Join Allen J. Huth and special guest Roy Hansky as they guide us through the book of Amos, a tale that transcends time with its universal message. As Amos confronts Israel’s neighbors and condemns their transgressions, we’re invited to reflect. How do our lives measure against divine standards? With personal journal insights and poignant reflections, this episode challenges us to examine our own lives in the light of God’s eternal truths.
Welcome to ADDBIBLE, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. We join Allen J. Huth as he shares Bible passages and comments from over 30 years of his personal Bible reading journals.
SPEAKER 02 :
Today we begin the book of Amos. I will use my English Standard Version Study Bible book introduction so we can learn a little bit about the book of Amos. The first verse identifies the author as Amos. Who was Amos? He was not a prophet. He was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. But God entrusted him with a special message to the tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel. He lived during the reigns of King Uzziah and Jeroboam, who reigned between 793 and 739 BC. Most scholars suggest Amos wrote somewhere in the middle, about 760 BC. At the time, Israel was experiencing wealth and prosperity like the days under Solomon. They attributed their success to God’s blessings, but Amos points out that wasn’t true. They were actually under the curse of God because they disobeyed God’s covenants. Much of their wealth came by oppressing the poor. Their worship of God was more like attempts to manipulate Him, like the pagan religions around them. In fact, Amos delivers his message in Bethel, where Jeroboam I set up a golden calf for Israel to worship back in 930 BC, the beginning days of the northern kingdom. Amos delivers the unhappy message that not only was Israel not going to rule the world as they thought the day of the Lord meant, they would not even exist as a nation except by the grace and mercy of God. Amos was profoundly correct. In 722 BC, the northern kingdom ceased to exist. The theme of Amos is the universal justice of God. Though the Israelites thought God was going to judge their enemies, they did not realize that judgment would instead fall on them. They would actually be held more accountable than their neighbors. Our guest reader for the Book of Amos is Roy Hansky. Roy Hansky has ministered on Denver Christian Radio since 1985. He is currently a co-host on the Breakfast Table Show on KPOF 910 AM, The Point of Faith, where he also coordinates ministry to pastors and other Christian leaders. Roy holds degrees in Bible studies and religious education and served on the staff of three churches, as well as the Colorado Christian Writers Conference as a speaker trainer. His favorite book is, guess what, the Bible. Roy has been on Christian radio here in Denver again since 1985. Roy will read the first six chapters of Amos. They’re all judgment oracles. Then we’ll listen to Faith Comes Right Here and his readings on chapters 7 and 8, the visions of impending judgment based on the oracles in chapters 1 through 6. And Roy will finish with chapter 9. So let’s begin. The first 15 verses of Amos chapter 1. with our guest reader, Roy Hanske.
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Amos chapter 1. The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa. The vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam, son of Jehoash, was king of Israel. He said, The Lord roars from Zion and thunders from Jerusalem. The pastures of the shepherds dry up, and the top of Carmel withers, judgment on Israel’s neighbors. This is what the Lord says, For three sins of Damascus, even for four, I will not relent. Because she threshed Gilead with sledges having iron teeth, I will send fire on the house of Hazael. that will consume the fortress of Ben-Hadad. I will break down the gates of Damascus. I will destroy the king who is in the valley of Avan and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden. The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir, says the Lord. This is what the Lord says for three sins of Gaza. Even for four, I will not relent, because she took captive whole communities and sold them to Edom. I will send fire on the walls of Gaza that will consume her fortresses. I will destroy the king of Ashdod and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon. I will turn my hand against Ekron till the last of the Philistines are dead, says the sovereign Lord. this is what the lord says for three sins of tyre even for four i will not relent because she sold whole communities of captives to edom disregarding a treaty of brotherhood i will send fire on the walls of tyre that will consume her fortresses this is what the lord says for three sins of edom even for four i will not relent because he pursued his brother with a sword and slaughtered the women of the land because his anger raged continually and his fury flamed unchecked i will send fire on taman that will consume the fortresses of This is what the Lord says, For three sins of Ammon, and for four I will not relent, because he ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to extend his borders. I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah that will consume her fortresses amid war cries on the day of battle, amid violent winds on a stormy day. Her king will go into exile, he and his officials together, says the Lord.
