Because of his fearless preaching, Amos was exposed to constant danger. He earned the reputation as "God's angry man" because he hotly condemned the sins of Israel. Ironically, the Jews of a later generation considered him their greatest prophet, next to Isaiah. A farmer and herdsman by profession, Amos lived in Judah but traveled to Israel where he preached his fiery sermons. "Prepare to meet your God," he declared, and the wicked prophets of Bethel hated him. In fact, Amaziah, leader of the Bethel prophets, tried to discredit his work and plot his death. Tragedy came to Amaziah's home as a result of this diabolical scene.
Amos saw three basic evils in Israel: (1) Prosperity had driven the people to wanton living. (2) The poor people were being abused. (3) True worship was being replaced by Canaanite religions. Amos called the people back to worship of the one true God by reminding them that God is a Person, all-powerful, ever-present, all-knowing, ever-merciful, and always righteous. He warned them that their continued sin would bring disaster. Within fifty years, all of his prophecies came true.
Four urgent lessons clearly come to modern man from the prophecies of Amos: (1) The foundation for society rests on justice between men. (2) Privilege implies responsibility. (3) Failure to accept one's responsibility brings judgment. (4) Nations and individuals must live up to the light they have received. If we lived by these four great truths, the face of our modern world would be changed. There is truly a place and a need today for "God's angry man."
“Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.”
Amos 4:12 KJV
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