Amos
8 - 9
Israel’s
perverted sense of justice and oppression of the poor show that the nation has
reached the point of no return. Like a
basket of summer fruit about to spoil in the sun, she sits ripe for judgment. No one will escape God’s hand will reach into
every corner of the kingdom, overlooking no one. But God never leaves HIS people without
hope. Even Amos, the fiery prophet of
doom, closes his prophecy with the promise of God’s future restoration.
Chp. 8 God’s
People: Ripe for Judgment
Chp. 9 God’s
p\Punishment Reaching to All
v.11-15 God’s Promise Renewal for the
Future
These two
chapters give the curse and the comfort to His people.
Throughout
the book of Amos, Israel has received special attention for her sin of
INJUSTICE…but the prophet does not stop there.
He delves beneath the surface to the root of the problem MATERNALISM
6:3-6. Israel’s prosperity has distorted
her view of God and worship of God. In
her preoccupation with things—her desire for more and more wealth possessions,
prestige, and security—she has totally ignored God’s Person and purposes.
“In today’s
world it takes a miracle not to be a materialist.”
Today, you
also live in a materialistic society where the concern for things—money,
popularity, position—has obscured the importance of personal integrity and
righteousness. Every day you face the
pressure to conform to corrupting influences around you. What steps can you take to stay in tune with
God?
A good place
to begin is with a Bible memory program.
“How can a young man stay pure?
By reading the Word and following its rules Psa. 119:9
Verses you memorize…think of them as bars of soap that when hidden in
your heart, help to keep it clean and responsive toward God.
The prophet Amos declares:
Amos had just completed a painful encounter with Amaziah and the Lord right away sent further messages. Just like the LORD to encourage His servant after they have been through tough times.
The message was delivered in a very common example. "A basket of summer fruit. This fruit was ripe for eating...just as the nation of Israel was ripe for judgment. The Hebrew word translated "summer" or "ripe" is similar to the word translated "end" in verse 2. It was the end of the harvest for the farmers, and it would be the end for Israel when the harvest judgment came.
There comes a time when God's long suffering runs out and judgment is decreed.
WHY the end is coming. v. 4-6 A simple reason -- Israel had broken God's law and failed to live by His covenant. First in important...our relationship to God and the second our relationship to others, and Israel had rebelled against both. They did not love God, and they did not love their neighbors.
They trampled on the poor and needy and robbed them of the little they possessed...an indictment that Amos had brought earlier against the people. When they did business the merchants used inaccurate measurements so they could rob their customers. The Law required that they use accurate weights and measures, but they cared only for making as much money as possible.
The desecration of the Sabbath and other religious holy days was a regular violation because it interfered with their business. You might expect Gentile merchants to ignore the holy days, but certainly not the Jewish merchants. The poor were unable to pay for the necessities of life and had to go into servitude to care for their families. The merchants would have them arrested at the least little offense.
These evil vendors would not only alter their weights and measure and inflate their prices, but they would also cheapen their products by mixing the sweepings of the threshing floor with the grain. You didn't get pure grain, you got the chaff as well... "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." I Tim. 6:10
HOW the end is coming v. 7 - 14 Amos uses FOUR pictures to describe the terror of the coming judgment: An earthquake with the land heaving like the rising waters of the Nile River. (The Nile rose about 25 feet during its annual flooding stage. The earth would shudder at the sins of the people.
Darkness...maybe an eclipse.
A funeral...their joyful feasts turned into mourning and wailing. Instead of being dressed elegantly and going to banquets or concerts, the people would wear sackcloth and join in mourning. When parents lost their only sin - the end of the family name and line...God's judgment would mean the end of a nation.
Amos had just completed a painful encounter with Amaziah and the Lord right away sent further messages. Just like the LORD to encourage His servant after they have been through tough times.
The message was delivered in a very common example. "A basket of summer fruit. This fruit was ripe for eating...just as the nation of Israel was ripe for judgment. The Hebrew word translated "summer" or "ripe" is similar to the word translated "end" in verse 2. It was the end of the harvest for the farmers, and it would be the end for Israel when the harvest judgment came.
There comes a time when God's long suffering runs out and judgment is decreed.
WHY the end is coming. v. 4-6 A simple reason -- Israel had broken God's law and failed to live by His covenant. First in important...our relationship to God and the second our relationship to others, and Israel had rebelled against both. They did not love God, and they did not love their neighbors.
They trampled on the poor and needy and robbed them of the little they possessed...an indictment that Amos had brought earlier against the people. When they did business the merchants used inaccurate measurements so they could rob their customers. The Law required that they use accurate weights and measures, but they cared only for making as much money as possible.
The desecration of the Sabbath and other religious holy days was a regular violation because it interfered with their business. You might expect Gentile merchants to ignore the holy days, but certainly not the Jewish merchants. The poor were unable to pay for the necessities of life and had to go into servitude to care for their families. The merchants would have them arrested at the least little offense.
These evil vendors would not only alter their weights and measure and inflate their prices, but they would also cheapen their products by mixing the sweepings of the threshing floor with the grain. You didn't get pure grain, you got the chaff as well... "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." I Tim. 6:10
HOW the end is coming v. 7 - 14 Amos uses FOUR pictures to describe the terror of the coming judgment: An earthquake with the land heaving like the rising waters of the Nile River. (The Nile rose about 25 feet during its annual flooding stage. The earth would shudder at the sins of the people.
Darkness...maybe an eclipse.
