Amos begins with a humble description of himself - "one of the sheep
farmers" (Amos 1:1). Being a prophet of God has nothing to do with what
we are in ourselves. It's all about God. It's all about His grace and
His call. Looking after sheep - This is such an apt description of the
ministry of a pastor. "The Lord roars from Zion" (Amos 1:2). These words
make us think of a lion. This could be terrifying for sheep. Think of
the lion - Aslan - from "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" (C S
Lewis). It's a picture of Christ. His voice is more than a roar. It's
the voice of love. The "roar" speaks of authority. The greatest
authority is the authority of love. How does the Lord command our
respect? He loves us. As we learn to appreciate His love, we learn to
love Him. Our love for Him is inspired by His love for us. As we learn
to love Him, our obedience to Him increases in strength. "The Lord has
said this" (Amos 1:15). The prophet's voice is to be an echo of the
Lord's voice. We speak because God has spoken.
“At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem”, the keynote of the service was joyful thanksgiving. They gathered together “to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving” (Nehemiah 12:27). “On that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy” (Nehemiah 12:43). They sang “songs of praise and thanksgiving to God” (Nehemiah 12:46). This joyful thanksgiving is only a foretaste of the greater joy and thanksgiving of heaven: “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). In the city of God, “the glory of God” will be shining with everlasting brightness (Revelation 21:23). The Church of God will be “prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). The beautiful picture of the godly wife in Proverbs 31 gives us an outline of what God is seeking to do in His people. It is summarized in Proverbs 31:30: “A woman who fears the Lord is to be ...
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