Observation: Amos relates God's message of judgment on the people of Israel, that though God helped them escape slavery in Egypt and cleared their path into the Promised Land, in return the people trample the poor into the dust, have promiscuous sex and worship idols.
In response to God's message, the people simply tell Amos to shut up: "You shall not prophesy!"
Application: Prophets have a tough time of it. They are never well received. Nobody likes to be told they're not doing right. Especially not when that message purports to be from none other than God. Some Christians may romanticize the role of one who "speaks truth to power," and there are certain types of people who do thrive on being the center of controversy, but in the long run, taking on the role of prophet can be a lonely, exhausting road.
But something we learn from scripture is that prophets are called by God. They didn't just go to a job fair, or select "prophecy" as a major in a college course catalogue. They are made in such a way that telling God's truth is the only thing that feels right. Jeremiah describes the feeling of trying *not* to prophesy as having "fire shut up in [his] bones". This doesn't mean that everyone who claims to speak in God's name is doing so. Nor does it make it easier to hear when someone who really is called by God to share a word of truth that convicts us of sin. But as we listen and compare the prophet's words to God's Word as we know it, the Spirit will guide us and let us know if there is something we need to take to heart. No matter whether or not we ourselves are called as prophets, part of being a person of faith of any stripe is being ready to hear a prophet's truth.
But something we learn from scripture is that prophets are called by God. They didn't just go to a job fair, or select "prophecy" as a major in a college course catalogue. They are made in such a way that telling God's truth is the only thing that feels right. Jeremiah describes the feeling of trying *not* to prophesy as having "fire shut up in [his] bones". This doesn't mean that everyone who claims to speak in God's name is doing so. Nor does it make it easier to hear when someone who really is called by God to share a word of truth that convicts us of sin. But as we listen and compare the prophet's words to God's Word as we know it, the Spirit will guide us and let us know if there is something we need to take to heart. No matter whether or not we ourselves are called as prophets, part of being a person of faith of any stripe is being ready to hear a prophet's truth.
Prayer: God, thank you for Prophets. Help us to listen and really be changed by their words. Amen.
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