#DailyDevotion The LORD Has Sent Us Prophets To Teach Us
Amos 1 This is what Amos said, who was among the shepherds of Tekoah; it is what he saw about Israel when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam, the son of Joash, was king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. 2He said: “The LORD roars from Zion and thunders from Jerusalem, and the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the top of Carmel withers.”
Amos was a prophet during the early eighth century. He was not a professional prophet. He was a shepherd and someone who took care of sycamore fig trees. Amos 7:14 talks a bit about this. There he tells Amaziah he is not a prophet (a nabi—one type of prophet) or the son of prophet (it looks like there were schools (seminaries?) to become prophets as witnessed in 1 Kings 2). It seems there are those who are trained to be prophets and those called supernaturally by God i.e., Elisha and Amos here. Having been called by God, he leaves his occupation and goes and preaches what the Spirit of the LORD gives to him to preach.
He is a prophet during the time of Uzziah and Jeroboam. The content of his prophecy as he states here will be mainly to Israel, the northern kingdom (which causes him problems later in chapter 7). He begins his prophecy two years before the earthquake. It was a very notable earthquake as it was reported later by the prophet Zechariah. The beginning words here are likely a prediction of the earthquake coming as it mentions the top of Carmel withering.
This second verse starts the prophecy of Amos. It is interesting that is says something very similar to Joel 3:16. Many scholars think that is why Amos is placed here. The LORD roaring from Zion and thundering from Jerusalem is the message of Amos to the kingdom of Israel who has abandoned Jerusalem for temples Jeroboam the first built in Bethel and in Dan. If the LORD is roaring, the message is probably not good. It seems the LORD is warning of the coming earthquake which will shake the whole land of Israel.
What is the purpose of the warning and then the earthquake? The LORD is calling the people to repentance. He is calling them to turn away from their idols and to look to Him alone for every good thing. He is calling them to turn from their sins, from breaking the law, the statutes, the precepts and the like He had given them to live by, in order there may be justice and mercy in the land.
We too should take note of what we call natural disasters and the insurance companies call acts of God. These are not without purpose with the LORD our God. As we see in the book of Revelation, they are there calling us to repent of our sins and to turn to the LORD Jesus Christ for salvation. He is using these to call us to turn away from our selfish, sinful ways and to look to the good of our neighbor in everything we do. Paul calls us in Phil. 2, “4Each of you, don’t be interested in your own things, rather in the things of others.” This expresses the biblical doctrine of vocation. Our vocations are not callings where we find the greatest pleasure and expression of ourselves. They are callings in which we serve one another. These Israelites were not fulfilling their vocations. They were serving themselves. As Christ’s holy people, let us not be like them but seek to help our neighbor in everything we do.
Heavenly Father, You provided the prophet Amos to call Your people to repentance and faith in You. Continually give us pastors who do the same for Your Son, Jesus Christ, our LORD. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.