A funeral...their joyful feasts turned into mourning and wailing. Instead of being dressed elegantly and going to banquets or concerts, the people would wear sackcloth and join in mourning. When parents lost their only sin - the end of the family name and line...God's judgment would mean the end of a nation.
A famine...not only of literal food, but also of
spiritual nourishment. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every
word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Matt 4:4 In times of crisis, people
turn to the Lord for some word of guidance or encouragement; but for Israel no
word would come.
What a tragedy to have plenty of "religion" but no Word from the Lord! That means no light in the darkness, no nourishment for the soul, no direction for making decisions., no protection from the lies of the enemy. The people would stagger like drunks from place to place, always hoping to find food and drink for their bodies and spiritual sustenance for their souls.
THE PROPHET AFFIRMS: 9:1-15 FOUR affirmations from the heart of God...3 having to do with judgment and the 4th with mercy.
"I will strike" He saw the Lord standing by an altar and announcing that the worshipers would be slain because the building would be destroyed and fall upon them. May have been describing what the Assyrian army would do when it entered the land. The altar was the place of sacrifice and the atonement, but God refused to accept their sacrifices and forgive their sins...their man-made religion carried on by unauthorized priests, was an abomination to the Lord; and He would now destroy it.
"I will search" 2-4 Any idolatrous worshiper who tried to escape would be tracked down and slain. To sheol, to heaven...there would be no protection...no hiding from God on the highest mountain or in the depths of the sea. Captive in a foreign land...He would find them, judge them, His eye would be upon them for judgment not blessing.
"I will destroy"... v.5-10 The people of Israel created their own gods in their own image and held such a low view of Jehovah that they thought He would approve of their sinful ways. Amos reminded them of God's greatness...the God of creation Who could melt the earth with a touch and make the land rise and fall like the swelling of the Nile. He controls EVERYTHING...no one can stay His hand.
Even tho He delivered them from the bondage of Egypt, He claimed them for His own people...yet they turned against Him and went their own way. Therefore, He must treat them as Gentiles. The exodus from Egypt becomes a migration of people from one place to another...Israel gave their national distinctives when they abandoned the worship of the true God.
BUT He is always the God of mercy 8-10...He will always keep His covenant with Abraham and his descendants and not destroy the nation. The nations would be sifted and the sinners punished, but not one of His true worshipers would be lost. The self confident sinners who don't expect to be punished are the ones who will be slain by the sword.
"I will restore" 11-15 In contrast to God's destroying the Israelite house of false worship, God will raise up the "hut" of David...assuring a bright future for the people of Israel and Judah. Like a rickety shack, David's dynasty was about to collapse.
What a tragedy to have plenty of "religion" but no Word from the Lord! That means no light in the darkness, no nourishment for the soul, no direction for making decisions., no protection from the lies of the enemy. The people would stagger like drunks from place to place, always hoping to find food and drink for their bodies and spiritual sustenance for their souls.
THE PROPHET AFFIRMS: 9:1-15 FOUR affirmations from the heart of God...3 having to do with judgment and the 4th with mercy.
"I will strike" He saw the Lord standing by an altar and announcing that the worshipers would be slain because the building would be destroyed and fall upon them. May have been describing what the Assyrian army would do when it entered the land. The altar was the place of sacrifice and the atonement, but God refused to accept their sacrifices and forgive their sins...their man-made religion carried on by unauthorized priests, was an abomination to the Lord; and He would now destroy it.
"I will search" 2-4 Any idolatrous worshiper who tried to escape would be tracked down and slain. To sheol, to heaven...there would be no protection...no hiding from God on the highest mountain or in the depths of the sea. Captive in a foreign land...He would find them, judge them, His eye would be upon them for judgment not blessing.
"I will destroy"... v.5-10 The people of Israel created their own gods in their own image and held such a low view of Jehovah that they thought He would approve of their sinful ways. Amos reminded them of God's greatness...the God of creation Who could melt the earth with a touch and make the land rise and fall like the swelling of the Nile. He controls EVERYTHING...no one can stay His hand.
Even tho He delivered them from the bondage of Egypt, He claimed them for His own people...yet they turned against Him and went their own way. Therefore, He must treat them as Gentiles. The exodus from Egypt becomes a migration of people from one place to another...Israel gave their national distinctives when they abandoned the worship of the true God.
BUT He is always the God of mercy 8-10...He will always keep His covenant with Abraham and his descendants and not destroy the nation. The nations would be sifted and the sinners punished, but not one of His true worshipers would be lost. The self confident sinners who don't expect to be punished are the ones who will be slain by the sword.
"I will restore" 11-15 In contrast to God's destroying the Israelite house of false worship, God will raise up the "hut" of David...assuring a bright future for the people of Israel and Judah. Like a rickety shack, David's dynasty was about to collapse.
But one day the Lord will restore, repair and rebuild the
dynasty of David and establish the kingdom He promised. When Jesus Christ comes
again, the breach between Israel and Judah will be healed...one nation/one
king. God will bless the land and the people. peace and security. a time of
peace and prosperity to the glory of the Lord.
Amos ends with the wonderful promise that Israel shall be planted, protected, and never again pulled up from her land. Said by the Lord your God...Your God!!!! What a great encouragement for the Jews to know that, in spite of their unbelief, their God will be faithful to keep His covenant promises.
Amos ends with the wonderful promise that Israel shall be planted, protected, and never again pulled up from her land. Said by the Lord your God...Your God!!!! What a great encouragement for the Jews to know that, in spite of their unbelief, their God will be faithful to keep His covenant promises.
No comments:
Post a Comment