Amos 6 (1)

Pray Psalm 37.1-3.
Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.
Trust in the LORD, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

Sing Psalm 37.1-3.
(Neumark: If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee)
Let not the wicked make you worry; envy not those who break God’s Word.
Like dying grass will they be sorry, and fade like every dying herb.
Trust in the Lord and do His will; dwell in His grace, be faithful still.

Read and meditate on Amos 6.1, 2.

Preparation
1. Whom was Zion trusting?

2. Where did God point them?

Meditation
It’s not that God doesn’t want His people to rest and be at peace. Indeed, that’s His great desire and goal for all who believe in Him. He Himself is our rest. He Himself is our peace. When we shelter in Him, we are safe from all harm, come what may.

Zion’s problem—that is, the southern kingdom of Judah—was that they were beginning to be at ease, but not in the Lord. The people of Judah had begun following the example of “Mount Samaria”—the nation of Israel to the north. They were taking up many of the idolatrous and unlawful practices which they saw in their sister state. We recall that, under Jeroboam II, God blessed the nation of Israel with restored borders, recovered cities, defeat of their enemies, and prosperity and peace. Yet they were ungrateful and remained in rebellion against Him, still disobedient to His Law, and still pursuing false gods rather than the one true God.

And it was Israel’s “ease” that the people of Judah saw. “Notable persons” began to “trust” in the example of Samaria, turning away from God and His Law to make room for false deities, pagan practices, and other sinful pursuits.

God advised the people of Judah to look around. Were they better than any of the pagan nations that were about to be thrown down? Was their territory larger than any of those other nations? It was not. The implication was clear: Repent or be destroyed.

To their credit, or at least to the credit of kings like Hezekiah and Josiah, they repented of their sins and returned to the Lord and His covenant. At least, for a time. God calls us to repent of our sins daily and to set our feet in the path of His Word. As we do so, we abide in Him—rest in Him—trusting in His Word and delighting in what pleases Him.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“‘Therefore I will yet bring charges against you,’ says the LORD,
‘and against your children’s children I will bring charges.
For pass beyond the coasts of Cyprus and see,
send to Kedar and consider diligently, and see if there has been such a thing.
Has a nation changed its gods, which are not gods?
But My people have changed their Glory for what does not profit.
Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid; be very desolate,’ says the LORD.
‘For My people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters,
and hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water’” (Jer. 2.9-13).

Woe to any who think they are doing OK with the LORD, resting easy on their faux laurels.

Woe to those notable persons—notable because other church members think true spirituality dwells within them (Amos 6.1). And maybe they are doing fine, but maybe not.

God suggests: Go, have a look around, and see if we are doing better than the pagan nations (Amos 6.2).

And in all our looking around, we must ask: Is it at all possible that we are still “ungrateful” and remain in some semblance of “rebellion against Him, still disobedient to His Law, and still pursuing false gods rather than the one true God”?

“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
but the prayer of the upright is His delight.
The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
but He loves him who follows righteousness.
Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way,
and he who hates correction will die” (Prov. 15.8-10).

But we do not need to die. We do not need to forsake the way, follow false gods, or be in rebellion and sin. We do not need to have God bring charges against us if we are obeying His Law and trusting in His merciful gift of Jesus Christ, “the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn. 1.29)

We never need to be guilty of straying from the Jesus Path, when our one goal in life is to traverse upon it.

Jesus said, “I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (Jn. 14.6).

After soldiers do what is required of them, a good drill sergeant says, “At ease”. It is a well-deserved respite from the demands of service. However, ease without work is underserved.

The folks in Amos’ day were “at ease” for no good reason. They were slovenly and sinful—on hiatus from being obedient. They were completely AWOL from their duties as children of the living God.

But during obedience, God calls us to rest in Him, to be still and know that He is God (Ps. 46.10).
He gives us peace that passes all understanding. And He guards our hearts and minds (Phil. 4.7).
These gifts are ours when we are on active duty, avoiding sin and vigorously pursuing righteousness:
“Depart from me, you evildoers, for I will keep the commandments of my God!” (Ps. 119.115)

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me”, Jesus said, “and you will find rest for your souls.
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt. 11.29, 30).

In Him we have ease without woe. “Seek the LORD and live” (Amos 5.6).

Reflection
1. What does it mean to be “at ease” in the Lord?

2. How can you know when you are seeking your “ease” from other sources? What should you do then?

3. What can you do to help other believers learn to rest and be at ease in the Lord?

Those are looked upon as doing well for themselves, who do well for their bodies; but we are here told what their ease is, and what their woe is. Here is a description of the pride, security, and sensuality, for which God would reckon. Careless sinners are every where in danger; but those at ease in Zion, who are stupid, vainly confident, and abusing their privileges, are in the greatest danger. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Amos 6.1-7

Pray Psalm 37.4-9.
In your time of prayer, delight in the Lord. Tell Him how much you love, how glad you are to know Him with you, and how eager you are to serve Him today. Rejoice in your salvation and give thanks to the Father for Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Rest in Him and Him alone.

Sing Psalm 37.4-9.
(Neumark: If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee)
Delight yourself in God’s salvation; He’ll give you all your heart’s desire.
Commit to Him your every station, and His good purpose will transpire.
Your righteousness a blazing light He will bring forth against the night.

Rest in the LORD and wait on Jesus; fret not at those who practice sin.
Forsake all wrath till anger ceases; let anxious fears not enter in.
The wicked perish from the LORD, but they are blessed who heed His Word!

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.