Sharper Iron — The Day Is Surely Drawing Near: The LORD Roars

Rev. Paul Pater, pastor at Shepherd of the Ridge Lutheran Church in North Ridgeville, OH and Hope Lutheran Church in Sheffield Village, OH, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Amos 1:1-2.

Although Amos was a sheep herder from Tekoa, a fortified city in the southern kingdom, Judah, that didn’t prevent the LORD from sending Amos as His prophet to the northern kingdom, Israel. The people of Israel may have been outwardly prosperous under the reign of Jeroboam the son of Joash, but inwardly they were spiritually bankrupt. In the early part of the 8th century BC, Amos spent his ministry to Israel condemning their idolatry and injustice and calling them to repentance. Amos doesn’t pull any punches because he has heard the LORD roar. The LORD’s voice sounds forth from His dwelling place in Jerusalem, not in celebration over Israel’s outward growth, but in condemnation over Israel’s inward decay. This is the burden of Amos’ preaching, which the LORD validated through the earthquake two years later. Therefore, we ignore Amos’ preaching to our own peril. We too must repent of our idolatry and injustice so that we can hear the hope that Amos does preach. Even in the very first verse of his book, Amos tells us that Uzziah reigns in Judah as the rightful king in the line of David. By the end of his book, Amos proclaims that the LORD will restore the fallen booth of David. The LORD has fulfilled His promise through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is both the sacrificial Lamb of God and the victorious Lion of Judah.

“The Day Is Surely Drawing Near” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that digs into the book of Amos. This Old Testament prophet speaks the LORD’s roaring Word in order to call us first to repentance over our idolatry and injustice and second to faith in the Messiah in the line of David, Jesus Christ. Only through faith in Him will we stand forgiven and redeemed on the coming Day of the LORD.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

Amos 1:1-2

1 The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds[a] of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years[b] before the earthquake.

Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors

2 And he said:

“The Lord roars from Zion
and utters his voice from Jerusalem;
the pastures of the shepherds mourn,
and the top of Carmel withers.”

Footnotes:

Amos 1:1 Or sheep breeders
Amos 1:1 Or during two years

English Standard Version (ESV)

Rev. Timothy Appel

Although a mathematics degree may not be incredibly helpful to (proudly born-and-raised Texan) Rev. Timothy Appel while hosting Sharper Iron, his love of CFW Walther and the season of Easter will come in handy. His Call is shepherding the flock at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, Illinois, and he’s also husband to wife Kristin and dad to their growing basketball team of children. When he’s not carrying out pastoral duties, you may find him reading “The Lord of the Rings,” snacking on Reese’s peanut butter cups, playing dominoes with his boys, or studying up on Texas history (including Sam Houston, of course).