Amos: Introduction (6)

Pray Psalm 52.3-5.
You love evil more than good,
Lying rather than speaking righteousness.
Selah
You love all devouring words,
You deceitful tongue.
God shall likewise destroy you forever;
He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place,
And uproot you from the land of the living.
Selah

Sing Psalm 52.3-5
(Warrington: Give to Our God Immortal Praise)
Men more than good in evil delight, and lies prefer to what is right.
They utter words both harsh and strong with their devouring, deceitful tongue.

God will forever break them down, uproot, and cast them to the ground!
He from their safety tears them away, no more to know the light of day.

Read and meditate on Amos 1.1, 2.

Preparation
1. Who is the object of Amos’ prophecy?

2. How did Amos describe his prophecy?

Meditation
The people of Israel must have gloated a bit to think of their enemies being overwhelmed and overthrown in the ways Amos described. They would have welcomed Amos’ opening words as he prophesied of God’s judgment against the surrounding nations. They might even have smiled a bit when Amos prophesied against Judah (Amos 2.4, 5).

But the more thoughtful among them would have heard “concerning Israel” in Amos 1.1, and they might have wondered when that shoe was going to drop. As it turned out, soon.

The book of Amos declares the judgment of God against a wide variety of nations; yet it is ultimately “concerning Israel”. All that the people of Israel observed in the nations around them was but preparation for and demonstration of what God was going to do to them.

We must never forget Peter’s words: “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Pet. 4.17). People today are in rebellion against God and increasingly indifferent or hostile to Him, and part of the reason for this is that we have not been faithful in the ministry of grace and the Word entrusted to us.

Let us seek in Amos’ words “concerning Israel” the counsel and will of God for us. For Amos was written for our edification, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope (Rom. 15.4).

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“…two years before the earthquake” (Amos 1.1).

The Church today needs to listen up. These same words are being launched at us…before Christ’s return? Before God’s judgment falls on the house of God? Before we die? Before something, for sure.

I can’t for the life of me comprehend what Kool-Aid God’s people are drinking, because one needs only casually investigate the Scriptures to realize that God’s judgment is imminent and devastating.

Thousands of years ago Isaiah wrote of the ecologic and personal disasters in store for those who disobey God’s Word. Let us have a look-see and decide for ourselves if this is something we want to participate in:
“Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty and makes it waste,
distorts its surface and scatters abroad its inhabitants.
And it shall be: as with the people, so with the priest;
as with the servant, so with his master;
as with the maid, so with her mistress;
as with the buyer, so with the seller;
as with the lender, so with the borrower;
as with the creditor, so with the debtor.
The land shall be entirely emptied and utterly plundered, for the LORD has spoken this word.
The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away;
the haughty people of the earth languish.
The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws,
changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it are desolate.
Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.
The new wine fails, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted sigh.
The mirth of the tambourine ceases, the noise of the jubilant ends, the joy of the harp ceases.
They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.
The city of confusion is broken down; every house is shut up, so that none may go in.
There is a cry for wine in the streets, all joy is darkened.
The mirth of the land is gone.
In the city desolation is left, and the gate is stricken with destruction” (Is. 24.1-12).

This is the same “earthquake” that David and Paul were burdened to write about, declaring it to be deserved because: “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Ps. 36.1; Rom. 3.18).

But as Solomon encouraged: “by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil” (Prov. 16.6).

However, Jesus said that it isn’t just the removal or subtraction of evil that completes us; it is the addition of doing good works that finishes the picture. “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5.20).

“LORD, I hope for Your salvation, and I do Your commandments” (Ps. 119.166).

If you were offered the life and judgment of mayhem and destruction described by Isaiah and Amos, would you take it?

How about if you were offered an everlasting life of peace, that passes all understanding, along with your heart and mind being guarded by Christ Jesus—would you take that instead?

Concerning Israel, and us, it seems like an obvious choice.

“Two years before the earthquake” …Wonder why anyone would choose poorly?

Reflection
1. Blessing or judgment? Growth in the Lord or withering on the Vine (Jn. 15.5)? Agents of grace or hoarders of grace? Which do you choose? What will that look like today?

2. Do you think that we as Christians really believe in the judgment or discipline of God? Explain.

3. We don’t know what “earthquake” lies ahead. But we know how to prepare for it, whatever it is. Explain.

Amos…lived at the same time as the remarkable Hosea and Joel, and he prophesied the same things about both Assyrians and Babylonians, the return from there and what would happen after the return. After prophesying briefly against the neighboring races initially, he then began the prophecy about Israel. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Amos 1.1, 2

Pray Psalm 52.1, 2, 6-9.
Pray that God will have mercy on our country, our churches, and yourself, and that we will turn from our evil ways and He will revive and renew us again. Give Him thanks and praise for His grace and for Jesus.

Sing Psalm 52.1, 2, 6-9
(Warrington: Give to Our God Immortal Praise)
Why do the mighty boast in sin? God’s love endures, it knows no end!
They with their tongues vain boasts repeat, and like a razor, work deceit.

The righteous see and laugh and fear, and say, “Behold, what have we here?
Such are all who at God conspire, and wealth and evil ways desire.”

But as for me may I be seen in God an olive ever green!
Ever in God, most kind and just, shall I with joy and gladness trust!

Thanks evermore to our Savior be raised! His faithfulness be ever praised!
Here with Your people, loving God, I wait upon Your Name, so good!

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).

Support for Scriptorium comes from our faithful and generous God, who moves our readers to share financially in our work. If this article was helpful, please give Him thanks and praise.

And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.

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.