Judgment on the UnGodly

 

    Amos was a shepherd in Tekoa.  He bred sheep which means he was poor to lower middle class day laborer.  God is the shepherd of people.  We will never know why God chose or created individuals to carry out special orders via prophecies, visions, oracles, or however He chooses to communicate.  However, we do know that He chooses the humble.

    Amos show his vision from God two years before the earthquake.  This means that his prophet career was a short one, but he was ready and embraced it.  It was during the reign of Uzziah of Judah and Jeroboam of Israel.  God was roaming the land in the way that only He can.  He had come to the point that He was no longer willing to hold back His wrath, but He is fair.  He would not pour out His wrath without the people having the opportunity to understand why.  He came to tell Amos it was time to mourn. 

    Everywhere God looked, people were sinning without repentance.  Saying your sorry or giving hail marys mean nothing if you don't change to back up the words.  He probably heard a lot of artificial things, but no one was willing to change.  That is why His compassion was stifled.  When we get to the point where it is justifiable to treat each other horribly, it is time to expect some judgment to head your way.  It is the leaders that will get special attention, not in a good way, from God.

    Nations were committing crimes without being held accountable.  Murder and slaughter were a way of life.  That is why God was sending fire.  He was going to consume nation's pride in His fire.  God was judging Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moab, then East of the Jordan River.  He would finish his judgment with Judah and Israel, but it would end with Israel.  

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