June 20

The Roar of Judgment

Amos is just an ordinary farmer who is called by God to speak on his behalf. He uses an unusual formula of “for three transgressions of ____ and for four....” This is especially confusing when he doesn’t list three or four things after he says that. View this as a literally formula to emphasis one sin above several. What I want to focus on is this special sin that God speaks against and the geographic narrowing of this sermon. The nations mentioned first are outside of Israel and you can hear the people saying.... Yeh, Lord, you go get those bad guys in Damascus, Gaza, Tyre and these outlining places. But then he brings this home and he nails the people listening to his sermon. It is easy for us to see the wrong in other places and overlook the sin right in our own land. Here is a quick list of the geography and the major complaint God has against them.

1. Damascus 1:3-5 They tortured prisoners of war.
2. Gaza 1:6-8 They sold people into slavery.
3. Tyre 1:9-10 Their crime against humanity was also slave trade with Edom.
4. Edomites 1:11-12 Their sin was an intense anger and hostility against Israel.
5. Ammon 1:13-15 Atrocities against defenseless women and children. It says they ripped open the pregnant women in order to expand their borders.
6. Moabites 2:1-3 Their sin was that of desecrating graves.
7. Judah 2:4-5 - Now he is getting closer to home. Their sin is following false gods.
8. Israel 2:6-16 Now he is speaking to the home town crowd and he lists several sins...
Oppressing the innocent and the poor (2:6b-7a)
Engaging in pagan religious practices (2:7b) Fathers and sons would use the same prostitute at the local
church sexual orgy.

What sins do you think are on God’s list concerning the USA? I see several on this list that apply to us. Now what is the best way to heal these sins? Join a political party and march in Washington? Maybe, but I think the most effective way is to make disciples of your neighbors. The hope for America is for the church to win lost people to Christ, one person at a time. Live and share the good news today.