Amos and Joseph Smith

The book of Amos in the Old Testament is an underrated book of scripture which I believe is extremely important to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In 2021 I was reading through the entire Old Testament for the first time and got to Amos. I’d like to share some things I learned from this book that I seldom hear talked about.

Amos 3:7 is a scripture often quoted by latter-day saints. It reads:

“Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”

This has obvious significance to the message of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. God reveals nothing, save it is revealed to a prophet.

As I’ve read this short book of only 9 chapters, other significant scriptures have stood out. 

An example is chapter 7. It is well-known that God chooses the most meek and humble of the earth to be His mouthpiece on the earth. This is a common theme in the Old Testament. It is common for herders and fisherman (symbolic much?), and others of little means to be called to God’s service.

Chapter 7 starts with Amos relating a vision he had wherein he was called to prophesy to Israel of their sins and upcoming destruction if they did not repent. 

Verse 9 of chapter 7 reads:

“And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”

This prophesy, naturally, led to a scorned priest going to the king and tattling. The modern day equivalent of going to the teacher and whining about a classmate. 

“Then Amaziah the priest of Beth-el sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.”

Boo-hoo Amaziah.

Amos’s reply is a classic prophet response.

“Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit.”

Amos is basically saying, ‘Who am I to lead an insurrection against the king?  What is my motivation? Yesterday I was minding my own business herding sheep. The Lord has commanded me to say these words and so I must say them.’ Amos is pointing out that he is a humble shepherd. Someone of little consequence.

The footnote to the word prophet in this verse is what really jumped out to me. The footnote referred to Joseph Smith-History 1:22-23 which reads:

22 I soon found, however, that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause of great persecution, which continued to increase; and though I was an obscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me, and create a bitter persecution; and this was common among all the sects—all united to persecute me.

23 It caused me serious reflection then, and often has since, how very strange it was that an obscure boy, of a little over fourteen years of age, and one, too, who was doomed to the necessity of obtaining a scanty maintenance by his daily labor, should be thought a character of sufficient importance to attract the attention of the great ones of the most popular sects of the day, and in a manner to create in them a spirit of the most bitter persecution and reviling. But strange or not, so it was, and it was often the cause of great sorrow to myself.

Here we find something of simple but important significance. The pattern continues. Just as Joseph Smith, a boy of little confidence and almost no education was vilely attacked for his claims, claims that, as he said, should have made these men of God want to bring him close and set him straight to help him, instead lead to persecution and hatred. Such it is when corrupt men are brought before light and truth.

Just as Joseph Smith was attacked for his claims, so was Amos. A humble herdman, minding his own business, but one day called upon by God.

Profound teachings can be found throughout the scriptures. All of the written word of God should be pondered by us as latter-day saints. We can find truths everywhere. This pattern is one that adds to my testimony that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I’m grateful that like Amos, Joseph Smith fought the persecution he received to bring forth the word of God. Just as Amos thousands of years earlier had to do the same.