Abstract:
ABSTRACT
The book of Amos is among the most studied books in the Bible. The high
scholarly interest in Amos is due to the prophet’s emphasis on true religion.
Amos’ message cannot be understood without a proper understanding of the
context in which it was delivered. Amos ministered in eighth-century Israel
when the nation had prospered economically and politically. The nation’s
prosperity had yielded a high level of religiosity evident in the payment of
tithes, offerings, religious gatherings and singing of hymns. Unfortunately,
the religiosity of the people had no positive impact on their social lives. This
situation prompted Amos’ prophecy of an impending divine judgment which
was to decimate the nation and finally send the people into exile. The
purpose of this paper is to explore the contextual issues within which Amos’
message emerged and then compare Amos' situation with the contemporary
Ghanaian socio-religious and political contexts. The paper used literary
research methodology as well as textual and historical analyses. The findings
from the study serve as a hermeneutical framework for interpreting and
applying Amos’ message. Lessons are also drawn for contemporary leaders.
The paper contributes to Old Testament scholarship, particularly scholarship
on the minor prophets.
Keywords: Amos, Ghana, Justice, Socio-economic context
