We don’t like hearing unpleasant truths about ourselves, especially if, in our view, the messenger is not qualified to deliver it.
Read: Amos 1: 1-2 and 7: 12-15
Imagine that a British prophet is sent to the United States to call the rich and powerful to account for their attitudes and actions. How well would that go, especially as in many ways the rich and powerful in Britain are just as bad?
That is exactly the situation that Amos found himself in, back in around 765 BC, when he was sent from his native Judah to the breakaway northern kingdom of Israel, to deliver a message from God.
If you read the first two chapters of the book of Amos, you’ll quickly realise that Amos was a very skilful and subversive prophet, despite, as he says, not being a professional prophet with training and prior experience.
He starts by delivering prophecies against some of the surrounding Kingdoms – the Arameans, with their capital at Damascus, the Philistines, the Kingdom of Tyre, the Ammonites, the Moabites and the Edomites…all nations that have been Israel’s enemies. His listeners are all ears…these are just the kind of prophecies they want to hear.
Then it get’s even better, as Amos delivers God’s message of disappointment and impending judgement to his own people in Judah. The people of Israel love to hear this and are well and truly drawn into the prophecies of Amos.
It’s at this point he demonstrates how subversive he has been…he has left the longest and most damning prophecies until last and they’re all about Israel. Gotcha!
The religious elite, like the priest of the temple at Bethel, Amaziah, don’t like it. They try to belittle Amos for his lowly occupation and his lack of prophetic kudos. They suggest that this foreigner would be better served if he prophesied to his own people.
It makes little impression, because Amos is certain that it is Yahweh, the LORD, who has both called him and given him this message for Israel. In crossing the border and delivering the message he has done his part.
Now it’s Israel’s turn. They must choose to listen and act or ignore the warnings he brings.
If you were the Israelites, what might Amos say to you? How might you respond?
Pilgrim Traveller 