HoHum:
The place was New York City, during the time of the subway rush in the evening of a hot summer day. People were manning into the subway cars as they were moving out of the station and each car was loaded to capacity. One man happened to be just the last man to push and jam his way inside of a car, and he stood facing the door. The doors closed and the car moved off. He stood there, packed against this door, pressed up against it with the awful push of humanity in the car. As it went down the tracks, waving and swaying, he began to feel a little sick. The further he went, the sicker he got, and just at the critical moment, the car came into a station and the door opened and he got sick all over the man standing there. But without anybody moving, the door suddenly closed and the car moved out of the station. The man on the platform stood there looking at himself, and then he shrugged his shoulders and said, “Why me?”
That’s how Israelites felt with Hosea and Amos. Even though they deserved God’s rebuke, they felt like everyone around them was worse–and besides, they were God’s chosen people.
Thesis: Why preach from Hosea and Amos?
For instances:
They are wild but effective communicators
Isaiah named his children to communicate a message. One of his sons he named Shear-Jashub, which means a remnant shall return (Isaiah 7:3). Another son he named Maher-ShalalHash-Baz, which means quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil (Isaiah 8:3).
Hosea got his family into the act much more than Isaiah did. The Lord told Hosea to marry a woman named Gomer (not the Gomer from the Andy Griffith Show) who was an adulterous wife in Hosea 1. Like Isaiah Hosea named his children to communicate a message. Go over the first two at another time. The last one, Lo-Ammi, which means not my people seems to indicate that this last child was not even Hosea’s. In Hosea chapter 3 we see that Hosea and Gomer are no longer together. Evidently Gomer has gone after her lovers and things have not gone well for her. She is sold into slavery and brought to the auction block. The Lord tells Hosea to buy her and bring her back into his house and love her once again. This whole episode is used as an object lesson on how the Lord loves the Israelites. Hosea 3:1- Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes. Hosea uses this many times through his book in pleading with the Israelites to repent.
Hosea was a hometown boy. He lived in the northern Israelite nation called Israel. The writings we find in Hosea seem to be bits and pieces from sermons that he preached throughout his many years of prophesying.
Amos on the other hand was not a hometown boy. He was from the southern Israelite nation of Judah and he was told by the Lord to minister to the northern nation of Israel. Like Jonah (contemporary of Amos) he was called to go to a place that was not his home. He prophesied to Israel for a few years but after some fierce persecution he was driven back to his home country of Judah. He prophesied to the southern nation for a few years and then drops off the scene. In total his ministry probably only lasted a couple of years.
Amos began his book by denouncing Israel’s enemies. Part of this was probably to get the Israelites attention and affection. In the middle of Amos 2, Amos begins to denounce the sins of Israel. He prophesies against them until chapter 7. Evidently Amos is so effective in his ministry that the priests of Israel want him out. In the middle of chapter 7 Amaziah the priest of Bethel opposes Amos and evidently drives him out of Israel back to Judah.
Amos probably preceded Hosea by just a bit but they were contemporaries. Hosea’s ministry lasted for about 3 decades. Amos’s was more like an exploding rocket in fourth of July fireworks display. Hosea is more loving while Amos is more condemning. Grace and truth
They are relevant for today.
In their day there was political and national stability
In the northern nation of Israel where Hosea and Amos ministered, King Jeroboam II reigned for 41 years. He and the kings of Judah (Uzziah and Jotham) extended the borders of the Israelites to the area of the time of King Solomon.
2 Kings 14:26-27
Interesting to note that after the death of King Jeroboam II the northern nation of Israel survived only 30 years. Many bloody takeovers after Jeroboam’s death. Jeroboam must have been capable leader. Not godly but an effective worldly leader. The dynasty of Jehu had reached its peak with Jeroboam.
There were no empires at this time trying to take over known world but they are not far away.
There was economic prosperity at this time.
