Amos: A Prophet

Amos’s name means “burden bearer.” He was a minor prophet. He prophesied from about 760 B.C. to 750 B.C. This would be during the reign of Jeroboam son of Jehoash in Judah, and King Uzziah who was reigning in Israel. Amos was a shepherd, and a “dresser of sycamore trees.” This basically means that he farmed sycamore trees. His hometown was Tekoa, a small town in the wilderness of Judah about six miles south of Bethlehem, and 11 miles from Jerusalem. Because of his occupations, he moved around a lot. Then God called him to prophesy to several towns in Judah and Israel.

Amos was known as the prophet of visions because of the five visions he saw. He did not want to be called a prophet because he wasn't like the other prophets. He was just a herdsman and had not been taught to prophesy. God told him to tell the people to repent of their sins, and that he was going to bring judgment upon the land. He describes the five visions he has seen; a plague of locusts, a devastating fire, a plumb line which symbolizes how far the people have deviated from God's standards, a basket of fruit which symbolizes the short time left before the judgment, and a vision of Jehovah striking the top of the false temple in Bethel and destroying it. He then prophesies the eventual restoration of the land.

The people rejected Amos’s message. At this time, the nation was at peace and had forgotten that it was God who had given them their blessings. They were lazy, wicked, and worldly. The upper classes lived in luxury, and the lower classes struggled to meet their basic needs. We do not know what happened to Amos after he was done prophesying. Maybe he went back to his former jobs.

Malachi: A Prophet

Malachi was the last Old Testament prophet. All of his writings are contained in the book of Malachi, which are only four chapters long. Malachi was a minor prophet. The label of minor prophet means that Malachi had a small book, not necessarily a small purpose. Malachi touched on Judah’s unfaithfulness, Elijah coming, and the Day of Judgment.

Malachi prophesied for about 15 years, from 445-430 B.C., after Judah returned from captivity. They still showed unfaithfulness. The people of Judah had recently returned to their homeland, but they still disobeyed God in many ways. Through Malachi God told the people of Israel to stop bringing unworthy sacrifices.

In Malachi chapters 4 verses 5-6, Malachi speaks the word of the Lord to the people: “See, I will send the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” Elijah came to prepare the way for Jesus, as the Bible says in Isaiah 40:3 “a voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”

Malachi also prophesied about the Lord’s Judgment. The Lord was angry about many things concerning Israel’s behavior, and he told them that when he spoke through Malachi. The people were not bringing acceptable offerings to God. Malachi said that if they brought adequate offerings to God, he would answer their prayers. Many of the people wouldn’t listen to Malachi’s prophecies. Most of the people wouldn’t listen to what Malachi was saying. God set the people who did apart as righteous because of their faithfulness. Malachi’s life teaches us to follow God in everything we do.

Josiah: A Good King

Josiah was the 16th king of Judah.  His story can be found in 2 Kings 22:1-23:30 and 2 Chronicles 34-36:1.  Josiah was the best king.  No one, even his ancestor David compares to the way Josiah lived.  In all his ways Josiah followed the Lord.  As king, Josiah rebuilt the temple, tore down the bad altars, and was killed by Pharaoh Neco.

When he was 8 years old, Josiah became the 16th king of Judah, and he reigned for 31 years.  The first thing he did as king was rebuild the Temple.  As the Temple was being rebuilt, the high priest Hilkiah found the book of the law.  After reading it, Josiah brought the people together and renewed the covenant.  Even so, the Lord caused Judah to fall and be exiled to another country.

Josiah also tore down all of the altars, idols, and Asherah poles.  He fulfilled everything the prophet from Judah had said when he prophesied to Jeroboam king of Israel.  In addition to removing the vile things from Judah, Josiah led the people in a Passover celebration like no other.  Never since the days of the judges had any comparable Passover been celebrated.

In the 31st year of his reign, Josiah went out to fight Pharaoh Neco.  Neco was fighting at the Euphrates river and warned Josiah that he was on a mission from God, but Josiah wouldn't listen.  He still went up to fight Neco, and so he was shot and killed by archers.  Josiah's son Jehoahaz succeeded him as king.

Ibzan - A Judge of Israel

Ibzan’s story can be found in Judges twelve verses eight through ten. His father was Salmon, also known as Salma. His mother was Rahab. Ibzan’s hometown was Beth-lehem. This would be Eprath, not Jerusalem. Ibzan became judge after Jephthah’s death. He was the twelfth judge of Israel.

Ibzan had thirty sons and thirty daughters. A large family suggests that he was polygamous, meaning that he had more than one wife. This was tolerated, but never in God’s plan. Large families were a sign of wealth and power. He gave his daughters away in marriage to those outside of his clan, probably outside of Israel. For his sons, he brought in thirty young women from outside of his clan to be married to. This would suggest that he was seeking political alliances and to extend his sphere of influences. He encouraged his sons to have only one wife.

