He called them Cows

Amos 4:1-5

God calls a shepherd named Amos from Tekoa, a village about 10 miles south of Jerusalem, as a prophet to Samaria and the kingdom of Israel.  Today, we would call him a layperson, and a layperson was seen about the same in Amos’s day as he is today.  Many in Israel would prefer a layperson leading the prophesying, to a full time well educated priest or prophet.  But there is a problem with this kind of thinking, both in Amos time and in 2013, and it can best be seen when Jesus selected 12 men to carry His message to the world.  Have you ever wondered how many of those men were, what we would call, full time ministers?  Did you say “0,” if so you are 100% correct, they were laymen, fishermen, businessmen, and others of like careers, but like Amos they were open to listening and speaking the words that God spoke to them.  And all but one of them had this in common; they believed God was a promise keeper.

It is a good thing that Amos was a shepherd and not a professional preacher, because when God told Amos to speak out against the upper – class women of Samaria, he used terms that were common to his profession.  Amos called the aristocratic women of Samaria cows, now I’m not sure that would play any better in 2013 than it did when Amos spoke the words from the Lord.  These were the words spoken by Amos; “Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to your husbands, ‘Bring, that we may drink!” (Amos 4:1)

But it may not have been the word cows, which got the wrath of the upper-class women and men, no it was Amos giving the declaration from the Lord.  They would be lead out of town with fishhooks and many are not sure what was meant by the term fishhooks, but all agreed many were going to be slaughtered and those who survived will flee into exile.

In verses 4-5, Amos is giving benediction on those pilgrims going to the shrine in Bethel, but it is not to encourage them, Amos is being sarcastic.  In is telling them they are doing this as an outward show for men, and these religious act are only bring more judgment on then.  “Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days; offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, O people of Israel!” declares the Lord GOD.

My take away on application is: Watch your heart, it is easily drawn to religious acts, acts that bring attention to self and not to God! 

I’ve grown fond of Blaise Pascal who lived in the 1600’s, was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and Christian philosopher.  Blaise said; “In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don’t.”

 “Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know It.” - Blaise Pascal

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice