Year 6, Day 223: Amos 1

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Out

• Out: This is the focus of our mission.  These are the people to whom God has called us to go.  These are the people into whom we are focused on attempting to speak God’s truth.

Amos gives us a great perspective, especially among the Minor Prophets.  The reason that I say this is because the Minor Prophets are all short books.  As such, they typically focus on the Hebrew people as the recipients of their message.  But this isn’t true with Amos.  Amos’ Out isn’t the Hebrew people.  Amos’ Out – the focus of his mission – are the nations around the Hebrew people.

Of course, we must realize that especially in the beginning of this book the message is dark, gloomy, and full of judgment.  It is fairly hard to see this as out, because when we think about ministry we often think about benefits that we bring into the lives of others.  When most of us think of out, we think about feeding people, clothing them, listening to them, giving them godly advice, helping with their children, and things like that. 

It doesn’t have to be this way.  Giving correction is helping someone.  Where would any of us actually be if we did not get correction from time to time?  Giving a warning is actually helping people!  Where would any of us be if we didn’t receive warnings about our actions and potential dangers?

That’s what Amos is doing here.  Amos is turning his eyes past the limits of the Hebrew people and into the nations around him.  He is offering up cautionary warnings.  He is revealing impending judgment before it comes so that they can prepare.  When Amos looks to the people to whom God is calling him, he sees the Gentiles around him as much as the Hebrew people themselves.

<><