Amos: A Famine Of The Word

Reader's Version

Amos: A Famine of The Word 

Sermon by Gene Simco 

Reader’s Version 

I once heard a story about a married couple who quarreled and ended up giving each other the silent treatment. Two days into their mute standoff, the husband realized he needed his wife’s help. He had an early business flight to Chicago and had to wake up at five the next morning. Not wanting to be the first to break the silence, he wrote on a piece of paper, Please wake me at 5 a.m. 

The next morning he awoke to an empty house and sunlight streaming through the windows. It was nine o’clock—his flight long gone. Fuming, he prepared to confront his wife, only to notice a slip of paper on the nightstand. It read, It’s 5 a.m. Wake up. 

That story always makes me smile, but it also points to something sobering: sometimes silence speaks louder than words. And that is precisely where we find ourselves as we continue the Alpha and Omega series. 

We now enter the prophetic section of Scripture—the books of the prophets, Isaiah through Malachi. These writings don’t always follow a neat timeline; many overlap and could be inserted at various points within the histories of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. Today we arrive at the book of Amos. 

When we left Joel, we saw the Holy Spirit poured out, gifts given, and the fruit of the Spirit revealed as the true test of God’s presence in our lives. Joel’s setting was hard to date, but Amos is different. We know exactly when and where he ministered. His audience was Israel in the north, during the reign of King Jeroboam II, son of Joash (2 Kings 14:23-29). Amos himself was from Tekoa, a small village in Judah, yet God called this shepherd to cross the border and prophesy to the northern kingdom. 

It’s worth noting that Amos, the shepherd-prophet, came from Tekoa, the very village known for another bold messenger centuries earlier—the wise woman of Tekoa in 2 Samuel 14. She courageously approached King David with a parable that moved him to reconciliation. Amos, likewise, left the quiet hills of Tekoa to confront kings with God’s truth. From one small Judean town came two very different voices—one a woman seeking peace, the other a shepherd announcing judgment—both raised up by God to speak when few dared.

His message confronted Israel’s corruption and idolatry at a time of remarkable economic prosperity but deep spiritual decay. This was just decades before the Assyrian conquest of Israel in 722 BC. On the surface everything looked like blessing: markets crowded, harvests abundant, sanctuaries full. But beneath the prosperity, corruption and idolatry had hollowed out the nation. 

Into this false sense of security God sent Amos with a stunning announcement: judgment was on the way. What looked like prosperity was only a thin cover over spiritual rot. 

In our first movement, covering chapters 1 and 2, we witness God’s judgment on the nations and on Israel itself. Amos opens like a courtroom drama. One by one, he summons the surrounding nations to the stand—Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, and Moab. Each is charged, and the refrain thunders through the court of heaven: “For three transgressions of [nation], and for four, I will not revoke the punishment.” 

This repeated line is a striking example of numerical parallelism, a Hebrew literary device that builds intensity. It doesn’t mean God counted only three or four sins. It means sin had piled up until judgment could no longer be delayed. Some modern translations smooth it to “again and again” or “for many sins,” but the original Hebrew structure carries a sharper edge. It’s like saying, “Strike two—no, strike three—you’re out.” 

The brilliance of Amos’ setup is that Israel would have been nodding along as each foreign nation was condemned. But by chapter 2 the prophet suddenly turns the indictment on Judah and then squarely on Israel itself. The applause dies, and the spotlight swings to God’s own people: 

“This is what the Lord says: The people of Israel have sinned again and again, and I will not let them go unpunished! They sell honorable people for silver and poor people for a pair of sandals.” (Amos 2:6) 

Their guilt lay in trading people for profit, oppressing the poor, and worshiping idols while pretending to honor God. Judgment begins with God’s own household. He will not excuse hypocrisy just because His name is on their lips. 

In the next movement, chapter 3, Amos highlights Israel’s unique guilt. Being chosen by God is not a free pass; it carries greater accountability. “From among all the families on the earth, I have been intimate with you alone. That is why I must punish you for all your sins.” (Amos 3:2) Their covenant closeness should have made them more faithful, not less. Being chosen is not a privilege to flaunt; it is a responsibility to bear. 

Chapter 4 shows discipline ignored. God reviews the many warnings He sent—drought, famine, blight, plague, war—yet His people refused to return. “I brought hunger to every city and famine to every town. But still you would not return to me,” says the Lord. “Therefore, I will bring upon you all the disasters I have announced. Prepare to meet your God in judgment, you people of Israel!” (Amos 4:6, 12) The haunting refrain—“Yet you did not return to me”—leads to the chilling conclusion: “Prepare to meet your God.” 

