Cause and Effect: When God Warns, the Prophet Is Compelled to Deliver the Warning

Amos was an eighth-century BCE prophet, active primarily in the Northern Kingdom, although parts of the book were written later, after the fall of Judah (see 9:11: “The fallen booth of David”). The book emphasizes the primacy of Jerusalem/Zion and condemns the northern sanctuary at Bethel as well as the Northern Kingdom and its ruling dynasty. Amos was concerned with social justice; he preached the importance of morality over routine worship. And he called for repentance. He taught that Israel’s election as God’s chosen people entails accountability for sin, not special immunity from punishment. The “Day of the Lord,” which his audience hoped for as a day of salvation, would be, according to Amos, a day of punishment for sin. Rhetorical questions and symbolic visions characterize the book.