6 insights for those who run from God

 Read Jonah 1.

Nineveh was the capital city of the Assyrian Empire.  But as great as their city was, so was their evil.  The Assyrians became a growing threat to the northern kingdom of Israel and God wanted to eventually use them to discipline His people.  Jonah rightly feared the Assyrians and, apparently, also knew of God's plan (see 4:2).  Jonah's preference would have been for God to destroy Nineveh.

When the LORD said, "Go!" Jonah said, "No!"  Instead of trekking 500 miles northeast to his assignment, the prophet booked passage on a ship to Spain in the opposite direction.  Alton Fannin wrote an insightful outline for this chapter explaining what happens when a person tries to run from God (Proclaim, 1987).  I have embellished it somewhat here.

1. When a person runs from God, he has heard from God. (vv.1-2)
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)

2. When a person runs from God, he believes he can escape from God. (v.3)
"Where shall I go from your Spirit?  Or where shall I flee from your presence?  If I ascend to heaven, you are there!  If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!" (Psalm 139:7-8)

3. When a person runs from God, everyone pays for it. (vv.3-5)
"For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself." (Romans 14:7)

4. When a person runs from God, he sleeps while others perish. (v.5)
"Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning.  For some have no knowledge of God.  I say this to your shame." (1 Corinthians 15:34)

5. When a person runs from God, he confuses unbelievers. (vv.6-9)
"And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'" (Luke 9:23)

6. When a person runs from God, he loses respect from both sides. (vv.10-16)
"And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.  And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, 'Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.'  And he went out and wept bitterly." (Luke 22:61-62)

Instead of running from God, He wants us to...
"Come" to Him (Matthew 11:28-30) and then
"Go" for Him  (Matthew 28:19-20)

The high price of Pride

 Read Obadiah.

The Edomites were descendants of Esau.  The Israelites were the family of Jacob.  Even before birth, these twin boys struggled against each other.  For centuries thereafter animosity existed between the two nations.  Edom refused passage to Israel during the Exodus and instead of helping their national brother, they came out for war (Numbers 20:14-21).  God admonished the Jews not to hate the Edomites (Deuteronomy 23:7).  But it was Edom that caused the tension in the relationship and repeatedly sinned against Israel.    And, the occasional skirmishes continued throughout the Old Testament.

Edom became known for its wise men, its wealth, its alliances with other nations, and its naturally secure location.  The people lived in high caves on the mountain.  With such environments of safety, they felt untouchable.  They believed they could do whatever they wished and even God could not do anything against them.  But their sins piled up to the point of God's intervention.  God said, "I will bring you down" (v.4).  As Walter L. Baker points out, "Judgment against Edom is mentioned in more Old Testament books than it is against any other foreign nation."

When the land of Israel was invaded, the Edomites did not help their brother.  Indeed, they helped the enemy.  And then, they helped themselves to some of the spoils.  Beside their sinful attitude of pride (v.3), the LORD saw what they sinfully did and did not do in verse 11.
1. They sinned by omission.
"On that day you stood aloof."  When the attack came against the Jews, they gloated (v.12).  James wrote, "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin" (James 4:17)
2. They sinned by commission.
"...strangers carried off his wealth...you were like one of them."  God compared them to thieves.  But even thieves would not act as they did (v.5).

The Golden Rule is applied here.  "As you have done, it shall be done to you" (v.15).  Edom will be wiped out.  "There shall be no survivor for the house of Esau" (v.18).  But God's blessings will come upon Israel.

Pride and disobedience always leads to God's intervention with punishment.  Humility and obedience to His word pleases Him.

 

What did God say about the future of Israel?

 Read Amos 9.

Though repeatedly warned of the coming judgment, many people said, "Disaster shall not overtake or meet us" (v.10).  In simple terms, they did not believe what God said.  But their feelings did not change the facts.

The destruction of the nation was so certain that in this fifth vision the LORD personally appeared to Amos.  Not only would the structure where the northern kingdom worshiped be destroyed, but the enemy would pursue the people to kill them (vv.1-2).  The people will run for their lives but God detailed for them that they will not be able find a place of safety anywhere (vv.2-4).

