God Has a Message for You: Amos & Obadiah

·50 min·5 clips

The iconic Western phrase 'prepare to meet your maker' comes directly from Amos chapter 4.

The episode is a sermon from Emmanuel Baptist Church in Billings, Montana, delivered by Pastor Eddie. It begins with an introduction to the Minor Prophets, noting their obscurity and the pastor's commitment to teaching the whole counsel of God. The focus shifts to Amos, a contemporary of Jonah, who was an uneducated shepherd and fig farmer from Judah sent to preach in Israel. Amos's message targeted sins like counterfeit spirituality, human trafficking, sexual perversion, and political corruption. The pastor highlights Amos 4, where God repeatedly warns Israel with phrases like 'yet you did not return to me,' culminating in the line 'prepare to meet your God,' which inspired the Western movie phrase. He connects Israel's downfall to the Assyrians, whom Jonah had converted, illustrating divine judgment. The sermon then applies Amos's warnings to modern America, listing similar societal issues. A key moment involves the plumb line vision in Amos 7, symbolizing God as the arbiter of truth. The pastor discusses biblical foundations for voting, including God as lawgiver, judge, author of life, creator, designer of marriage, and blesser of Israel. He references historical context, such as the Johnson Amendment of 1954 that restricted pastors' political endorsements, and the founding fathers' intent for church influence on government. The sermon urges listeners to vote against evil, using the example of Montana's CI 128 amendment on abortion. It ends with a prayer for revival and a call to worship.

As heard by us

A sermon on Amos's plumb line that carries biblical judgment into present-day civic argument.

The episode opens with sanctification as shared Christian work, while keeping justification distinct from God's work of shaping believers into Christlikeness through the Word of God.

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Why you'd press play

Want Amos's plumb line brought into modern public life, with a Montana ballot issue waiting at the end?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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