Amos Part 03
God reveals His plan to His people. He does this through the prophets and through His inspired Word. Only God can declare the end from the beginning, and we are blessed to have access to the knowledge He provides.
Amos 3 contains a theme that is worthy of examination in detail. God has offered a very special relationship to his people. Initially, this was the people of Judah and Israel, descendants of Jacob, yet it was extended to all of those who respond to the invitation, as we read in Galatians 3:26-29:
“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
When we understand this statement, we realize that there is new meaning found in the words of the Old Testament prophets, as they are applicable to us as well.
Amos 3 marks the beginning of a new prophetic utterance with the phrase “Hear this word,” addressed to the “whole family”—meaning all twelve tribes of Israel, including the southern nation of Judah. This may suggest that the immediate message applies to both nations, though not necessarily the entire Book of Amos. In Amos 3:2, God declares, “You only have I known,” emphasizing that no other people were given both the opportunity and the responsibility to know God’s law. As Romans 3:1–2 points out, the Israelites had both the privilege and the responsibility for knowing God's law and thus were liable for punishment. This same principle applies to us today. Members of God's Church are privileged to understand God's way and have a responsibility to obey it. As 1 Peter 4:17 warns, judgment must “begin at the House of God.”
Amos 3:3 asks, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” Verses 3-6 present a series of rhetorical questions, all of which assume “no” as the answer, demonstrating cause and effect. The evil that is about to happen is impending punishment because God enforces His will. We might even add, could God’s prophets all have the same message against Israel if they had not been inspired by God to give it?
Verse 7 contains a powerful promise, “Surely the Lord God does nothing,
Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.” This aligns with Deuteronomy 18:15–18, where God always warns before bringing judgment—He warned Noah before the flood, Abraham before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and Joseph before the famine in Egypt. Even now, we have advance knowledge from Jesus Christ Himself as He warns the Church of end-time destruction (Matthew 24, Luke 21, Revelation). In verses 7–8, Amos emphasizes that he is delivering this message because God sent him; he could not do otherwise. A true servant of God cannot keep the message to himself. Jeremiah 20:9 describes the prophet’s inner compulsion, and in 1 Corinthians 9:16, Paul declares, “woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!”
We read in Isaiah 46:9-10 that only God can predict events that will happen, because only He has the power to bring them to fruition.
“For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My Counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.’”
He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end, and He wants His people to know His plan and His will.
We can pair these thoughts with those of the New Testament apostles. Ephesians 1:17 records a prayer of Paul’s for the people of Ephesus.
“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe . . .” (Ephesians 1:17-19).
We can see that God wants to grant this to His people, and He wants to see a close, intimate relationship result.
In Amos 4:6-11, six calamities are listed that will be sent by God to hit Israel, echoing the curses listed in Deuteronomy 28. This is a result of indulgent living that crowded out dependence on God, as they were living in good times. God warned that the luxuries and peace that distracted them were gifts from Him, and He could and would take them away. These include:
- Famine: “cleanness of teeth” (verse 6).
- Drought: selective, affecting some cities but not others, as sometimes happens in modern droughts (verses 7-8). Some areas have drought and some have floods.
- Crop destruction: from extremes of weather (not enough rain or too much, verse 9). This would have economic consequences as well as health.
- Plague (verse 10) Sickness results from lack of proper nutrition.
- Defeat in war: so many dead that the bodies couldn’t be buried in time (verse 10).
- An overthrow like Sodom and Gomorrah: Absolute destruction. Some believe this is yet future, as no such destruction happened to Israel in the past (verse 11).
Despite all this, the recurring theme is, “Yet, you have not returned to Me” (verses 6, 8, 9, 10, 11). This shows that God punishes not out of spite, but to bring about repentance.
Verse 11 uses the image of a “firebrand plucked from the burning,” meaning a narrow escape (Zechariah 3:2). Then comes the solemn warning in 4:12, “Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” This is not a friendly meeting. For most, this will happen at death—or in the resurrection. At the end-time, some will live to see Christ’s return. This verse might also be read as a challenge, “Have I come? Try to face Me!” or alternatively, “Let Me introduce Myself: I’m the Creator.”
Amos 4:12-13 closes with what may be seen as a divine introduction: Prepare to meet God—the One who created all things and holds all power.
Minor Prophets class is taught at ABC by Dr. Frank Dunkle.
UYA Team | uya@ucg.org
United Young Adults (UYA) primarily serves the 18–32-year age group for the United Church of God. There are three main areas of contribution to the lives of the young adults: Promoting Spiritual Growth, Developing Meaningful Relationships and Making the Most of Your Talents. The Know Your Sword series is a daily expository message introducing God’s Word from a trusted perspective.
