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What is this describing? 21.1 Both prophets were located in Northern Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II (793 – 753). Hosea was from Judah and Amos from Northern Israel. Both ministered to Northern Israel.
The Political and Cultural Setting of Amos and Hosea
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What is this describing? 21.2 Assyria was dormant from ca. 785 – 745. 21.2.1 Time of wealth and abundance (divine blessing). It is dangerous to assume that because things are going well that God is pleased with you. 21.2.2 Essentially pagan Yahwism bearing better fruit. Yahwism had become thoroughly paganized. People practiced oppression, indulgence, opulence, and tried to manipulate God to get what they needed. They did not totally surrender to Yahweh but were always hedging their bets. "We will worship Yahweh and other gods."Human religion tries to manipulate God. We give him our service, our gifts and devotions and then tell God, "You owe me!"
The Political and Cultural Setting of Amos and Hosea
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What is this describing?
-In fact, only a few years from destruction. Israel did not believe Amos and Hosea’s warnings of coming destruction because they believed they were at the top of their influence. However, God wanted to plant the following truths into Israel’s heads and hearts before they went into 200 years of captivity (722-539 BC):
Amos – God’s Universal Justice. God is the God of justice, who does what is right and just. God tells Israel, "Assyria is not in charge of the world. I will use Assyria to judge you and then I will judge Assyria."
Hosea – God’s Unfailing Love. What is happening to you through captivity is moral and an expression of my love.
The Political and Cultural Setting of Amos and Hosea
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What is this addressing?
22.1 Israel interpreted their history incorrectly.
22.1.1 They were the chosen people of the one true God – Yes, true.
22.1.2 They had His city, His temple, His ritual –Yes, true.
22.1.3 Therefore, they could not be defeated. "Nothing can happen to us." – Not true!
22.2 Amos says, "Wrong!"
22.2.1 God is a God of universal justice.
22.2.2 Covenant blessings are conditional and dependent on obedience. If you do not obey the covenant, it will curse you. Blessings are not automatic because you are God’s people.
22.2.3 Promises will be kept, but in the context of accountability. God will keep his promises, save Israel and preserve David’s throne.
How Amos confronted Israel’s faulty theology (22)
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What is this addressing?
"Love is a sentimental feeling with no consequences." Lie: "If God loves me, it does not matter what I do. Love means never having to say you are sorry."
-In fact, true love has complex circumstances both for the lover and the beloved. True love is not something you feel, but something you do.
- Hosea’s love for Gomer as parallel to Yahweh’s love for Israel. God tells Hosea, "Marry a prostitute, Gomer, knowing who she is. When she bears you the children of other men, take them as your own. When she is on the slave block, buy her back and take her as your own." The prophet, Hosea, does not stand aloof, but lives down among the people. The captivity happens because God loves Israel. The Book of Hosea is about God’s painful love.
How Hosea confronted Israel’s faulty theology (25)
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List in one sentence each, the key themes of Amos and Hosea?
- Amos: Let Justice Roll Down Like Rivers
- Hosea: “O Israel, how can I let you go?”
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What is this describing?
Yahweh is the Supreme God who judges all the nations. God is not Israel’s special property or a lucky rabbit foot.
-Neighbors (except Judah) are judged for brutality; Yahweh expects moral behavior from all people. God has minimal expectations for all creatures. If they break his expectations, there are consequences.
- Judah and Israel are held to a higher standard; they are bound by covenant and its stipulations. They are to share God’s character in the way they treat others. God will judge them by the covenant.
One of the key concepts of Amos
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What is this describing?
People committed to covenant God must do justice in society, especially to the weak. According to God’s order and purpose, all people should live in non-manipulative relationships.
One of the key concepts of Amos
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What is this describing?
- God cannot be manipulated by ritual (religious stuff).
- Note recurrences of cause and effect reasoning predicated on ethical behavior. Why have ritual? It is merely a physical symbol of where your heart is. How you do ritual speaks volumes about your relationship with God.
One of the key concepts of Amos
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What is this describing? The dangers of self-indulgence
-Makes self-gratification of one’s own needs central. Self-indulgence is always deadly. The wrong question is, "Can I afford it?" Just because you can afford something does not mean it is a good idea. Why has God blessed you? To be a conduit of his blessing.
-Antithesis of surrendered trust
-Necessarily puts down the weak (survival of the fittest)
One of the key concepts of Amos
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What is this describing? Faulty understanding of The Day of the Lord (Am 5:18)
-Broken covenant demands exile, not blessing or happy days (no mention of Assyria). People mistakenly believed the Day of the Lord meant privilege, wealth and material blessing. God says the purpose of that day is darkness, not light. It will not be what you are expecting. Assyria will not take you into exile, the Lord will. If you come to terms with the Lord, he will take care of Assyria. You are in captivity because of God’s justice. Assyria is just an axe in God’s hand.
One of the key concepts of Amos
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What is this describing? The goal of judgment is not destruction. This is true of all the prophets’ messages.
One of the key concepts of Hosea
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What is this describing? The knowledge of the Lord. To know God intimately and personally is a relationship that leads to true life. Knowing God is not just a list of do’s and dont’s.
One of the key concepts of Hosea
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What is this describing? The connection between idolatry and adultery. Idolatry manipulates other people and the world for my own needs and my own self; thus idolatry leads to adultery.
One of the key concepts of Hosea
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What is this describing? The failure of the religious leadership. Prophets and kings were supposed to help people know and see who God truly is.
One of the key concepts of Hosea
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What is this describing? The danger of traditionalism. People revered the historical places of their past, e.g., Gilgal (where Israel commemorated God’s parting the Jordan River so that Israel could cross into the Promised Land). God says, “Do not think that because I did something for your ancestors at Gilgal, I will do the same for you.”
One of the key concepts of Hosea
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What is this describing? The futility of mere external religion. We cannot do religious things or symbols. They count for nothing if they are not done out of our heart for God. We need to meet God in a life-changing way. Do not link the vitality of your faith to a past experience with God.
One of the key concepts of Hosea
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What is this describing? The depth of God’s chesed. God says, “What you do for me does not make me love you. I love you because you are (my child).” God’s love is like parents’ beautiful love for their child, no matter what the child does. God’s love is an attachment of his being to us.
One of the key concepts of Hosea
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What is this describing? The reality of repentance. Repentance means “to turn back,” not “to feel sorry about.” Repentance means to go God’s direction, to love and obey him. God warns, “You are heading towards a cliff of destruction. Turn around to me!”
One of the key concepts of Hosea
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