Nineveh had long forgotten the days of Jonah and their historic national repentance.  Assyria became even more evil and brutal in their treatment of its enemies.  However, God makes sure in this message that it is He who is in control.  He brought the Jews from Egypt and established them on this land.  These are His people and the judgment against them is from Him (vv.5-8). 

What about the unconditional promises the LORD made to Abraham and his descendants?

At the end of verse 8, God said, "...except I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob."  Not everyone in the nation was unrepentant.  "All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword" (v.10a).  God does not forget.  He will deal with the sin and keep His promises.  There remained, and remains, a future for the Jews.

The last five verses provide the turning point to the prophecy of Amos.  There is coming a future day for Israel when the following will take place:
1. "I will raise up the booth of David that has fallen."
The reign of an earthly Davidic kingdom will be reestablished.  As a tent or awning, that rule will cover the entire land; no longer a divided kingdom.
2. I will "repair its breaches."
There was and is so much brokenness.  The regathering and reuniting of the nation under a single king is their future hope.
3. I will "rise up its ruins."
The palaces, the Temple, buildings and homes were all leveled.  And, as predicted in Revelation, there is even greater destruction to come.  But God is personally assuming the responsibility here to see that one day the land will not lie in ruins.
4. I will "rebuild it as the days of old."
The last king to reign over a united kingdom of Israel was Solomon.  Those were the days of that glorious Temple, luxurious structures in Jerusalem, and the world looked to the nation as the people of God.  The LORD will see to it that this reputation is rebuilt.  And, not just for the Jews, but "...all the nations who are called by my name."
5. "I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel."
In agricultural terms, the nation's restored prosperity is amazingly described. 

As an exclamation point to these prophecies, God declared, "...they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them."

 

Why is our nation not in Mourning?

 Read Amos 8.

Philosopher George Santayana is credited with this statement: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

In the fourth vision of Israel's impending doom, God showed Amos a basket of summer fruit.  The interpretation is simple.  Israel was ripe for judgment.  The time had come for the LORD to respond to the unbridled sin of the nation.  In particular, the business community was singled out for their greed and dishonesty.  They even complained at having to stop their commerce for the scheduled times of worshiping the LORD.  They "trample on the needy and bring the poor of the land to an end" (v.4).

The scene of what was about to take place is graphically described by God.  When the Assyrian army invades the land, the dead bodies will be "thrown everywhere" (v.3).  Their songs will be turned into sobbing and their feasts into famine.  They will cry out to God, but He will not listen.  They will seek Him, but He will not be found.  They rejected His messages delivered by the prophets when He urged them to repent, so He will withhold His word when this judgment falls (v.11).

Even the youngest and strongest will not be able to endure (v.13).  Where are the false gods and false teachings in which they trusted (v.14) instead of the God of heaven?  All those alternative beliefs proved powerless in the day that the all-powerful One meted out what He promised.

Here was God's question: "Shall not the land tremble on this account and everyone mourn who dwells in it?" (v.8).  Hebrews 13:8 reminds us that Jesus Christ is "the same yesterday, today and forever."  If a nation (a people or an individual) does not listen and take heed regarding the judgment to come, how do they think they shall escape?  The reason there is no trembling and mourning over their sin is because they do not believe the Lord will hold them accountable.  The message in the middle of Amos is "prepare to meet your God" (4:12).

The solution?  Jesus said, "Come to me..." (Matthew 11:28)

 

Confidence in the face of Opposition

 Read Amos 7.

God's judgment on the northern kingdom was certain.  Amos had been called and assigned by the LORD to warn the people and urge them to repent of their sin.  To reveal how the punishment would occur, God showed him five visions; three in chapter seven and two in chapter eight.  The destruction in the visions was so great that it moved Amos to intercede for the nation. 

1. Locusts. (vv.1-3)
This dreaded plague against Israel's crops would have meant famine.  Amos cried out for God to forgive the people and not do this.  God heard and answered the judgment part of that prayer.

2. Fire. (vv.4-6)
Such a disaster would not only destroy all the crops but all the structures of the land as well.  Amos prayed for this not to happen and, again, God answered his prayer.

