MEMORY SCRIPTURE
Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah: “I was no prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet, but I was a sheepbreeder and a tender of sycamore fruit.
(Amos 7:14)
God transforms ordinary people into extraordinary leaders, like Amos and Jonah, for His divine purposes. This shows His ability to empower and prepare those He calls.
DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READINGS
Mon. 23: Obadiah’s Vision Bright (Obad. 1:1)
Tue. 24: Micah Hears With Delight (Mic. 1:1)
Wed. 25: Nahum Sees Divine Light (Nah. 1:1)
Thur. 26: Habakkuk Bears His Plight (Hab. 1:1-2)
Fri. 27: Zephaniah Brings Insight (Zeph. 1:1)
Sat. 28: Haggai Shares Words Of Might (Hag. 1:1)
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT
Our present experiences, positive or negative, can shape us into the leaders God desires, if we are sensitive.
INTRODUCTION
TEXTUAL SOURCE: Amos 1:1-247:14-15: Jonah 1:1-3,15; 2:1f
Glory, honour, dominion and power be to our God forever. Amen! We cannot express enough gratitude for the eternal virtues He bestows upon us through His Word on a daily and weekly basis. They are
new every morning, and great is His faithfulness.
This week’s lesson marks the fourth episode in the series “GOD PREPARES OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS FOR LEADERSHIP,” focusing prominently on Amos and Jonah as the Old Testament prophets to be examined
regarding how God prepared them for the task of leading His people at the time, as well as their individual responses. May our hearts and spiritual eyes be opened to understand and internalise the lessons therein for our walk with Him, as we too are being prepared for divine leadership tasks ahead. Amen!
LESSON OUTLINE
- AMOS’ PREPARATION
- JONAH’S PREPARATION
LESSON EXPOSITION
AMOS’ PREPARATION (Amos 1:1-2;7:14-15)
The words of Amos, who was among the sheep breeders of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah
(1:1a).
a) 1:1: Amos was a shepherd before his prophetic calling. Like David (1 Sam. 16:11-13), God used shepherding to prepare him for leadership roles.
b) Tekoa’s location, renowned for sheep and goat farming, indicates Amos’s expertise as a shepherd in a prime location. God strategical positioned him for leadership preparation (cf. Psa. 23:1; Ezk.34:14).
c) v.2: Amos’s message that carries the tone of a shepherd illustrated how God drew from his experience as a shepherd to effectively communicate divine judgement (cf. Psa. 23:2-4; Ezk.34:12).
d) vv.3ff: Amos, like David, fearlessÌy declared God’s judgement, drawing strength from his experiences in protecting sheep from wild animals (cf.1 Sam.17:34-36; Psa. 23:5-6).
e) 7:12-15: His response to Amaziah’s challenge proved that his prophetic calling was directly from God, not influenced by man. It points to God’s unusual methods in selecting leaders (Matt 4:18-20; 1 Cor.1:27-29).
f) Like Amos, many ministers may not have been trained in seminaries but are prepared by God through various professions and fields. God sovereignty selects and equips leaders for His purposes (Exod.3:1-10: Psa. 115:3;Acts 9:1-6).
JONAH’S PREPARATION (Jonah 1:1-3)
Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai…
(v. 1).
a) The book of Jonah recounts the prophet’s journey, teaching believers humility through his foolish behaviour and eventual acceptance of God’s will.
b) v. 1: His name means “dove” that should be gentle. But was he really ‘gentle’ with God’s purpose? Doesn’t that ring bells concerning his level of cooperation with YAHWEH in the school of discipleship?
c) ..the word of the LORD came to Jonah… shows the divine Source of the Word that came to Jonah. God equipped him with a major thing he needed -the right message (cf 2 Tim. 2:15)
d) v. 2: Jonah’s deliberate disobedience to God’s instruction might be a strong pointer to the fact that he wasn’t patient enough for a proper discipleship and mentoring. Sadly today, this is a common issue among ministers.
e) v.3: A well-groomed disciple of the Lord wouldn’t rebel against God’s will. It only further demonstrated Jonah’s unpreparedness for the task ahead. How prepared are you for God’s purposes?
f) v. 15; 2:1ff: ‘God used the 3-day experience in the belly of the fish to teach Jonah some lessons on loyalty and obedience. He obeyed and surrendered on ‘release’ from the ‘prison.’ Your response to God’s instructions reflects your level of submission and preparedness for leadership roles.
LESSONS DERIVED
- Your job and life experiences can help prepare you for what God wants in the future.
- Reluctantly obeying God shows you are uncooked, not ready and won’t be rewarded by Him.
QUESTIONS
- How did God prepare Amos for leadership in lsrael?
- What lessons did you learn from Jonah in this lesson?
