AMOS CHAPTER 7

HEART ISSUES
I have longed for the spiritual gift of prophecy for quite a while now, but this chapter really challenged my longing. I have always thought of it being easy, good happy things to tell people. Here I see Amos having to deliver a very hard, horrible, condemning message. These messages were proclaimed not only in the streets, but face to face with a high ranking official, Amaziah. I know this chapter really makes me think about my view of God. Amos was a prophet who cared for the people he was prophesying to, and he even was an intercessor for them. This makes me check my heart as well, would I be obedient to God enough for Him to speak to me directly and me be able to talk with God like that. I also am challenged that Amos spent such time with God battling for His people before he went and delivered the message. He saw the justice and wrath of God through the plumb line, but seemed to agree with God concerning this judgment. I also was challenged to never become like Amaziah and speak to those doing the work of God from the government’s perspective. I want to be obedient to God and I pray that the prophecy of my life never coincides with the one proclaimed to Amaziah. What a horrifying mess of a future!

NOTES
-This could possibly refer to the retreat of Pul and the Assyrian army around this time period.
-A plumb line is used in both the construction and destruction of buildings. It reveals defects that would cause someone to tear down a building. The same line was used to promote the good of Israel and to reveal the wickedness and destruction of Israel. God’s people turned to God and were blessed and turned away from God and the destruction ensued.
-The priest was the one who spoke against the prophet for the king instead of speaking for God. Amos then prophesied that Amaziah’s wife would be a prostitute, his kids die by the sword, and that he would die in a pagan country. That is terrible, but the wrath of God is intense, and most intense against those who are put in a position of priest and turn their back on God in the search for approval.