Read Amos 1:1–2
Questions from the Scripture text: Whose words are these (Amos 1:1)? What was his primary occupation? Where did he raise sheep? How did he get these words? Whom did the words concern? In the days of which two kings of which two kingdoms? At what time? What did he say YHWH does (Amos 1:2b)? From where? And what else (verse 2c)? From where? What are the shepherds’ pastures doing (verse 2d)? What is withering (verse 2e)?
How does God address His people’s sin? Amos 1:1–2 looks forward to the first serial reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God Himself addresses His people with a powerful, redeeming Word, even through unimpressive men.
YHWH roars like a lion (Amos 1:2b) through a sheepbreeder (and sycamore fruit farmer, cf. Amos 7:14e). These are the words of a man (“the words of Amos,” Amos 1:1), but they are ultimately the words of God. They are words not which Amos came up with himself, but “which he saw.”
He was not heeded at first (cf. Amos 7:12–13), but two years later, there was an earthquake (end of Amos 1:1) and drought (cf. Amos 1:2d–e) of such significance that Amos’s claims were verified, and the writing of his prophecy recognized as holy Scripture.
The days of Uzziah in the south, and Jeroboam II in the north, were days of great wealth, military strength, and political influence throughout Israel. But they were also days of great sin. The people of God were a living contradiction. The rest of the nations were under God’s judgment, but it was an unique blasphemy to be His covenant people but just as immoral as anyone else.
The north was particularly guilty—not only because of the false worship set up in Bethel and Dan, but because the wealth and power, and corresponding corruption, of Israel exceeded that of Judah. Now, YHWH sends a sheepbreeder from Tekoa (between Jerusalem and Bethlehem) to roar YHWH’s Word in the north. Thank God for using such a weak vessel, so that the power of the Word may be shown to be from Him and not from the preacher (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:2, 2 Corinthians 4:7).
The location of Zion and Jerusalem doesn’t just affirm that the Lord continues to honor the place of His true worship; it reminds us that the One Who is roaring has provided atonement for sinners and a way of drawing near to God in worship. The covenant curse of drought (pastures mourning and Carmel withering) was a consequence of covenant unfaithfulness, of sin against God. But the offer of forgiveness and fellowship remained, and God’s Word would call them back to it.
It is a mercy to us, when we drift away, almost carefree, but then the Lord’s Word roars into our lives. In His mercy, He proclaims that Word especially within the context of His public worship. The preached Word comes at the intersection of our lives with drawing near to God through the provision of the sacrifice of Christ. Doesn’t this urge upon us to be thankful for His Word, and to heed it, even (especially!) when it is correcting and rebuking us?
Through whom has the Lord addressed you with His Word? In what days do you live? What are the particular dangers, sins, and temptations of your days? In what context do you especially hear His Word preached? What other things does the Lord set before you and emphasize in that context? How have you been responding to His worship? How have you been responding to His Word?
Sample prayer: Lord, we thank You for bringing us the treasure of Your Word through the earthen vessels of unimpressive men. Forgive us for when we have responded more to the unimpressiveness of the preacher rather than the roaring of Your Word. And we thank You that You especially send us corrections and rebukes from within Your worship—with the atonement of Christ at the heart of that worship. Forgive us for when we treat such loving correction and rebuke as hostile and offensive. How just You are in all Your doings, and how kind You are in all Your corrections and rebukes! Forgive us our sins for the sake of Christ, Your Son, which we ask in His Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP29 “You Sons of the Gods” or TPH141 “O LORD, to You I Call”
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