Book 30 · Old Testament · Minor Prophets
Amos
To announce judgment on exploitation and call for justice and righteousness.
World at a glance
Economic boom · Assyria on the horizon
Amos, a shepherd and fig-tree farmer from Judah
Around 760 BC
The prosperous northern kingdom
What was happening in the world
Amos preached around 760 BC under Jeroboam II, during the northern kingdom's last golden age — territory expanded, trade flourished, and the rich built houses inlaid with ivory, as archaeology at Samaria confirms. Underneath the prosperity, debt and land grabs were crushing the poor, and Assyria was stirring again on the horizon.
What this helps us see
Amos measures a society at its marketplace and courthouse, not just its sanctuary. How an economy treats people reveals what it really worships.
The shape of the book
- 01The nations and Israel judged (1–2)
- 02Messages and lament (3–6)
- 03Visions and restoration (7–9)
Grace and holy living
Holiness can't be separated from justice. Grace turns worshipers toward honest systems and the dignity of the poor.
For reflection
Where is God’s grace inviting you beyond knowledge into wholehearted love and faithful action?