Let Justice Roll Down
Amos 1:1-2; 5:14-15, 21-24 We are stepping more deeply into the prophets this week, beginning a journey into their work that will last until almost Christmas. This time we hear from Amos, who was a prophet called from the Southern Kingdom of Judah to speak prophecy into the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Over a few weeks now, we have seen that prophets were those who have a unique call to speak God’s truth to the people, who call people back to the covenant established at Sinai, and who also reflect the people’s experience back to God. This book containing the work of Amos,is a mix of oracles or visions, sermons or exhortations, and vivid poetry. The collection opens introducing Amos as a prophet among shepherds. Perhaps he was, himself a shepherd. But the Hebrew word here is an unusual one, only found in one other place in the old testament to refer to a Moabite king. By syntax then, this word translated shepherd probably meant something more li...