The Prophet

Title: The Prophet

Amos is recognized as the first of the Israelite prophets whose words were recorded on a scroll. He was not a prophet all his life and never prophesied professionally. Amos earned his living as a "herdsman and dresser of sycamore figs." (Amos 7:14) Since he already had an occupation he did not have to prophesy for money. He prophesied because God had called him to do so. Amos was not a poor sheep herdsman. The word herdsman, used to describe his occupation, was not the common Hebrew word used to refer to shepherds. The Hebrew word used described the vocation of a Moabite king, King Mesha. The Hebrew word means sheep-master, and refers to the owners of a special breed of sheep, famous for their wool. Amos may have been one of the more important men in his region, Tekoa. Tekoa was a village about ten miles south of Jerusalem. It was situated atop a large hill some 2800 feet above sea level. Therefore, Tekoa was strategically located. It was fortified and walled. "Tekoa is mentioned elsewhere, in 2 Chronicles 11:6, as one of several cities that King Rehoboam (Solomon's son and successor) rebuilt and fortified after the breaking away of the ten northern tribes and founding of the northern kingdom of Israel (in 931)." Like many other prophets Amos was called directly by Yahweh through some divine intervention. Yahweh "took" him from his flocks and said, "Go and prophesy to my people Israel."(Amos 7:15) He also saw five visions. Throughout the third and fourth visions God's voice claimed, "I will forgive them no longer." (Amos 7:8; 8:1) He was referring to the people of Israel.

The Book of the Prophet Amos begins with a short description of the prophet. This is followed by his words. He begins by condemning several nations, Israel's neighbors. Finally, and most importantly, he goes on to condemn Israel. This condemnation of Israel would come as a surprise to listeners in Amos' time, because the people of Israel were the chosen people. Amos goes on to list some of the sins of Israel. The underlying theme behind many of the sins was that the wealthy and powerful were alienating the poor and the weak. Amos lived during the long and prosperous reign of Jeroboam II. During this time many people became very wealthy. There were, however, some who remained poor. The wealthy exploited the weakness and vulnerability of the poor. "Because they sell the just man for silver, and the poor man for a pair of sandals." (Amos 2:6) Amos goes on to criticize the Israelites for their disingenuous religious services and festivals. He attacks their lack of sincerity and lack of gratefulness. "When will the new moon be over," you ask, "that we may sell our grain, and the Sabbath, that we may display our wheat?" (Amos 9:5) Amos makes it clear to his listeners that God is especially upset with Israel more so than its neighbors. This is because God had traditionally favored the Israelites. "Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorites before them, who were as tall as the cedars, and as strong as the oak trees. I destroyed their fruit above and their roots beneath."(Amos 2:9) Another reason God was upset with the Israelites was because God made a covenant with the Israelites. The Israelites, instead, stopped obeying Jewish Law. If they lived by Jewish law they would care for the poor and weak. Yahweh abhors the pride of the Israelites who had come to regard their prosperity as works all of their own hand. They forgot that God makes all this happen and they ignored those less fortunate than themselves. Their pride meant they replaced Yahweh as the foundation for their existence.

Social justice was an important aspect of the Israelite religion, as was love of one's neighbor and love of God. During Amos' life, these aspects of the religion were undermined if not completely lost. Wealthy Israelites would use the courts to take what little land and goods a poor man owned and add it to their already abundant wealth. The Israelites knew of the importance of social justice because it is stressed in the first books of the Bible. It also says that they should not take bribes. "You shall not distort justice; you must be impartial. You shall not take a bribe; for a bribe blinds the eyes even of the wise and twists the words even of the just. Justice and justice alone shall be your aim, that you may have life and possess the land which the Lord, your God, is giving you."(Deuteronomy 16:19-20)

The teachings of Jesus in the Gospels have similar meanings and themes throughout. In the book of Amos, God condemns, through the words of Amos, the Israelites for their sins such as pride, insincerity in religious services, and lack of compassion. In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus tells his listeners that the humble, the merciful, and those who desire to do what God requires should be hopeful because God will watch over them. He promises them a reward in heaven. Also in the Final Judgment scene of Matthew's Gospel, Jesus states that God will separate the "righteous people" and the "others" and says, "Come you that are blessed by my Father! Come and possess the kingdom which has been prepared for you ever since the creation of the world." (Matt 25:34). Jesus describes the righteous as those who feed the hungry, clothe the poor, give drink to the thirsty, and visit the sick and those in prison. "I tell you whenever you did this for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did it for Me."(Matt 23:40) "Amos consistently uses righteous and justice as terms for the qualities which ought to be present in the social order (Amos 6:12; 5:7,15)"