The notion expressed here is intrinsically rooted in the biblical
concept of prophecy. The prophet stands in the presence of God (Jer 15:1, 19),
is privy to the divine council (Isa 6; Jer 23:18, 22), and as the spokesman for
the Deity is apprised in advance as to the plans of his God. The institution of
prophecy is founded on the basic premise that God makes his will known to
chosen individuals, as is already clearly stated in Gen 18:17. (Shalom
M. Paul and Frank Moore Cross, Amos: A Commentary on the Book of Amos [Hermeneia—a
Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible; Minneapolis, Minn.: Fortress
Press, 1991], 113)
