Amos 6 (6)

Pray Psalm 10.11-15.
He has said in his heart,
“God has forgotten;
He hides His face;
He will never see.”
Arise, O LORD!
O God, lift up Your hand!
Do not forget the humble.
Why do the wicked renounce God?
He has said in his heart,
“You will not require an account.”
But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief,
To repay it by Your hand.
The helpless commits himself to You;
You are the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man;
Seek out his wickedness until You find none.

Sing Psalm 10.11-15.
(Aberystwyth: Jesus, Lover of My Soul)
“Where, oh where, is God?” they say. “He has hidden out of sight!”
Rise up, LORD, in all Your might! Rescue those who You obey.
Wicked men Your judgment scorn; You observe their sinful ways.
Be our refuge, be our stay! Break the oppressor’s evil arm.

Read Amos 6.1-14; meditate on verse 14.

Preparation
1. What would God raise up?

2. What would happen then?

Meditation
We recall that the rulers and people of Israel had heard the prophets warning them to turn back to the Lord and that, if they did not, His judgment would fall. They silenced those prophets or worked to distort and discredit their words (as we shall see in chapter 7).

In effect, they were saying to the prophets, “Says you. Where is God? Where is His wrath? Bring it on—if He can.”

And, of course, He could, and He would, and He did. God is Lord of the nations. He rules every legislator, executive, judge, general, and bureaucrat in the world. Their hearts are in His hands to do with as He pleases (Prov. 21.1). It was a small thing for God to equip, empower, and mobilize the Syrians to destroy His faithless people. And He would do so thoroughly—north to south, east to west. The people of Israel would be carried away into captivity and a mixed-race population would be sent to live in the vacated land that Israel had occupied.

And it is a small thing for Him to mobilize trouble and discipline against us, His people, when we pridefully think we know better than God how we ought to live (cf. Heb. 12.3-11). We must never forget this.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“But, behold, I will raise up a nation against you…” (Amos 6.14).

He most certainly can. And He will. When necessary.
“For behold, the LORD will come with fire and with His chariots, like a whirlwind,
to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire.
For by fire and by His sword the LORD will judge all flesh; and
the slain of the LORD shall be many” (Is. 66.15, 16).

So, wouldn’t you much rather embrace the other things that He has promised He will do?

“I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you and make your name great;
and you shall be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, and
I will curse him who curses you; and
in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12.2, 3).

“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Again
I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt…” (Jer. 31.3, 4).

“Fear not, for I AM with you; be not dismayed, for I AM your God.
I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Is. 41.10).
“Even to your old age, I AM He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you!
I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you” (Is. 46.4).

“I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deut. 31.6; Heb. 13.5).
“I AM with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28.20).

The If/Then and Then/When and Truth/Consequences addendum to all these promises is this:
I will show mercy to thousands, “to those who love Me and keep My commandments” (Ex. 20.6).

This is not about salvation, for that is a gift we could never earn, or vigorously obey ourselves into. Salvation is all about God’s grace and mercy and lovingkindness bestowed upon wretched sinners who deserve only judgment, wrath, and death. No, this is about after salvation.

One never frosts a cake when it is still just batter in a bowl. That would be a pointless mess.
No, one frosts the cake after it has baked and set and cooled. That, frosted, then becomes a lovely treat.
Thus, good and righteous behavior follows salvation; it cannot possibly precede it (Eph. 2.8-10).

What God requires is from believers—His children—whom He expects to obey Him.
Not to gain salvation, but because of salvation.
It is when we are disobedient that He must warn us of what He will, and can, do if we do not “Seek Him and live” (Amos 5.4, 6). “I will…afflict you” (Amos 6.14).

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I AM with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28.18-20).

Reflection
1. God leads His people by promises. Which of His promises are especially precious and very great to you?

2. He also leads us by example. Which aspects of the example of Jesus tend to lead you through the day?

3. For whom will you be an example and a bringer of God’s promises today?

When our services of God are soured with sin, his providences will justly be made bitter to us. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Amos 6.14

Pray Psalm 10.1-3, 12-18.
Pray that the fear of God would fall on the nations of the world, beginning with this nation, and that God would stir His Spirit within His Church for revival, renewal, and a great awakening worldwide.

Sing Psalm 10.1-3, 12-18.
(Aberystwyth: Jesus, Lover of My Soul)
Why stand off, O LORD, afar? Why in times of trouble hide?
Wicked men in foolish pride seek Your precious flock to harm.
Many plots do they devise; catch them in their wicked schemes!
Greed and lust fill all their dreams, while they curse You, God most wise.

Evermore, LORD, You will reign! Nations perish from Your land.
You will with the humble stand; hear their cries of woe and pain!
Strengthen now their hearts, O LORD; vindicate the sore oppressed.
Drive away all our distress; grant us justice by Your 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.