Amos 5 - 7

Our lesson today might be titled WOES AND WARNINGS ... main topic VISIONS!

Complacency, Apathy, Pride are dominant. Like a hammer blow, the verdict falls "Therefore, you will be the first to be taken as slaves"...6:7 But the thought of God's judgment falling upon a people so ripe for judgment brings no comfort to the prophet.

 

God specializes in "Personnel Placement". In His infinite wisdom He knows where to find the RIGHT PERSON FOR THE RIGHT JOB. Sometimes His choices don't seem to make good earthly sense. Like His selection of Gideon as a "mighty soldier" - while Gideon was cowering in the grape press. Judges 6:12. Or His choice of Moses as chief spokesman before Pharaoh - when Moses by his own admission, didn't have the gift of speech. Exodus 4:10.

The message God wanted to deliver to Israel was strong and severe, so He chose for His messenger a man who could withstand the rigors of a disciplined life--a man whose faithfulness had been tested and approved in the crucible of daily living. Amos knew God, and he knew God's Word, even though he had never been trained in the school of the prophets. 7:14-15.

Perhaps you have never attended a Bible school or seminary, but you can still know God...and know His Word, and in the process prepare yourself for the unique place of service. God has for you. God is looking for committed individuals who like Amos, will labor for Him even as they pick figs! God's UNIQUE PLACE OF SERVICE.

 

You'll find God's divine "classified ad" in II Chronicles 16:9. Are you ready to apply? Tell Him so.

 

"ONE OF THE WEAKNESSES OF OUR AGE IS OUR APPARENT INABILITY TO DISTINGUISH OUR NEEDS FROM OUR GREEDS".

 

In chapter 5, Amos began pronouncing "woe" upon 4 kinds of people in the kingdom. #1 He has spoken the "Woe to the ignorant!" v.18-27 As we enter chapter 6, we have the #2 second woe: "Woe to the indifferent!" v. 1-2 This was addressed to both Judah and Israel. (Zion and Samaria). Both were indifferent toward God's Word and the judgment that hung over them. They called themselves "the foremost nation" and enjoyed an unwarranted false confidence.

 

*their location: situated on Mt. Zion, Jerusalem was considered impregnable and Samaria had a seemingly secure position. BUT WHEN GOD was ready to deal with them, nothing could stop the enemy. Just as with the world today, the "experts" said that the nation was safe and secure....and the people believed them! False confidence that’s based on expert advice, statistics, and material resources and that ignores the spiritual dimension of life is sure to lead to shameful defeat. 

 

Amos mentioned other areas that had fallen to the Assyrian army.  If the enemy had already destroyed places bigger and stronger than Samaria and Israel, what hope was there for the Jewish people, especially when the Jews were living like the Gentiles and were disobeying the Lord?  God does not look at the talent of national leaders, the extent of a nation’s army or the prosperity of its economy.  God looks at the heart, and the heart of the two Jewish kingdoms was far from the LORD.

 

Complacency is an insidious sin, because it is based on lies, motivated by pride, and leads to trusting something other than God.  Complacent people consider themselves ‘rich, and increased with goods and in need of nothing”.  In reality, however, they have lost everything that is important in the spiritual life.  When the Lord sees His people becoming complacent and self-satisfied, He sometimes sends trials to wake them up.

 

#3 “Woe to the indulgent”  6:3-7  Complacent leaders say, “It can’t happen here!”  Surely this will all happen much later…the possibility of a national disaster…laughed at and disregarded.  Yes, they were indifferent but the day of judgment would definitely come as state in 9:10.

 

They were living for pleasures and not for GOD…they left no place for the disciplines of the spiritual life.  There was a hugs contrast between the poor and the wealthy…mats as compared to luxury beds of ivory and luxurious couches.   Ivory was used to decorate their mansions (3:15)  Excavations in Samarial have led to the discovery of the fragments of beautiful ivory carvings that once adorned their houses and furniture. 