Ibzan is also known as Boaz. He married Ruth the Moabite. Ruth had previously been married to Ibzan’s cousin. When she was widowed, she moved to Judah with Naomi, her mother in law. There she met Boaz. She was his last wife, and together they had a son named Obed. They are the ancestors of King David who was born four generations later. Nothing is said about his adversaries, so there was probably not a threat to Israel during his lifetime. Therefore, Ibzan never fought any major battles.

Ibzan judged Israel for seven years. When Ibzan died, he was buried in Beth-lehem, his hometown. Elon judged Israel for ten years after Ibzan’s death.

Calvin Coolidge

Calvin Coolidge was born on July 4, 1872, making him the only President born on Independence Day.  Coolidge's father raised him after his mother died when he was 12.  Then at age 13, young Calvin went to study at Black River Academy.  He attended Amherst College and was the head of his own law firm by age 25.

In 1905, Calvin Coolidge married Grace Goodhue.  They had two boys.  In 1925, just after the start of Coolidge's second term, one of his sons died of blood poisoning.  Grace Coolidge was the total opposite of her husband.  She loved being around people and was very outgoing.  The people nicknamed her "Lemonade Lucy" because she would not serve alcohol at the White House. 

Coolidge served as the Governor of Massachusetts from 1918-1920.  He then went on to be the Vice President for Warren G. Harding from 1920-1923.  Calvin Coolidge became the 30th President of the United States when Harding died.  He was our President from 1923-1929.  Calvin Coolidge's slogan for the 1924 campaign was "Keep cool with Coolidge."  His nickname was "Silent Cal" because Coolidge didn't usually have a lot to say. 

Coolidge is the first President who took the Oath of Office in the presence of his father.  Coolidge is also the only President that has taken the oath of Office twice for one term.  Coolidge's inaugural speech in 1925 was the first one broadcast on the radio. 

One of the thins Coolidge wanted to accomplish as President was the restore the dignity  that was lost during Harding's term.  Women earned the right to vote during Coolidge's term.  In 1928, Coolidge stated that he would not run for President, saying tit was better to quit while he was ahead.

Calvin Coolidge had his own private place he fished at in the Black Hills of South Dakota.  After retiring, Calvin wrote an autobiography expressing his views on the Presidency.  He died on January 5, 1933.

References:
Aten, Jerry. "Calvin Coolidge." Presidents. Third ed. Grand Rapids, MI: McGraw Hill Children's, 2002 85, 147. Print.
"Calvin Coolidge Biography." American Presidents: Biographies, Facts, Quotes, Pictures, Speeches. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. http://www.american-presidents.com/calvin-coolidge.
"Calvin Coolidge." The Presidents Funk and Wagnall's Special Edition. Curtis, 1993. 112-*115. Print.
"Calvin Coolidge." The White House. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/calvincoolidge.
Kane, Joseph Nathan. Facts about the Presidents: a Compilation of Biographical and Historical Information. New York: Wilson, 1989. 185, 375 Print.

George H. W. Bush

George Bush was born on June 12, 1924, in Massachusetts. He went to school at Philips Academy in Andover, Mass., playing both soccer and basketball. After graduating, George Bush served in the Navy until 1945. Enemy soldiers shot down the plane Bush was flying on September 2, 1944. George Bush is the last President who served in World War II.

Bush married Barbara Pierce in 1945 after he was discharged form the Navy. He then enrolled at Yale, graduating with a degree in economics after only 2 ½ years. Bush went on to found Zapata Off Shore Oil Company in 1954. One of his nicknames was Poppy, distinguishing him from his grandfather, Pop. Bush became the Director of the CIA in 1976.

After the CIA, he was the Ambassador to the UN from 1971-1972. Bush is the first person who was Ambassador to the UN that also became President. He served in the House of Representatives beginning in 1966, making him the first Republican to do this. Bush then went on to serve as Vice President to Ronald Reagan for 8 years. He is the only VP who served as Acting President and later became President. As the Vice President, George Bush wrote an autobiography titled Looking Forward.

George Bush was the 41st President, serving from 1989-1993. When he took the Oath of Office, Bush was the only President born in June. The U.S. also had the world’s largest debt when he became President.

Bush was serving as President when the Berlin wall fell. His foolish campaign promise not to create any new taxes backfired in the 1992 election. Bush lost the election because he broke that pledge and raised taxes as President. George Bush is currently the oldest person who served as President that is still living.

References:

Bush, George: Biography from Answers.com www.answers.com/topic/George Bush

Facts About the Presidents © 2001 H.W. Wilson pgs 281-283, 290, 318-319

George H.W. Bush www.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_H._W._Bush

George H. W. Bush the American Presidents Series © 2007 Timothy Naftali pgs 6, 178

The Presidents, Funk and Wagnall © 1993 Curtis Publishing Co. pgs 164-165

The Presidents, Third Edition © 2002 McGraw Hill Children’s Publishing pgs 118, 151, 159