AMOS LESSON 6


     We will begin this lesson in Amos 6:1 "Woe to them [that are] at
ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, [which are] named
chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!"

     They were living in an affluent time, and also, felt that they
were secure. They were doing things pleasing in their own sight.
Samaria seemed to be perfectly safe, where no one would dare attack
them. The very first word in the warning above is, woe. This is a
warning that things will change for the worse. "Zion" speaks
spiritually of the church. The church is dwelling at ease today. It is
a dangerous thing to get satisfied with self.

     Amos 6:2 "Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to
Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: [be they]
better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border?"

     God invites them to go, and compare the countries around them,
and see that God has blessed them far above their neighbors. Calneh is
one of the five great Babylonian cities. It is an ancient city
pertaining to Nimrod's kingdom. This specific mention of Calneh may be
speaking of modern Kullanhu. Hamath was the principle city of Syria.
Gath is a Philistine city. They were great cities, but not as blessed
as Samaria.

     Amos 6:3 "Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat
of violence to come near;"

     Wickedness and oppression ruled in their land, as if they were
king. They did not feel that the judgement Amos spoke of was near.
They felt it was somewhere in the far distant future, when in fact, it
was to happen very soon.

     Amos 6:4 "That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves
upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves
out of the midst of the stall;"

     They were living in luxury. These beds seemed to have ivory inlay
in them. Stretching themselves on their couch makes them appear to be
lazy. They are indulging themselves with every pleasure. This speaks
of a people who are pampering and petting themselves. They are eating
the lambs and the calves. This speaks of someone who lies around doing
nothing except stuffing themselves. They indulged themselves in every
way.

     Amos 6:5 "That chant to the sound of the viol, [and] invent to
themselves instruments of music, like David;"

     Chanting is not the same thing as singing songs of praise to God.
This could be worldly songs, they are singing just to pass the time,
or it could be chants made to a false god. They have turned the use of
the beautiful instruments of music to instruments used for the wrong
purpose. David used His instruments of music to worship and praise
God. That is not the purpose of the instruments of music these people
were using. They were part of their self-indulgence.

     Amos 6:6 "That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with
the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of
Joseph."

     As if lying around eating and singing idle songs are not enough,
they drink along with it. The "drinking wine in bowls" had to do with
the worship of false gods. I believe the chanting was to false gods,
as well. They used the beautiful perfume for themselves. They are not
even interested in the coming fall of the ten tribes of Israel. First
of all, they did not even believe it would happen.

     Amos 6:7  "Therefore now shall they go captive with the first
that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves
shall be removed."

     They will go into captivity, even before Judah and Jerusalem. In
the very first of the captives, these who have indulged themselves
will be taken. There will be no more banquets for them.

     Amos 6:8 "The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the
God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces:
therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein."

     They had become something, that God did not like. He did not
bless them, for them to oppress others. He intended for all of His
people to be blessed, not just those in power. God swears by Himself,
because there is no greater to swear by. This punishment will come
upon them, because God has spoken it. God will break the arrogant
attitude of Israel. They have put their confidence in things, rather
than in God.

     Amos 6:9 "And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in
one house, that they shall die."

     This is, probably, speaking of the ten men living in luxury. If
they are not killed by war, they will be killed by a famine.

     Amos 6:10 "And a man's uncle shall take him up, and he that
burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say
unto him that [is] by the sides of the house, [Is there] yet [any]
with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue:
for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD."

     We see in this, the terribleness of the siege on Samaria. It
lasts for 3 years. The uncle, here, is speaking of the near kinsman
that comes to bury the body of the deceased. There are so many dead,
they burn them, instead of putting them in graves. They cannot call
upon the name of the LORD, because His judgement has already come.

     Amos 6:11 "For, behold, the LORD commandeth, and he will smite
the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts."

     The futility of praying now, is what was spoken of in the
previous verse. Whatever God commands, He does. The houses will be
destroyed.

     Amos 6:12  "Shall horses run upon the rock? will [one] plow
[there] with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the
fruit of righteousness into hemlock:"

     Horses cannot walk very fast on rock strewn roads. The oxen
cannot plow a field full of rocks either. They have turned judgement
into bitterness. This is just an explanation of the foolish things
they had done. Hemlock is the same as wormwood. Their righteousness
was as filthy rags. Their righteousness was polluted.

     Amos 6:13 "Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have
we not taken to us horns by our own strength?"

     They had rejoiced in the unimportant things of this world. They
were not depending on God's strength, but upon their own strength
{horns}. They could not depend upon themselves.

     Amos 6:14 "But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O
house of Israel, saith the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall
afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the
wilderness."

     This is speaking of the Assyrians coming against Israel. The
Assyrians do the fighting, but it is actually judgement of God against
these people. This just means the whole land is under attack.























                          Amos 6 Questions


1.  Woe to them that are at ease in ________.
2.  What was named chief among nations?
3.  What does "Zion" speak of spiritually?
4.  Why did God invite them to compare themselves to their neighbors?
5.  Calneh is one of five great _________ cities.
6.  Hamath was the principle city of __________.
7.  Gath is a ____________ city.
8.  ____________ and _________ ruled in their land.
9.  Why did they not take more heed to Amos?
10. That lie upon beds of ___________.
11. They were living in _____________.
12. Stretching themselves on their couch makes them appear to be
    ______.
13. What is the chanting in verse 5?
14. What had David used his instruments of music for?
15. "The drinking wine in bowls" had to do with what?
16. What will happen to these self-indulgent people?
17. Why does God swear by Himself?
18. Where had Israel placed their confidence?
19. Quote Amos chapter 6 verse 9.
20. What does verse 10 show us?
21. How long did the siege last on Samaria?
22. Why did the near kinsman burn their bodies.
23. What is intended by "shall the horses run upon the rock?"
24. Hemlock is the same as _____________.
25. Their righteousness was as ___________ _____.
26. Whose strength were they depending on?
27. Who is the nation God raises up against them?