06/08/2016 CLEAN TEETH
Amos 4:6 “I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places, yet you did not return to me,” says the LORD. (Revised Standard translation)
Summary
Amos
Amos was a native of Tekoa in Judah (the Southern Kingdom). He was called to be GOD’s prophet. While he lived in the South, he did a great deal of his preaching to the people living in the North (the Northern Kingdom of Israel is sometimes called “Ephraim” because the first King of the Northern Kingdom, Jeroboam came from the tribe of Ephraim (1Kings11:26) or sometimes the Northern Kingdom is called “Israel”).
Amos was by occupation a herdsman (i.e., shepherd) and a “dresser of sycamore trees.” (Amos 7:14). He did not have “the pedigree” for being a prophet. He did not come from a family of prophets. He never went to prophet school. And, he never even saw himself as a prophet. (Amos 7:14) He just thought of himself as a herdsman and fruit picker. BUT, GOD choose him. GOD told him to prophesy against Israel. Amos answered GOD’s call.
Some of Amos’ major themes were social justice, divine justice and the omnipotence of GOD. Amos is known for his rich images, metaphors and language, such as:
“But let Judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.” (Amos 5:24) –used by Martin Luther King (“let justice roll down like waters…”) in Martin’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
“The Lion has roared, who will not fear? The LORD GOD has spoken, who can but prophesy?” (Amos 3:8)
Amos’ “clean teeth” is another rich verse. In Amos 4:6, GOD, through his prophet Amos, points out that even through adversity, brought on by their own sinful behavior against GOD, the people still refuse to return to HIM. Even though the people have no bread or food---so there are no food particles to pick from their teeth, as they might at the end of a full meal—and so their teeth are clean, the people still will not repent and return to GOD.
Even with nothing to eat, no place to go, suffering blight and mildew, failed crops and their children killed in war, the Israelites still will not obey and return to GOD.