Amos - The Lord Roars From Zion

“The Lord Roars from Zion”
(Amos 1:1-2, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, March 5, 2006)

Amos 1:1-2 1 The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. 2 And he said: "The LORD roars from Zion and utters his voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the top of Carmel withers."

THE PASSAGE CONSIDERED:
Amos came from the southern kingdom of Judah, but was sent by God to the northern kingdom (Israel) with its center in the city of Samaria. We are told that he was a shepherd or sheep-breeder, and one who tended or sold sycamore trees. His style throughout this Old Testament book is bold and direct.

He served as a prophet when Uzziah, who reigned for 52 years, was King of Judah. While Uzziah had a very notable lapse in holiness (see 2 Chronicles 26:16-21), his reign is summed up in 2 Kings 15:1-7 with these words, “he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.”

The same could not be said about the northern kings who reigned during this same period. Amos ministered during the time when Jeroboam II ruled in Samaria. 2 Kings 14:23-29 specifically states, “he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.” This was God’s verdict despite the fact that there was much prosperity in the northern kingdom during his reign.

All this adds up to a difficult assignment. Thus comes Amos – a man from another land, a man without polish or court credentials – to confront the powers of a wicked and prosperous people who have not requested his services. So comes this man with words given by God in order to prosecute Yahweh’s lawsuit against His covenant-breaking people.

He comes two years before an event memorably referred to as “the earthquake” (see also Zechariah 14:5). The first fact that he announces is this: “The Lord roars from Zion.” There is a poetic parallelism used by Amos. Similar things are powerfully stated twice. Two times we hear of the Lord’s voice, and two times we see the resulting effect. There is devastation among the people of the Lord. Places known for fruitfulness are withered like a fruitful land destroyed by fire.

THE POINT: God sounds forth powerfully in judgment. He is a Lion poised to pounce on His prey and He is not to be ignored.

THE APPLICATION: If the voice of the Lord through His prophet was serious in the Old Covenant era, how much more serious is it when the Son of God Himself comes as the Lord of the covenant (see Hebrews 12:25). Christ came as an unexpected Lord to a people that did not want to hear His voice. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. How loud must the Lion roar before we will listen?

A PRAYER: Sovereign Lord, show me my sin and the penalty it deserves. Read me the verdict and let me hear the sanction. But show me Your salvation as well. For the Lion of the tribe of Judah is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Speak Lord, Your servant listens. In Jesus name, Amen.

A POEM

The words of Amos, shepherd from the land
of Judah, here to brothers long estranged,
have boldness, condemnation, power and love,
beyond the words that come from lowly men.

The Lion roars!
He shall be heard.

Who safely can ignore His voice?

But Judah’s Lion also is the Lamb.