NOTES for Amo 3:7
What mean the words of Amos about the God, Who will do nothing, having at first revealed His secret to His prophets? What could we then say, for example, about the creation of the world or man? As we see, the prophet speaks about something relating not simply to God's plans, but to the plans, in which participates man, and more exactly, the people of God. In fact, even the Jewish word usually translates into English as "secret", also means “secret council". Well then it turns out that it is rather in particular about a council between God and His servants. The council is not eternal (there is no mystery here), but the most ordinary, how the regent taking the decision can council with those, to whom he will entrust the execution.
At first glance, such a council of God with people can turn out a little bit strange: because God is sovereign, as regards His plans. However, as we see, God's love defines the measure of His power on man and incites God to give to man the maximum as possible freedom. Speaking of freedom, we of course often have in mind the inalienable right of the fallen man to abuse the freedom that is given to him and to turn away from God. But it is just an aberration of our spiritual vision, which doesn’t mean at all that the man, remaining faithful to God, is His wordless and deprived of rights slave. Of course, Amos himself speaks of prophets, as slaves.
Moreover, to the ancient Israel was appropriate only the domestic slavery, where the slaves were, in fact, on the position of the younger members of the family. They did not of course possess the right to vote in the family council, and in this respect were deprived of rights, but they were treated, as members of the family, in the same way as their own minor children, who also had no right of vote, but for the rest were in the house completely theirs. Such an analogy suits well for the description of the "rights" that man has in the council with God. Of course, we cannot speak about any formal right in this case, but God treats His servants with the same love, as a good master will treat his slaves at his home.
It could have been of course otherwise, and God could treat them like children, as a father treats his sons. But for this, it was necessary to overcome the consequences of the fall, and before the coming into the world of Christ, it was impossible to overcome them. However, after His coming and the manifestation of the Kingdom in the world, according to the very words of the Savior said during the Last Supper, the slaves become the sons. Outside the house remain only the mercenaries, the hired workers. Moreover, this is not surprising: because they always remained foreign for the members of the family (free, as slaves). And all those who were somehow or other in their house, with the coming of Christ become in a big measure theirs till the end.