By chapter 5 we hear a lament and God’s rejection of false worship. Outwardly their religion looked alive, but God exposed it as hollow showmanship without justice: “I hate all your show and pretense—the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.” (Amos 5:21–24) Worship without justice is only noise to God. He desires obedience over performance. 

Chapter 6 pronounces woe to the complacent rich. The elites basked in luxury while ignoring their nation’s ruin. “How terrible for you who sprawl on ivory beds and lounge on your couches, eating the meat of tender lambs from the flock and of choice calves fattened in the stall. You sing trivial songs to the sound of the harp and fancy yourselves to be great musicians like David. You drink wine by the bowlful and perfume yourselves with fragrant lotions. You care nothing about the ruin of your nation.” (Amos 6:4–6) God declared that they would be the first to go into exile. Comfort without conviction leads only to destruction. 

In chapter 7 Amos recounts visions and confrontation. God shows him visions of locusts, fire, and finally a plumb line—a measuring tool of perfect verticality. “Then he showed me another vision. I saw the Lord standing beside a wall that had been built using a plumb line. He was using a plumb line to see if it was still straight. And the Lord said to me, ‘Amos, what do you see?’ I answered, ‘A plumb line.’ And the Lord replied, ‘I will test my people Israel with this plumb line. I will no longer ignore all their sins.’” (Amos 7:7–8) Israel no longer measured up to God’s standard. When confronted, the priest Amaziah tried to silence the prophet, but Amos refused: he was a shepherd called by God. God’s Word, not human approval, is the true plumb line of righteousness. 

Chapter 8 delivers the most sobering oracle yet—a famine of the Word. “The time is surely coming,” says the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread or water but of hearing the words of the Lord. People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from border to border searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.” (Amos 8:11–12) The final and most terrifying judgment is not war or hunger but silence from God. When His Word is absent, people stumble in darkness. The greatest danger is not losing comfort or wealth but losing the voice of God Himself. 

Finally, chapter 9 reveals judgment and restoration. The hammer of judgment falls, yet even here God promises hope: “I, the Sovereign Lord, am watching this sinful nation of Israel. I will destroy it from the face of the earth. But I will never completely destroy the family of Israel,” says the Lord. “In that day I will restore the fallen house of David. I will repair its damaged walls. From the ruins I will rebuild it and restore its former glory.” (Amos 9:8, 11) No one escapes judgment, but God promises a remnant. From the rubble of Israel will rise a restored house of David, fulfilled in Christ who gathers Jew and Gentile alike into one family. 

Amos closes with the stark image of a famine—not of food or water, but of hearing the Word of the Lord. The greatest tragedy for Israel was not exile or lost wealth; it was God’s silence. When His Word is absent, there is no guidance, no life, no hope. Yet the story does not end in silence. The same God who once withheld His Word later broke the silence by sending the Word made flesh. Where Israel staggered in darkness, Christ came as the Light of the world. Where Amos warned of empty religion, Jesus came to bring true worship in spirit and in truth. Where Amos saw injustice and complacency, Jesus fulfilled the law by proclaiming good news to the poor, liberty to captives, and sight to the blind. 

In Amos we see the shadow; in Christ we see the substance. Amos raised the alarm; Christ brings the answer. The famine finds its feast in Him. 

We now arrive at the Christophanies and fulfillments in Amos—places where the shadow of prophecy meets the reality of Christ. 

First, we see the restoration of David’s tent. Amos 9:11–12 declares, “In that day I will restore the fallen house of David. I will repair its damaged walls. From the ruins I will rebuild it and restore its former glory.” Centuries later, the apostle James—not Peter or Paul—stood up at the Jerusalem Council and confirmed this very promise. He quoted Amos as recorded in Acts 15:15–17: “And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written: ‘Afterward I will return and restore the fallen house of David. I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, so that the rest of humanity might seek the Lord, including the Gentiles—all those I have called to be mine.’” James shows us that God’s promise to rebuild David’s house finds its fulfillment in Jesus, who gathers Jews and Gentiles into one family. 

Next comes the Day of the Lord. Amos 5:18–20 sounds the warning: “What sorrow awaits you who say, ‘If only the day of the Lord were here!’ You have no idea what you are wishing for. That day will bring darkness, not light. In that day you will be like a man who runs from a lion—only to meet a bear. Escaping from the bear, he leans his hand against a wall in his house—and he’s bitten by a snake. Yes, the day of the Lord will be dark and hopeless, without a ray of joy or hope.” Paul echoes this same urgency in 1 Thessalonians 5:2–3: “For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, ‘Everything is peaceful and secure,’ then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.” Amos warns that longing for the day of the Lord without repentance is dangerous. Paul confirms that complacency before judgment is fatal. 

