Amos 5:18-27

Purpose

Religious activity is no substitute for righteousness.

Introduction

There is a philosophical view which exists in our culture. What one does in their personal life has no bearing on their professional life. Do you believe that? This is the view that is often espoused when someone is caught doing something wrong. Politicians often hold to this view. Former President Clinton when caught in adultery used this line to avoid criticism. The separation of public and private life is nothing new. The Corinthian church had a similar view. Paul addresses such a view in 1 Cor. 6 when he reminds them that sexual immorality is not a private matter but a matter against God as well.

Amos speaks of such a view in the latter part of chapter 5. Israel’s religious life and their everyday life was inconsistent. Some believers have that same view. What one does on Sunday has no effect every other day of the week. Or what one does every day has no bearing on what happens on Sunday. As we study today, we will be reminded of one thing – every day life and worship go together.

The Text

Israel has three core views. First, their covenant with God assured his presence. Second, their prosperity was a sign of God’s blessing. Third, the day of the Lord would bring great victory for them. In verse 18, the phrase the “day of the Lord” is found. This is the earliest recording of this phrase. Its use suggests that the people were already using the phrase to announce judgment and victory for God’s people. So in verse 18, we have the people suggesting that they want God’s judgment to come. They see this as a time of great victory for them.

To describe going from bad to worse my grandmother would say, “that’s like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.” That image is somewhat lost on this generation. We don’t have frying pans and open flames for cooking are out of the question unless one has a gas stove and then it is very controlled. But the point she was making was that things were getting worse. Oftentimes, the point was that someone trying to find relief from a situation often made poor decisions which resulted in greater discomfort.

That is true. When we are uncomfortable and suffering, we want such to stop and are willing to pay a huge price to escape. The result, however, is not what we would want. Amos speaks of such a situation in the verse 18. Israel wants God to bring justice. But when he does it will not be pleasant for Israel. What Israel wants will result in Israel jumping from the frying pan into the fire. Things will only get worse. It will not be victory, it will be defeat. No freedom; God will renounce his covenant with Israel. Why? Because of Israel’s unfaithfulness. This statement about the day of the Lord would have been perplexing to people who thought they were fine with God. Their attendance and participation in worship was proof enough that they were serious about God. What more was needed? To deal with their misunderstanding, Amos speaks out about their worship assembly. Verse 21 is a three fold statement against their worship. How did God look at their assembly? He hated their assemblies; despised their assemblies; and couldn’t stand them. The phrase “I cannot stand” is really the phrase “I cannot enjoy the smell.” A reference to other OT texts relating to God enjoying the smell of sacrifices. We might say in our vernacular – their assemblies stink. What’s the problem? Verse 22 tells us that they bring offerings. They even bring fellowship offerings. But God rejects each one. Why? Because there is an absence of justice. The missing ingredient in their worship was obedience in everyday life. They went through the assembly. Sang, sacrificed, participated. And then left the assembly and returned to a life of disobedience to God’s will. Application Some are like that today. To many come into the assembly. Participate. Bring their offering and then leave only to return to a life of injustice. The truth is that worship and obedience go together. To worship without obedience in everyday life is to be a hypocrite. Our worship changes our hearts and lives. There is nothing in the text to suggest that the people didn’t come with a sincere heart. There isn’t anything in the text to suggest that the people did something wrong in the assembly. The problem was not in the assembly but what transpired outside the assembly. Some come into the assembly to bring praise today and tomorrow the lips that brought praise God to God today will be filled with curses tomorrow. To praise God today and to curse tomorrow is to offend the character of God. Some come into the assembly to bring praise today and tomorrow they will go back to work and will use others to get what they want in life. To praise God today and to mistreat others tomorrow is to offend the justice of God. Some come into the assembly to bring praise today and tomorrow they will treat their family with disrespect. To praise God today and to disrespect your family tomorrow is to presume upon the gift of God. The lesson from this section is that religious activity is no substitute for righteousness. That is, worship cannot undo the lack of mercy, generosity, and honest dealings that have taken place throughout the week. In fact, to come to the assembly having mistreated others is to make one’s praise today no longer worthy of God’s acceptance. We fool ourselves to think that today I can praise and the assembly makes no difference in how I live tomorrow.

