Fear; Not Knowing Him

Reading through the prophecy of Amos began to prove confusing for me and wonder what the LORD was trying to communicate. Our first historical understanding reveals Amos prophesying as a contemporary with Jeremiah. Both were hindered by king Jeroboam showing the spiritual condition of the day to be one which reveals they had betrayed and run away from the LORD. Running away from the Lord the people were now in eminent danger. Judgment would come, because they were no longer under the protection of the LORD.

Is the intention of the LORD in such passages to strike fear into the hearer?

Striking fear seems to certainly be the intention of prophesying coming judgment, but it is not a fear of coming judgment which the LORD is seeking to provoke. Leaving the loving protecting arms of the LORD is that of which we are to be afraid. He wants to know us, and us to know him; and he knows the danger of not knowing him.

Applying this to my life is necessary and helpful. When desires begin to swell within me often I forget the great love and sacrifice of our LORD. Remembering the consequences of leaving his loving grasp allows a healthy fear to remain within me. Being scared of what God will do to me is not what God is communicating; rather being scared of what God will not do for me, by protecting me from results of evil and darkness in this world, is that which God is communicating. Know Him and have no fear, for perfect love casts out fear, and He is most certainly perfect love.