Finally, Amos foresees a famine of the Word. “The time is surely coming,” says the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread or water but of hearing the words of the Lord. People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from border to border searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.” (Amos 8:11–12) Yet the Gospel announces that the silence has been broken: “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” (John 1:14) 

Amos warned of silence, but John proclaims that the Word Himself has come. The famine ended when Jesus Christ—God’s living Word—took on flesh. And if people are starving for God’s voice today, the answer is still the same: Jesus, the living Word. 

We live in a generation that knows the famine Amos warned about—not a famine of bread, but of hearing the Word of God. The Bible is more available than at any point in history, yet it is listened to less than ever. Amos 8:11 captures it with striking clarity: “The time is surely coming,” says the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread or water but of hearing the words of the Lord.” The modern church is tasting this famine, and it is almost entirely self-imposed. 

What is the root cause? Israel didn’t reject God by closing their temples. They filled them—with rituals, songs, and sacrifices—yet their hearts were far from Him. Prosperity and performance had taken center stage while obedience disappeared. God’s verdict still echoes: “I hate all your show and pretense—the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings.” (Amos 5:21–22) He adds a searing indictment of their indulgence: “How terrible for you who sprawl on ivory beds and lounge on your couches, eating the meat of tender lambs from the flock and of choice calves fattened in the stall. You sing trivial songs to the sound of the harp and fancy yourselves to be great musicians like David. You drink wine by the bowlful and perfume yourselves with fragrant lotions. You care nothing about the ruin of your nation.” (Amos 6:4–6) 

The same pattern repeats today. Worship can look impressive on the outside while lacking justice, humility, and genuine repentance. Like the Israelites, we have our objects of ritual—carefully planned services, polished bands, grand church buildings. We have more Bibles than any previous generation, often neatly tucked under our arms on Sundays. But the pressing question remains: Do we open them? Do we actually listen? 

It is dangerously possible to sing songs, raise hands, and even carry a Bible while refusing to hear the very Word of God it contains. And when we no longer listen, the famine Amos described is already upon us. 

We have no shortage of traditions—whether in the traditional church or the modern church. 

In many traditional churches, stained-glass windows, wooden pews, and pipe organs define the space. Certain hymns are non-negotiable. Dress codes can be so rigid that a person might feel unwelcome without the “right” attire. Pastors sometimes wear garments that look more judicial than pastoral. 

But before younger generations scoff at such customs, the modern church has its own set of rituals. We host conferences that feel more like corporate sales meetings than gatherings of believers, complete with swag bags, stickers for car windows, refrigerator magnets, and a list of “must-have” teams—hospitality, worship, production, marketing—so we can keep up with the church down the street. Many people now shop for churches the way they shop for products, asking not, Where is God’s Word taught faithfully? but, What’s in it for me? 

Despite James 2’s clear warning against favoritism, wealthy donors and celebrities sometimes receive special treatment—reserved seating, engraved plaques, and public recognition. Worship teams can become professional stage acts, with millions of dollars poured into lights, sound, and salaries, while the poor in the congregation remain in need. 

Jesus addressed this very spirit of empty tradition and false worship. He frequently clashed with religious leaders who elevated man-made customs above God’s commands. When His disciples skipped ritual hand-washings and other ceremonial add-ons, the Pharisees were scandalized. Jesus replied with a stinging quote from Isaiah: “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’” (Matthew 15:7–9) 

It is worth asking whether we have done the same. When people look for a church, how many say, I long for a place where the Word of God is opened and explained deeply, and that is enough? Far too often, the criteria are more about flash than faith: the size of the band, the comfort of the seats, the charisma of the pastor, the energy of the crowd, or the novelty of the giveaways. 

Are we truly thirsting for the Word of the Lord? Or have we, like the Israel of Amos’ day, turned worship into man-made noise—loud, busy, and impressive, but empty of the very Word that gives life? 

That brings us to a piercing question: are we having a one-sided conversation with God? 
Think of a relationship where one person does all the talking. You can hardly get a word in; they never really listen. That is where Israel was with God—and where many Christians are today. We love to talk to God in prayers, songs, and sermons, but we seldom stop to listen. If we treat God like background noise, we shouldn’t be surprised when He stops responding. 

