We’ve gone back just a little bit in time…

Archeological evidence backs up the earthquake mentioned in Amos 1:1. It was massive; likely a magnitude of 7.8 – 9.0!! Josephus says that the earthquake happened at the same time as Uzziah attempting to burn incense in the Temple. And it may have, but I find it strange that it wasn’t mentioned in the account if it did happen at the same time.

So 2 years before the earthquake, God called a country boy from Tekoa to prophesy to the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

Here’s what Amos said about himself:

“I’m not a professional prophet, and I was never trained to be one. I’m just a shepherd, and I take care of sycamore-fig trees. But the Lord called me away from my flock and told me, ‘Go and prophesy to my people in Israel.’”
‭‭Amos‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You know those guys that were always hangin out with Elisha – “the sons of the prophets”? They were the guys in prophet-college. Amos wasn’t one of them. But Yahweh speaks to him anyway. I think that’s enough reason to believe that the LORD can call and use anyone He wants to; even if they aren’t highly educated or well-connected. I don’t think that’s an excuse to be lazy and neglect studying the Word of God, but God does not require a degree or a pedigree in order to use someone for His glory.

The book opens with a series of warnings to all the nations around Judah and Israel.

• Aram, 1:3-5
• Philistia, 1:6-8
• Tyre, 1:9-10
• Edom, 1:11-12
• Ammon, 1:13-15
• Moab, 2:1-3

And we’re reading along and kinda cheering, like, “Yeah! Y’all better listen! You’re toast!” And then we keep reading…

• Judah, 2:4-5
• Israel, 2:6-8

👳🏽‍♂️🧔🏽‍♂️ Judah & Israel: Wait… what?! Us too?! There’s gotta be some mistake. You’re lumping us in with all of the bad nations around us? We’re not like them! We’re special. We’re Your chosen people!

Yahweh: I brought you into this land. And I can take you out of it.

Through the remainder of chapter 2, the LORD lays out His case against His people and what the consequences for their faithlessness will be.

“From among all the families on the earth, I have been intimate with you alone. That is why I must punish you for all your sins.”
‭‭Amos‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God asks a series of 7 rhetorical questions beginning with the well-known,

“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”
‭‭Amos‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

It’s like the opposite of what someone might ask today, “Is the Pope Catholic?”

The answer to all 7 questions is “no.” But the last one may make us uncomfortable.

“…Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it?”
‭‭Amos‬ ‭3‬:‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Just gonna put this pic here so we can all ponder it together in light of this text…

Did the LORD destroy the towers? Not directly. No. Did He allow it? Yes.

In only a couple years, the people listening to Amos will face a disastrous earthquake that will level homes and end lives. And in less than a generation after that, the government of Israel will have collapsed and the Assyrians conquered them and taken them into exile.

Recall that Jeroboam II had recovered a bunch of territory that had belonged to Israel under Solomon. When Amos is giving these prophecies, they were living in the good times. A message of judgment must’ve sounded rather ridiculous to them. But they won’t be able to say they weren’t warned.

“For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.”
‭‭Amos‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This is an amazing statement.

Do you think it’s still true?