But there is a second lesson. The day of the Lord is approaching. For too many the day of the Lord will bring darkness not light. For those of us claim to have faith, then our lives must reveal the faithfulness that we claim to possess.

Far too many want not so much a father in heaven as a grandfather in heaven: a senile benevolence who, as they say, “liked to see young people enjoying themselves” and whose plan for the universe was simply that it might be truly said at the end of each day, “a good time was had by all.”

When the Lord’s returns, will you experience relief or regret? Will the day of the Lord be a time of darkness or light? Our vision statement reminds us that we recognize that we are to treat others with dignity and compassion just as God has treated us in the same way. Let our conduct be a reflection of the character of God.

Amos 5:1-17

Purpose

: We can fool ourselves into believing things are good when we should be on the alert.

Introduction

Most of us have a favorite movie. It is a movie that often encourages and elevates our emotions or it makes a point which is worthy of consideration. One of my favorites is the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” While the movie did not do well at the time of its release in 1946, it has become a regular part of the Christmas season. The story basically is about George Bailey learning what life would be like should he have never been born. Its storyline demonstrates that each of us make an impact in this world. But it further gives us an opportunity to see that life cannot be taken for granted. At the end of the movie, George learns that his life as dull and routine as it may be is still a “wonderful life.”

Each of us need time for reevaluation. Oftentimes it is under times of great stress that we reevaluate our lives and attempt again to prioritize our lives. Funerals do this for us. Funerals are reminders of how short life is and how important it is to celebrate living within the will of God. Most of us have been touched by the death of someone that we love. And with that event, we have to rethink possibilities and direction. Surprised to see an empty seat at the All Star Baseball game, a diehard fan remarked about it to a man sitting nearby. “It was my wife’s,” the man explained, “But she died.” “I’m very sorry,” said the man. “Yet I’m really surprised that another relative, or friend, didn’t jump at the chance to take the seat reserved for her.” “Beats me,” he said. “They all insisted on going to the funeral.”

But there are times when we are encouraged to rethink direction but we turn away from such thoughts. Something has to happen to us. Something must capture our attention in order for us to rethink. In our text, Amos tries again to recapture the attention of Israel as the kingdom continues to move away from God and his will for their lives. What would it take to get your attention to make changes? Would you make changes before a tragedy or crisis? Do you inspect your heart and motives and actions on a regular basis? As we continue to study Amos, let’s remember that while we are able to look back and cluck our tongues about the hardness of heart of these hearers, that we must not cluck our tongues without examining our own lives.

The Funeral Song

There is something about funerals that capture us even for just a moment. Such an event makes us realize what we have lost and even in our sadness there is a willingness to celebrate the fact that we are still living. It would be odd and disconcerting if at some point began to speak about us as if we were dead. If someone were to speak about me in the past tense and not notice that I was present, I would think that something was wrong with one of us. Amos does this with Israel. Notice in verse 1, that Amos calls on the people to hear this “lament.” A lament is a funeral song. This could have captured the attention of his hearers. But Amos has a difficult task. It isn’t just enough to speak the truth about what is happening. He must speak this truth at a time of great prosperity and success.It is hard to talk to someone about death when they cannot imagining dying.It is difficult to persuade a person to think about retirement at age 21.It is difficult to persuade a couple about the seriousness of the vow “in sickness and in health” when youth provides strong bodies.It is difficult to convince the wealthy that money isn’t always going to be available.It is difficult to convince someone that their sin will lead to eternal separation from God when the sin is fun. Amos must convince Israel that their prosperity and success must not be used to cover over their sin. Or even more blatantly to view their prosperity and success as proof of God’s blessing and favor. Notice verse 4 “Seek me and live.” Israel was in their collected mind “seeking God.” They went to worship regularly and brought their sacrifices. As the text reveals, they lived their lives in basic luxury and did not recognize the oppression and injustice that they brought to the lives of others. Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba were worship centers. But none of these was Jerusalem. It was in Jerusalem that the temple existed and this was the place where God wanted his people to come and worship him. They go to worship but to the wrong place; they offer sacrifice but their sacrifice offends God. They are making matters worse not better. And then we find verse 14. “Seek good, not evil that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with, just as you say he is.” Israel believed God was with them. They believed God was behind all the success. But he wasn’t. Why not? Because they were not seeking him. Because they were not living for him. Because they were not as passionate about doing good as they were about seeking their own comfort. Application Here is the difficult part. Seek God. Seek good. How do we seek God? Turn to Genesis 5. Let’s begin reading select texts. (Verses 3-11, 18-27.) Do you notice a pattern? A person lived, had children, lived some more, had more children and died. That’s it. That is the way a person’s life is remembered. Except Enoch. He lived, had children, lived some more and had more children. But the exception is found in the phrase “walked with God.” Something was different about Enoch. The same phrase is used about Noah in 6:9. This is how we seek God. We walk with him. He becomes our constant companion. He is in the car with us when we go to work. He walks with us into the hallways of our school. He is with us when we are choosing our entertainment. We walk with him. We were made to walk with God. But then we get distracted. Our sin separates us. Only through Jesus can we come back into that walk.

