Sunday, June 7, 2015

Christ in Amos



~ Jesus Christ Is the Arms That Carry Us ~

The Bible is about Jesus Christ  ~  “Jesus said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!  Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?’  And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself” (Luke 24:25-27).

In the book of Amos Jesus Christ is seen as the Burden-Bearer, the Heavenly Bridegroom, and the Judge. 

It is interesting to notice that like Jesus Christ, Amos was resisted by the priests of Israel.  “Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, ‘Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel.  The land is not able to bear all his words.’    Then Amaziah said to Amos: ‘Go, you seer!  Flee to the land of Judah.  There eat bread, and there prophesy.  But never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is the royal residence.’ (Amos 7:10-13).

Amos, like Jesus Christ, came from a humble background.  “Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah: ‘I was no prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet, but I was a sheep breeder and a tender of sycamore fruit.  Then the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said to me, “Go, prophesy to My people Israel”’” (Amos 7:14-15). 

Amos, like The Messiah was a working man.  The shepherd imagery found in Amos also points toward Jesus Christ—the Great Shepherd, Good Shepherd, and Chief Shepherd. 

Amos, like Christ, used illustrations as a teaching style.

Amos, like The Messiah, claimed divine inspiration.  He used the phrase, “This is what the Lord says” about forty times in his book. 

Like The Messiah Amos was charged with treason (Amos 7:10; John 19:12).

Amos, like Christ, knew the pressure of ministry (Amos 3:8; John 9:4).

Like The Messiah Amos decried the selfishness of some of the wealthy (Amos 6:4-6; Luke 12:15-21).

Comment  ~  We have only touched the surface of Christ in the Book of Amos.  Much more could be said about each of the previous examples.

additional comment:  Compare these passages from Scripture:
Acts 7:42-43 – Amos 5:25-27
Acts 15:16-17 – Amos 9:11-12  

The Apostle Paul told us the Scriptures present many shadows of things to come but the reality is found in Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:17). 

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