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)

 

What does God need to do to gain our attention?

 Read Amos 4. 

Israel lived in prosperity.  They offered sacrifices every day, tithed every three days, and beyond that practiced generosity giving.  But their behavior was arrogant and demanding.  They oppressed the poor and exploited those in need.

God responded to their sin in five ways in order to gain their attention and lead them to repent.
1. Famine (v.6)
2. Drought (v.7-8)
3. Blight (v.9) 
4. Pestilence (v.10)
5. Destruction (v.11)
And, five times God repeated the phrase, "yet you did not return to me."

"Therefore...prepare to meet your God, O Israel!" (v.12)

They forgot that God was in charge and ignored His interventions to gain their attention.  Who is this One who commands such obedience?  Here are His claims (v.13):
1. He forms the mountains.  The God of the Bible claims credit for shaping and fashioning the earth.
2. He creates the wind.  The God of the Bible takes credit for selecting and dispatching wind currents.
3. He declares His thoughts to humans.  The God of the Bible has made Himself and His word known so mankind is without excuse (Romans 1:18-20).
4. He makes light and darkness.  The God of the Bible commanded light in the beginning "and there was light" (Genesis 1:3).  He can move the clouds and the storms to darken a day.
5. He treads above the earth.  The God of the Bible oversees all that is happening in His world and is ready to respond.

Who is He?  "The LORD, the God of hosts, is his name!"

 

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 started 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 executed 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)

 

Attitudes toward God determine how we treat People

 Read Amos 2.

His name means "burden bearer" and, indeed, Amos bore the burden of declaring God's judgments.  While seven neighboring nations are included, the primary audience in this book is the northern kingdom of Israel.

The sins that brought about these punishments mostly involved their mistreatment and abuse of people.  However, the sin of Judah was generally stated as "they have rejected the law of the LORD and not kept his statutes" (v.4).

Concerning Israel, the list of sins is longer than any of the others.
1. They showed no pity on the poor and sold them into slavery. (v.6)
2. They oppressed the poor with a corrupted judicial system. (v.7a)
3. They openly practiced sex outside of marriage.  Note that God took it personally as against His holy name. (v.7b)
4. They allowed the poor to use their coats as loan collateral in violation of God's specific laws against this. (v.8a)
5. They used confiscated wine to drink in a so-called act of worship. (v.8b)
6. They rebelled against God after He delivered them and made them to prosper. (vv.9-12)

The result would be that no one will escape when the judgment falls on Israel.  The Assyrian invasion was brutal.  Those who were not killed lost everything as they were scattered far and wide.

This passage should cause us to think about our own attitudes, particularly as it relates to our treatment of the poor.  The Apostle James wrote: "Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?....If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing well.  But if you show partiality, you are committing sin..." (James 2:5-9) 

A person's attitude toward God will inevitably be seen in the way they treat people.  If one is angry at God, they will be angry with others.  If they claim independence of God, they will act arrogantly toward others.  If they chose to ignore the God who loves them, they will also choose to ignore the people who love them.

 

The certainty of God's judgment and our Response

 Read Amos 1.

The prophet Amos lived in Judah, but his ultimate audience was the northern kingdom of Israel.  God's pronouncements of judgment came like a roaring lion, ready to pounce on its prey.  And as such, the intended should have been frozen in fear of what was coming.

The writing structure of this book is fascinating.  Beginning in the north, the judgments against Israel's neighbors geographically move to the south, then to the west, circles to the east, and they continue to spiral until they hit the final target.  Each paragraph follows the same poetic pattern:
1. Judgment is decided.
2. Sin is detailed.
3. God will deliver the punishment. 

Each paragraph starts with the same poetic device of "For three transgressions....and for four."  This is commonly used in the Old Testament.  Many hold that it not only points to an escalation the list of sins God has against them but combined the number is seven.  That may indicate that their list of sins is full or complete.  Further, chapters one and two present a total of seven pronouncements of judgments before finally addressing Israel.

