Amos 1: The Lord Roars

Key Verses
2 And he said: “The Lord roars from Zion and utters his voice from Jerusalem…”
 
Meditation

Amos was an ordinary man “among the shepherds of Tekoa,” (1) a small town just south of Jerusalem. Amos was vocationally a “dresser of sycamore fig trees” with no formal training in prophetic ministry (7:14). God called ordinary Amos to speak His extra-ordinary word of revelation.
 
Amos is one of the earliest writing prophets, serving during the reign of king Jeroboam II, @ 793-753 BC (1). The strong international economy of Amos’ day provided fertile ground for idolatry and immorality to flourish. The roar of the Lord from Zion was prophetic warning to all who were rejecting God as Lord and King.
 
Ultimately, the words of Amos are targeted at Israel. But God began by speaking to the nations encircling the land (Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, and Moab). The unique messages in Amos 1 follow a formula, “transgressions” against God were named (3, 6, 9, 11, 13) and God’s sovereignty demonstrated by the promise of His just judgment of the nations was proclaimed (4, 7, 10, 12, 14).
 
Today’s reading details the judgement of Israel’s neighbors, a necessary aspect of God’s stated mission is to bless the nations (Genesis 12:1-3). Without prophetic proclamation to repent and return to the Lord the peoples would not know the sovereign grace of the Lord. The good news of the gospel is that Jesus took the judgement our sin deserves so we, including our neighbors, can repent and turn to Him for relationship. The Lion who roared through Amos (2) is the Lamb who took away the sins of the world!
 
 
Today’s Reading
The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds 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.

Judgment on Israel's Neighbors
2 And he said:
“The Lord roars from Zion
    and utters his voice from Jerusalem;
the pastures of the shepherds mourn,
    and the top of Carmel withers.”
3 Thus says the Lord:
“For three transgressions of Damascus,
    and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they have threshed Gilead
    with threshing sledges of iron.
4 So I will send a fire upon the house of Hazael,
    and it shall devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad.
5 I will break the gate-bar of Damascus,
    and cut off the inhabitants from the Valley of Aven,
and him who holds the scepter from Beth-eden;
    and the people of Syria shall go into exile to Kir,”
says the Lord.

6 Thus says the Lord:
“For three transgressions of Gaza,
    and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they carried into exile a whole people
    to deliver them up to Edom.
7 So I will send a fire upon the wall of Gaza,
    and it shall devour her strongholds.
8 I will cut off the inhabitants from Ashdod,
    and him who holds the scepter from Ashkelon;
I will turn my hand against Ekron,
    and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish,”
says the Lord God.

9 Thus says the Lord:
“For three transgressions of Tyre,
    and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they delivered up a whole people to Edom,
    and did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.
10 So I will send a fire upon the wall of Tyre,
    and it shall devour her strongholds.”

11 Thus says the Lord:
“For three transgressions of Edom,
    and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because he pursued his brother with the sword
    and cast off all pity,
and his anger tore perpetually,
    and he kept his wrath forever.
12 So I will send a fire upon Teman,
    and it shall devour the strongholds of Bozrah.”

13 Thus says the Lord:
“For three transgressions of the Ammonites,
    and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they have ripped open pregnant women in Gilead,
    that they might enlarge their border.
14 So I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah,
    and it shall devour her strongholds,
with shouting on the day of battle,
    with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind;
15 and their king shall go into exile,
    he and his princes together,”
says the Lord.

 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the targeted accusations against the nations and God’s promised judgement?
 
-Judgment is a necessary aspect of God’s mission to bless the nations. The message of judgment should lead to repentance, people turning to the Lord for refuge and forgiveness. The work of the cross is Jesus receiving the judgment we deserve! How do you feel knowing that judgment is central to God’s mission? 
 
-Through the work of Jesus all who believe can be forgiven, and this extra-ordinary message should be carried by ordinary people like Amos. Who in your life needs to hear the gospel? Jesus did not come to condemn the world but that the world would be saved through Him.
 
Key Verses
2 And he said: “The Lord roars from Zion and utters his voice from Jerusalem…”