Amos 1-4

Amos 1 – 4

 

Amos was a Hebrew shepherd that God choose to be and "minor" prophet, bringing a big message to the Israelites and it's enemies.  The first thing that really jumped out to me was the first nations that would receive judgment: The Syrians and The Philistines.  Their capital or major cities were Damascus and Gaza.  Think of today's news headlines.  Where is there destruction and unrest?  War is a daily reality in these tragic places.  In my view, it seems as though God's wrath is still being poured out. 

           

The majority of Amos's message was directed to Israel, the Northern Kingdom.  They are identified as God's chosen people, "of all the families of the earth," therefore they will receive God's wrath for their sins and turning away from God's commands.  This declaration made me think of the phrase, "With knowledge comes responsibility," a phrase my mom has never let me forget.  Out of all the nations in the world, Israel is the one that have known and seen God more intimately than any other.  They know God's powers, have seen His miracles, felt his deliverance, and have suffered His wrath.  With this knowledge, they had the responsibility of living according to His law.  Kinda like us today!  We have the knowledge and insight of His word, know right from wrong, and so we will be held responsible for our actions one day. 

 

The Israelites are told that there will be punishment, and there will be God's wrath through natural occurrences and a great enemy.  God directs much of it to the city of Bethel.  You will remember from our early readings in the New Testament that this is a holy city for the Hebrews.  It is the place that Jacob dreamt and interacted with God.  Alters were built there, religious sacrifices took place there (a very sacred and ritualistic part for the Hebrews.)  It was like a capital in the Northern Kingdom.  At this time it had turned onto a place of idol worship, and it is the first place God directs His wrath and destruction.  

 

The verses that follow in chapter 4 reveals the "warnings" God had already sent them: famine, drought, war, death, and cities destroyed.  Sound familiar???  And what happened?  "You have not returned to me,' declares the Lord."  God, the SOVERIGN God, the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, has sent all these signs and opportunities for people to see His POWER!!  And they do not look to Him!!  What do you think is going on today?  Famine, droughts, war, cities destroyed, and still.  We do not return to Him.  Out of all these beginning chapters in Amos, it's the last couple verses that gave me the most chills: "prepare to meet your God, O Israel.  He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth, the Lord God Almighty is his name."  This is it, this is Him.  We all stand before the Almighty one day.  Hear his word. 

 

Return to Him.