The Call of Amos!

The prophetic books reveal the heart of God.  It shows us how humanity has disappointed the Lord, our Creator, and how the Lord tries to turn us back to Him continually.  God sent many prophets to teach, rebuke, correct, and train the people in the ways of the Lord. God used several means of disciplining the Israelites by sending drought, famine, crop diseases, locusts, plagues, and war, yet the people did not get the message (Amos 2:11). Sometimes the Lord reminded them of the mighty things He had done for them in their past.  Sometimes He tried to reinforce the idea of rewards for obedience by blessing them.  But the people of Israel and the people of Judah did not heed the warnings.  The people broke the Lord's commandments again and again by indulging in idolatry and immorality. They oppressed the poor and the downtrodden.  They perverted justice and indulged in extortion. So finally, the Lord gave them over to their enemies.  All this is recorded in the Bible to teach us an important lesson!

Amos was from the Judean village of Tekoa.  He was sent by God to prophesy against Israel during the time of King Jeroboam II in Israel.  The Lord told the people of Israel that He would do what He did to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to them if they did not return to Him. "Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!" (Amos 4:12).  Whenever we read the Bible, we have to apply the warning to our lives.  They are for us to hear and correct our ways.  We have to remember that each one of us must meet the Lord personally one day.  We have to remember that God will judge us one day!  We cannot escape it. We have to remember that each one of us must give an account of our lives to God.  Amos' call asking the people to prepare to meet God is real, and it is a call to us also. 

My friend, we have to prepare to meet our Creator.  God has given us this period of grace to repent and return to the Lord. Let us listen to His call and re-order our priorities so that we can face our Lord and Saviour boldly!

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