Amos: Introduction (3)
Opening Prayer: Psalm 80.4-7
O LORD God of hosts,
How long will You be angry
Against the prayer of Your people?
You have fed them with the bread of tears,
And given them tears to drink in great measure.
You have made us a strife to our neighbors,
And our enemies laugh among themselves.
Restore us, O God of hosts;
Cause Your face to shine,
And we shall be saved!
Sing Psalm 80.4-7
(St. Theodulph: All Glory, Laud, and Honor)
How long will You ignore all Your people’s fervent prayer?
Shall bitter tears fall ever? O Lord, renew Your care!
Our neighbors mock and scorn us, they laugh at our distress;
renew, O Lord, and turn us, look down on us and bless!
Read Amos 1.3-2.16; meditate on Psalm 80.4-7.
Preparation
1. How many nations are listed here?
2. What do they all have in common?
Meditation
It might be helpful to have a map of Biblical Israel handy. The order of God’s pronouncing judgment on the nations is instructive and dramatic.
First is Syria, or Damascus (1.3-5), lying to the northeast of Israel. Next is Philistia (1.6-8), represented by Gaza, Ashdod, and Ashkelon, a historic enemy which was situated to the southwest of Israel. In your mind’s eye, draw a line from Damascus to Gaza.
Next in line is the city states of Tyre (1.9, 10), to the north northwest of Israel. Then Edom (1.11, 12), south southeast; draw a line connecting Tyre and Edom. Then Ammon (1.13-15) and Moab (2.1-3), lying east and southeast of Israel, respectively (connect them by a line). Then Judah (2.4, 5), south of Israel. Finally, Israel itself (2.6-16).
Notice—if only in your mind’s eye—that all the connecting lines pass through Israel, making almost an “X” through the center and cutting off the extension to the east. Almost like the scope of a marksman’s rifle.
God drew a bullseye on His people. Judgment was going to fall all around them as the Assyrians, forgetting their repentance and commitment to God (book of Jonah), decided to enlarge their influence in the region. Last to know their wrath, following warning after warning, would be Israel.
But the words of God’s prophets would fall on deaf souls, which become dead souls under the judgment of the Lord.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“The treacherous dealer deals treacherously, and the plunderer plunders” (Is. 21.2).
“He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity;
he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword” (Rev. 13.10).
And harpists play their harps (Rev. 14.2).
Threshers thresh. Captivators take captive. Forgetters don’t remember. Narcissists lack empathy. Killers kill.
Despisers of the God’s law break the commandments. The perverse pervert. And the faux courageous flee (Amos 1.1-2.16). Always. “For three transgressions and for four.”
“…be sure your sin will find you out” (Num. 32.23).
But God has a better way for us. We are to hear and obey Him in all ways. Always.
Let’s consider the one idea in Amos 1.6 regarding God’s displeasure “because they took captive the whole captivity to deliver them up to Edom.” It is never a good idea to put ourselves in the place of God. It is Jesus’ job and prerogative to lead captivity captive, not ours.
“You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive…
They have seen Your procession, O God, the procession of my God,
my King, into the sanctuary” (Ps. 68.18, 24).
“Therefore He says:
‘When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive,
and gave gifts to men’” (Eph. 4.8).
They did not listen carefully to hear what God said. They did not care. They did it their way.
Deaf souls, those folks of Israel.
“The wicked are estranged from the womb;
they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.
Their poison is like the poison of a serpent;
they are like the deaf cobra that stops its ear,
which will not heed the voice of charmers,
charming ever so skillfully” (Ps. 58.3-5).
Per an online article on improving auditory skills, meditation is on the list. Hmmm.
But even if our outward ears don’t perk up, most certainly, meditating on God’s word will improve the “hearing” that matters most: That of hearing our Father’s voice:
“Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!” (Ps. 81.13).
“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped” (Is. 35.5).
Jesus said, “The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me” (Matt. 11.5, 6).
Hearers hear. Hear the Word of the LORD!
Reflection
1. How would you explain to a new believer what it means to “hear” the Word of God?
2. Only the Holy Spirit can open the ears of deaf souls. But what is our role in helping them hear the Word of the Lord unto salvation?
3. How will it be evident today that you have heard the Lord?
[T]he method in dealing with these nations is, in part, the same, yet in each there is something peculiar. In all ages this bitterness has been shown against the Lord’s people. When the Lord reckons with his enemies, how tremendous are his judgments! Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Amos 1.1, 2
Pray Psalm 80.8-19.
Pray for the nations of the world and for the Church, that God will revive and restore His people and bring a great awakening to faith among the peoples of the world.
Sing Psalm 80.8-19
(St. Theodulph: All Glory, Laud, and Honor)
You set us free from sin, Lord, and planted us in grace;
we rooted in Your strong Word have spread from place to place.
Our shadow covered mountains, our branches reached the sea;
Your grace flowed like a fountain of life, abundantly.
Now You in wrath have spoken and bruised Your chosen vine.
We languish, Lord, are broken by wrath, deserved, divine.
Once more, Lord, hear our pleading: return and heal this vine!
Look down on us, so needy, and show Your love divine!
Though we be burned and perish because of Your command,
revive us, Lord, and cherish this son of Your Right hand.
Then let us not return to our sinful, selfish ways,
but call on You and learn to surround You with our praise.
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 theNew 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 fromThe Ailbe Psalter.
