Encircled

The price for defiling God’s Name. Amos 3.9-11

Amos 3 (4)

Pray Psalm 3.1, 2.
LORD, how they have increased who trouble me!
Many are they who rise up against me.
Many are they who say of me,
“There is no help for him in God.”
Selah

Sing Psalm 3.1, 2.
(Eventide: Abide with Me)
LORD, all around my foes are multiplied, rising against me, like a ‘whelming tide;
many are saying of my weary soul, “Not even God can save and make him whole!”

Preparation
1. What was God planning to bring against Israel?

2. To what would that lead?

Meditation
Indulge me a little exercise in one of my favorite aspects of Biblical studies: textual criticism. The Hebrew text of verse 9 reads “in the palaces at Ashdod”, but the Septuagint (Greek version of the Old Testament, translated before the time of Christ and quoted throughout the New Testament) has “in the palaces in Assyria”. How could this difference arise? The answer might well be, “Scribal error.” A scribe, in copying an earlier manuscript of this verse misread the Hebrew אַ֭שּׁוּר Asshur, Assyria, as אַשְׁדּ֔וֹד Ashdod, Ashdod. Look carefully, and you might be able to see how that could have happened. The translators of the Septuagint, who understood what had happened to Israel, repaired the mistake and wrote ἐν Ἀσσυρίοις, en Assuriois, in Assyria. We’ll go with them.

Fun, huh?

Not so much for the people of Samaria, though. God declared that He would surround the city of Samaria, which sat in a valley and considered itself protected by surrounding mountains. But God would send the Assyrians from the east and north and the Egyptians from the south and west, so that all the inhabitants of the capital of Israel would be bottled up and without hope of escape (vv. 9, 11). The Assyrians and Egyptians perched like vultures, waiting while the strength of the people of Israel was sapped. Then they would descend with great violence, robbery, and plundering to work God’s wrath against His people.

Seems awfully harsh, though, doesn’t it? Why was this necessary? Because the people, having forsaken the Law of God, did not know how to do what was right, and were practicing all manner of wicked self-indulgence and oppression (v. 10). And this for years, generations even. They would not listen to the prophets God sent, and yet they continued to invoke His Name right along with the pagan deities they worshiped. The defilement of His Name was the last straw. Israel would be encircled, destroyed, and carried away into captivity.

Because God is determined to keep His Name holy.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
From the beginning, when God pulled His people out of Egypt and set them on a new path, one with His Law at the forefront of all things, He fully informed them of the guiding ground rules for all their lives, all the time, forever and ever—right on up to us.

God began with this:
“I AM the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
You shall have no other gods before Me.
You shall not make for yourself a carved image…
You shall not bow down to them nor serve them.
For I the LORD your God AM a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
but showing mercy to thousands, to those  who love Me and keep My commandments.
You shall not take the Name of the LORD your God in vain,
for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His Name in vain” (Ex. 20. 2-7).

Clearly forewarned.

What was wrong with those people?

Selah. A respectful pause while we think about their disobedience. Now.

What is wrong with us—the Church today?

Do we really want “tumults” within our gates? And “oppression”? (Amos 3.9)

But let’s pause now, respectfully, and view the Church, honestly, and observe if any of this could be said of us: an adversary is all around us, our strength and abilities are sapped, and worship is plundered.

Your thoughts?

Here are Peter’s thoughts and suggestions for the Church of his day—and for ours:
“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and
rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I AM holy.’
And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work,
conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;
knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold,
for your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,
but with the precious blood of Christ,
as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1.13-19).

“Because God is determined to keep His Name holy.”

Reflection
1. How did God by His grace bring you to Himself? Outline your testimony of coming to faith in Jesus.

2. Ask a fellow believer to share their testimony with you. Give thanks to God for how He brought them to faith.

3. What can you and the believers in your Personal Mission Field do to keep the Name of God holy among you?

The Prophet alludes to the situation of the country: for though Samaria was situated on a plain, there were yet mountains around it; and they thought themselves hid there, and were as wine settled on its lees. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Amos 3.9

Pray Psalm 3.4-8.
Pray that God would protect His people, especially those who are experiencing persecution, and that He would revive His Church all around the world.

Sing Psalm 3.4-8.
(Eventide: Abide with Me)
You are a mercy shield about me, LORD, raising me by Your glory and Your Word.
Prayers fraught with tears stream from me like a fount, yet God will answer from His holy mount.

Waking and sleeping, guarded by Your grace, when foes by thousands stand before my face,
when countless dangers ‘round me are arrayed, I will not fear, I will not be afraid!

Rise up, O LORD, rise up and rescue me! Let all my foes destroyed and routed be!
Grace and salvation, LORD, are Yours alone; bless and protect all those You call Your own.

T. M. and Susie Moore

If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.