The roar of a lion is so loud it can be heard up to five miles away and reaches 114 decibels. So if you stand too close to a roaring lion, the noise may not only send shivers down your spine, it may also be physically painful. Whatever the intent, this is one form of communication that’s impossible to ignore! Amos 1 opens with a lion’s roar, as the LORD God, King of the universe, “utters His voice from Jerusalem.” Setting an ominous tone for the book, this roar is meant to frighten those who were about to become the lion’s prey. God’s patience is running out and He is sending a warning of judgment (v 2). The book of Amos was written between 760 and 753 BC, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam II reigned over the northern kingdom of Israel. Unlike many of the other Biblical prophets, Amos was neither a scholar nor a professional religious leader. He was a shepherd and a sycamore-fig farmer from Tekoa, a village about ten miles south of Jerusalem (v 1; cf 7:14–15). At this time in history, Assyria had not yet become a threat, so the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel had grown strong, politically and militarily. Yet despite their growth and prosperity, the nation was headed for destruction. Why? Because their wealth had settled into the hands of a very few. While others saw no concerns, Amos cries out against the social injustice, political corruption, moral decay, and religious apostasy that characterized his day. His book is readable, relevant, and moving. Yet it is often neglected by those who would rather not be confronted with issues like the misuse of wealth or God’s concern for the poor and oppressed. Jewish readers will be addressed in the next chapter, but Amos begins with words of doom directed against six neighboring nations: Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, and Moab (1:3-2:3). These prophecies are cleverly arranged in such a way that the messages crisscross the borders of the Hebrew kingdoms before effectively hitting the prophet’s target audience—the nation of Israel. In each case, the formula is repeated, “for three transgressions...and for four.” The sum is notably seven, a number which signifies completion in the Bible. The point is, the sins of these nations have reached the maximum that the LORD will permit (cf Gen 15:16). The fairness or consistency of God’s judgment is highlighted as even pagan nations are answerable to Him. Each condemnation concerns a violation of human rights, showing that those without God’s written law are still guilty of breaking that basic code of behavior that’s written on the hearts of all people. For further meditation: