Built by God
Amos is the earliest prophet in the Old Testament. He was not the earliest prophet in Israel. That designation would go to the professional prophets Amos is accused of belonging to. Those prophets made their living by prophesying. They were more prosperous than Amos so he set himself apart from them saying he was just a poor shepherd called by God to give a message to the Israelites. That message also set him apart from the professional prophets because it forecast violence, doom. and destruction. No one wanted to hear that. Life was good. With no outside forces trying to conquer Israel, prosperity abounded. The wealthy were living the life of luxury while forgetting about the poor and alien in the land. Believing that their wealth and prosperity came from their own hand they had forgotten God. But God had not forgotten them. That is why he called Amos.
God had allowed the Israelites a free hand – had “passed by them” – and gave them opportunity to correct their wrongs. But they had not. Left to themselves and their prosperity they lived unto themselves forgetting God and the covenant. Now, instead of being measured by their standards, they were to be measured by God’s. Amos' task was to warn them but they did not listen and soon lost what they had built up. Their nation was conquered by the Assyrians and they no longer were their own people but the vassals of a foreign nation.
Sometimes we hear an echo of this in our day. Usually from some religious leader that tells us that the tragedies – earthquakes, hurricanes, and other disasters – in our world is God's vengeance on our sinful ways. This is not the same as what we find in Amos. Amos was warning of impending disaster unless the people of Israel repented and changed their way not explaining away disaster on what he saw as sin. But we know that God no longer punishes as in Amos' day. Although God has sent to us the plumb bob – God’s own son Jesus. We now can see what God expects us to do. We measure our lives next to Jesus and the example that he set.
How do you measure up? Unlike the Israelites, you have no prophet telling you of impending doom if you do not repent. Instead you are confronted by forgiveness. The forgiveness that only God can give through the blood of Jesus. Instead of doom and destruction you get salvation and wholeness. You have been built by God, washed clean in the blood of Jesus in order to live out lives of wholeness and holiness. Return to God’s call by prayer and action so that the blessedness that you have received from God will be shared with others.