Can I Get a Witness?
Amos 7:4-17
For the believer, being a witness to God’s truth and His salvation is a precious privilege, a divine expectation, and, at the same time, a potential risk. It is a risk because some hearers will oppose God’s truth and may take steps to silence those who share God’s message. The message of God through Amos was one of judgment. His visions, or word pictures, were vivid and clear. By means of these word pictures, Amos was able to translate for his hearers, and for us, some of his deepest experiences with God. His passion was fired by the words, “This is what the Lord showed me.” Likewise, our witness and passion must be built on time spent with God.
Interceding witness (Amos 7:4-6). The first two visions of Amos have a profound effect on him. He is deeply moved to intercede for God’s people. The vision of fire speaks to the utter destruction and intensity of the coming judgment. This is a judgment more severe than the locusts. When shown the vision of God’s fiery judgment on Israel, Amos prayed that God might relent from completely destroying His people. Our concern for lost people, whether next door or around the world, will intensify as we understand the judgment for those outside of Jesus Christ. We can be witnesses by interceding for others and praying for opportunities to share the gospel with them.
Truth-telling witness (Amos 7: 7-9). Here the prophet did not see the disaster itself but the reason for the coming punishment. It was no ordinary carpenter he saw in the vision; rather it was God Himself who stood with plumb line in hand. When shown this vision, Amos understood that God’s judgment on the Northern Kingdom was sure and imminent. God stood as the builder of Israel, ready to test the character of the nation. The plumb line represented His own revealed righteousness as the standard by which His people must be judged. We must witness to both God’s salvation in Jesus and His judgment on sin.
Opposed witness (Amos 7:10-13). The clear statement of the prophet brought a response from Amaziah, the priest of Bethel. By careful exaggeration and subtle innuendo, Amaziah was able to charge Amos with conspiracy against the throne and the nation. After filing his report, Amaziah took matters into his own hands. He ordered Amos to get out of the country. Even being faithful to God’s truth does not keep us from opposition. As witnesses of the gospel, we need to be prepared to encounter opposition to God’s message and our efforts to share it.
Obedient witness (Amos 7:14-17). Amos makes clear that he is preaching because God called him and told him to go. In no way did he withdraw his previous words of punishment but rather reaffirmed the message as from God. We as believers are commissioned to serve as the Lord’s witnesses; we please God, honor Him, and advance His gospel message when we courageously obey that calling.
Davis– Lessons in the ETB series for the winter quarter are being written by Ron Davis, director of missions for Greenville Baptist Association.