A Warning (Amos 3:1-15)
Amos begins the details of his message to Israel with a warning. As sure as cause and effect, as sure as evidence shows us that something has occurred, God’s punishment and correction will not fail to come against His people. It is precisely because they are His people. It is because they were given more revelation of God’s will than other nations. It is their failure to be led as His people that they can be assured of His interaction. And in disobedience, the interaction from God will be correction. They are about to be punished. And, as God has revealed this to His prophets, it is assured.
It is amazing to read of Israel, “They do not know how to do what is right, these who hoard up violence and devastation in their citadels.”
These are the people of God! They have the written, special revelation of God written for them in black and white. How is it possible that they do not know how to do what it right? Israel is a perfect picture of the inability of humanity to live as God desires because of our rebellion of idolatry and sin. Even when we have holiness spelled out for us in plain language, we fail to do what we should. This is why we needed God to intervene and save us.
And, in Amos, we have a poignant warning for us today. Are we living any better than Israel was? Are we materialistic? Are we just and honest in our finances? Are we compassionate on the poor? Or, do we worship the power and comfort riches bring? Do we trust money more than God? Do we blame the poor and downtrodden for their fate?
Much of the institutional church in the west is a picture-perfect example of the kind of materialism and oppressiveness that we see in Amos. We need to resist this impulse or face the cause and effect of God’s interaction!
It is amazing to read of Israel, “They do not know how to do what is right, these who hoard up violence and devastation in their citadels.”
These are the people of God! They have the written, special revelation of God written for them in black and white. How is it possible that they do not know how to do what it right? Israel is a perfect picture of the inability of humanity to live as God desires because of our rebellion of idolatry and sin. Even when we have holiness spelled out for us in plain language, we fail to do what we should. This is why we needed God to intervene and save us.
And, in Amos, we have a poignant warning for us today. Are we living any better than Israel was? Are we materialistic? Are we just and honest in our finances? Are we compassionate on the poor? Or, do we worship the power and comfort riches bring? Do we trust money more than God? Do we blame the poor and downtrodden for their fate?
Much of the institutional church in the west is a picture-perfect example of the kind of materialism and oppressiveness that we see in Amos. We need to resist this impulse or face the cause and effect of God’s interaction!
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