This is not a one-off issue confined to Amos. The pattern runs through Scripture. “When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look. Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims.” (Isaiah 1:15) Jeremiah echoes it: “Hear, O earth! I will bring disaster on my people. It is the fruit of their own schemes, because they refuse to listen to me. They have rejected my word. What use to me is frankincense from Sheba or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please me.” (Jeremiah 6:19-20) 

The New Testament repeats the warning. “The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.” (1 Peter 3:12) God does not want noise; He wants hearts that listen. Without that, every ritual—no matter how beautiful—is just lip service. As Jesus said, quoting Isaiah, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.” (Matthew 15:8-9) 

True repentance means more than walking an aisle week after week. Hebrews warns that endless cycles of superficial “repentance” are not repentance at all: “It is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened… and then turn away from God. By rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.” (Hebrews 6:4-6) And again: “Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies… Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us.” (Hebrews 10:26-29) 

John is equally clear. Read all of 1 John and you see that we are identified as children of God—or children of the devil—by whether we continue in sin. Many believers miss this because they do not truly listen to the Word. And when we do not listen, God may not listen to us. 

In the previous message we saw how unforgiveness directly affects prayer. “But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” (Mark 11:25) Isaiah is just as direct: “Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.” (Isaiah 59:1-2) 

Do you have unanswered prayers? Not every prayer will receive a “yes,” but willful sin guarantees silence. Peter presses the point when speaking to husbands: “In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.” (1 Peter 3:7) 

This is a truth many Christians overlook. They pray while harboring sin or resentment, then wonder why heaven seems silent—sometimes even blaming God when the real offense lies in their own hearts. 

We must therefore examine ourselves. What sins might be hindering our prayers? Are we treating our spouses with honor? Are we harboring unforgiveness? Are we living in hidden pride or complacency? 

Here in Naples, a more subtle danger lurks: prosperity. First Timothy 6 and the letter of James both warn the rich against arrogance and misplaced security. Wealth can build invisible strongholds of self-reliance, numbing our ears to God’s Word. 

Much of the church has unwittingly enabled this famine. Like Israel in Amos’ day, we have built systems that feed spiritual starvation—services heavy on production, light on Scripture; communities rich in possessions but poor in obedience. 

Shape 

We live in a culture of verse-of-the-day spirituality. The church has encouraged it, feeding people snippets without substance. A computer program—or now even an AI algorithm—selects a single random verse for us. We read one sentence of the Bible in under five minutes and call it devotion. That isn’t listening to God; it’s like walking out in the middle of a conversation. 

Take Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount as an example. It spans Matthew chapters 5 through 7, yet people often quote a single verse from it out of context, sometimes before Jesus even gives His own clarifying words. In many churches the same habit shows up in the pulpit. Pastors deliver feel-good sermons and motivational talks instead of opening the Bible. I have met people who left our church saying, “We couldn’t go back—it was too many Scriptures. It was too deep.” Imagine reaching that conclusion after hearing Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount! Preaching should be full of Scripture and full of conviction, but instead many churches give one out-of-context verse and a string of human opinions. 

Then there is worshiptainment—a focus on production rather than holiness. People have visited our fellowship and decided not to return because we don’t have a massive worship band or hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of sound and lighting. How sad that some are ready to worship the music but not the Lord. Many popular worship songs today are only loosely biblical. Worship teams in some places spend millions of dollars on gear and effects while neglecting the poor in their own congregations. 

I remember being invited to lead worship at a church much larger than ours. During rehearsal I showed up in simple shorts, sandals, and a T-shirt. The worship leader looked shocked and insisted I change before the service, recommending neutral grays, whites, or blacks so I would “fit the look.” Their concern was with appearance, not the sincerity of the heart. The entire event felt like a stage show. Everyone was focused on pedal boards, sound checks, and perfect transitions rather than on living lives of repentance. Too often, the very people leading worship live double lives—smoking pot in the parking lot, sleeping around, and acting more like rock stars than servants of Christ. 

By contrast, our own worship team plays humbly and lives humbly. We use tracks and simple arrangements, but our desire is to honor God, not put on a concert. The difference is more than style—it is substance. Worship that pleases God springs from a repentant heart and a life shaped by His Word, not from expensive lights and flawless performances. 

The church often facilitates the famine by giving people what they want instead of what they need. Paul foresaw it: “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.” (2 Timothy 4:3) 

To break this cycle we must take deliberate steps back to the Word of the Lord. 

Step One: Listen Again. We must rebuild the relationship by being quick to listen and slow to speak. “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” (James 1:19) God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. We need to develop the habit of listening to His Word. 

Very practically, we can do this by actually listening to the Bible. Many apps now include audio features; even the C3 Naples app offers versions with a small speaker icon to play Scripture aloud. Try listening instead of filling the car or kitchen with unbiblical worship music. Listen as you drive, clean, or tackle daily chores. When the Word of God surrounds you, it shapes you. Just as we are what we eat, we also become what we listen to. 