Like Israel, we may have quit seeking God. We substitute our walk with God with something else – worship, comfort, ease of life.

To seek God means that we think about what he wants before we think about what we want. It means being tied to him; being in relationship with him; and not allowing things or events to substitute for him.

To seek God means that our eyes are locked on him. And when that happens we seek his will – the good.

How do we seek good? Verse 15 reminds us that we must hate evil and love good. That is how we seek good. We want good to win more than we want evil to win. Someone says, but that is true for me. I don’t want evil to win. Then learn God’s will and do it. What is it that God wants you to do?

Put away sexual immorality. You cannot seek good while looking at pornography or having sex with a person who isn’t your spouse or dressing to entice. Get rid of the computer. Get rid of the illicit affair. Get rid of the immodest clothes.

Have courage to stand for the oppressed. This is what we are about as a congregation. We want to seek out and find those who have little voice in this world and we want to courageously speak for them. We want to seek justice for those who have been treated unjustly.

But seeking justice for others isn’t something that is only done on a grand scale. It is done on a daily encounter. It is having the courage to stand for another who is being made fun of at school. It is having the courage to befriend a co-worker when others have turned away. It is having the courage to seek the good of another when your own comfort and ease would be far easier to seek.

This is what God wants for us and we want to seek God’s will. We want to give voice to those who have no voice. And we will do this in our jobs, our schools, and our neighborhoods. God help us, we will be his voice of justice when no voice is heard.

Amos 3:1-15

Purpose

: God acts to bring about his will.

Introduction

We live in a very scientific world. We find scientific explanations for so many things. Science makes our lives easier. From everyday appliances to our cars to flying to entertainment. Scientific discoveries have made our lives more comfortable. Even as science has life more comfortable, science isn’t static. That is, science doesn’t remain unchanged; it is continually looking for new ways of engaging life. We have moved from glass tubes for radio systems to digital encryption for sound. Amazing changes continue to take place.

There is a theory of science called chaos theory. I claim no insight into this theory. It is outside my realm of understanding in terms of application but I understand the fundamental principle – a small change in the initial conditions may result in a significant consequence later. Perhaps you have heard of “The Butterfly Effect.” It is the idea as one author put it, can a butterfly flap its wings in Brazil and bring about a tornado in Texas. In a more practical way, this is one of the reasons why weather cannot be predicted with much accuracy beyond 7 days. There are too many “variables” to accurately predict weather. For example, a small change in wind current can alter the direction and path of a large air mass.

We have seen this happen in Memphis numerous times. “Hurricane Elvis” was something no one saw coming. 100 mph winds which suddenly erupted and immobilizing a city for several days could only be explained as ripening conditions when none were forecast. Or how many times has the prediction of snow occurred only to see the snow fall on the west side of the river; literally separate and snow to the north and south of us and then reform into a band of snow showers to the east of us. What happened? Meteorologists are not certain. Something shifted ever so slightly and we missed the snow. A small change can produce a much larger effect. Cause and effect. Some are easier to see and understand than others.

What has this to do with our study in Amos? As we study today, we are going to see God’s explanation for cause and effect when it comes to sin. In chapter 2, Israel was told of her sin. Now in chapter 3, there is going to be an explanation of the cause and effect of sin. Israel’s sin is going to lead to her destruction. But in the middle of this cause and effect is God who rightfully claims his place as Sovereign. The one who watches and acts against the sin of the people. Let’s learn today.

