Behold, days are coming, declares the Lord,
When the plowman will overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows seed;
When the mountains will drip sweet wine and all the hills will be dissolved.
Also I will restore the captivity of My people Israel, and they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them;
They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, and make gardens and eat their fruit.
I will also plant them on their land, and they will not again be rooted out from their land
Which I have given them, says the Lord your God. Amos 6:13-15
Amos, the shepherding prophet became widely known for his warnings about God’s judgment and Israel’s impending captivity. He was not well liked by the kings, especially Jeroboam. But, near the end of his messages of destruction, famine, and captivity… he proclaims the day when God’s people would return and enjoy life again upon the land God gave them. I love how he says ‘the mountains will drip sweet wine’, what a great metaphor!
Do I receive the honest tough messages from the Lord as well as the hopeful ones? Have I fully entered into the gracious land of mountains that drip sweet wine? In other words, have I fully allowed God to love me?
God, two thoughts fill my mind. One is that You are so gracious. You are righteous and You are a judge. But, I see Your faithfulness to Israel and I see it in my life. May I receive the goodness You offer. The second thought is that You are calling me to be an Amos who delivers the unpopular message of Your judgment on my country. Do you want me to speak nationally on Your behalf? I am a shepherd, shall I be Your prophet?
