AMOS, HOSEA 750 B. C.

Victory Baptist Church Bible Institute

3rd year, 2nd semester, russkellyphd@yahoo.com

This is a faith ministry. Your assistance is appreciated.

1. When was Amos written and which empire was dominant?

2. 1:2 What was Amos' occupation; where did he live and what accurately dates him?

3. 1:3 to 2:18 Which nations will God send into captivity?      

4. 3:1-2 Why will God punish Israel more than any other nation?

5. 4:1-2 Samaria and Bethel were symbols of Northern Israel. What notable sin did they commit?

6. 5:4-6 Why did God reject Northern Israel's sacrifices and third-year (poor) tithes? See 5:21-25 for details.

7. To what is chapter 5 a call and to what city?

8. What two aspects of the "day of the LORD" are seen in 5:18-20?

9. 7 all: What does Amos have in common with Joel?

10. 7:8-17 What followed Amos prophecy of destruction to Northern Israel?

11. 8:11-12 What kind of famine falls upon those whom God has forsaken?

12. 9:10-11 After God has punished sinners in Northern Israel, what will He restore?

13. 9:12-15 Why did James quote Amos 9:12 in Acts 15:14-17?

14. What is the date and historical context of Hosea?

15. 1:2-6 What did God command His prophet from Northern Israel to do?

16. Sum up chapter 2.

17. Chapters 3-4 repeat the sins of Israel from 1-2 and intensifies them. What does chapter 5 add several times?

18. Chapter 6 is a call to repentance. Does 6:2 suggest God's imputed righteousness?

19. Chapters 7 and 8 repeat the cycle of sin beyond hope. What is 8:5-6 a reference to?

20. Chapters 9-10 repeat the wickedness of Northern Israel (Samaria, Ephraim). Find one verse of hope in these chapters.

21. What was Ephraim (Israel) not aware of in chapter 11?

22. Hosea 13:14 is a lone glimmer of hope for Israel among all of its sins. Where is a similar quotation found in the New Testament?

23. 14 all: What does Hosea have in common with all other prophecies about Israel and Judah?

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ANSWERS: AMOS AND HOSEA

1.     Amos was written around 750 B. C. while the Assyrian Empire was expanding westwards and threatening.

2. 1:2 Amos was a herdsman by occupation. He lived in Northern Israel. He names kings of Israel and Judah and uses a great earthquake for timing which is mentioned elsewhere in Scripture.

3. Syria, Philistia, Tyre, Edom, Ammon (Jordan), Moab, Judah, Israel

4: 3:1-2 They had more special knowledge of God's will than any other nation.

5. 4:1-2 They oppressed the poor and crushed the needy.

6. 5:4-6 As early as 930 B. C. Northern Israel worshipped golden calves at Bethel and Dan as Yahweh (2 Kings 10:29; 2 Chron 13:8). Their sacrifices and tithes went to pagan idolatrous priests.

7. Chapter 6 is a call to repentance and return to true worship in Jerusalem.

8. "The day of the LORD" can be to punish the wicked or to deliver the righteous.

9. Amos 7:1-2 also mentions a grasshopper plague.

10. Amaziah, the false priest of Bethel ordered him to leave and Amos prophesied against his household.

11. 8:11-12 a famine of the word of God (See "Dan" in 8:14 for its temple and golden calf.)

12. 9:11 God will restore the "tabernacle of David." No mention is made of Judah or the Temple. This refers to God's promise to David of his eternal house through the Messiah (Micah 5:2 later).

13. 9:12-15 God clearly said that, after He deals with sin, He will also save Gentiles in verse 12 (the heathen).

14. Like Amos, Hosea is easily dated around 750 B. C. during the Assyrian Empire but before it captured Northern Israel in 722 B. C.

15. 1:2-6 Marry a prostitute from Israel. Her children of harlotry symbolized the sins and captivity of Israel.

16. Chapter two is about punishment, captivity, restoration and available blessings. From "not my people" to "my people" and from "no mercy" to "mercy'; from "divorce" to "betroyal in righteousness."

17. Chapter 5 includes Judah several times but does now dwell upon it.

18. 6:2 could be a reference to Jesus Christ and God's imputed righteousness.

19. 8:5-6 refers to the golden calves in Bethel and Dan worshipped as Yahweh.

20. 10:12

21. Israel was not aware that God was protecting it even when it was worshipping idols.

22. Hosea 13:14 is similar to 1 Corinthians 15:54-56.

23. Like all other prophecies concerning Israel and Judah, Hosea ends closes with a plea to repentance followed by God's promise that He will eventually fully restore His special nation. Admittedly, however, Hosea is not a strong in this respect as Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and Zechariah.