The Book Of Amos And Its Audiences Prophecy Poetry And Rhetoric

Many studies of the prophetic books assume that a text's addressee and audience are one and the same. Sometimes this is the case, but some prophetic texts feature multiple addressees who cannot be collapsed into a single setting. In this book Andrew R. Davis examines examples of multiple addressees within the book of Amos and argues that they force us to expand our understanding of prophetic audiences. Drawing insight from studies of poetic address in other disciplines, Davis distinguishes between the addressee within the text and the actual audience outside the text. He combines in-depth poetic analysis with historical inquiry and shows the ways that the prophetic discourse of the book of Amos is triangulated among multiple audiences.

Analyses the poetic audiences of the book of Amos by distinguishing the textual addressee from its actual audiences.

Themelios is an international, evangelical, peer-reviewed theological journal that expounds and defends the historic Christian faith. Themelios is published three times a year online at The Gospel Coalition (http://thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/) and in print by Wipf and Stock. Its primary audience is theological students and pastors, though scholars read it as well. Themelios began in 1975 and was operated by RTSF/UCCF in the UK, and it became a digital journal operated by The Gospel Coalition in 2008. The editorial team draws participants from across the globe as editors, essayists, and reviewers. General Editor: Brian Tabb, Bethlehem College and Seminary Contributing Editor: D. A. Carson, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School Consulting Editor: Michael J. Ovey, Oak Hill Theological College Administrator: Andrew David Naselli, Bethlehem College and Seminary Book Review Editors: Jerry Hwang, Singapore Bible College; Alan Thompson, Sydney Missionary & Bible College; Nathan A. Finn, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; Hans Madueme, Covenant College; Dane Ortlund, Crossway; Jason Sexton, Golden Gate Baptist Seminary Editorial Board: Gerald Bray, Beeson Divinity School Lee Gatiss, Wales Evangelical School of Theology Paul Helseth, University of Northwestern, St. Paul Paul House, Beeson Divinity School Ken Magnuson, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Jonathan Pennington, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary James Robson, Wycliffe Hall Mark D. Thompson, Moore Theological College Paul Williamson, Moore Theological College Stephen Witmer, Pepperell Christian Fellowship Robert Yarbrough, Covenant Seminary

An investigation of the literary structure and rhetorical challenge that prompted the book's production. Moller argues that the book of Amos captures and presents the debate between Amos and his eighth-century audience. When read in the light of Israel's fall, the presentation of Amos struggling (and failing) to convince his contemporaries of the imminent divine punishment functions as a powerful warning to subsequent Judaean readers.

This study argues that the gist and movement of the prophecy in the book of Amos can be attributed to Amos himself, who composed a coherent cycle of poetry. His dire predictions came after the Fall of Samaria but before the Fall of Jerusalem. Writing a century later, the author of the book preserved but updated Amos' text by fitting it into a developing literary, historical and prophetic tradition. Amos is used as a test case to show that prophecy originated in the performing arts but was later transformed into history and biography. The original prophecy is a song Amos recited at symposia or festivals. The book's interest focusses on the performer and his times.

The books of the Latter Prophets have traditionally been treated as persuasive speeches, and interpreted according to their rhetoric. At the same time, interpreters recognize the poetic form of much prophecy. This study takes up the notion of the 'prophet' as 'poet', focusing on word-play in Hosea and on the lyrical plot of that book; the case is made for treating Hosea as a stark, full-length poem of inexhaustible power.

These six prophets proclaim powerful messages about judgment and the sovereignty of God. Amos challenges hypocrisy and injustice. Hosea's marriage symbolizes the covenant between God and Israel, moving from love to separation and then reunion. Micah, Nahum, and Zephaniah condemn corrupt leadership, injustice to the poor, and worship of false gods. Habakkuk reminds all to rely on God, who will punish the evil and defeat chaos. Flowing through all these calls to be a better people is the unfailing promise of a faithful and forgiving God.

In 1955 John D. W. Watts presented the faculty lectures at the Baptist Theological Seminary in Ruschlikon. Amos and prophetic studies have not been the same since. Three years later, in 1958, Vision and Prophecy in Amos appeared as an instant must in studies on Amos and on biblical prophecy in general. Watts' form-critical analysis of the visions of Amos became an immediate classic in its field. Long out of print, this new edition of Vision and Prophecy is available for all students and scholars of biblical prophecy. Moreover, Watts has added new material on Amos. He explores Amos forty years later both in terms of its literary whole and in the context of the Book of the Twelve.