The Text

As Amos speaks against Israel, notice in verse 1 that God still includes these people as his chosen ones. The kingdom of God’s people may have been split into two groups but God still considers this Northern Kingdom as those he brought out of Egypt. It was this decisive act on God’s part which should have reminded the people of the faithfulness of God. Remembering the faithfulness of God in such a dramatic fashion should have been enough to keep the people close to God. But this was not the case.

Verse 2 is the beginning of cause and effect. Of all the nations of the earth, God chose Israel. It had nothing to do with her strength in numbers or character. It was God’s goodness that resulted in Israel being chosen. Israel was chosen to be in relationship with God. This privileged relationship demanded faithfulness. But Israel’s sins ignored this relationship.

In verses 3-6, there are seven rhetorical questions. The first five demand the answer “no.” The last two demand the answer “yes.” There is a cause and effect. Two do not walk together unless they have chosen to do so. A lion roars when the prey is near to freeze the prey so that he can eat. Or he roars when he has something to eat. A bird only gets into a trap that has been set. A trap works when there is a potential catch. And when a trumpet sounds in the city then the citizens know something is about to happen. Similar to our civil defense sirens when a tornado is approaching.

It is the last question which gives us pause. When disaster comes to a city, has not the Lord caused it? The intent of the question is to point to the fact that nothing happens without God’s knowledge. In Israel’s case, the destruction that was to come would come because God would bring it. In fact, God is forewarning and has been forewarning them of what is to happen. The prophets, of whom Amos would have been one, have come to call the people to repentance. But the people refused to listen.

So in verse 9, two witnesses are called to speak against Israel. Ashdod and Egypt. Two long-time enemies of Israel. Egypt we know. Ashdod stands for the Philistines. Both of these nations has caused all kinds of trouble for Israel. They would witness the violence and oppression of the people by the rulers of Israel and testify against the nation. Deuteronomy 17:6 demanded two witness for a conviction. But God promises a remnant. He also promises that confidence in wealth will not allow survival. That which are signs of prosperity will fall.

Application

What are we to learn from this chapter? First, the sovereignty of God is upheld. God sees. He acts. This is unsettling for us. If God sees and acts then why do bad things happen? Let’s boldly endorse this one truth – God’s ways are above our ways and his thoughts are above our thoughts. The point of Amos is not only that God sees and acts but that nothing escapes the attention of God. Whatever happens God knows about it. Both the good and the bad. Inevitably the question comes, does God then cause bad things to happen? I cannot answer that question to anyone’s satisfaction. Here is what can be said. God has given us truth. He wants to know that he wants only what is ultimately best for us. When bad things happen, God hasn’t left us nor has his love diminished. This we can say for certain. Israel was heading to destruction. God warned them. They did not listen.

Second, God wants order and justice but what man often puts together is unrest and oppression. Among the many sins of Israel, this is the one that Ashdod and Egypt witness. Israel is a place of unrest. We see this in our own day. The lack of peace and the disharmony which exists results in unrest instead of order. Our God wants order. He created order out of disorder as time began. He calls for his people to be people of order in worship. He says government exists in order to bring order. When there is disorder and unrest, then we know that something is wrong. Our vision statement while not using these words specifically carries the idea that we want order and justice in the lives of others. We live in a community of great unrest – economically, politically, within families, one of the highest crime rates in the nation, and racially. Where is the order going to come from? We are the ones who can bring order to our homes, our relationships, our working relationships, our community. How?

Pray for peace in our homes and relationships.

Learn to think of others before yourself.

Treat others the way you want to be treated.

When treated unfairly, seek to find ways to resolve with peace rather than destructively.

There is one thing that is true – people are hurting and they are looking for order in the midst of unrest. You be God’s instrument of peace. Don’t let it be said of us which was said of Israel in verse 10 – They do not know how to do right.

