Amos, the message and the messenger

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:
(Amo 7:14 KJV)

Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah: “ I was no prophet, Nor was I a son of a prophet, But I was a sheepbreeder And a tender of sycamore fruit.
(Amo 7:14 NKJV)

The message
Instead of weighing the message that Amos brought of God’s judgment, Amaziah went to complain to king Jeroboam that the ‘land can’t bear with all his words’. God in His mercy warned Israel through His servants the prophets (Amos 3:7). Amos had a strong message to other nations first (which the listeners probably readily accepted because it involves others) then turning to Israel and it became hard to swallow. He must have had a tremendous sense of boldness to declare the things he did. If his message didn’t carry God’s authority, it would have been promptly dismissed, but something must have stirred within the hearts of the listeners. I wonder if we were there listening to Amos speaking the hard message, would we have heeded and repented. I wonder if these lone voices crying in the wilderness today are still being negatively reacted to. There are definitely these voices today which many churches take as being too harsh and say that these message don’t carry the elements of ‘grace’ in them. Many find means and ways to counter these messages. If they weren’t true, why bother to fight back? On the flip side, we have to realize that God’s grace did exist in these messages because they are warnings prior to impending judgment. Of course we have to be like the noble Bereans (Acts 17:10) to search Scripture even though the message was from the apostle Paul. The plumb line has always been the Scripture not man’s standard. Unless some dare to declare that God who is the same yesterday, today and forever has changed his moral standards and will in the way He does things? Note also that it was the spiritual authority that rejected truth.

The reason why I am writing about this is based on my prior experience when many individuals from diverse places (countries and ministries) have come to speak the word or warning which was not only was rejected but reacted upon. It is sad to see leaders of churches reject what was consistently spoken over the pulpit by outsiders. Surely God’s grace prevailed to warn us. Our respond today was very much like the days of Amos.

The messenger
There seem to be an explosion of Christian books and popular preachers in the last few decades than ever before. I noticed a book by a well known pastor becoming one of the top sellers even among secular books. The prophets of the Bible as well as the apostles lived, suffered and died because they believed in the truth. One will discover that the saints accounted in the Foxes book on martyrs didn’t lived lavish lives nor seek after popularity or excess wealth but were ready to live (and died) as the prophets and apostles did. They lived the way they did because they believed in the truth and willing to stake their lives on it.

The Bible in both the Old and New Testament warns of prophets who look for earthly gain.

There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.
(Eze 22:25)

Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
(2Pe 2:15)

Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
(Jud 1:11)

Many will chose the path of least resistance and wealth because there will always be a market for ‘smooth’ messages.

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;
(2Ti 4:3)

John the Baptist was the lone voice prior to Jesus coming and I personally believe that God will also rise up Elijah’s and John’s in the closing chapters of the fallen human history to usher in the second coming of Jesus Christ.

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
(Isa 40:3)

Who was Amos?
He had a short prophetic ministry and was called out of Judah to speak to Israel in the north. As in Amos 7:14 states, his profession were a shepherd and gatherer of the sycamore fruit.

David was a shepherd boy and Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd. The shepherd will understand the meaning of ‘going astray’ from the right path as sheep do. He also understands that the rod of correction and staff of comfort (Psa 23:4) was both needed by the office of a good shepherd to keep the sheep in line as well as to protect. We all like the staff of comfort, but stay away from the rod of correction. Even bringing up children we have administer both at the right time. God Who is wiser than any good parent will certainly know best. We can’t reject the rod and accept the staff only.

The job of Amos was also to gather or tender the sycamore fruit. The sycamore is sometime called wild figs or ‘false’ figs which has a hard skin which prevents the ripening of the fruit. The tenderer of the sycamore will pierce or scrape the skin of the fruit which will start the ripening process which takes about 4 days. Without artificially piercing or wounding the fruit, it will be of no value and can’t be eaten. There are times that God will have to wound us by piercing us with the double edged sword that we will become good fruit for His harvest. Piercing us doesn’t kill us, it makes us valuable. How can we reject such work of God through men and women who speak like Amos, Elijah and John? Jesus Himself has some hard things to say about the church (sheep vs. goats, Matt 25; wheat vs. tares, Matt 13; ten virgins, Matt 25; etc). Some will argue that Jesus was separating the saved and the unsaved. Read Scripture carefully and see how the goats called Him 'Lord', the tares were in the same field among the wheat and all the virgins were waiting for the bridegroom.

God was using the Amos, the messenger as the message himself. Interestingly Jesus was called The Word (John 1:1), Who is the message Himself. Likewise being ambassadors of Christ, we to have to be God’s testament to the dying world.

There is a sad outcome of refusing to receive God’s whole truth

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:
(Amo 8:11)

Notice the famine is not of the Word of the Lord revealed to us, but the ‘hearing’ of it. Subsequently when people want to hear truth, there is none to be found.

These are some of the saddest judgments that God pronounced on Israel for refusing to respond to God’s speaking.

Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down: And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them: And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.
(Amo 9:2-4)

God's preservation
God’s mercy is one thing our human minds can never understand. But do keep in mind that the restoration is for the remnant not the majority who rejected the warning. Jesus said in the Parable of the Kingdom in Matt 22 that ‘many are called, but few are chosen’. Similarly in Matt 7:13 about walking into the strait way and narrow gate, few will find it.

