Amos: God’s Spokesman for Justice

MEMORY VERSE: “The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?” —Amos 3:8

AMOS 1:1; 7:7-15

AMOS was a native of Tekoa, in Judah, which was located about six miles south of Bethlehem. He was originally a shepherd and a dresser of sycamore trees. He was called by God to be a prophet, although he had no special training for this ministry. (Amos 7:14, 15) He traveled from Judah into the northern kingdom of Israel, and it was there that he exercised his ministry, which apparently was not for a very long time. He went to Bethel, the headquarters of the idolatrous ten-tribe kingdom, and there rebuked the people for their sins.

A portion of the Book of Amos assigned for this lesson deals with the principle of justice and righteousness as it should have been observed by the people of Israel, but was not. In addressing this lesson to Amos for him to transmit to Israel, the Lord uses the illustration of a plumbline—“The Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.”—Amos 7:7

“Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more.” God’s Law, given at the hand of Moses, required the observance of justice and righteousness. It also required that the people worship only Jehovah. The people of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel had been ignoring these requirements for a long time. Calf worship was specially practiced at Bethel, where there was a principal temple and summer palace for the king.

The message which the Lord instructed Amos to deliver was that he would no longer tolerate this situation. The Lord said, “The high places [places of idol worship] of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”—Amos 7:9

This prophecy led Amaziah, the high priest, to communicate with the king. His message was, “Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.”—Amos 7:10-11

Here we have what seems to be a partial misrepresentation on the part of Amaziah, the high priest of Israel. Through Amos the Lord had said that he would destroy the house of Jeroboam with the sword, and that the people would be taken into captivity. This prophecy was fulfilled. But Amaziah said to the king that Amos had prophesied that Jeroboam would die by the sword. What made this misrepresentation possible was the fact that there were two kings of Israel named Jeroboam.

There was Jeroboam the son of Nebat. He was the first of the kings to rule over the rebellious ten-tribe kingdom. Indeed, he had established this regime, thus it was the house of Jeroboam; and through the Prophet Amos the Lord said he would destroy this house with the sword, and that the people would be taken into captivity. This prophecy was later fulfilled.

The Jeroboam who was king of Israel at the time of Amos was the son of Joash, and Amaziah reported to this wicked king that Amos had said, “Jeroboam shall die by the sword.” This was not true; nor did this Jeroboam die by the sword. (See II Kings 14:26-29) Evidently Amaziah used this bit of deceit to stir up the king against Amos. Amaziah directed Amos to return to Judah, but the account does not indicate that he obeyed.

Our memory verse expresses the truism that when the Lord puts his Spirit and message in the hearts of his servants they cannot resist speaking out that message as the Lord has directed. Jeremiah discovered this. He said, “The word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.”—Jer. 20:8,9

All the Lord’s zealous servants can testify to the same great truth. There may be times when we are tempted to withhold the Word of the Lord, but we find that we cannot really do this for very long. In this age the Lord’s people are ambassadors for Christ. We are all commissioned by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel of Christ’s kingdom, and it is such a wonderful message that we are willing to have the telling of it cost us even life itself.

QUESTIONS

Who was Amos, and when did he prophesy?

How is the principle of righteousness illustrated in this Lesson?

What message was Amos commissioned to deliver to Israel?

Can the true people of God refrain from speaking forth his Word?

| Home Page | Table of Contents |