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Focus Text: Amos 1.1,7.14-15

“The words of Amos, who was among the sheepbreeders of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.” (Amos 1.1). There had been other prophets from among the ranks of the shepherds and there would be others. However, had been more blunt or to the point than Amos. His speech was picturesque and drew upon his upbringing and his occupation.

God’s call of Amos was sudden and without any apparent special preparation. After being warned by Amaziah not to prophesy any more in [Northern] Israel, Amos revealed the following about his call: “Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah: ‘I was no prophet, Nor was I a son of a prophet, But I was a sheepbreeder And a tender of sycamore fruit. Then the LORD took me as I followed the flock, And the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’” (Amos 7.14-15). Amos said this to alert Amaziah to the fact that his ministry and the place where it focused was not of his own choosing; rather, Amos’ mission was one selected by God Himself. The fact that he was not a prophet nor the son of a prophet was an apparent reference to the fact that he had not receive any special schooling but was chosen directly from the fields to go and minister to the hearts of Northern Israel. It appears that God saw Amos’ candor and courage as virtues that needed little polish before being used.

Implied in the call and immediate response of Amos to that call is God’s empowerment of Amos to fill the prophetic office to which he was called. Like other prophets before and after him, Amos was inspired by the Holy Spirit of God and his message was guaranteed accurate; when he spoke, he prophesied only that which the Holy Spirit of God gave him to say. One of Amos’ favorite sayings is “Thus says the Lord” (or its abbreviated form “says the Lord’). This saying in one of its forms appears forty times in the nine chapters contained in the book. From these facts one can correctly conclude that Amos claimed to speak for God and he did so unashamedly. His words fit well the later statement of the apostle Peter who wrote, “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1.19-21).

As a prophet of God Amos spoke of a time when people would want to hear a prophet but could not; hear this chilling prophecy: “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, And from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD, But shall not find it.’” (Amos 8.11-12).

Amos was a prophet of unexcelled candor and courage; he preached “…in season and out of season.” (2 Timothy 4.2). His example is a worthy one for preachers of all time!

Questions:

1. Where was Tekoa on relationship with the Northern Kingdom of Israel?

2. What was Amos doing when he received the prophetic call?

3. What indicators are there that Amos was inspired and equipped by the Spirit of God to successfully fill his prophetic office?

4. What prophecy did Amos utter regarding a famine in the land? What type of famine was it to be?

"The Way" from Kevin Pauley

A World of One