Personal Reading & Reflection on Amos

By profession, the prophet Amos was a “herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees”

(7:14). He did not even consider himself a prophet or a son of prophet, but was called by

God to prophesy to Israel (7:15). His ministry activities seemed to take place in the

northern kingdom around 760 BC under Jeroboam II in a period of economic prosperity

and military success (2 Kings 14:25). His home, however, was in Tekoa in the southern

kingdom (1:1). It took place two years before the earthquake he predicted would occur.

He was accused as a conspirator against Jeroboam and forbidden from preaching by the

false priest of Bethel Amaziah (Chapter 7). Amos was asked to return to Judah and “eat

bread and prophesy there” instead. But he did not water down his message of judgment

and exile even when it was not welcome. Sometimes, a true patriot’s duty may be issuing

reproof and criticisms against his beloved nation.

The prophetic visions of Amos were full of imagery (basket of summer fruit, plumb line.

locusts, etc) and poetic oracles. Yahweh is portrayed as the judge of the nations (1:3) who

held them accountable for their conduct in wars. His concern extended even to crimes not

committed against Israel herself (2:1). But Amos also reminded the people of Israel’s

early history of deliverance (9:7), possession of the land (2:9) and Yahweh’s war on her

behalf; but turned the traditions against the sinful nation. As a result of their

unfaithfulness, they will be carried into exile from the land and Yahweh himself will

wage war against Israel instead (2:13). Israel’s election is not seen as a guarantee of her

safety but her responsibility for purity (3:2). Amos indicted the nation of social injustice:

“They sell the righteous for silver” (2:6, 2 King 4:1), exploitation of the poor and needy

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(4:1, 5:11), dishonest weights (8:4) and bribery at the seat of judgment at the gates (5:12).

He urged them to “let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing

stream (5:24).

Not only that, he brought a message of judgment against the altar (3:14), idolatry (5:26),

and temples (5:5, 7:9) of the northern kingdom. He invited the apostate nation to “seek

the Lord and live”. The sanctuary that the Lord had appointed was in Zion. The Lord

“utters His voice from Jerusalem (1:2)”. His polemic against the cultic sacrifices and

feasts implied that the worship Bethel and Gilgal was regarded as the multiplication of

transgressions (4:4). Like Micah, Amos condemned the ritualistic offerings and songs

offered which were not accompanied by justice and righteousness (5:21-27).

As with most of the prophets, the message for repentance and predicted exile was never

without a ray of hope. For those who repent of their evil ways, there is possibility of

grace to a remnant (5:15). At the end of the book, Amos predicted the restoration of the

“booth of David” as in the days of old (9:11). It also hinted at “all the nations who are

called by the name of the Lord” (9:12). These are themes which would be picked up and

expanded upon by later prophets like Micah and Isaiah. The Old Testament prophets like

Amos saw in a shadow the Messiah who would restore the Davidic dynasty and bring all

nations into the blessing of Abraham. Perhaps the most frightening punishment for those

who refuse to hear God’s voice is found in Amos 8:11-12. The Lord warned of a famine

(not of food or water) but a spiritual famine of not finding the word of the Lord. It could

happen for the Malaysian church too if we ignore the word of God in favor of an

obsession for the words of managerial success and marketing techniques.