Daily Lesson for July 9, 2020

Today's Daily Lesson comes from Amos chapter 7 verses 14 through 16a:

14 Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I am no prophet, nor a prophet’s son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, 15 and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’

16

“Now therefore hear the word of the Lord. . . ."

Amos was not of the school of prophets.  He had no formal lineage or training which would have licensed him as one of the company of prophets.  He was a farmer and herdsman.

But he was called to speak.  And his license to do so came, not from some prophetic guild, but by the very call of God.  So, Amos affirms his own authority to speak the word in the face of the authority of the priest Amaziah.

Amaziah does not recognize this authority.  He challenges Amos' right to speak in the House of Israel.  So Amos prophecies against Amaziah, telling him what is to befall his nation and his family.  All of which is to come to pass.

Just because we don't like what somebody is saying doesn't make it untrue. For the Temple priests like to tell the King what he wants to hear.  And when a real prophet stands up to speak anything other than the party line they call into question his license to preach

Or, as they said about Jesus when the carpenter did the same as the herdsman:

"How does this man know anything, without having been taught?"

But the proof of the pudding was in the eating.

NOTE: We are reading the whole Bible this year.  Tomorrow's Lesson will come form 2 Chronicles 27 and Isaiah 9-12.