9:17 The juxtaposition of mention of Korah - the "captain" and God being "gracious and merciful" quoting Exo 34:6 provides a wonderful insight into Nehemiah's understanding of his God.

Vs.1-3 The people were serious and sincere about their worship (sackcloth and fasting and separating themselves from unbelievers).  They spent three hours reading God's Word, and another three hours confessing their faults and praising Yahweh. 

Contrast that scene with today.  It seems a chore for some to haul themselves to Sunday meeting for an hour or two, not to mention any mid-week activity.  Having things too easy and having too many distractions is not conducive to worshipping Yahweh.  We need to seriously and sincerely put Yahweh first in our lives.  

8:6 ‘thou hast made … therein’ is quoted in Rev 10:6.

In this prayer we see the love of God to his people expounded in many ways. We see the mercy of God in their deliverance out of Egypt (V.9-11). We see God's care for them, as He led Israel by fire and cloud (V.12). We see God providing the necessities of life (food and water V.15). We then see God's forgivness and blessings, dispite their ignorance, stubbornness, and disobedience. He never forsook them (V.31). Finally we see that they acknowledge that God's justice was evident in the punishment (V.33).

Neh 9:29 - "which if a man do, he shall live by them". Also Lev 18:15. In Rom 10:5 Paul quotes this, putting obedience of the law in juxtaposition with faith. By this time, the Jews already had more emphasis on the works of the Law than on faith. It was much more pronounced by Jesus' time. In Malachi, the solemn feasts and sacrifices were useless without a sincere honour of God.

Do I put works above faith? There must be a balance. Do I honour God one day, and dishonour him on others?

9:27 The quotation from Leviticus 18:5 highlights Nehemiah’s understanding that it is not just a matter of saying that certain thing are right but that one also has to do those things.

9:18-19 Nehemiah cites another example of Israel’s rebellion in the wilderness – the making of the golden calf – but he uses it, not to reprove them but to show how God is willing to forgive.

V.29 Here, we see an indictment against Israel’s refusal to obey Yahweh when given an opportunity. The phrase withdrew the shoulder (KJV) is interesting. It could be seen as the equivalent of giving the cold shoulder in modern parlance.

But, let’s take a look at the Hebrew. Withdrew comes from sarar which can mean to turn away in a moral sense; or to withdraw in a physical sense. The word for shoulder is katef which indicates the region where the garment hangs.

Since the beginning, garments have been important. When Adam and Eve sinned, Yahweh covered up their shame by clothing them: Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them (KJV) (Gen 3:21). In like figure, we are clothed with the righteousness of Jesus (Gal 3:27). To be naked is to be in a state of shame because one is not covered by Yahweh's righteousness.

If the region where the garment hangs (shoulder) is withdrawn (taken away), then the garment falls down and the person is rendered naked. Israel’s refusal to obey Yahweh made them naked and in a state of shame in Yahweh's eyes.

We can be spiritually safe only when we are covered with Christ's righteousness. Let us not only keep our garments on, but keep them in good condition (Jude 1:23).

9:15 Nehemiah is reminding the congregation of God’s care for Israel. Here, speaking about the way God provided food in the wilderness, he quotes Psa 78:24

9:28 In saying n his prayer that Israel had ‘cast thy law behind their backs’ Nehemiah is echoing the condemnation that the Psalmist gives – Psa 50:17

Neh 9:2 - a separate people (2Cor 6:14-18;2Cor 7:1).

Neh 9:6 - the Lord is alone and made the heavens, earth, seas and all that is alive.

Neh 9:7-8 - the covenant to Abraham has not yet been fulfilled (Gen 13:15;Acts 7:5;Heb 11:19,39).

Neh 9:15 - bread from heaven and water when a rock was struck perhaps echos Christ as the bread of life and the smote rock which provides living water (John 6:48-51,58;Num 20:8-11;1Cor 10:4;Isa 53:5;John 7:37-39;John 4:7-15).

Neh 9:26-28,33 - cycles of evil, punishment, repentance, mercy/deliverance.

Notice that Amos says 'what he saw concerning ISRAEL' from which we should conclude that the message was directed, at least primarily, at the northern kingdom.There is only one specific reference to the earthquake in the days of Uzziah. Zechariah 14:5

And that some long time after, when all those who had experienced it would be long dead. This indicates that it must have been some terrible event with substantial destruction.

I believe that there are incidental references to that earthquake in the Isaiah who was alive at the time of the earthquake. Isaiah 24:1 - 20

1:9 The 'brotherly covenant' refers to 1 Kings 5:12. The agreement between Solomon and Tyre should have affected the way the men of Tyre responded even though the covenant was made between Solomon and Hiram many years ago.

V.1 Amos, whose name means burden prophesied about 755 BC during the reigns of Uzziah in Judah, and Jeroboam II in Israel.  He was a contemporary of Hosea. 

Amos, who unlike other prophets of noble background, was a breeder of sheep.  He was probably an employer of shepherds, and therefore, could leave his enterprise in the hands of his workers while he went on his mission. 

His mission (burden), took him from his home in Tekoa which was located about 16 km south of Jerusalem.  He relocated to Bethel where he prophesied.  He was a cross-over prophet in that he was a Judean who prophesied in Israel. Yahweh selects whomever He will from men and women of whatever background and geographical location to do His work. 

