A consistent theme that stands out to me throughout the Bible is how God takes common people and uses them for extraordinary purposes. God takes unassuming men such as Gideon and turns them into great deliverers (Judg. 6:11ff, NKJV), young shepherds such as David to become great kings (1 Samuel 16), or common fishermen such as Peter, Andrew, James, and John to become great disciples and evangelists (Matt. 4:18-22). Yet among all the common individuals whom God has used for great purposes, few stand out like Amos.
Before receiving his message from God for the people of Israel, Amos was a fruit farmer and a sheep breeder (Amos 1:1; 7:14-15). He was an everyday man, yet this did not stop Amos from communicating a necessary and powerful message to God’s people. Amos’ message focuses primarily on the justice of God. Amos reveals that Israel would be punished for their sins just like any other nation if they did not repent and turn back to God (Amos 1-2). Israel was not measuring up to the straight “plumb line” of God’s standards (Amos 7:7-9), and they were ripe for ruin just like “a basket of summer fruit” (Amos 8:1ff). Israel needed to turn from their sins and “seek [God]” to avoid their impending doom (Amos 5:4).
The whole of Amos’ message is summed up in the middle of the book – “Prepare to meet your God, O Israel” (Amos 4:12)! It is in this message that God’s people are called to honestly evaluate their hearts and their actions to determine if they are ready to face God’s judgment. Preparing to meet God in judgment demands repentance for sin (Amos 5:4ff). Preparing to meet God in judgment demands an honest look at one’s life to see if he has “let justice run down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream” (Amos 5:24).
Amos’ message, while specifically for the people of Israel in the Uzziah and Jeroboam (Amos 1:1), is highly applicable to our lives today. Like the people of Israel, sin is a reality for us all (cf. 1 Jn. 1:8, 10). Like the people of Israel, if we do not repent from our sins, we will face God’s judgment (cf. Lk. 13:3; 2 Cor. 5:10). Therefore, like the people of Israel, we must “prepare to meet [our] God” (Amos 4:12). We must repent of our sins and live lives that meet God’s standard by letting “justice run down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream” (Amos 5:24).
By: Preston McElyea