THE ‘MAN OF GOD WHO CAME FROM JUDAH’ (2 KINGS 23:17-18): IN SEARCH OF THE FATE OF AMOS?

The prophetic book of Amos is widely studied yet one question remains unanswered: What happened to the prophet? This article attempts to answer this question. This article notes the brevity of the ministry of Amos as an indicator to a bad ending. By analyzing the narratives in 1 Kings 13 and 2 Kings 23, this article highlights similarities between Amos and the unnamed man of God such as place of origin, name of reigning king, centrality of Bethel and the lion. It is argued that on the balance of probabilities, Amos was a martyr. Through this analysis, this article argues that from Amos, Christians can learn from word and deed. Such an end is instructive for contemporary Christians faced with the options of being good neighbours or faithful believers. Overall, this article contends that while Christians must not actively seek persecution, they cannot compromise their faith to avoid persecution. doi: 10.7833/111-1-33