Third, we must heed the warning. Amos’ presence meant that Israel was being given another opportunity to repent. So are we. If the civil defense sirens were to sound now, what would you do? A little over a year ago, a tornado came through the Hickory Hill area. As the weather clouds loomed ominous at that time, I was watching television. I was trying to get the latest weather information. Trying to be alert and aware. Channel 3 had a camera from atop Clark Tower that showed the tornado descending. Captivated by the image I stood and watched as the announcer told of the location of the tornado and the direction it was heading. And when it came to Ridgeway and Bill Morris Parkway, it was too late. It was moving so quickly that even if I had wanted to take cover, the tornado was less than a mile from my house. The warning has sounded. We ignore the warning at our own peril.

Amos 2:4-16

Purpose

: The apostasy of Israel is found in not hearing the word of God.

Introduction

Those of us who have suffered through older siblings have learned many lessons in life. Among those lessons are: do not eat mud pies no matter how much your older sibling tells you that it tastes just like chocolate. Another lesson is that “you go first” isn’t always a good thing. And a third lesson is any sentence which begins with “let’s go”….usually means you are going to get into trouble. I have a wonderful older brother. He treated me well for the most part as we grew up. He would not allow any one else to harm me, that job was his alone.

Older siblings, of course, would say that they too learned a number of lessons from having younger siblings but that is for another lesson. The real lesson is that others can influence us for both good and ill. But the voice that we listen to most matters. That “voice” impacts us. Sometimes that “voice” leads us astray and sometimes it distorts the truth and sometimes that “voice” can create doubt and uncertainty in us. But the “voice” can also lead us to be unfocused. Listening to an older sibling can get you into trouble but it becomes easy to listen to that voice rather than to think for self or to listen to another voice that can help. As we study this morning, we will find that few things have changed. Listening to the voice of God rather than listening to the voices of our culture is difficult. The voice of God leads to life; the voice of the culture begins with “let’s go” and we know it can mean getting into trouble.

The Text

In chapter one, Amos begins with a word of judgment against the nations surrounding Israel. These words focus on each kingdom forming a circle around Israel. As one author wrote, the loop around Israel is really forming the noose for Israel’s own judgment. An apt description of what is about to be said about Israel. As each nation is held up for judgment and condemnation, Amos turns to Judah. In 2:4-5, Judah, the Southern Kingdom, is held up for judgment. Judah’s sin is different from the previous kingdoms. In their case, the sin that is pointed to is the sin of idolatry. They rejected the laws of God and turned to idols.

This would have been a stunning prophesy to Israel. It isn’t so much that Israel sees Judah as a great godly kingdom, but when Judah is brought up it is a judgment against the sibling. Judah is Israel’s closest relative and for the sibling to be condemned does not bode well for Israel. Judah’s judgment also demonstrates that God isn’t going to play favorites. Judah has broken covenant with God. Covenant relationship with God means no favoritism. God holds all accountable.

Now Amos turns to Israel. The sins of Israel are more explicitly stated. There is some debate as to the specifics of the sins but little debate about the outcome. The sins of Israel can be summarized in three broad categories.

The devaluing of human life.

Treating the poor like they are dirt.

Sexual immorality. Let’s learn from Israel’s sins so that we do not do the same things.

Application

First, Israel devalued human life. They sold individuals into slavery and if that were not bad enough, they sold them cheaply. Notice verse 6 says that they sold the needy for a pair of sandals. This reflects on Ruth 4:7 in which Boaz used his sandal as a way of signify that a deal was made. A simple process. Israel is condemned for the way human life is so easily transacted with no thought about human value.

Life has quickly and is quickly be devalued in our culture. Conceived life can be aborted with no thought of the life which is present.

Inadequate wages paid for work resulting in devaluing of the person’s effort and thus making life far too difficult.

The elderly too often ignored and shelved without understanding the wealth of history and the wisdom for the future that is inside of them.

If life is valuable then we must make sure that we speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Second, Israel treated the poor like dirt. This is the image of verse 7 and also includes verse 8. We think nothing about walking. We know the ground is below us but we do not regard the ground as anything special. We treat the ground as “dirt.” In our culture the same thing is happening. The poor are overlooked in order for the wealthy to have more. Jail cells brim with the poor. I’m not suggesting that they have committed no crimes but what about the wealthy who commit equally heinous crimes. Commit manslaughter and one can be a senator. Funnel money to your own pockets and as you resign more will be given to you. The wealthy can lose their integrity and still be rewarded. And the poor? Left out in the cold.

