Amos 7: Preach the Word

​Key Verse
15 But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ 16 Now therefore hear the word of the Lord.
 
Meditation
Christians must be faithful to God’s word in a culture hostile to truth. Paul exhorted Timothy to “preach the word” as people “accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” and “turn away from listening to the truth…” (2 Timothy 4:1-5). Today’s culture embodies Paul’s warning. Amos’ ancient conviction offers power for present cultural engagement, strength to share scripture no matter the suffering we will sustain.
 
In today’s reading Amos records going toe to toe with Amaziah, a prophet of Baal in Bethel. Amaziah admonished the king to exile Amos for preaching the truth. Amos’ “words were heavy,” visions proclaiming coming judgment if Israel did not repent (1-9). God promised to relent if Israel would repent (3, 6), but Israel rejected God’s truth as Amaziah rejected Amos.
 
Amos spoke boldly, knowing his call came from a higher authority. Amos was not a prophet in the professional sense or the son of a prophet in the familial sense (14). The Lord took Amos and told him to speak the truth, so Amos spoke. Regardless of consequences, Amos was faithful to God’s call (15).
 
Courage to stand for truth grows from the ground of the gospel, Jesus who is the truth giving His life for His people afraid to stand for truth. God’s covenant faithfulness is marked by forgiveness for afraid disciples, a reality fueling Christians to serve Jesus over and above serving people’s approval (Galatians 1:10).  In a culture hostile to truth, Christians must humble ourselves before God and His word, submitting to and speaking the truth without compromise.


 
Today’s Reading
This is what the Lord God showed me: behold, he was forming locusts when the latter growth was just beginning to sprout, and behold, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings. 2 When they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said,

“O Lord God, please forgive!
    How can Jacob stand?
    He is so small!”
3 The Lord relented concerning this:
    “It shall not be,” said the Lord.
4 This is what the Lord God showed me: behold, the Lord God was calling for a judgment by fire, and it devoured the great deep and was eating up the land. 5 Then I said,
“O Lord God, please cease!
    How can Jacob stand?
    He is so small!”
6 The Lord relented concerning this:
    “This also shall not be,” said the Lord God.
7 This is what he showed me: behold, the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said,
“Behold, I am setting a plumb line
    in the midst of my people Israel;
    I will never again pass by them;
9 the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate,
    and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste,
    and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”

Amos Accused
10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos has said,
“‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
    and Israel must go into exile
    away from his land.’”

12 And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there, 13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.”

14 Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet's son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. 15 But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ 16 Now therefore hear the word of the Lord.

“You say, ‘Do not prophesy against Israel,
    and do not preach against the house of Isaac.’
17 Therefore thus says the Lord:
“‘Your wife shall be a prostitute in the city,
    and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword,
    and your land shall be divided up with a measuring line;
you yourself shall die in an unclean land,
    and Israel shall surely go into exile away from its land.’”
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially Amos’ conviction to preach the word no matter what the costs?
 
-Where do you see your heart caring more about the approval of people than sharing truth?
 
-Jesus is the truth and died for those of us needing forgiveness for being afraid to speak the truth- AND Jesus promises to empower us with the Spirit of truth. How does God’s work and promises empower you to “speak the truth in love”?
 
Key Verse
15 But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ 16 Now therefore hear the word of the Lord.