And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.
(Amo 9:14-15)

But we don’t have to suffer the consequences of refusing to hear what God is speaking to us, no matter how tough it is to swallow. Yes, He does speak of His Love, Loving kindness, Forgiveness and so many other great promises from His Word. When He should speak difficult things, may we have a heart, divinely pricked by the Good Shepherd as the sycamore fruit that in due time transformed from being hard and ‘inferior’ to one of tenderness, carry a sweetness of soul and bearing the heavenly preciousness. May we find ourselves walking on the strait path, having entered into the narrow gate and finally finding ourselves as His ‘sheep’? May we be God’s living testament in the final moments of the history of the fallen world by being God’s message?

Evidence of Faith

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb 11:1)

1. Definition of faith (source IBLP)
Faith: to be persuaded or convinced by reason. Also means moral conviction of truth especially with regard to salvation, God’s promises and His incorruptible Word.

The test of determining if we have faith
- Do we see God’s will in the matter or are we living in God's will?
- Is it based on Scripture?
- Are we ready to obey?
- Is Christ the center of our life and decisions?

2. Faith made evident (demonstration)
Faith is not just a belief in our heart but there has to be evidence of it. If we understand that in God there is a certainty, it would be displayed in our confidence and more powerfully.... our hope.

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Rom 5:5)

Hope is powerful for by it we know the fullest extent of God’s love. We don’t live in shame and need to look for alternatives to make up for lack of it. That may account for some children (even adults) seek alternatives ways to make up for lack of love (or attention). Following many of these alternatives can hurt themselves and displease God in the process due to its immoral nature or self centeredness. Hope is powerful because it tells us of a future certainty, not as the world hope. Our hope is not empty but filled with God’s love.

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) (2Co 5:7)

To walk is to tread around with the proof of its ability. Figuratively it means to live or the proof of the life we live. The proof of a life lived in faith is neither by human perception nor wisdom. 2 Cor 4:18 tells us that are seen are temporal but things unseen are eternal. Just as Enoch ‘walked’ with God until God was so pleased with him that Enoch was taken up to Heaven. As Christians we have to realize that there isn't anything worth coverting we can't take with us to Heaven. Heaven is real!.. but so is hell. Nobody in the Bible speaks more of Heaven and hell than Jesus.

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2Co 4:18)


3. The importance of faith
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Heb 11:6)

a. Faith pleases God
Many Christians want to please God by the ministry or works that we do, but Rom 8:8 reminds that ‘they that are of the flesh’ cannot please God. Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain (Heb 11:4) not out of the flesh but in obedience by offering ‘acceptable’ sacrifice. Whereas Cain offered a sacrifice which were from the sweat of his face (Gen 3:19). We can’t please God by merely in the ‘doing’. It has to be in the ‘being’. For example Abel was being obedient. For us we are saved not of works least we have something to boast (Eph 2: 8&9).

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (1Sa 15:22)

I personally believe that walking by faith is evident by obedience.

“Faith and obedience are bound up in the same bundle; he that obeys God trusts God; and he that trusts God obeys God.” C.H. Spurgeon

b. Faith justifies us
Our justification is by faith (Rom 3:28) without the works of the law. But we need the law to introduce us to the fact that we are sinners in need of salvation. Knowing that there isn’t any possible way for us to be right before God, we also understand that it requires the finish work of Jesus upon the cross to make us righteous. But we access by faith into God’s grace (Rom 5:2) fully appreciating the punishment that Jesus had to bear for us upon the cross. It cause the Son of God His life and it caused the Father much pain that His soon became sin in our stead that we might receive the gift of righteousness (2 Cor 5:21).

Therefore God made us righteous and it becomes God’s requirement upon us to be righteous. How else can be ambassodors or represent God correctly, unless we bear His character of Holiness.

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. (1Pe 1:14-16)

Peter used references from Leviticus on holiness. Today some teach that we don’t have to be attentive to the Old Testament (especially on the subject of holy living) but Peter infers otherwise.

4. How do we get faith?
The day we recognize that we have sinned (as the law reveals) and believe that Jesus died for us, a propitiation (appeasing God’s wrath, remembering that God is just: Rom 3:25) for our sins, God has given us a measure of faith. Just as Jesus commended the faith of little children…

Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. (Mar 10:15)

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Rom 10:17)

After being born again we need start with the milk, and eventually maturing to consume the staple diet of bread and meat of God’s Word. There is the progression of faith.

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: (1Pe 2:2)

John 1:1-14 tells us that Jesus is ‘the’ Word or the Word made flesh. Just as a man’s word is to himself, so Jesus is the expression of God.

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (Joh 6:35)

The first principles are the foundational truths we hold on to in our belief. We will need to mature to spiritual meat for our greater strength. By the meat of God’s word we then grow into righteousness. We know that we have grown unto righteousness when sin becomes distasteful. Maturity then enables us to distinguish the right from the wrong, and choosing what is right.

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Heb 5:12-14)

5. Conclusion

Faith is a key fundamental in our Christian life, not just in our heart or thought but must be made evident in our behavior through obedience to His whole council of His Word. Faith pleases God; our aim should be to please God, because He gave His by sending His son to die for us. Further more, there isn’t any better aim in life than to please our Heavenly Father. Faith is like a spiritual muscle that we need to exercise and grow; therefore we have to be disciplined to read, meditate, memorize and obey His Word daily.