Third, Israel engaged in sexual immorality. The graphic image of a father and son using the same girl for sexual reasons highlights the seriousness of the sin. Our culture lost its sexual sensibilities a long time ago. Couples living together without marriage is on the rise. Pornography is rampant and easily accessible. Perhaps you read as I did or watched as the Miss USA contest recently had a question in which Miss California spoke against same sex marriage and the audience booed her. Homosexuality is not only accepted as natural but to speak against such means you are narrow-minded. Sexual purity is scoffed at. We have lost our ability to discern right and wrong sexually. And with that lose, the church is fighting an uphill battle. We have lost the moral high ground to the philosophy of tolerance.

But there was one more sin which Israel was guilty of. This sin is found in verses 11-12. God sent prophets and Nazarites to the people. Nazarites are chosen for their purity of life and focused dedication to God and Israel took an active stance against them. Israel not only refused to listen to them, but forced them to violate their vows and prohibited their function. Israel was openly rebellious to the will of God. They no longer listened to God’s word.

When we hear the word of God we have two options. We can ignore it or we can obey it. What we have done is to exchange the word with philosophy, reason, and feelings.

God says life is valuable. But we say “I can’t have this baby, it would be too inconvenient or embarrassing.”

God says treat the poor well, but we say “I have to get what I can while I can get it. After all, it is a dog eat dog world and if I help the poor I will lose out on what I can get.”

God says to be sexually pure, but we say “I want what pleases me.”

Truth is found in the word of God. As a people we have quit reading God’s word. We have quit listening and the result we find our truth in our own subjective views. We give our own reasons; think through many philosophies but it all boils down to doing what I want to do. Our world is filled with those who are hurting; whose lives represent many of the sins that God held out to Israel. The purpose of Amos was to call the people to repentance. In 40 years, Israel will be destroyed. But in those 40 years God calls once again for his people to return to him. Our vision statement reminds us that we are interested in calling others to join with us in a spiritual journey. It is to call the sinner to the Great Physician. But in order to do that we must repent as well. Whose voice are you listening to?

Amos 1:1-2:3

Purpose

: The sins which we find in others often mirror the sins in our own lives.

Introduction

What bothers you most about Memphis drivers? I have heard numerous times about how bad Memphis drivers are. I have no credible way to verify if they are bad. By that I mean I haven’t looked up the statistical information to discover if we have more accidents here or if insurance rates are higher here why those rates are higher. But all of us have had experiences with bad drivers. It would be fun to hear some of your stories. I suppose that we each have our special irritants about poor drivers. Those who do not drive the speed limit; those who do not use their turn signal indicators; those who cut you off; on and on we could go.

All I have to say, “it’s a good thing we are perfect drivers. We always use our turn signal indicators; we always drive the speed limit; we don’t cut others off; we just don’t make driving errors. It is nice to know that I am in the company of the best drivers in the city of Memphis.” Do you agree with that statement? Do you agree that you are perfect driver? Or is there a “blind spot” in our thinking about our own driving (pun intended)? Too often this is the way that it is, we don’t see our own faults nearly as quickly as we see the faults of others. Jesus had something to say about such thinking in Matthew 7 when he spoke about the speck of sawdust that we see in another’s eye and fail to see the plank in our own eye. Part of the human condition and something which Jesus said needed and must change.

We begin today a series of lessons from Amos and Micah. Amos is an 8th century B.C. prophet who spoke to Israel. You will recall that after Solomon’s death, Israel was divided into two kingdoms. The Northern Kingdom was called Israel and the Southern kingdom was called Judah. Amos lived in Tekoa which was a small town from the Southern Kingdom. God called him to prophesy or to speak to the Northern Kingdom.

It is about 765 B.C. or so when Amos speaks to the Northern Kingdom. In forty short years, the people will be overrun by the Assyrian army. At the time that Amos speaks, the Northern Kingdom is in a time of great prosperity and peace. Politically, surrounding kingdoms are weak. Even Assyria is in a down turn. Israel prospers politically and militarily by reclaiming land lost in previous battles. Israel prospers economically. And with all this peace and prosperity the people also increase their religious observance. They are engaged in more sacrifices and celebrations. But there is a problem. While life healthy, the spiritual and moral life of the people is in decline. But they do not see it. They see prosperity and interpret such as God’s blessing. But Amos comes to declare a different message. Unfortunately, the people do not listen. May we hear today.

