Amos 5 (4)

Pray Psalm 7.9-11.
Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end,
But establish the just;
For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds.
My defense is of God,
Who saves the upright in heart.
God is a just judge,
And God is angry with the wicked every day.

Sing Psalm 7.9-11.
(Finlandia: Be Still, My Soul)
Bring to an end the evil of the wicked,
but let Your righteous ones established be.
You are my shield, my soul will not be stricken;
test heart and mind, my true Defender be.
You are a righteous Judge in every way,
angry at wicked people every day.

Read and meditate on Amos 5.1-20; meditate on verses 16-20.

Preparation
1. What did the people desire?

2. What did God promise them?

Meditation
In Egypt, the judgment of God passed over the people of Israel and through the land of Egypt. As the people of Israel read in chapters 1 and 2 of Amos, the judgment of God was going to pass by them to afflict all their enemies. “Bring it on!” the people must have cheered in response to this news. “Let the day of God’s judgment come!”

But now God insisted that He would pass by His people no more, but would “pass through” Israel with a judgment so thorough that everyone from the wealthy, to the high society ladies, to people in the streets, farmers, professional mourners, the poor and oppressed, children and old people, and nearly all the rest of the people would know the wrath of God moving in their midst (vv. 16, 17).

It would be a dark day of woe and destruction (vv. 18, 19). The people who gladly heard the prophet as he railed against the enemies of the Lord, and who doubtless could hardly wait for that day of judgment to occur (v. 18), would now see that judgment turned against themselves, and there would be no escape. No escape and no hope. The light of God would depart the people, leaving them in captivity in the depth and darkness of their own sins.

And, yes, God still judges His people like this. Is it possible we’ve spent so much time praying and cheering against our (political, international, cultural) enemies that we’ve missed the part that finds us, like Israel, in the crosshairs of God? And is the Church headed for a season when things will be dark, very dark, with little or no light from the Lord?

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Who remembers the children’s book, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, by Michael Rosen?

In it the children say, “I’m not scared/What a beautiful day!”, but then…mayhem.

The scene portrayed by God reminds me of those children’s run home. Only in Amos’ book they “fled from a lion” only to be met by a “bear”; and when they breathed a sigh of relief, having gladly arrived home, and leaned against the wall for support, “a serpent bit” them!

They maybe should have been scared. For sure, the children of God should’ve been. “Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! For what good is the day of the LORD to you? It will be darkness, and not light…is it not very dark, with no brightness in it?” (Amos 5.18, 20).

And this is not just the doom and gloom of the Old Testament we should be aware of—the same kind of warnings are throughout the New. Here is an example:

“But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?” (2 Pet. 3.8-12).

With God, the message is always the same. He does not wish for anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance. However, when given the opportunity, and His grace has been spurned, then all should be aware of the judgment. That dark day, with no brightness in it.

God sent His Son Jesus, to save us from His wrath.
Jesus said of Himself, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.

I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (Jn. 10.10).

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined” (Is. 9.2).

All this grace and abundant love from God has been showered upon those who do not spurn it.
We, deserving of the terror of the bear hunt and its dire consequences, have been freed from it.
We dare not long for the “day of the LORD” for our enemies.
We must have hearts like God’s heart, to be merciful towards those who are perishing.
After all, He had mercy upon us (Rom. 5.8).

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise” (Prov. 11.30).

Reflection
1. Jesus said we should pray for our enemies (Matt. 5.44, 45). What do you think we should pray for them?

2. If we pray for them, should we tell them we are praying for them? Explain.

3. How do you expect God to use you by His grace today?

The Lord is ever ready to be gracious to the souls that seek him; and then piety and every duty will be attended to. But as for sinful Israel, God’s judgments had often passed by them, now they shall pass through them. Matthew Henry (1662-1714),Commentary on Amos 5.7-17

Pray Psalm 7.1-8.
Pray that God will lead His Church to repentance, revival, and renewal, and that the enemies of God’s people may be humbled and many of them brought to salvation in Jesus.

Sing Psalm 7.1-8.
(Finlandia: Be Still, My Soul)
O LORD, my God, I trust in You: O save me!
Deliver me from all who seek my life.
If in my hands, You find iniquity,
or any evil, any wicked strife,
then let my foe pursue and overtake me,
and without honor I shall surely be.

Arise, O LORD, rise up in wrath to save me!
Let rage and judgment fall upon my foes!
From all who know You let abundant praise be;
rise up on high; the wicked curse with woes.
O Judge of all, judge now my righteousness
and my integrity, approve and bless.

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.