Sunday School Lesson
Sunday Morning Bible Class December 7, 2025
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Theme:
Minor Prophets
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Amos
Amos 7
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Introduction
Amos was not a prophet by profession. He was a shepherd and a fruit and a fig tree farmer farmer. (Amos 1:1; 7:14- 15) He lived in Tekoa a Hebrew settlement betweeen Nothern Israel and Southern Judah. He prophesied to the norther Kingdom during the reign of Jeroboam the second. (II Kings 14:23-29) His prophecy took place sometime beteen 786 -743 B.C. He was considered one of the worst kings ever. He allowed idol worship of the Canaanite gods. This led to God's anger and judgement. Amos was tasked wit inorming Israel of God's impending judgement that was to befall them. Because of their sin Israel would no longer exist but would fall to the nation of Assyria. (II Kings 17) They would now only exisit as a scatterscatterd people. Amos likely prophesied during the decades just before the fall of Samaria to the Assyrian EmpireThis empire dominated the Near East from the time of Jeroboam the second until the end of the seventh century B. C.
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Three Vissions
1) Thus the Lord God showed me: Behold, He formed locust swarms at the begining of the late crop; indeed it was the late crop after the king's mowings. 2) And so it was, when they had finished eating the grass of the land, That I said: "O Lord God, forgive, I pray! Oh, that Jacob may stand, For he is small!" 3) So the lord relented concerning this. "It shall not be, said the Lord. 4) Thus the Lord God showed me: Behold, the Lord God called for conflict by fire, and it consumed the great deep and devoured the territory. 5) Then I said, "O Lord God, cease, I pray! Oh, that Jacob may stand, For he is small!" 6) So the Lord relented concerning this. "This also shall not be," said the Lord. 7) Thus He showed me: Behold, The Lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with aplumb line in His hand. 8) And the Lord God said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore. 9) The high plces of Israel shall be desolate, And the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste. I will rise with the sword against the house of Jeroboam."
Commentary
Amos is given three vissions of judgement by God against the Northern kingdom. The first is a swarm of locust that would devour the land. This devestion of Israels crop woul likely cause a famine in the land. Amos, seeing the devatation of the locust in the visson prayed to God to forgive them so they would not be wiped out. His plea was that they were small. God relented. The second vission was a conflict by fire. The fire would consume the great deep and devour the territory. Such devastion would utterly destoy Israel. Amos again pleads for mecy from God. Again he says for they are small. God again relents. The third vission is of a plumb line. A lumb line is a measuring tool. It is used to determine if a surface is vertical. in this case God would use to measure the character of Israel. He would no longer overlook their sins. The temples built for idolotrous worship would be destroyed. God would raise up an army to pass judgement on His people Israel.
Amos 7:1-9
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Amaziah And Jeroboam
10)
Commentary
Amos 7:10-13
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Amos And Amaziah
3) I thank God, whom I serve with a clear consscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, 4) longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. 5) For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well. 6) For this reason I remind you to kinlle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7) For God has not given you a spirit o timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
Commentary
Amos 7:14-17
II Timothy 2:15: "Be dillgent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