In the historical context, it was Assyria who invaded this entire region and executed what is stated here.  However, the LORD made it clear that it was He who ordered and personally empowered the punishment.  No less than thirteen times the phrase "I will" appears in this first chapter.

In light of the consistent veracity of God's word, how much more should those who do not enjoy God's forgiveness and protection be frozen in fear of the eternal judgment to come?
"And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment." (Hebrews 9:27)

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:31)

Concerning Jesus, the Apostle Peter said, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

 

Payback Time

 Read Joel 3.

Here is a verse that is never quoted: "Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears, let the weak say, 'I am a warrior.'"  Verse 10 is the opposite of Micah 4:3 which is depicted in a sculpture at the United Nations building in New York City.

There is coming a day when the nations of earth will gather to fight an ultimate battle.  God's intention in the war is to avenge the blood of His people.  The place is called the Valley of Jehoshaphat.  The meaning of the word Jehoshaphat is "the LORD judges."  The description of this yet future battle exactly matches Armageddon in Revelation 14, 16 and 19.  Joel 3:14 calls it the day of the LORD and that multitudes will be in this "valley of decision."  It is not that the people will be trying to decide something; rather, it is God who rendering His decision, or verdict, of judgment against them.

The sin of the nations against the Jews and this land, promised to Abraham's descendants, is well documented to this very day.  Some of the sins of Joel's time are mentioned in the opening six verses. Every generation of Jews has had an enemy who announced their intent to annihilate them.  The very existence of Jews in the world and a Jewish state occupying at least part of their land is a testimony to the power, protection, and grace of God. 

However, in that day the Messiah will visibly be revealed to the world with His heavenly army (Revelation 19:11-21).  He will destroy all of Israel's enemies and establish His kingdom in Jerusalem (Joel 3:16).  As the closing verses of this chapter foretells, the Jews will finally acknowledge Jesus as God and King.  The land will become abundant and prosperous.  Instead of the drought (1:20), the streams that Ezekiel 47 prophesied will flow from the throne of God to water the land. 

And, believers will rule and reign with Christ in that earthly kingdom.  "Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection!  Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years." (Revelation 20:6)

 

Understanding that day Today

 Read Joel 2.

As one reads this chapter, two understandings are required.  First, the term "the day of the LORD" includes both the judgment of God and the joy that will follow.  Second, quite often in the prophetical books there is a merger of the immediate historical context and the future events regarding the end times. 

The immediate threat to Judah was the coming invasion by the Babylonians.  In chapter one they are compared to a devastating locust plague.  Innumerable and unstoppable describes this army from the north.  However, it was God Himself who was the real power of this judgment.  Notice the four-fold claim in verse 11 using the word "his": "The LORD utters his voice before his army for his camp is exceedingly great; he who executes his word is powerful."

"Yet even now" (vv.12-13) the LORD issued a call for the nation to repent.  Even with the coming punishment on its way, there is a repeat of 1:13-14.  Their relationship with God had been broken due to their sin.  Instead of tearing their garments in the cultural display of grief, He asked them to tear their hearts and return to Him.  The need for prayer and fasting is so urgent that everyone was to stop what they were doing and gather together (v.16).  This was an emergency!

There is a change in theme beginning at verse 18 as the LORD speaks of restoration for Judah.  Describing that future time, He will remove their reproach among the nations.  He will remove their enemies.  The land will flourish again.  And most importantly, "You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God and there is none else.  And my people shall never again be put to shame." (v.27)

Not only has the world not seen the fulfillment of verse 27, but the events of verses 30-32 remain future to us.  Jesus referred to this passage in Matthew 24:29 and said that these events would take place in conjunction with the tribulation.  This is confirmed in Revelation 6:12.

If the judgment is certain, then why pray?  Because of the nature of God.  Verse 13 tells us who God is: "Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster."  The real question is never about God's love for us, but our loyal love for Him.