We are meant to learn from the History books for the bible. Sadly, as the British historian A.J.P.Taylor observed, speaking about Napoleon III, we generally fail in this.
“Like most of those who study history, he learned from the mistakes of the past how to make new ones.”
Here's the historical background to today's readings:

• 930BC Solomon’s kingdom divides: Israel to north; Judah to south.
• 786-746BC the reign of Jeroboam II = last period of prosperity for Israel. (It was destroyed in 722BC.)
• Splendid new buildings in Samaria, the capital, some people became very rich through international trade.
• An outward religious revival took place as people attributed their prosperity to their religion.

Read Bible:2Kings+14:23-29

The verdict of the writer of 2 Kings on Jeroboam II is:

• Jeroboam II restored the ancient boundaries of Israel, and by military victories won back lost cities.
• God saved his people through him out of loyalty to his promises & love for his people.
  These are the positive points. But
• “He did evil in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.” (2 Kings 14v24)
  • Jeroboam I had built unauthorised places of worship and installed his own priests. He also had gold calf idols made to represent God.
  • People compromised the worship of God with the worship of the Canaanites around them, failing to distinguish true religion from false religion.
• So God sent them a prophet, Amos, a farmer from the southern kingdom, to give them is warning.

Read Bible:Amos+8:1-7 for a sample of his messages.

Amos spoke out against the evils he saw around him.

• The rich trampling down the weak & poor (2v7)
• Sexual licence: a man & his father having sex with the same slave girl (2v7)
• Grinding down the poor by loaning money to them (2v9)
• Silencing critics of wrong (2v12)
• Getting rich dishonestly (3v10)
• Excessive drinking (4v1)
• Suppressing the truth in the courts (5v10, 12)
• Keeping quiet about wrong-doing (5v13)
• Being complacent, believing nothing can go wrong (6v1)
• Building luxurious homes (6v8)
• Hypocrisy in religion & selling worthless goods(8v5)
• Using false weights & measures (8v6)

How many of these are still going on today in our society and our world?
Many of these indictments find echoes in the New Testament, where Jesus and the apostles warn that God's judgement will come on those who live like this.
As we read Amos' words and look at their historical background, we should be convicted of a need for repentance and a need to commit ourselves to working for change in our society and for justice in the world.

Key statements of Amos for us to contemplate:

• “The people of …… have sinned again and again, and for this I will certainly punish them.” (1v3, 6, 9, 11, 13, 2v1, 4, 6)
  • Are we complacent about God's judgement, or concerned?

• “Of all the nations on earth, you are the only one I have known and cared for. That is what makes your sins so terrible, and that is why I must punish you for them.” (3v2)
  • We are warned that God's judgement begins with those who know him, who claim to be his followers. We have a special duty to live aright, since we are his representatives.

• “The LORD says to the people of Israel, ‘Come to me and you will live’.” (5v4)
  • God offers the opportunity for repentance and forgiveness - how do we respond?

• “Make it your aim to do what is right, not what is evil, so that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty really will be with you, as you claim he is.” (5v14)
  • Jesus especially condemned hypocricy - God wants our deeds to be right.

• “You refuse to admit that a day of disaster is coming, but what you do only brings that day closer.” (6v3)
  • We are being warned that our actions are damaging the environment, but often act complacently...

• “The Sovereign LORD Almighty has given this solemn warning: ‘I hate the pride of the people of Israel; I despise their luxurious mansions’.” (6v8)
  • What's God's verdict on our materialism, on how much we spend on our homes?

• “The LORD says, ‘People of Israel, I think as much of the people of Sudan as I do of you. I brought the Philistines from Crete and the Syrians from Kir, just as I brought you from Egypt’.” (9v7)
  • We mustn't think our nation, group, church, or whatever is more important to God than others. He loves the whole world, without playing favourites.

• “The LORD says, ‘A day is coming when I will restore the kingdom of David, which is like a house fallen into ruins…. The mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with it. I will bring my people back to their land’.” (9v11-14)
  • The prophets usually sound a note of hope beyond judgement. The return from exile in Babylon fulfilled this prophecy, but Christians believe it will find deeper fulfillment in the life of heaven beyond death.

• “I hate your religious festivals…. Instead, let justice flow like a stream, and righteousness like a river that never goes dry.” (5v21-23)
  • Here's the heart of Amos' message. It should be at the heart of our lives too.