Are you in agreement with God?

Read Amos 3.

After delivering eight pronouncements of coming judgment, Amos then began preaching God's messages to Israel.  The LORD began by reminding the Jews of His unique relationship with them.  God sovereignly chose Abraham and his descendants as a people of His particular love and care.  He established this with an unconditional and unchanging covenant (Genesis 12, 15, 17).  But despite all He had done for them over the centuries, the northern kingdom of Israel proved to be consistently in rebellion against God.

To illustrate the absolute certainty of the punishment for their sins, the LORD asked seven questions in a row.  The answer to all of them was no.  The second part of each question, will not happen without the first.  Again, in this chapter, God used the comparison of a roaring lion.  "The LORD God has spoken, who will not fear?" (v.8)

In His great love and mercy, the LORD warned the people in order that they might repent and turn to Him.  Every time, before God executes His judgments, He sent His spokespersons, the prophets, to deliver the message of what is to come.  To place fear in the Gentile neighbors, He invited them come and watch what will take place (vv.9-10).  There would be no fortress or hiding from the Assyrian invasion.

When the kingdom divided and the northern ten tribes separated from Jerusalem, Jeroboam set up his own altars, creating his own religion of false worship.  Those altars and the symbols of Israel's prosperity will all be destroyed (vv.12-15).

Israel had a choice.  The solution was so simple.  "Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?"  The lack of agreement with Israel was not God's doing.  They were not walking with God because they decided to go their own way.  The result of such a decision is disastrous 100% of the time and is today.

God in His loyal love for the world has given fair warning of the coming eternal judgment.  The reason is so that everyone would have the opportunity to repent of going their own way and turn to Him for forgiveness.  There is no other escape.  "If we confess our sins (literally to agree with God), he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)