Amos was a simple shepherd in the Southern Kingdom of Judah (Amos 1:1). Aothough there were no prophets in his family, God He chose Amos to deliver a message for the rebellious Northern Kingdom of Israel, (Amos 7:15).
When the kingdom divided, the northern tribes turned their backs on God AND worshiped new idols at the cities of Bethel and Dan (1 Kings 12:28–30), created a new order of priests (1 Kings 12:31) and listened to false prophets. Also, even as they enjoyed peace and prosperity under King Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:26–28), the nation was abusing its own people. The rich were oppressing the poor (Amos 4:1) and judges were accepting bribes (Amos 5:11).
So Amos, the shepherd, the tree trimmer, goes to Bethel (a royal city of idol worship) and proclaims God’s message of justice, punishment, and restoration. He makes two bold prophecies, suggesting that King Jeroboam II will die and that Israel will be carried off into exile. (Amos 7:11).
As you can imagine, this message doesn’t sit well with Jeroboam II and his false priests. But Amos answers to the Lord, not Israel (Amos 3:8):
Amos’s ministry may have been the earliest of the Minor Prophets’. He was a prophet from the South (Judah) whom God sent to the North (Israel), preaching during the reigns of Uzziah in Judah and Jeroboam II in Israel (probably no later than 750 B.C.). The prophets Hosea (Hosea 1:1) and Jonah (2 Kings 14:23–25) also ministered to Israel during Jeroboam II’s reign.
The writer of Second Kings tells us that God’s prophets urged Israel and Judah to turn from their evil ways and keep God’s commandments. Amos gave this message during a time of prosperity in Israel. He declared that God demands justice for the poor, observing that Israel had abused her most insecure citizens (Amos 4:1; Amos 5:11–12).
Even though the book of Amos is a message of impending doom, it isn’t without notes of hope and restoration. Amos urges the people to “seek the Lord that they may live” (Amos 5:4–6, Amos 14–15), and even foretells of a day when Israel will be restored from captivity (Amos 9:14–15) and reunited with Judah under David’s line of kings (Amos 9:11).
