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On Sunday, we will begin our deep dive into the Prophet Amos.
The Book of Amos is the earliest of the prophetic books in the Old Testament. It dates from the middle of the 8th-century B.C.E. You may be wondering…
What can words written 2800 years ago possibly have to say to us today?
Amos was a fiery preacher-prophet. When he looked around, all he saw was deep inequality. The rich were taking advantage of the poor, and the poor were falling farther and farther behind. They were falling into debt—and into despair. Power, influence, and money were all in the hands of a select few; everybody else was falling through the cracks.
It wasn’t right. It wasn’t the way God intended.
Over and over again, God made it clear that he expected his people to do justice and love kindness and walk humbly. These were the priorities for the people of God. At least they should have been.
Old Testament scholar Donald E. Gowan says that there are “two striking characteristics of the book of Amos: the power of its language and the passion of its concern for the oppressed” (Donald E. Gowan, “The Book of Amos,” The New Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. 7, p. 339).
Power and passion. Courage and conviction. That’s what we’ll experience this month with the Prophet Amos.
I’ll see you Sunday.
Jennie
Worship at 8:15 and 10:30 a.m.
On-site at 302 South Main Street Eureka, Illinois
Online at eurekachristian.org/worship-online or facebook.com/eurekacc/live
