A Shepherd’s Vision
The Words of Amos, a Man from Tekoa
The Setting
Amos was just an ordinary shepherd. He spent his days in the hills outside the town of Tekoa. But a message, a powerful vision, came to him for the nation of Israel.
A Premonition
The vision arrived just two years before a devastating earthquake rattled the entire region, an event that would be remembered for generations.
The Five Signs
In the vision, God’s voice wasn’t booming, but a quiet, firm lament, as if recounting a lifetime of unsuccessful efforts to call His people back.
1. Famine
“I tried to get your attention by giving you nothing. There was no food in your cities, not a single loaf of bread to be found. But that didn’t bring you back to me.“
2. Drought
“I held back the rain right when you needed it most. I’d drench one town with a downpour and leave the next one dry. One farmer’s field would flourish, and his neighbor’s would turn to dust. Yet, you still didn’t return to me.“
3. Blight
“I sent a blight that withered your plants and a mildew that ruined your harvest. Locusts ate your gardens, your vineyards, and every fig and olive tree. But even then, you didn’t come back to me.“
4. War
“I tried with a plague, like the ones that wiped out the Egyptians. I let your young men fall to the sword and your horses be captured. The smell of death hung over your camps. But you didn’t come back to me.“
5. Destruction
Then, the voice was filled with a deep sorrow. “I even overthrew some of you. And you were like a charred log I had to pull out of the fire at the last second. Yet, you never came back to me.“
A Time to Return
This story shows how great God’s longing is for His people to turn back to Him.
Although this message was delivered to a nation, I invite you to consider these two things:
- Can a message delivered to a nation also apply to individuals?
- What would it mean to you personally if God is still calling peoples to Himself even today?
The story above was originally found in Amos chapters 1 and 4. I creatively retold it here for you that you might hear it afresh, using both Copilot and Gemini to assist me. The audio is Eunice’s voice, and not AI. 😀
Created with love,
Eunice
Very well done. I so enjoyed hearing this. Thank you.