The Warning

Series: Dog Daze

Amos 1:1 ESV

Amos 7:14-15 ESV

Matthew 24:15-16 ESV

Amos 1:2 ESV

Truth.

We often think truth IS truth, but what is truth really?

As we take a look at the prophecies of Amos we see that Amos warns, Amos rebukes, and ultimately Amos offers hope to Israel and beyond. Amos was a truth teller.

As Amos opens we are told in Amos 1:1, “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.”

The introduction does provide a great deal of context.

We learn that Amos was a shepherd from Tekoa. A bit of digging tells us Amos lived in the eighth century BCE in Judea. He was from the Judean hill-country (https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA10109919_650#:~:text=Ancient Tekoa lies high in,(Mays 1969:19).

Later in Amos 7:14-15 we are given more information about Amos’ background and who he was, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet's son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’”

The fact that Amos was a shepherd (shepherd-breeder) who lived in the hills of Judea tells us he did not grow up in Jerusalem. Unlike other Hebrew boys who had been given a formal education in Temple, Amos grew up in the mountains and he took on the trade of being a shepherd (who also bred sheep). His prophecy was given to him as he spent time in solitude with God on the mountain.

We have context for the region where Amos lived when Jesus made reference to the same mountains. In Matthew 24:15-16 Jesus referred to the hills when he said, “So when you see abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”

Those were the same mountains where Amos cared for his sheep and listened for the whisper of God.

Amos’ opening words also tell us he lived during the reign of King Uzziah of Judah and Jeroboam the Son of Joash, who was King of Israel. That confirms the time period was during the Eighth Century before Jesus walked the earth.

We know from history that in 722 BC the Assyrians conquered Israel and the ten tribes scattered. Meanwhile Judah was not conquered until 701 BC when the Assyrians “gained territory” there (https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-two-kingdoms-of-israel). The reference to the “ten lost tribes” of Israel were the tribes that scattered.

In Amos’ prophecy in Amos 1:2 we are told, “And he said:“The Lord roars from Zionand utters his voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the top of Carmel withers.”

We must note here that the “roar” is the loud thundering voice of the Lord.

The point that Amos is making and what he saw was a voice that shook the earth. We must remember that Amos was not classically trained like other prophets had been trained. Amos was not trained in Hebrew Scriptures. He lived in the hills and mountains and more than likely he was learning to tend sheep at an early age.

Amos’ prophecies came solely from the voice of God and/or visions from God. That didn’t make him more gifted than other prophets. It would mean without having the benefit of studying the history of the written word or the word that had been passed down from generation to generation, he foretold what God sent in the form of a vision.

The important thing to note about the gift of dreams and visions is that secluded quiet time is essential.

Amos would have had that time in the mountains as he tended the flocks. He foretold the truth that God revealed.

Truth…in many ways Amos’ prophecy announced dog (daug) daze for Israel and Judah were coming.

It had been a while since I’d delved into Amos’ words. We did study Old Testament in sections in seminary but it was from a different perspective.

As the saying goes, “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day but if you teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime.”

We were not given a fish.

We were taught how to fish.

It looks like praying and fishing for who Amos was and how God spoke to him on the mountain is what this is segment is going to be about. In preparation I spent two days last week sorting through the opening words in reference to history of actual events. I loved doing it because I learned a great deal, but there were times when I was so confused that I had to walk away and take time to breathe.

I was reminded that fishing isn’t an instant sport. It requires time and patience.

Spiritual Practice: Fish

If you have questions, dig for the answer.

In God, Deborah

acrazyjourney.com