Amos loved God. He thought his fellow countrymen did, too. But when he saw what was happening in the marketplace and shrines of worship, he became convinced that God was neglected, misunderstood. To Amos, not to seek God and follow His ways was to lack peace, satisfaction, and protection.

Amos wasn't brought up to be a prophet. He herded sheep on the hills outside the small town of Tekoa, twelve miles south of Jerusalem. He also gathered the fruit that grows on sycamore fig trees. ^{See Amos 7:14;}

To sell his wool and fruit and to purchase what he needed for living in the wilderness, Amos probably journeyed to many marketplaces: Jerusalem, Beersheba, Gilgal, or even more distant Samaria. Marketplaces (open areas just inside the gates of a town) were the town's center of activity. A crowd of all kinds of people— farmers, weavers, fishermen, and their families—milled about at the market. There was buying and selling of fruits, vegetables, textiles, and pottery. In addition, civil court cases were tried, and the tax collector received customs money. Merchants bringing bales of silk, spices, and jewels from far away, as well as more ordinary merchandise, journeyed the caravan routes to reach town before the gates closed at night.

Amos keenly observed the way in which business and court cases were conducted. How did the buyers and sellers treat one another? Did the wheat merchants tamper with the scales to cheat their customers? ^{See 8:4-6;} Yes! And what about the court cases? Were judges taking bribes in return for biased judgments? ^{See 5:12;} Yes! Then, too, there were tales of how the rich were living at ease in their palaces by squeezing money out of the poor. ^{See 3:10;}

Returning to the hillsides of Tekoa, Amos thought at length about the lack of justice and fairness in peoples' treatment of each other, particularly the way the rich and powerful treated the weak and destitute. Wasn't this kind of behavior dishonoring God? It seemed his fellow Hebrews had forgotten about the Exodus from Egypt and the covenant God had made with His people.

The Exodus meant much to Amos—as an example of how justice can triumph over injustice and tyranny. ^{See 2: 10, 3:1, 9:7;} How had this been accomplished? Through God's power. God had spoken to His people and revealed Himself to Moses as the "I AM THAT I AM." ^{Ex. 3:14;} Moses' recognition that there exists an intelligent power greater than the human self had enabled him to be an effective leader.

Through this insight into God's nature as the all-powerful, incorporeal Ego and the inspiration it brought, Moses received the Ten Commandments. Amos knew that when followed from the heart, these moral precepts assure freedom from slavery and give purpose and direction. He knew that those who practice justice and honesty and who care about other peoples' welfare have the support of divine power.

But Amos's fellow Hebrews believed that the worship of God had little relation to behavior at the marketplace. They evidently felt their ritual worship, with animal sacrifices and much drinking and dancing at the sanctuaries, would bring God's blessings and favor. They refused to recognize that to uphold the covenant, the agreement that bound them to God as His cherished people, they must observe and follow His moral precepts.

To Amos, a moral law of justice was a compelling order from God. No nation, group, or individual, he felt, could be exempt from this universal law. This law ensures both individual and national rights.

Amos must have felt quite alone, however, because the current tide of thinking ignored the Ten Commandments and sought ease and wealth. To Amos, the present prosperity during the reign of Jeroboam II was frothy and insecure. People didn't realize that by neglecting to follow the Commandments, they were shutting themselves off from God's power. They were headed for disaster, for the destruction of their nation. How could he tell them this? Amos knew God had spoken to him. He had felt God's presence. The words had come: "Go, prophesy unto my people Israel." ^{Amos 7:15;}

He would go to Bethel, the king's sanctuary, where a festival was being celebrated, and deliver his message. Would anyone listen? Assured God was guiding him and convinced of the necessity of his task, Amos walked twenty-five miles to Bethel from Tekoa. Here in the midst of feasting and ceremonies, the plainly dressed shepherd spoke up. He told the people God didn't want feasts or sacrifices to replace moral behavior. Moral behavior was essential in everything they did. In reference to Israel's neighbors, Amos proclaimed in the name of the Lord that no nation is above moral law. No individual or people is exempt from following it. Although Amos's stern denunciation of the conduct of nation after nation—and finally of Israel itself—sounds harsh, wasn't this intended to arouse and awaken? Amos exhorted his listeners to reform their actions and declared the Lord's requirement: "Let judgment [justice] run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream." ^5:24;

Addressing himself to the rule of King Jeroboam II, Amos prophesied the king's destruction. To Amaziah, the priest, these words meant rebellion against the king, and he ordered Amos to leave and not to prophesy anymore in Bethel. ^{See 7:10-13;} Amos returned to Tekoa. His words may not have been written down at the time. They were remembered, however, and later collected into a book which we have in our Bible.

Amos recognized the need for everyone to obey the just and liberating requirements of God—of the I am revealed to Moses. Moses had given his people an enlightened concept of God. Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health, the Christian Science textbook, "Moses advanced a nation to the worship of God in Spirit instead of matter, and illustrated the grand human capacities of being bestowed by immortal Mind." ^{Science and Health, p. 200.}

How do we worship God today? Do we identify ourselves with the qualities of the I am ? Or are we fooled into believing we cannot or do not want to do this, and that our daily actions are unrelated to God? Moral law exists and has power. Even though people may choose to ignore this law, they can't stop it from governing their lives.

Amos, the shepherd-prophet from Tekoa, said as much twenty-seven centuries ago. His words are still as true today.