Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Amos 7:15
And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.
15. It was while he was engaged in the ordinary occupations of his rustic life, that he became conscious of a call, which he could not but obey (cf. Amo 3:8), to become the prophet of Jehovah’s people, Israel.
from following the flock ] Cf. (of David) 2Sa 7:8; Psa 78:71.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Amo 7:15
The Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto My people Israel.
The messenger faithful to his mission
Holy Scripture seldom teaches more impressively than when it teaches by contrasts. There may be instituted a contrast between two classes of religious workers.
1. Professional religious workers. In every age there have been such men–conventional religionists, whose creed is compromise, and whose maxim is, Sail with the stream.
2. Men whose hearts the Lord has touched. Such was Amos. Observe the surroundings of his life. What Was it the mere professionals were afraid of in his message? They may have feared lest the people should be roused to think. More probably they felt the inward uneasiness which hollow profession must ever experience when brought into contrast with genuine piety and the power of the Holy Ghost. The presence and testimony of Amos condemned them. The priest Amaziah suggested that Amos would be wise to flee away to the land of Judah. There would have been nothing necessarily sinful in following this advice. The presence of the prophet in Jerusalem would have been hailed with the warmest sympathy and welcome. He would have gained a wide popularity, and would have been an object of general admiration. And we are all liable to be influenced by such motives. We do not like to stand alone, beset with continual difficulties arising from our position. No doubt Amos would have yielded had he not been walking in the Spirit, and it is only this that will keep an.y of us at the post of duty. We are often tempted to run away from the cross given us to bear, flattering ourselves all the time that in doing so we are seeking opportunities of greater usefulness. We cannot get away from the Cross; it is the law of true Christian experience. Satan will always entice us to run away. Consider the temptations of the prophet more in detail.
1. Immunity from danger is promised. Amos was in a state of continual danger where he was.
2. If Amos would only go across the border, he had a clear prospect of obtaining what none of us can do without–bread. He might count upon a comfortable maintenance, a good living. A judicious use of his religion would have got him on in the world, and his godliness might have been made the steppingstone to rank and fortune. The position of Amos where he was must have been very precarious; he had left his regular means of livelihood, and was living a life of faith. He must have been living, as we say, from hand to mouth. To stay where he was would be to continue in poverty, perhaps to starve.
3. There was something more than even bread. Which of us does not know the yearning of the human heart for sympathy? How painful it is to stand alone! Which of us is altogether indifferent to popularity?
4. Even this was not all. The temptation is backed by an attempt to get up a question of casuistry. The king has commanded you not to speak, and you are disobeying him. How dare you arrogate to yourself such airs of superiority, and set yourself up as better than every one else? This is one of the severest trials of the Christian life. It does seem to those who do not take pains to find out the truth, as if we assumed an attitude of religious superiority. But, after all, our position is not as trying as Amoss was. Our only safety is ever to put our direct duty to God before our indirect. Be loyal to Him-personally, first; be loyal to Him indirectly, through your king or your parent, second; and remember you cannot be loyal to Him indirectly, when you have ceased to be loyal to Him directly. Against all these considerations of expediency and self-interest what had Amos to set? Only one mighty word from the lips of God. It was this that kept him at his post. Go, prophesy unto My people Israel. That was all; but it was clear. The voice said, Amos, go! From that moment Amos lived for God and His work; he turned his back on the sheepfold, gave up the gathering of sycamore, and began to deliver his message. Everything seemed to wave him back to his primitive seclusion. But against all opposition rang out the clear inner voice, Amos, go; have not I sent thee? And he went, with his life in his hand. He went, in the face of the jeers, and scoffs, and threats of the world, and the advice of such religious professors as Amaziah. We do not want two-faced Christians. We want men who, like Amos, are carried forward by the mighty consciousness of the Divine call, men in whom inmost heart the mighty, some of God is heard, calling them as by name, and bidding them Go. (W. M. Hay-Aitken, M. A.)
A humble origin remembered
Felix Faure, the late president of the French Republic, never sought to conceal his lowly origin. Hanging in a conspicuous place on the wall of his presidential office was a photograph of a young man wearing a tanners blouse and wooden shoes. Faure the president, did not forget that he was once Faure the currier.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
The Lord, the great and jealous God, whom you oppose by idols, took me; by an extraordinary power of his Spirit took me off from my old, mean, and private employment and recess, and I could not withstand him.
As I followed the flock; a description of a shepherds employment.
The Lord said unto me; commanded, whether by voice from heaven. or extraordinary irradiation of his mind, or impulse of the Divine prophetic Spirit, comes all to one, his authority is Divine.
Go out of Judah.
Prophesy; as a prophet instruct, threaten, promise, invite. and foretell.
