Amos 6 (7)

Opening Prayer: Psalm 14.1-3
The fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt,
They have done abominable works,
There is none who does good.
The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
They have all turned aside,
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good,
No, not one.

Sing Psalm 14.1-3
(St. Anne: O God, Our Help in Ages Past)
The fool within his heart proclaims, “There is no God at all!”
His deeds are wicked, filled with shame who on God will not call.

No good in such as these is found; corruption fills their breast.
God from His heav’nly throne looks down, their hearts and ways to test.

Read Amos 6.1-14; meditate on verses 3.

Preparation
1. How did Israel and Judah regard the threats of the prophets?

2. What was the result of that?

Meditation
We need to remember that Amos prophesied during the reigns of Jeroboam II in Israel and Uzziah in Judah (Mt. Zion, 1.1). Though Jeroboam was an ungrateful ruler and Uzziah caved-in to pride (2 Chron. 26.16-21), God blessed the people of Israel and Judah during their reigns (2 Kgs. 14.23-27; 2 Chron. 26.3-15).

Thus enjoying relative prosperity and peace, the people would not listen to any threats from the prophets concerning judgment to come. At best they said, like Hezekiah because of his transgression, “Will there not be peace and truth at least in my days?” (2 Kgs. 20.19)

It can’t happen here. It can’t happen now. It may happen later, much later, but that won’t be my problem.

And so the people of Israel and Judah sought to “put far off the day of doom”, and in doing so, they assured that “the seat of violence” would come upon their nations.

When God pronounces judgment, it is sure to come. It may not happen in our lifetimes, but we must not ignore His Word. The wrath of God is even now being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth of God in unrighteousness. And it is taking forms outlined in the Word of God and clearly recognizable in our day, but completely ignored by our rebellious age (cf. Rom. 1.18-32).

The Gospel is Good News because the wrath of God is not. There is no indication that the people of Israel and Judah listened to Amos. Or Jeremiah. Or Isaiah. Or Hosea. And it is quite likely that the people of our generation will not listen to us. But we must go to them anyway, offering the love of God in Christ Jesus and warning of the wrath of God for all who continue in their sin.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
The grief that Amos, Jeremiah, Isaiah and Hosea felt is shared by all of us who have family members, friends, and acquaintances who do not know the LORD; and equally as grievous, those who are on the fringe of belief but will not jump into the fray of true Kingdom belief and living.

We tremble for them. They push away all thought of the punishment awaiting them, but by their deeds manage to bring their Day of Judgment even nearer (Amos 6.3 TLB).

“Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie” (Rev. 22.14, 15).

So, we pray for their salvation. We pray for their awakening to His Word. And continue to pray. That God will stay His hand of judgment until they believe—until they love and live the Gospel.

“Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it” (Jon. 3.10).
As Jonah prayed, “for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm” (Jon. 4.2).

On the other hand, we have God’s words, with some penetrating—withering—questions. More of His questions. The duck and cover kind that inform the hearer that He is over their disobedience, and the time for Him to act is approaching:
“‘For who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem?
Or who will bemoan you?
Or who will turn aside to ask how you are doing?
You have forsaken Me,’ says the LORD, ‘you have gone backward.
Therefore I will stretch out My hand against you and destroy you;
I AM weary of relenting!
And I will winnow them…I will bereave them…I will destroy My people,
since they do not return from their ways’” (Jer. 15.6, 7).

We read all these words and we understand them. We know that God is a righteous Judge, and everything that He does is right. We also know that He is full of mercy and patience, lovingkindness and grace. He sent us Jesus, Who is “able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for us” (Heb. 7.25).

God wants us to continue: doing justice and righteousness (Ps. 119.21; Prov. 21.3), working in our Personal Mission Field (Eph. 2.10), and praying that He, in His abundant mercy, will reach out and save to the uttermost those who need Him so desperately—before the “far off day of doom” comes near.

Reflection
1. How should we pray for lost people?

2. What do we say to people who say, “It can’t happen here”?

3. How should you incorporate the threat of judgment into your presentation of the Gospel?

Such are ungodly men, when they provoke God's wrath as it were designedly, and at the same time scorn all threatening, as though they were safe through some special privilege. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Amos 6.3

Closing Prayer: Psalm 14.4-7
Pray for boldness in your witness to the Lord. Pray that God will give you many opportunities to offer the love of Jesus to the lost and to encourage fellow believers in pursuing their calling.

Sing Psalm 14.4-7
(St. Anne: O God, Our Help in Ages Past)
None understands, none seeks the LORD; they all have turned aside.
Deception leads them from God’s Word who have His grace denied.

The workers of iniquity consume God’s sheep like bread;
they trust not in the LORD, and He shall fill their hearts with dread.

For Jesus with the righteous stands, though they be put to shame.
He holds them safely in His hands who shelter in His Name.

Restore Your Church, let Zion sing; our captive hearts release,
that we may Your salvation bring, rejoicing and in peace.

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.