Since there was a strong government, the trade routes were taken over by the Israelites. No one could go from Egypt to Assyria or Babylon without going through Israel and paying proper taxes or conducting fair trade.
Also the nations next to Israel and Judah brought tribute as well.
Amos tells the most about Israel’s wealth. Amos 3:15 talks about the winter house and the summer house, the houses adorned with ivory, and the mansions. Amos 6 talks about those who lie on beds inlaid with ivory, and lounge on couches. They dine on choice lambs and fattened calves. They drink wine by the bowlful, and use the finest of lotions.
They were satisfied with the religious status quo.
The religious situation in the northern nation of Israel was terrible. It all began with break up of the people of Israel after the death of Solomon between the north and the south.
Because King Rehoboam would not lower the taxes, the people of north rebelled against the king and set up their own king, King Jeroboam I. Really it was more than just taxes. The rivalry between Ephraim and Judah had finally reached a climax. Ephraim was favored tribe for many years. Tribe of Joshua who took over the Promised Land. Couple of instances where the pride of Ephraim was evident in the book of Joshua, and Judges. However, tribe of Judah was foretold that a king would come from them in Genesis 49. That king came in David. David set up capital and temple in Jerusalem on border of Judah and Benjamin in the south. At death of Solomon, Ephraim saw their chance to get away from kingship of David. Jealous of all that David had accomplished. Because of this, Hosea many times calls the northern nation Ephraim. Leading tribe in north
The northern nation did not want to go to the God ordained temple in Jerusalem and deal with the Southerners so they set up their own places of worship. 1 Kings 12:28-33; 13:33-34.
At the time of Hosea and Amos there were 3 options for worship in the north:
sacrifice at the state supported calf idols in Bethel, Dan and probably Samaria
Go into mountains and sacrifice and worship at the high places, many of these associated with worship of Baal. The king of Israel used to worship Baal as in King Ahab but this public support of Baal worship was wiped out with Jehu who was the great grandfather of Jeroboam II. However, Baal worship was still practiced in the mountains. Not supported by government but still practiced.
Go to Judah and sacrifice at the temple. Few from northern Israel did this.
Amos seems to be talking about the state supported religion in the north but this could even be applied to Judah. Amos 5:21- 24. Instead of religious rituals, God wanted justice and righteousness to prevail in land. God wants a change of lifestyle more than religious offerings
** In our country and in our day we have political and national stability, we have economic prosperity, and we are satisfied with the religious status quo.
They are concerned with the nation
Amos was concerned but Hosea was especially concerned. We see the struggle God has as given through Hosea 11:8-9 but later on God says through Hosea 13:1-3, 16.
They have prophecies about the coming Messiah
Hosea:
The Messiah will be the second Moses- Hosea 1:11- “The people of Judah and the people of Israel will be reunited, and they will appoint one leader and will come up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel.” The one leader will lead them up out of the land. The language is taken from the Exodus. This future leader will be a second Moses. Jesus Christ leads his people out of bondage of sin to the Promised Land, heaven.
The Messiah will be the second David- Hosea 3:5- “Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the Lord and to his blessings in the last days.” When that son of David ascended to his throne, the true sons of Israel recognized him as rightful king. They embraced his reign, and became part of his kingdom, the church.
The Messiah will be the second Israel- Hosea 11:1- “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” Hosea expected another David, so here he expects another Israel, one who will be called as a child by God. Matthew sees in this verse a reference to Christ (Matthew 2:15). Just as God called OT Israel out of Egypt, so he will call this future child- this future Israel- out of Egypt.
Amos 9:11- “In that day I will restore David’s fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be.” Jews recognized this passage as messianic. From it they coined a term for Messiah: Son of the Fallen, a reference to the fallen tent. But this promise goes one step further. God will build the house of David as it used to be. Glory days of David and Solomon. Jesus, the fulfillment of this promise, went even beyond Amos when he declared that “a greater than Solomon is here” (Matthew 12:42)