My people Israel; the ten tribes, which with like civility are called by Amos Gods people as he is called seer.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. took me as I followed theflockSo David was taken (2Sa 7:8;Psa 78:70; Psa 78:71).Messiah is the antitypical Shepherd (Psa 23:1-6;Joh 10:1-18).
unto my people“against”[MAURER]; so Am7:16. Jehovah claims them still as His by right, thoughslighting His authority. God would recover them to His service by theprophet’s ministry.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the Lord took me as I followed the flock,…. Or “from behind” it u; a description of a shepherd, such an one Amos was, and in this employ when the Lord called him, and took him to be a prophet; he did not seek after it, nor did he take this honour to himself; by which it appears that his mission was divine, and that he did not enter on this work with lucrative views: thus God took David in a like state of life, and made him king of Israel; and Elisha from the plough, and made him a prophet: and Christ several of his disciples from being fishermen, and made them fishers of men, or ministers of the word; and so their call appeared more clear and manifest;
and the Lord said unto me; in a vision or dream by night; or by an articulate voice he heard; or by an impulse upon his spirit, which comes from the Spirit of God:
go, prophesy unto my people Israel; for so they were by profession, and notwithstanding their apostasy; as yet they were not tallied “Loammi”, Ho 1:9; to these the prophet was bid to go out of the land of Judea, where he was a herdsman, and prophesy in the name of the Lord to them; wherefore what he did was in obedience to the command of God, and he did but his duty; and what he in this verse and Am 7:14 declares, is a sufficient vindication of himself, his character, and conduct; and having done this, he has something to say to the priest, as follows.
u “de post pecus”, Montanus; “de post gregem”, Vatablus; “a post gregem”, Liveleus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(15) Followed the flock.There is no hint of any lack of education or refinement (see Introduction) through the exclusion of any special aid derived from the training of earlier prophets. In this case Gods inward call had been more than sufficient.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Amo 7:15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.
Ver. 15. And the Lord took me, as I followed the flock ] As he took Elisha from the plough tail, the apostles from casting and mending their nets, &c. Asinos elegit Christus et idiotas, sed oculavit in prudentes: simulque dona dedit, et ministeria, he called them to the office, and withal he gifted them. He called also learned Nathanael, and Nicodemus, a master in Israel; lest, if he had called none but such as were simple (saith John de Turrecremata), it should have been thought they had been deceived through their simplicity. But it is God’s way to choose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and things that are not, to bring to nought things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence, 1Co 1:27-29 .
And the Lord said unto me
Go, prophesy unto my people Israel
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
took me: i.e., called me Prophets were called by Jehovah; not born prophets, or made prophets by man. See notes on 1Sa 10:5. Heb 1:1.
as I followed, &c. Compare Psa 78:70, Psa 78:71.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
took: 2Sa 7:8, Psa 78:70-72, Mat 4:18, Mat 4:19, Mat 9:9
as I followed: Heb. from behind
Go: Jer 1:7, Eze 2:3, Eze 2:4, Luk 24:46-48, Act 1:8, Act 4:20, Act 5:20, Act 5:29-32
Reciprocal: Gen 4:2 – And Abel Gen 47:3 – What is Exo 3:1 – kept 1Sa 16:19 – with the sheep 1Ch 17:7 – I took thee Psa 131:1 – neither Pro 30:3 – neither Jer 13:15 – for Jer 17:16 – I have Jer 26:12 – The Lord Mat 15:5 – ye say Joh 3:27 – A man Joh 7:15 – letters 1Co 9:16 – for
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
TAKEN INTO FELLOWSHIP
The Lord took me as I followed the flock.
Amo 7:15
It was so with the shepherd-king. He chose David also His servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: from following the ewes that gave suck He brought him to feed Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance. It is a blessed experience when the Lord takes man or woman from the ordinary avocations of life, and gives them specific work for the souls of men.
I. He takes us into covenant relationship with Himself.This is the greatest experience which can befall us, when God comes into our lives and says, I have redeemed thee: thou art Mine. He puts the ring of changeless love upon our finger, and binds us to Himself and Himself to us for ever. This is fundamental to all our after-influence.
II. He takes us into fellowship with His purposes.He shows us those other sheep which are not of this fold, and whispers: These also I must bring. He shows us the great multitudes that sit in darkness and the shadow of death, as He did to Carey, who kept the map of the world before him as he cobbled shoes. And, lastly, He lays on us the burden of the perishing souls of men, so that we rest not day nor night thinking of them.
III. He takes us into the chamber of His anointing.The servants are bidden to go on before, our relatives are not told; but God takes the vial of oil, and pours the chrism of Pentecost on our heads, and from that moment we are His anointed ones. Oh, that we may never come to our Gilboa! (Cf. 1 Samuel 10 with 2 Samuel 1.)
Illustration
Often in the story of Israel, prophet and priest were in collision, because the prophet rebuked the priest for his heartless ritual and shameless life. So it was here, and, as so often, the false priest accused the prophet to the king. Amaziah felt that so long as Amos persisted in making Bethel the scene of his ministry, there would be no foothold there for himself; so by approaching the king on the one hand, and by suggesting to Amos to remove Judah where he would be sure at least of his bread, he hoped to secure relief. In answer, Amos could only fall back on his original commission which had come to him unsought. But, instead of Amaziah speaking against him, it would have been wiser far to have joined forces in a common effort to bring Israel back to God, because the sins which were rife could only bring the punishment of those ruthless Assyrian soldiers, who would show no mercy to man or woman.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Amo 7:15, While Amos was engaged about his work with the flock, the Lord appeared to him by inspiration and told him to go and prophesy unto Israel, which here means the 10-tribe kingdom, not Judah as Amaziah wanted him to do.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Amos had come to Israel having been sent there by Yahweh to prophesy (cf, Num 18:6; 2Sa 7:8; Psa 78:70). The Hebrew text repeated the words "the LORD" for emphasis. God had given him a definite commission, and Amos had left his former occupation to obey that divine calling (cf. Act 5:27-29). Amos’ ministry and his location were God’s choosing.