AMOS A HERDSMAN CALLED OF GOD TO BE A PROPHET
LESSON FOR THE JUNIOR CLASSES
STUDY SCRIPTURE:
AMOS 1:1; 2:11-12; 3:7-8; 7:10-15
Key Verse
“And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me. Go, prophesy unto my people Israel”.
Amos 7:15
INTRODUCTION.
Getting advice on matters that are important for you to live in safety is important. When warnings are made on what will happen if you continue on the same path of living that is critically important.
The people of Israel, called the Northern Kingdom, had broken up their nation with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin called the Southern Kingdom. Both of these Kingdoms were doing what God had not wanted them to do. So as one would expect they began to disregard the commandments of God and commit all kinds of sins. It became so bad that God sent prophets to warn them that if they kept on sinning, He would no longer protect them from their enemies. Their kingdom would be destroyed and the king, the princes, the priests, and the leaders would go into captivity and become slaves. But despite the warnings the rich and powerful leaders of the people of Israel kept on ill-treating the poor people, robbing them, taking them to court for small matters, while enjoying themselves with the money they raised from the poor. Finally, God called the prophet Amos away from his job of raising sheep and tending sycamore tree fruits, and sent him from his home in Tekoa in Judah to the nation of Israel to warn them to change their ways or else they would be taken into captivity.
The temple in the city of Bethel located near the nation’s capital Samaria, was corrupted and though the people went there to worship God instead they ended up worshipping idols. The High Priest in Bethel went along with this practise of idolatry and was offended when the prophet Amos told the people that they were sinning greatly against God and there would be unpleasant consequences. The priest Amaziah complained to the king Jeroboam that Amos by his preaching was making the people uneasy. He said Amos was against the nation and was committing treason. Amaziah then told Amos to go home to Judah where he had lived before. But Amos was not afraid of him and made him understand he was not a prophet because he wanted to be paid for his prophecy. He already had a job and God had called him away from his job to go and warn Israel to turn away from their gross sins.
The lesson for us is that we must always listen to God and obey His instructions. We must have courage and not be afraid of evil doers. God will sometimes call us away from our regular jobs to go and warn other people to turn away from their life of sin. When Amos did that he was attacked by the false priests and others that did not want to change since they were enjoying abusing people and making money off them. We know we are not to tell people to worship idols and make false promises that idol worship will be good for them and benefit them. We should not do what is false in order to make money off them. We must teach people that only God the Father in heaven can do things which will bring permanent blessings. Remember that God the Father is your Creator and sometimes He will call you away from your normal job to bring blessings to others. You do not have to be educated, or come from a rich and powerful family to do the work of God successfully. God only requires that you love Him and be faithful to Him, trusting Him and obeying Him. God has the power to enable you to do His work. He loves you and will do what is best for you and for you and for others.