Amos was a herdsman from Judah. The Lord called him to preach repentance to the House of Israel. He warned several cities of the destruction they would face if they didn’t turn to the Lord. He was delivering the message that the Lord told him to share. The people didn’t listen, and the prophesies of destruction came to pass. Later, Obediah warned other cities that they would face destruction if they didn’t repent and turn to the Lord. They wouldn’t listen either and suffered the consequences.

Like a loving parent disciplines their children, the Lord provided consequences for their behavior, hoping that they would realize their mistakes and desire to change. The Lord used His prophets to explain the law and the consequences of disobeying the law before giving the consequences. Because the Lord doesn’t want to have to punish us, He always reveals His “secrets”, or His plan, to His prophets so they can preach to and warn His people. If we follow the prophets we can claim the blessings and avoid negative consequences.