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Amos – Shepherd Prophet of Judgment (2 of 5)

Focus Text: Amos 3.1-8

Amos has a powerful and memorable way of putting things; his hearers/readers can not help but pay attention; they can’t help but be impressed by his words. Some of the reasons are evident in the paragraph that follows.

“Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying: ‘You only have I known of all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.’ Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? Will a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey? Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing? Will a bird fall into a snare on the earth, where there is no trap for it? Will a snare spring up from the earth, if it has caught nothing at all? If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it? Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken! Who can but prophesy?” (Amos 3.1-8).

Rhetorical questions provide the inevitable answer to the important affirmations that Amos makes in this text. God has spoken to him and the message is like the one that Jeremiah had; it was a burning fire in his bosom, a message that simply had to be delivered. There are seven rhetorical questions (count the question marks in the middle part of the paragraph) that all must be answered with a negative response. Since the answer to these seven questions is so clearly obvious, then one other thing is obvious, namely, Amos had received a message of calamity from God and the inhabitants of Israel ought to be afraid! The lion that roared in the text is the warning sounded by Amos; had it been a real lion, would people not have feared? Since Amos was a prophet, should they not fear?

Contained in this paragraph is also an affirmation about God and His righteous ways. Note the following: “Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.” This statement provides insight into the methods that God used in warning His children before judgment was meted out. His prophets were special mouthpieces who were commissioned to speak truth and to speak of impending punishment upon certain peoples as God saw fit. The mission of the prophets, even those of which we know little or nothing, was to provide a way of escape from calamity. Implied herein is the fact that God is fair in His judgments, even when we think He is not!

Amos’ final question in the focus text was, “Who can but prophesy?” In other words, when God spoke such solemn words to His prophets, what man of any integrity could but warn others of their future should they fail to repent. Amos, like other prophets, suffered indignities and mistreatments – but not without good cause! His mission was in every respect a life or death mission; Who can but prophesy? That spirit ought to compel believers to warn unbelievers even as it compelled Amos to warn his contemporaries!

Questions:

1. What are the seven rhetorical questions in the focus text?

2. What point was Amos making by asking these questions (note the complete context)?

3. What is revealed about God’s character in the statement that He does nothing except He reveals it to His prophets?

4. What lesson ought believers to learn from Amos’ determination to deliver God’s warnings?

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

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