I have never heard a lion roar in person, but I doubt I will ever forget the sound one made as I walked toward him while he was eating. He never looked directly at me, but a growl like an idle diesel engine came from him. As I slowly reversed my direction, I was grateful for the iron bars between us (along with being a little embarrassed for listening to the man who said, “Go up to him and see what happens”).
In Amos 1:2, the prophet calls the Lord a lion. Movies, mascots, and zoos have probably desensitized us to Amos’s analogy. Children of God need not live in terror (1 John 4:18), but Amos’s message reinforces Hebrews 10:31: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (ESV). As one author has said, he’s not a tame lion.
The Old Testament prophets arose later in Israel’s history. Like Elijah, Amos spoke the Lord’s Word to his people, but Amos was one of the first prophets who wrote down his message. He lived in Judah during the reign of Uzziah, but the Lord sent him to the northern kingdom of Israel while the second Jeroboam was king (sometimes called Jeroboam II).
Amos’s words are reminders that the Lord has revealed His moral standards to everyone. In the case of each nation, the Lord promises to send fire to those who rebel against His standards. Fire reminds us of Sinai, Nadab and Abihu, and Korah. God’s holiness does not tolerate unrepentant sin and injustice. The constant refrain, “three or four transgressions,” also reminds us that the Lord is slow to anger.
When the Lord turns to Judah, His message is different. Judah and Israel have a greater degree of accountability because they have access to God’s Word and the history of what He had done for them (Amos 2:4, 9–10). The Lord’s messages to Judah and Israel are reminders that access to God’s Word increases our responsibility to Him. It’s one thing to spurn God’s basic moral code given in creation (Romans 2:14–15); it’s another to ignore explicit and stated commands in Scripture (Psalm 19:7). God was holding His people responsible.
The end of chapter 2 alerts us to a theme we see with more depth through the rest of the book. The Lord was furious that leaders were taking advantage of their power. All of Amos’s seven accusations against Israel in 2:6–8 revolve around this theme. The strong saw their power as a perk and took advantage of the weak. The Lord promised that regardless of how strong the strong thought they were, they would not endure (2:13–16).
Amos’s words are as relevant today as they were in the eighth century before Christ. God is as sovereign over nations and communities today as He was then. Do we trust more in the state, or in the God before whom the state will bow? Do we who have access to His Word treat that same Word with the seriousness God deserves? Lastly, do we wield authority well and seek the good of those who have nothing to give in return?
The Lion still roars. Are we listening?