The prophet Amos was a shepherd by trade. He is from the kingdom of Judah, but God called him to prophesy in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam II in the Northern Kingdom and King Uzziah in the Southern Kingdom. His prophecy begins with accusations of improper treatment of people to the nations circling around Israel, but as he progresses, he zeroes in on Israel. The people of Israel thought themselves something special and protected because Yahweh had chosen to love them. They thought this privilege protected them and they were acting prideful because of it. They ignored God’s commands, neglecting His word to them and committing immoral acts. They treated those that were poor and destitute in their land as less than human, selling them into debt-slavery to other nations to make a profit. Through the prophet Amos, Yahweh condemned their sin and pride. He promised that judgment would come to the people of Israel, yet He also promised that a time of restoration would follow.

 

The people believed that the Day of the Lord would bring good for them, but Amos makes it clear that the Day of the Lord would be a dark day. It would bring fear, judgment, destruction, and the deportation of the people from the land. God would not protect His people; rather, He would bring His judgment upon them. There are many people in our churches today that are looking forward to the return of Christ. His return brings the completion of the Day of the Lord. Many of these people believe they will be exempted from His wrath. They look forward to the destruction of the people that they believe are evil. In their pride, they cast judgment on these people not realizing that they are guilty of the same sin as Israel. They think they will be protected when they are treating those without knowledge of God poorly. God will humble them.

 

It is only by the grace and mercy of God the Father that He sent God the Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for every person. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was resurrected from the dead. It is only through the work of God that any person can be saved from the wrath of God. For these prideful people, the Day of the Lord will bring fear, judgment, destruction, and exile from the grace of God.

 

I confess to you that at times my heart becomes hard and prideful, just as these that I have condemned here. I look at those who do not know God, do evil, and wish to condemn them for all eternity. This is not the heart of God! God desires that none should perish. He wants everyone to be saved from His wrath by repentance of his or her sins and belief in Christ (2 Peter 3:9). In my pride, I condemn others and in so doing, condemn myself.