The Text

Amos was minding his own business in Tekoa when God called him to be his prophet. 1:1 tells us that he was a shepherd and 7:14 tells us that he also tended sycamore trees. Not exactly what one would call prophetic training. But God calls Amos to bring a message to the people of the Northern Kingdom. After the division of the united Israel following Solomon’s reign, the Northern Kingdom no longer considered Jerusalem the place of worship. Worship centers were distributed throughout the Northern Kingdom. The political division had serious implications on the spiritual connection of the Northern Kingdom with God’s plan and purpose. God didn’t forget his people. He consistently called out to his people to return to him. Amos serves as another call from God to his people in the north.

According to verse 2, the call comes from Zion. Two things to notice. First, is the word “roar.” This carries the idea of a lion roaring out. When we come to chapter 3, we will see this idea more fully expanded. The lion was the symbol of Judah, but more distinctly, the lion is one who gets its prey. When one hears the lion roar, they stop and listen. This is the intent of this word in verse 2. Listen. Second, the roar comes from Zion. Zion is the special name given to Jerusalem. It is a word which only those in covenant with God used. It was not a word used for those outside the covenant. From the very start the intent of Amos’ prophecy is to call out to the people in such a way that they will listen and this call from Zion is to get them to question their spiritual connection with the covenant God. Since those in the north did not worship at Jerusalem, the covenant God is calling them to return to him and to Jerusalem.

From 1:3-2:3, Amos speaks against several kingdoms. Each kingdom’s sin is held out for examination, judgment, and condemnation. Every nation has violated God’s will. Of particular interest are the sins.

Aram – capital is Damascus; brutal mistreatment of others

Philistia – Gaza is a major city; selling people into slavery instead of treating them as precious humans made in God’s image.

Phonecia – Tyre; same as Gaza but this in violation of a promise made in a treaty.

Edom – connected by blood to Israel (Jacob and Esau); this country had been adversarial toward God’s people for a long time.

Ammon – ripped open pregnant women in order to expand borders

Moab – desecrated the body of the dead.

These judgments outline the heinous nature of the sins of the surrounding nations. As Amos begins to share the “roar” of God from Jerusalem to the northern kingdom, the people of the north would have been glad to hear these decrees. But what they do not realize that the speck in the eyes of the enemies does not exceed the plank in their own eyes. Three things to learn.

Application

First, notice the patience of God. Each oracle begins with “For three sins, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath.” The point is not to suggest that only four sins produced God’s judgment but rather that God was extremely patient with these nations as they acted without thinking about the Creator. The idea is that God’s extreme patience, however, came to an end and it was time to allow these kingdoms to suffer the consequences of their mistreatment of others. Peter writes in 2 Peter 3:9 that God is extremely patient. He wants everyone to come to repentance. But there is a limit to God’s patience. God gives us all more chances than we deserve. Those chances are often ignored. But God is patient. But the chances will end one day.

Second, notice that the judgment comes because of the mistreatment of others. People are precious treasures. Every person is made in the image of God. Every person has value and worth. Every person is due respect. They may not act in respectful ways, but created in the image of God places great worth and value on them. God cares about people. Can we care a fraction as much as he does? There are plenty of times that we see the sins of others and recognize that justice needs to be done. One of the real challenges that we have is to hold the view that a person has value and worth while seeking justice. It is too easy to say that a person gets what they deserve. We recognize sin as sin, but we also recognize that sinners need a Savior. Which leads me to my third point.

Third, we are guilty of the same sins that we see in others. Before you get defensive and begin sputtering about your innocence, let’s review our sins:

Have you gossiped about someone and shredded their reputation just as Ammon did to pregnant women in shredding the child from her body?

Have you used someone to get something that you wanted just as Philistia did in selling another in order to increase their wealth?

Have you been angry with another person so that compassion was lost just as Edom did against others?

Our vision statement reminds us that we recognize that we are all sinners in need of encouragement and strength in our spiritual journey. So do others. Can we treat others with the compassion that we would like to receive? Can we remember that God has been patient with us and we can be patient with others? Can we focus on the value and worth of people?

God did this for us. Let’s do this for others.