How does Amos' response in 7:14 connect to other biblical calls to prophets? Amos’ Surprisingly Ordinary Résumé “Amos answered Amaziah, ‘I was no prophet, nor was I a prophet’s son; but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs.’” • Amos disclaims professional credentials. • His livelihood—tending sheep and pruning fig trees—signals humble, rural obscurity. • He stresses that his authority rests solely on God’s call, not on lineage or training. Patterns Seen in Other Prophetic Call Narratives • Moses – Exodus 3:11 “But Moses asked God, ‘Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh…?’” – A shepherd insisting he is unqualified. • Gideon – Judges 6:15 “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest…and I am the least in my father’s house.” – Another agricultural worker expressing inadequacy. • Isaiah – Isaiah 6:5 “Woe to me, for I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips…” – Confession of personal unworthiness before accepting the mission. • Jeremiah – Jeremiah 1:6–7 “Ah, Lord GOD! I surely do not know how to speak, for I am only a child!” – Youth and inexperience used as reasons to object. • Elisha – 1 Kings 19:19–21 – Found plowing with twelve yoke of oxen; God interrupts normal labor to commission him. • Ezekiel – Ezekiel 1:3 “The word of the LORD came to Ezekiel…the hand of the LORD was upon him there.” – God initiates; Ezekiel contributes no résumé. Common Threads Linking Amos to the Others • Divine Initiative – In every case, God speaks first; human choice is response, not origination. • Ordinariness of the Messenger – Shepherds, farmers, youth, hesitant speakers—none fit the era’s elite mold. • Reluctant or Humble Self-Assessment – Each prophet highlights weakness or disqualification, magnifying God’s power. • Absence of Formal Training – “Not a prophet’s son” mirrors Jeremiah’s “only a child”; divine calling outweighs institutional pedigree. Why God Chooses the Unlikely • So that the message, not the messenger, receives attention (1 Corinthians 1:27–29). • To demonstrate that authority comes from His Word, not human credentials. • To encourage ordinary believers that God can use them as they are. Take-Home Reflections • Amos’ statement roots him in the same prophetic lineage of reluctant yet obedient servants. • The consistency across Scripture underscores God’s unchanging method: He equips whomever He calls. • Our perceived inadequacies are invitations to rely on the sufficiency of God’s commissioning Word. |
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