1:2 The Lord roaring out of Zion matches the message of Joel – Joel 3:16. maybe indicating that Joel and Amos were contemporary and they, by the Holy Spirit, confirmed each other’s words that in the mouth of two witnesses the words might be established – Deut 17:6

Exo 20:5 appears to contradict other scripture which tells us that God doesn't punish a son for his father's sins. Here in Amos we seem to get a good answer to that problem. In v3, 6, 9, 11, 13 we read "for three transgressions and for four...". It was after the fourth transgression that God would act to punish a nation. Likewise in Gen 15:16 God waited four successive generations for the Amorites to repent before He punished them. Is it possible that Exo 20:5 is telling us that God waits for 4 successive evil generations before He will punish a nation?

1:3 One of the transgression of Damascus (Syria) is seen in the days of Jehu – 2Kin 10:33

1:1 Tekoa is generally understood to be a town on the edge of the Judean hills, south of Bethlehem, Being in the rain shadow of the Judean hills is was not a very fertile area which would have made Amos’s job – a herdman - a little difficult.

1:11 Edom (Esau) was brother to Israel. Israel had been told not to oppress Edom because of the family relationship but Edom did not feel in any way constrained by the family connection. Rather, it seems, the family connection engendered hatred, not love.

V.12 Teman was a place in Edom (Obad 1:9). Bozrah is also in Edom (actually in Idumea, which is the western part of Edom, from where the Herods derived) (Isa 34:6).

Vs.13,14 Ammon lay east of the Jordan and bordered Gilead on the north. Rabbah was the capital of Ammon.

1:13 So we see the motivation of Ammon was territorial. But God had given Giled to Israel when they arrived from Egypt. All the land on the east of Jordan was possessed by Israel, at God’s instruction. This is just the point that Jephthah made – Judg 11:14-27

1:6 the Greek of the phrase 'turned aside' only occurs 5 times in Scripture.

1624
1 Timothy 1:6 5:15 turned aside
1 Timothy 6:20 avoiding
2 Timothy 4:4 turned
Hebrews 12:13 turned out of the way

2:2 That request for a peaceful life be granted us by the authorities is a regular request of the apostle Paul. The fact that he makes the point on more than one occasion demonstrates the need to pray in this manner on a regular basis. Of course we should also thank God for the measure of freedom that we have. It is not appropriate to simply ask for things and not thank Him for giving us those things we ask for.

3:8 deacons - the deacons in the first century were ministers, that is brethren and sisters who served. We might say that Stephen was a deacon as the word 'serve' Acts 6:2 is used to speak of the 'office' of Stephen. The fact that he was stoned for preaching the gospel demonstrates that roles and offices appointed by the holy spirit are not fixed categories within which one has to work. Stephen 'did the work of an evangelist' though he was a deacon.

1:8 The letter to Timothy were written late in Paul's life. The phrase
'the law is good' is a quotation from Romans 7:16
'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners' quotes Romans 5:8
Thus we see that the preaching of Paul appeals to his earlier spirit guided writings.

2:8 The lifting up of hands in prayer is something which echoes Old Testament practices. Nehemiah 8:6 Psalm 28:2 Psalm 141:2 etc:

3:16 'Great is the mystery of Godliness' contrasts powerfully with 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians' (Acts 19:28)

1:15 The 'faithful saying' is a quotation from Romans 5:8

2:1 Do we think 'prayers and supplications' should be the first thing we do?

3:7 The reason why Timothy would be able to implement the requirement that Bishops were to be of 'good report' was because Timothy, himself, was of good report (Acts 16:1-2)

1:18 'war a good warfare' quotes Numbers 4:23 'perform the service' - see margin. So the war that Timothy - and we -a re to be involved in is a war of service to God. It is a war because the flesh resists the desire to serve God.

2:4 God is willing for al men to be saved (2Pet 3:9) is this our attitude also - or are we selective in whom we preach to or think are suitable to approach with the gospel message?

3:11 It is important to note that the wives of brethren with responsibilities had responsibilities also. It is so easy to see a brother's work as his service and for the wife to feel that she has nothing to do with that work. However her very demeanour can either enhance or hinder the husband's work in the Lord.

1:9  It might seem paradoxical that the law was not made for a righteous man. But the law actually highlighted sin – not righteousness. Rom 7:7

2:13-14  Notice the careful use of the creation account to emphasise principles of ecclesial life v11. The force of the argument relies on the literality of the events in the garden of Eden.

3:7  ‘them that are without’ is Jesus’ way of speaking of those who do not heed his words – Mark 4:11.

1:7 Teachers who do not understand was a characteristic of Israel’s leaders. Jesus called them blind leaders Matt 15:14. We run the same danger. Setting ourselves up as teachers on unimportant matters which cannot be defined from Scripture

2:9    ‘in like manner’ shows that the demeanour of sisters in their dress advertises their heart and mind – or at least it should. In the same way that the way in which brethren pray should show their attitude.

1:10 'menstealers’ seems to be a technical word with specific references to a trade which took place in a society where slavery was common. A ‘menstealer’ kidnapped or by other means took free men and sold them as slaves. So whilst Scripture does not condemn the owning of slaves the method by which certain men were made slaves is condemned.

2:12 ‘usurp authority’ is well rendered ‘have dominion’ which reflects the status in creation – Adam was to have dominion over creation – not Eve. Of course this is not teaching that Adam was to dominate Eve. But to mark the distinct and different roles between Adam and Eve.