• The Lord Roars
• Historical Background
• Date and Setting:
• Prophetic Contemporaries:
• Political Climate:
• Religious and Social Conditions:
• Amos the Man:
• Roaring from Zion
• Calling the nations to account
• Damascus (Capital of Aram/Syria) – Amos 1:3–5
• Gaza (Philistia) – Amos 1:6–8
• Tyre (Phoenicia) – Amos 1:9–10
• Edom – Amos 1:11–12
• Ammon – Amos 1:13–15
• Moab – Amos 2:1–3
• God of the whole world
• Call to Participation
• Pray
• Engage

The Lord Roars

Too long, please open your Bible Amos 1:1 - 2:3

Historical Background

Date and Setting:

Amos prophesied around 760–750 BC, during the reigns of Uzziah in Judah and Jeroboam II in Israel (Amos 1:1). This was a time of peace, prosperity, and expansion, especially in the northern kingdom of Israel. However, it was also a time of moral and spiritual decline.

Prophetic Contemporaries:

These prophets overlapped and together give us a rich picture of God's concern for justice, faithfulness, and compassion, both within Israel and beyond its borders.

Political Climate:

• Both kingdoms (North & South) were enjoying military strength and economic success.
• The Assyrian Empire was temporarily weakened, giving Israel freedom to grow and feel secure.
• However, this external peace hid growing internal corruption, injustice, and covenant unfaithfulness.

Religious and Social Conditions:

• Worship was thriving outwardly. People attended festivals and offered sacrifices.
• But it was superficial. Amos condemns their worship as hypocritical and detached from righteousness (Amos 5:21–24).
• Social injustice was rampant: the poor were exploited, the courts were corrupt, and the wealthy lived in luxury at the expense of the vulnerable.

Amos the Man:

• Amos was from Tekoa, a town in Judah.
• He was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamore figs, not a professional prophet or priest (Amos 7:14–15).
• God sent him from the southern kingdom to preach in the north, a bold and uncomfortable assignment.

Roaring from Zion

And he said,

“Yahweh roars from Zion

And from Jerusalem He gives forth His voice;

And the shepherds’ pasture grounds mourn,

And the top of Carmel dries up.”

Amos 1:2

In Amos, the image of God roaring from Zion signals the beginning of divine judgment. This roar is a fearsome announcement that God sees the injustices of the nations and is ready to act. Coming from Zion—God’s holy mountain—it emphasizes that judgment flows from His righteous rule, not from political power or human authority. It is a reminder that God is not silent in the face of evil and that His justice reaches far beyond Israel’s borders.

Calling the nations to account

In Amos 1:3–2:3, God pronounces judgment on six foreign nations surrounding Israel and Judah before turning to his own people. Each oracle follows a similar structure:

“For three transgressions… and for four, I will not turn back…”

This is a poetic way of saying their sin has exceeded the limit and divine judgment is now certain.

Here’s a list of the nations and the specific grievances God has against each:

Damascus (Capital of Aram/Syria) – Amos 1:3–5

Grievance:

“Because they threshed Gilead with implements of sharp iron” (v.3)

This statement is a metaphor for extreme cruelty in warfare, particularly against the Israelite region of Gilead. It likely refers to repeated brutal campaigns by Syrian kings like Hazael and Ben-Hadad.

Gaza (Philistia) – Amos 1:6–8

Grievance:

“Because they took away an entire population to deliver it up to Edom” (v.6)

Gaza (and likely other Philistine cities) participated in slave raids and sold whole communities, probably Israelites, to Edom. This highlights inhumanity and betrayal of neighboring peoples.

Tyre (Phoenicia) – Amos 1:9–10

Grievance:

“Because they delivered up a whole community of exiles to Edom, and did not remember the covenant of brotherhood” (v.9)

Like Gaza, Tyre was complicit in the slave trade. But added to this is the betrayal of a peaceful alliance—likely referring to the historic friendship between Tyre and Israel (e.g., Hiram and Solomon).

Edom – Amos 1:11–12

Grievance:

“Because he pursued his brother with the sword… his anger tore continually, and he kept his wrath forever” (v.11)

Edom is condemned for relentless hostility toward Israel, whom they were supposed to be related to (descendants of Esau and Jacob). Their persistent violence and unforgiveness is the issue.

Ammon – Amos 1:13–15

Grievance:

“Because they ripped open pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their borders” (v.13)

This is a charge of terrible cruelty—likely during raids into Israelite territory (east of the Jordan). The motive was territorial expansion, disregarding human life entirely.

Moab – Amos 2:1–3

Grievance:

“Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime” (v.1)

This statement expresses act of extreme desecration, violating ancient norms about how the dead should be treated.

God of the whole world

Even though Edom was also condemned, God judges Moab for dishonoring human dignity, showing that justice applies across national lines, not just to God's covenant people. God's justice is impartial, not nationalistic.

One thing that these words of judgement show us is that even though God had a special relationship with Israel, He still had His eyes on all the other nations. His eyes see beyond the boundaries of Israel, and He is actively at work among the nations.

And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding. Daniel 2:21

“This edict is by the resolution of the watchers, And the decision is a command of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That the Most High is the powerful ruler over the kingdom of mankind And gives it to whom He wishes And sets up over it the lowliest of men.” Daniel 4:17

From one man he has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live. He did this so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. Acts 17: 26-27

“Are you not as the sons of Ethiopia to Me, O sons of Israel?” declares Yahweh. “Have I not brought up Israel from the land of Egypt, And the Philistines from Caphtor and the Arameans from Kir? Amos 9:7

These verses remind us that God has not abandoned the world to human misrule. He is not distant or indifferent—He is involved. He cares how humans treat one another, how power is used, and how justice is upheld. He is not a passive observer of global affairs.

Call to Participation

Pray

Because we are sure that God is concerned about how the world is ruled and governed, we can (and should) go to Him with confidence in prayer concerning our nation.

‘Seek the peace of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to Yahweh on its behalf; for in its peace you will have peace.’ Jeremiah 29:7

First of all, then, I exhort that petitions and prayers, requests and thanksgivings, be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2: 1-4

Our prayers for justice, peace, leadership, and righteousness in our nation are not wishful thinking—they are rooted in the character of God. We are not trying to convince God to care about something He has overlooked; we are aligning ourselves with what He already cares about. When we cry out about corruption, violence, or suffering, we are echoing the concerns of a God who roars from Zion, who holds every ruler and citizen accountable, and who desires human flourishing. So we can pray boldly, knowing that God listens, God sees, and God acts.

Engage

God cares about how cities are governed, how business is done, how the vulnerable are treated, and how nations interact. Because of this, Christians can and should engage society across all spheres of influence, not as a quest for power, but as a response to God's call to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him (Micah 6:8). We go with the assurance that God is already present, already concerned, and already working. Our involvement becomes a way of bearing witness to His heart for righteousness and human flourishing in every nation, and every corner of life.