lesson 11
The Fourth Vision of Amos: the Vision of the Basket of Summer Fruit
Amos 8
Background notes
1.
2.
3.
Doctrinal / Teaching points
1. A nation that corrupts justice is ripe for judgment.
2. A nation that practices idolatry is ripe for judgment.
Practical application
1. Do you want the Lord to forget your sins?
Questions
1. In a brief outline of Amos, there are
_____ prophecies
_____ sermons
_____ visions
2. What happened during the historical interlude in Chapter 7?
3. Where did Amos give his prophecies, sermons, and visions?
4. Bethel has historical significance. What did Abraham do at there? What did Jacob do?
5. What was Bethel like during the time of Amos?
6. What did King Jeroboam I do at Dan and at Bethel?
7. Did King Jeroboam II get rid of the idols?
8. Amos was not the first prophet that God sent from Judah to the idolatrous shrine at Bethel to pronounce judgment. Who was the other prophet?
9. What is the meaning of the vision of the summer fruit?
Answers
1. 8 prophecies, 3 sermons, 6 visions
2. Amaziah, the false priest of Bethel tried to silence Amos and send him back to Judah.
3. At Bethel, in the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
4. Abraham built an altar and worshiped God there. Jacob had his dream at Bethel, and later returned there.
5. During Amos’ time Bethel held an idolatrous shrine.
6. He set up two golden calf idol shrines in Israel – one at Dan and one at Bethel.
7. No, he continued the idolatrous ways of the kings of the north.
8. He is an unnamed prophet mentioned in 1 Kings 13:1-2.
9. The nation of Israel was ripe for judgment. The idea in the summer fruit is that it is overripe. It is rotten fruit representing the nation that is ripe for judgment.
Discuss / Consider
1. Read Amos 8:4-8. Notice the tricks that the people would use to cheat in business. Are these practices unknown in America today? For their corruption of justice Israel would be judged. What does this say about the corruption of justice in our nation today? It will not go unjudged. What is true for a nation is true for individuals within that nation. If God were to picture your life as a basket of fruit, what kind of fruit would be in that basket?
2. Idolatry was and will be judged in Israel. All idolatry in all nations will be judged, and all idolatry in an individual’s life will be judged. Is there any idolatry in your life right now? Is something taking the place of God in your life? Are you hungering and thirsting for nourishment from the word of God?
See Amos 8:11-12.
Challenge
1. There is no contradiction between the verses in Amos 8:7 and Jeremiah 31:34. Jeremiah refers to believers, but Amos 8 refers to unbelievers who would not repent. God will forgive and forget your sins when you receive Jesus Christ as your Savior.
Memorize
“The Lord showed me a basket of summer fruit.” Amos 8:1
“The Lord says, ‘Surely I will never forget any of their works. Shall the land not tremble for this?”
Amos 8:7-8
“Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord God, ‘That I will send a famine on the land…a famine of hearing the words of the Lord” Amos 8:11
“They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, but shall not find it.” Amos 8:12
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