But we cannot stop at listening. James continues: “Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” (James 1:20–22) 

Did you notice the phrase “planted in your hearts”? It recalls Jesus’ Parable of the Sower, where the seed is the Word of God and the fertile soil is a receptive heart. The goal is not simply to plant the seed but to bear fruit. 

The Word of God calls for action. Salvation is by grace through faith, but faith is never idle. Many Christians stop at Ephesians 2:8–9 and forget verse 10: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Grace saves us, but it also sends us. 

Listening leads to doing. Anything less is lip service. 

We need to return to Scripture. 
If the Word of God is truly planted in our hearts, and if we are genuinely hungry for it, then we must feed on more than crumbs. We need a healthy diet of Scripture—not just snippets but whole meals, daily bread from God’s Word. Jesus declared, “People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4) 

Verse-of-the-day spirituality is like a quick snack: it might keep you going for a moment, but it will never nourish the soul. We are meant for a full meal of God’s Word, taken in daily, with context and understanding. 

If you are unsure where to begin, reach out. I can help you find a reading plan that fits the time you have and guides you through the Bible in a way that builds context and understanding. The goal is to move beyond random bites of Scripture and cultivate a steady rhythm of listening, learning, and living God’s Word. 

The next step is to completely reject ritual worshiptainment. Like Israel in Amos’ day, we have turned worship into a ritualized show. It may look spiritual, but it is hollow. Many churches feature motivational talks that entertain but never convict. Worship becomes a spectacle of big sound and bright lights, but without the plumb line of holiness. God rejected Israel’s empty festivals, and He rejects ours when they are only for show—especially when they mask indulgence and unrepentant sin. 

The early church points us back to what God desires: not hype, not ritual, but devotion. Worship isn’t merely singing or performance; it is the offering of our whole lives to God. Paul defines it this way: “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” (Romans 12:1) 

Many point to the Psalms to defend musical extravagance, forgetting that the Psalms themselves speak of worship that flows from obedience. Peter quotes Psalm 34 in 1 Peter 3:12 to warn that “the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.” And we should remember that many psalms were written for temple worship—yet God allowed that very temple to be destroyed. Amos warned that ritual means nothing without repentance, and Paul echoes it: true worship is a life offered as a living sacrifice, just as Jesus offered Himself. 

Singing is beautiful, but it is only an extension of a holy life. Without holiness and surrender, even the best music is just noise. 

Again, the early church shows us the way back—not hype, not ritual, but devotion. Last week we looked at Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out. If we keep reading, we see how that outpouring shaped their life together: “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42) 

Notice the order. First comes the apostles’ teaching, the Word of God. Later in Acts we read that the apostles were so devoted to teaching Scripture that they appointed deacons to care for practical needs so they could remain faithful to the Word. The apostles are simply the church’s leaders, so their teaching points us to the primacy of Scripture. Alongside that teaching came fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. Out of the four practices, the Word is listed first—and that is no accident. Revival never comes through ritual; it comes when God’s people return to the simplicity and depth of devotion to His Word, to true fellowship, to the table of the Lord, and to prayer. 

That is why at C3 Church we are devoted to those very four priorities. Before you even enter our worship center, you can see them displayed on the wall: the Word, the fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer. The Word of God must remain primary. Fellowship must be more than a ritual handshake; it is a real relationship with one another. Breaking bread together, sharing meals, and celebrating the Lord’s Supper remind us of Christ’s presence. And prayer—flowing from obedience—becomes holy and acceptable. 

Amos leaves us trembling with the weight of judgment, but God never closes the book on despair. Even when people are starving in a famine of the Word, He is already preparing a feast. The famine ends in Jesus. The silence is broken by the Word made flesh. The same God who once said, “Prepare to meet your God,” now says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) 

God is not done speaking. He is not done saving. He is not done restoring. The fallen house of David has been rebuilt in Christ, and He is gathering His people from every nation to Himself. 

Perhaps you feel like you are in a famine. You open your Bible and the words feel flat. You pray and it seems as if the ceiling swallows your prayers. You worship, but your heart feels dry. Take heart: God’s silence is not His absence. If you hunger for His Word, that hunger itself is evidence that He is drawing you back. Where there is hunger, He promises satisfaction. Where there is brokenness, He promises restoration. Where there is silence, He promises His Spirit will speak again. 

The famine is not forever. The feast has already come in Christ, and one day we will sit with Him at the marriage supper of the Lamb—never to hunger, never to thirst, never to be silent again. 

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©️ Copyright 2025 Gene Simco Most Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scriptures in brackets reflect the original Biblical languages.

Amos - A Famine of The Word

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