3. Sword. (vv.7-9)
In other words, war by an enemy nation would inflict upon Israel what God wanted to accomplish.  There is no recorded prayer and the judgment did not change.

To illustrate how out of line the nation of Israel had become, God is pictured holding a plumb-line against a wall.  God's standards of what is right do not change.  Holding up His righteousness next to Israel vividly revealed their crookedness.  God did not move.  They did.

The northern kingdom had separated itself from Jerusalem and established an amalgam of false worship.  It is no surprise that the priest of Bethel and the king refused to listen God's word.  Instead of listening to the message, their solution was to get rid of the messenger.  But, Amos knew that the message was not his and the assignment was not his.  God designed and planned the life of Amos to fulfill His purpose at this point in time.  Such understanding gave Amos confidence to stand strong in the face of opposition.

Knowing how God created us as individuals, what He has given to us in abilities, and taking full advantage of the opportunities He provides, will result in a life that pleases Him and fulfills us.  There is no greater confidence than the sense that one is in the center of God's will for their lives.

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)

 

God's response to corrupt Leaders

 Read Amos 6.

The notables of Israel enjoyed political and social positions (v.1).  They lived in luxury (vv.4-6a). 
While these leaders benefited from the nation's blessings, they paid no attention to the nation's spiritual bankruptcy.  Indeed, they were key influencers in the corruption of justice and by their own examples led the people away from doing what was right (v.12).  

In their thinking, success and prosperity came by their own doing (v.13).  The sin was not in their possessions or their power but in their self-centered pride (v.8).  Instead of grieving over the ruin they had caused (v.6), they felt safe and unaccountable.

How would God respond to such attitudes and behaviors?
"You will be the first to go!" (v.7)

They lost sight of the true goal of this nation in being examples of people who lived to please God.  Success and prosperity were results of God's sovereign blessings upon them.  They lived in a land that God gave them.  The people were God's people.  Being such abhorrent managers of God's possessions warranted the Owner to remove them and punish them.  He used the Assyrian Empire to do His work of judgment.  It was a brutal scene as the invaders literally pulverized (v.11) the cities of the northern kingdom.

Popularity, personality, and political party does not a leader make.  Character does.  People tend to overlook broken promises, failures to act, and immorality in order to selfishly keep their favored person in leadership.  God does not overlook such moral and spiritual sins.  A leader's judgment may or may not come in this life.  But be assured that according to the promise of God there is an eternal one waiting for them. "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for the murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."  (Revelation 21:8)

It is for this very reason that God in His grace sent the prophets to call the nation to repentance while there was hope.  And, so it is for us.  "For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and the through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." (Romans 15:4)

 

Man, this is the Life!

 Read Amos 5.

The people of Israel enjoyed a time of great prosperity.  They felt they were really living and could behave however they wished without answering to anyone.  Note what this attitude led to in verses 10-12.
1. They oppressed the poor through taxation.
2. They wasted resources by excessive lifestyles.
3. They hated and then afflicted the righteous by rejecting the truth.
4. They distorted justice by taking bribes.
5. They turned away from those in need.

These, the LORD called their great sins.  Their financial independence resulted in the wrong sort of life-independence and wastefulness.  The problem came when they forgot the source of their blessings and decided to live independently of God and His word.  By not listening to the truth, they were not prepared for what was about to take place.  Everything they had, all their possessions, their pleasures, their very lives, would soon be gone.

Three times in this chapter God called to them, "Seek me and live."  Further, there was the urging to "Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will be gracious..." (v.15).

Amazingly, when life seems to be going well, many want to take the credit for their blessings or successes and find little to no time for God.  And, when circumstances are not going well, these same folks want to give God full credit for the bad things.  The bottom-line is that they choose to interpret their faith in God by their own feelings instead of the facts. 

A self-focused and selfish life can only be based upon temporal values that one day will all be left behind.  The Apostle Paul was correct, "If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied." (1 Corinthians 15:19).  Living for Jesus means we keep eternity's values in view and experience a life that transcends our circumstances, good or bad.  Both are tests of our faith, not the truthfulness of God.

"I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)