SPEAKER 02 :
To help us through the book of Amos, I have selected three of my personal Bible reading journals seven years apart. We’ll start with my personal Bible reading journal from 1997 when I read the Old Testament books. We’ll jump to 2004 when I read the Bible chronologically. And we’ll also use my journal from 2011 when I read the whole Bible. So we’ll look at journals from 1997, 2004, and 2011 from three different ways that I read the Bible in those years. In 1997, when I was 42 years old, I read selected books out of the Old Testament that entire year. On this day, I read Amos chapters 1 through 3 on the same day, and I wrote, “…a shepherd, a working man, not a priest or a prophet, is used by God to deliver a message to the nations. God uses whom he pleases to get done what he wants done. Maybe he will use me.” God always warns before he judges. Israel and Judah had been warned about idol worship, disobedience, immorality by many other prophets. Finally, God must act or his word is no good. He is now warning our nation through many Christian leaders. We are dull of hearing, immoral, idol worshipers. Warning after warning is being brushed aside. God’s judgment will be next. That was 1997. in 2004 at 49 years old i was reading the bible chronologically so i was reading the whole bible that year and i was mixing passages like on this day i read second kings second chronicles and amos chapters one through four concerning amos i wrote in my journal amos warns israel like most prophets to come back to the lord In 2011, at 56 years old, I was reading the whole Bible that year. So that means I was reading Old Testament passages and New Testament passages together on the same day. And on this day, I read Amos chapters 1 through 3 and Revelation 5. Concerning the book of Amos, I wrote, God did and does judge various nations, including Judah and Israel. Judah rejected the law of the Lord and did not keep his statutes. We do the same by not knowing or keeping God’s word. Israel neglected the poor, committed sexual sin and adultery. Again, today the church is guilty of the same. God warns of coming judgment. He always does. For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secrets to his servants, the prophets. And I was actually quoting chapter 3, verse 7. Amos begins his book by saying the Lord roars from Zion and utters his voice from Jerusalem. And then he goes on to cast judgments against Israel’s neighbors. He cast judgment on Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, and the Ammonites. The question may be, how can God judge those nations when they may have never even heard the law or the commandments of God which were given just to the Jewish people? My English Standard Version footnote says this, God’s moral standards… as revealed in the Bible, are not merely for Jewish people or for Jews and Christians in the New Testament period, but that God holds all people and all nations and cultures accountable to His moral standards, whether they have them in written form or simply in their hearts. An interesting poetic phrase is used to introduce each one of the judgments against these nations. Again, let me read my English Standard Version Study Bible footnote so we can understand the use of this phrase. This poetic expression is used to introduce the judgment upon all seven of the neighboring nations and upon Israel as well. It is a way of expressing totality. Three expresses the plural in Hebrew, and by raising it to four, the idea of multiplicity is conveyed. So in Amos chapter 1, God is going to judge the nations around Israel. He says, I will not revoke the punishment. What is the application to you and me? As the introduction of this book expressed, the blessings of God may be upon us. The question is, do we recognize they are from the Lord or do we take credit ourselves? These nations are going to suffer under the punishment of God because they did not support the nation of Israel. So, who are you hanging around with? Are you hanging around with Christians, people who support your beliefs? Or are you hanging around with a bunch of pagans or non-Christians who keep tugging you away from your beliefs? Consider what kind of support you’re getting for your belief in the Lord from your friends and the neighbors around you. Choose wisely. Father, we thank you that in this book you chose a shepherd. You chose a common man to provide a message to the northern tribes of Israel. But you also remind us that your voice roars from Jerusalem. You also remind us that you will not withhold punishment. Teach us through this book, Lord. Give us principles we can learn to live by. And the first one might be, who are our friends? Who are our neighbors? Are they supporting our Christian beliefs or not? It is not for us to judge them. That will be up to you. But it is up to us to pick our friends. Lord, help us choose wisely. In your name we ask it. Amen. All of the Ad Bible radio programs are available to you in writing. We transcribed all of Ad Bible into an 11-book series called Day by Day Through the Bible, and we did it in a unique way by authors of the Bible. You can get the complete set or a book at a time at our website, EzraProject.net. For example, there are the writings of Moses, the writings of Solomon, the writings of the minor prophets and the writings of the major prophets, the writings of the Old Testament historical books, and the writings of Old Testament leaders. Covering the New Testament, we have the writings of Matthew and Luke, the writings of John, the writings of Paul, and the writings of Mark, Peter, James, Jude, and Hebrews. So this 11-book series covers all 66 books of the Bible, chapter by chapter. So if the radio program was on 1 Samuel, you would find the written version in day by day through the Bible of the writings of Old Testament historical books. If the radio program is covering Daniel or Jonah, you would find all the minor prophets in the writings of the minor prophets. But say you’re studying the gospel of John in your own personal quiet time. You can find our coverage of John’s gospel in the writings of John, which includes not just his gospel, but other writings like 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John and Revelation. Or you are going to be reading one of Paul’s epistles. You could find them all in the writings of Paul. Our Day by Day through the Bible series is a tremendous resource as you read and study any book of the Bible. It will deepen your understanding of God’s Word and enhance your personal quiet time because each book breaks down the passage with comments from my personal Bible reading journals, offers life applications, and prayers related to the passage. If you want more from your time in God’s Word, visit EzraProject.net and try one of our day-by-day through the Bible devotional books. Any of the 11 books are a great place to start, or get the full set to use wherever you are in the Bible today or wherever you are heading in your Bible reading. I know you’re going to enjoy it.
