God's Word For Today
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God’s Speaking Trumpet
Read 2 Kings 14:26–29; Amos 1:1 through 2:16
In the past, a horn-like device called a speaking trumpet was used to intensify and direct the human voice. Typically, a megaphone such as this was used to hail ships at sea and guide them into harbor. Likewise, Amos the prophet, who prefaced his prophecies of the coming judgment with, “This is what the Lord says,” was God’s speaking trumpet (Amos 1:3).
Amos was one of several prophets used by God to both foretell (prophesy) and forth-tell (preach) the message of the Lord to the spiritually hard-of-hearing nation of Israel. The prophetic ministry of Amos came at a time of material prosperity but spiritual poverty in the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The Jews had the Law and the Ten Commandments, but there were times when a specific revelation of God was needed to show the nation the right course to follow.
By being faithful to his calling to convey the sound of God’s voice to the Israelites, Amos played an important role in the unfolding plan of salvation for the ages. Today, the voice of God is carried to great distances and sounds above all other sounds through Jesus—heaven’s own speaking trumpet.
Thought for Today: As a faithful witness of Christ, you join the ranks of God’s speaking trumpets.
Quicklook:Amos 1:1–15
