Amos was not originally a prophet by vocation. He was a plain-spoken shepherd from the hill country whom God called to leave his flocks and prophesy against God’s people. Though his home was in the southern kingdom, he crossed over into the northern kingdom to preach his message.
God, Amos declared, hates false religion.
He had strong words of condemnation for God’s people and their smug, self-satisfied religiosity, as well as their flirtation with idolatry. God, Amos declared, hates false religion. “I hate, I despise, your feasts! I can’t stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. . . . Take away from me the noise of your songs!” (Amos 5:21, 23 csb). If faith doesn’t show itself in righteous action, God is not impressed by all our worship songs and religious trappings.
Amos also spoke out against the society’s corruption and the injustices that left the poor forgotten and oppressed by the rich and the powerful. As he reminded his people, God will not tolerate such neglect. Though a simple shepherd, Amos spoke with urgency and poetic power for all who would listen to his call for change: “Let justice flow like water, and righteousness, like an unfailing stream” (Amos 5:24 csb).
As he reminded his people, God will not tolerate such neglect.
As Amos reminds us, God’s people are called to bring justice on behalf of the defenseless, poor, and oppressed, and they are commissioned to influence the culture to do the same.
Here’s a short video that highlights five key themes from the book of Amos. May you be blessed by it.