 

The wealthy enjoyed elegant feasts, drinking wine in abundance, beautiful music, expensive perfumes.  The poor were exploited by the rich and they had to settle for occasional mutton and beef…perhaps from a sacrifice.  Cups of wine not bowls and their only cosmetic was olive oil.

 

There is certainly nothing wrong with enjoying good food or good music, provided the things of the Lord are uppermost in your heart.  The sin of Amos’ day was that these luxuries distracted the people from the real problems for the affliction of Joseph (Samaria 6:6

 

When nations get pleasure-mad, it is a sign that the end is near.  It is difficult today to find people who are truly burdened about the sins of the nations and the sins of the church.  Too many are like the rulers of Samaria or the member os the church at Laodicea, closing their eyes to reality and living on fantasy based on false theology.  Too many Christians are laughing when they should be weeping and tolerating sin when they should be opposing it.    “Isn’t it strange how easy it is to become accustomed to the dark?”  That is one of the problems in the church today:  we have gotten accustomed to the darkness and our lights are not shining bright enough. 

 

#4  Woe to the impudent 8 – 14  These impudent people, who rejected God’s warning, would one day face 3 judgments:  Death v. 9-10  Destruction 11-13 Amos argues based on the order of nature…remember he was a farmer.  They were proud of their achievements and confident that nobody could defeat them.  They boasted that the victory came because of their own strength and their false confidence would lead to their destruction.   Disgrace and Defeat v. 14  Humble dependence on God is the only guarantee of His help and blessing.  Altho Assyria was a rather weak nation when Amos said this, it became a threatening world empire.  After all it is God Who controls the nations and assigns them their lands.

 

Chapter 7…The prophecy of Amos concludes with the record of 5 special visions of judgment that God gave him.  We will talk about three of them in Chapter 7.  The locusts 1 – 3, the fire 4 – 6, the plumb line v 7-9.  Amos struggles with God and man…

The life of a prophet was not easy.  He had to stay close the LORD to hear clearly and he had to live with the people who didn’t always want to accept his ministry. 

Amos loved the Lord and the people.  He was grieved over the truth he had to share with the people about the coming judgment. 

 

THE LOCUSTS: Amos’ heart agonized for the people that their crops would be destroyed by the insects that God had prepared.  God heard Amos’ plea and relented. 

 

The devouring fire  4-6 a GREAT drought, but God relented when Amos cried out to the Lord and begged Him to cease. 

 

PLUMB LINE:  7-9  A measurement of how true the people were to the pattern in His Word, and if they were upright in character and conduct.  Israel was ‘out of line’ and therefore had to be destroyed.  The nation had gone too far and now there was no hope.  Amos didn’t intercede for the land as twice before. 

 

Amos struggled with the authorities v. 10 – 17 Amos delivered a ‘tuff’ message at Bethel…it was the king’s chapel that would be destroyed and King Jeroboam II would be slain. 

n  1-11 Amaziah’s report to the king.  Jeroboam was complacent and comfortable and he did not hear the farmer himself but depended upon his messenger to tell what the prophet was saying. 

n  Amaziah’s words to Amos reveal the wicked attitudes in the priest’s heart.  He said there was no validity to his message…he dreamed it up.  Said that Amos was a coward and hinted that Amos was interest only in earning bread.  Told him to get out and stay out …a bitter speech.

n  The priest were to conserve the ancient religious traditions, while the prophets applied the Word to the present situation and called people back to God.  Amos better character was revealed when he did not run away or become intimidated.  Then he explained who he really was to the priest.  Then he told Amaziah about God’s judgment for him. 

 

Amaziah had position, wealth, authority, and reputation, but Amos had the Word of the Lord.  Amaziah served the king of Israel and depended on him for support, but Amos served the King of kings and had no fear of what men could do to him.  Many times in the history of the church, God has called humble instruments like Amos to declare His Word and we had better be prepared to listen and obey. It is not the approval of the “religious establishment” that counts, but the calling and blessing of the Lord.