Bible Studies

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The Scriptures
Amos 7:7-17 – Are We Listening?
Key Verses: (NRSV)

• 7: “This is what He showed me; the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand.” – God provided Amos these visions to enable him to become a messenger to the people.
  
  
• 8b: “See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by.” – A plumb line is used to make a wall straight so that it will stand strong. Amos says that God is going to hold His people to a high standard.
  
  
• 10: “Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, ‘Amos has conspired against you in the very center of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words.’” – Amaziah, the head priest at Bethel, did not accept the validity of these messages from Amos. He also felt his position and influence with the king were being threatened.
  
  
• 12: “And Amaziah said to Amos, ‘O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there…” – Amos was originally from the southern kingdom of Judah so King Jeroboam of the northern kingdom of Israel told Amaziah to send this “seer” home.
  
  
• 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.’” – Amos was a lay person responding to God’s call. He told this to Amaziah to refute the idea that he was a faker simply looking to earn payment for his visions. He had a source of income. His warnings were messages directly from God.
  
  
• 16: “Now, therefore, hear the word of the Lord…” – The land of Israel, led by priests such as Amaziah, had strayed from following and worshipping God. They had been going through the motions but were not truly focused on God. Because of this they were destined for punishment.
  

Points to Contemplate:

• Is God setting a “plumb line” in your life? How are you measuring up? Does being a Christian mean that you are being held to a higher standard for the way you should act? If so, why? Why is it important for Christians to live holy lives? Is this higher standard about you and your pathway to righteousness? Or is it about other people in your life? Could it be that when you choose to ignore God’s “plumb line” that you are creating barriers for other people’s pathway to salvation? Do you want to be known as a hypocrite like so many Christians are accused of being?
  
  
• What messages from God are you choosing to ignore? The Israelites, led by King Jeroboam and priest Amaziah, did not want to listen to the messages from God that Amos was relaying to them. Are there parts of your life that you want God to leave alone? Are there aspects where you feel everything is going the way you want it to go and you do not need or want His interference? Have you chosen to ignore God’s messages, and are you turning cold and non-responsive to His guiding Spirit?
  
  
• Are you a prophet? Is God using you in some special way? Do you feel qualified? Amos is one of many ordinary people in the Bible that God used to do extraordinary things. Do you celebrate in how God is working through the laity of your church? Can you accept that He not only works through pastors and clergy but is able to work through anyone at any time to bring His messages to His people? Are you one of His messengers? How about the next person you meet – will he or she be a messenger? If so, will you be “able to bear all (their) words?
  

Promises of the Gospel:

Amos brings a message that is designed to break into the complacency of our lives. He asks us to take a look at our lives to see if we are we living up to God’s standards. Are there areas where we have set up barriers to God? Have we shut Him out and closed our hearts to His guiding Spirit? Are we listening for His Word that comes to us through the prophets, messengers, and the ordinary people He sends our way? Are we responding, growing, and becoming the people He is calling us to be?

FUMC Devotionals

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