiah 5:8-15)
9. The word “strongholds” is used throughout this chapter, and the book of Amos, as a symbol of proud people trusting in great fortresses and wealth (Amos 2:5, 3:19, 3:11, 6:8) and God always hates and destroys such strongholds. What strongholds do people trust in today in such a way that they are proud and opposed to heaven?