BEN F. VICK, JR.
I like studying the Minor Prophets. Each one was a spokesman for God; each had a message that needed to be delivered; each came from different backgrounds; each had his own delivery style.
One of my favorite Minor Prophets is Amos, who prophesied in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and Jeroboam II king of Israel. It was a time of great prosperity; money was flowing; armies were victorious; immorality was rampant. Israel may have felt invincible. Amos was from the small village of Tekoa, twelve miles south of Jerusalem. He was an herdsman and a gatherer of sycamore fruit. I have read that the sheep for which he cared were ugly but had good wool. The word “gatherer” of sycamore fruit meant “to pinch” sycamore figs to make them edible. He was a farmer. He did not go to the schools of the prophets, which might have ruined him. He was a country preacher. I am not in the same league with Amos, but many years ago, an elder referred to me as “a one-gallus preacher.” I think he meant it in a good way.
God sent Amos to the northern kingdom, Israel, to prophesy against her. And did he! Since prophets in delivering their messages were borne along by the Holy Spirit, we can learn a great deal about Amos’ approach (2 Peter 1:19-21). He began by pointing out the sins and judgments against heathen nations employing the expression “for three transgressions…and for four.” He leveled his barrage on Damascus (Syria), Gaza (Philistia), Tyre (Phoenicia), Edom, Ammon, and Moab. Then, Amos turned his spiritual sword toward Judah, the southern kingdom. As one reads the burdens to each of these nations, one can almost hear Israel say, “Yeah, lay it on them, Amos! Give it to them!) But then, Amos turns and says, “Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof….” (Amos 2:6-8.)
A brief analysis of the book of Amos is: 1. Eight “burdens” (Chapters 1-2); 2. Three “sermons” (Chapters 3-6); 3. Five “visions” (Chapters 7-9).
Amid the “visions,” Amos is confronted by Amaziah, the priest of Bethel. Bethel was one of the principal places of the false worship that Jeroboam I set up. He put golden calves in Dan and Bethel and told Israel that it was too far for them to go to Jerusalem to worship and keep the feast days. He made priests, not from the tribe of Levi, but of the lowest of the people. One of these was Amaziah, who, after reporting him to King Jeroboam II, confronts Amos as he is prophesying in Bethel:
Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land. Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there “But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court.” (Amos 7:10-13.)
Amaziah tells the ole “country-bumpkin” to go home to Judah and prophesy for bread there. He accused Amos of preaching for money. Go eat bread in Judah and prophesy there, but do not prophesy anymore in Bethel. It is the king’s chapel or sanctuary and the king’s court. He does not want to hear what you say. Did Amos flee? Was there any fear in his eyes of the face of Amaziah? Hear his response:
Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, And drop not thy word against the house of Isaac. Therefore thus saith the Lord; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, And thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, And thy land shall be divided by line; And thou shalt die in a polluted land: And Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land. (Amos 7:14-17.)
Amos was God’s prophet. He was there to deliver the message, whether they would hear or whether they would forbear. He was not afraid of their words nor dismayed at their looks.
Many years later, Paul told the young preacher Timothy,
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. (2 Tim. 4:1-5.)
Gospel preachers are not in the business of entertaining or speaking smooth words to tickle the ears of their listeners. Their duty is to “preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” This does not mean one should be abrasive nor use the pulpit as a whipping post. Our purpose is to please God, not men. We are thankful when good men appreciate the message, but our goal is to please God.
Some preachers have been accosted, accused, and attacked for using sarcasm or exposing error in sermons and debates. But those who level such have not read the Bible. Elijah, Paul, and Jesus used sarcasm against false teachers. Amos did. Hear his words to Israel: “Come to Bethel, and transgress; At Gilgal multiply transgression; And bring your sacrifices every morning, And your tithes after three years.” (Amos 4:4.) He was not trying to add sin to sin by encouraging them to practice idolatry in those places. That was biting sarcasm. Members of the church in many places have grown soft. They do not want to hear, as one old brother said, “straight oil from the can.” They do not want you to call the names of false teachers or denominations. They incline toward pluralism which is we are all going to heaven just by different routes. However, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6.)
Give us more preachers like Amos. Hew the line; let the chips fall where they may.