Latest / Dwelling Place: The Bible for Moms / #138. When God Confronts Complacency: Amos' Call to Justice, Compassion & True Worship | Amos 1–9

Transcript

#138. When God Confronts Complacency: Amos' Call to Justice, Compassion & True Worship | Amos 1–9 · Dwelling Place: The Bible for Moms

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  Steph: This is the Dwelling Place from Entrusted Ministries.
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  Steph: I'm Stephanie Hickox.
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  Steph: Today, we're reading how the Lord used a humble shepherd and fig tree farmer to speak God's words of the impending judgment These nine chapters of Amos confront complacency and a lack of compassion.
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  Steph: His name means burden bearer, and although he was born in Judah, god sent him to confront Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II the king that the prophets largely considered Israel's worst The nation of Israel was experiencing financial
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  Steph: prosperity under his reign, but their hearts were far from the Lord.
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  Steph: There was an absence of true worship and a lack of justice.
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  Steph: Although the law had allowed Israel to use servants to help them break free from financial debt, what Israel was doing at this time more resembles chattel slavery.
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  Steph: God rebuked this evil and the way they took advantage of others.
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  Steph: Some of these verses were
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  Speaker 9: also
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  Steph: heavily relied upon by abolitionists working to defeat slavery in history.
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  Steph: the book of Amos often uses courtroom terminology.
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  Steph: God is the judge, and he's calling the nations to account for their evil deeds.
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  Steph: Amos compiles his sermons, poems, and visions, and it begins with a timestamp you're already familiar with: Uzziah's earthquake.
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  Steph: It was such a monumental event that it was used as a timestamp in history In chapters one and two, Amos shows the words of the Lord that rebuke nation after nation.
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  Steph: First Damascus, then Gaza, then Tyre, then Edom, then the Ammonites, then Moab, and next Judah.
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  Steph: Lest they think they were safe from God's judgment, Amos tells them, Thus says the Lord, For three transgressions of Judah and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have rejected the law of the Lord and
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  Steph: have not kept His statutes, but their lies have led them astray, those after which their fathers walked.
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  Steph: So I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the strongholds of Jerusalem.
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  Steph: If you follow these rebukes geographically, they form an exact target around the nation of Israel and Israel is a recipient of the longest rebuke in the book Thus says the Lord, for three transgressions of Israel, and for four,
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  Steph: I will not revoke the punishment, because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals.
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  Steph: Those who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth, and turn aside the way of the afflicted.
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  Steph: A man and his father shall go into the same girl, so that my holy name is profaned.
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  Steph: They shall lay themselves down beside every altar on garments taken on pledge, and in the house of their god they drink the wine of those who have been fined.
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  Steph: Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars and who was as strong as the oaks.
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  Steph: I destroyed his fruit above and his roots beneath.
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  Steph: And it was I who brought you up out of the land of Egypt and led you forty years in the wilderness to possess the land of the Ammonite.
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  Steph: And I raised up some of your sons for prophets and some of your young men for Nazirites.
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  Steph: Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel?
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  Steph: declares the Lord.
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  Steph: But you made the Nazirites drink wine and commanded the prophets, saying, 'You shall not prophesy.'
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  Steph: Behold, I will press you down in your place as a cart full of sheaves presses down.
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  Steph: Flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not retain his strength, nor shall the mighty save his life.
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  Steph: He who handles the bow shall not stand, and he who is swift of foot shall not save himself, nor shall he who rides the horse save his life.
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  Steph: And he who is stout of heart among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, declares the Lord.
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  Steph: Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt.
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  Steph: You only have I known of all the families of the earth.
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  Steph: Therefore, I will punish you for all your iniquities.
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  Steph: as God reminds them of this history lesson, He's saying, "I was mighty for you.
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  Steph: I rescued you and saved you.
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  Steph: And you who think you're mighty now without Me will not be able to stand You have been my people, and that's why I will hold you accountable for your sin.
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  Steph: This is more evidence that a father disciplines those he loves, and God is willing to bring earthly consequences to spare us eternally Picking up in 3:12, Thus says the Lord As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the
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  Steph: lion two legs or a piece of an ear so shall the people of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued with the corner of a couch and part of a bed Hear and testify against the house of Jacob,
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  Steph: declares the Lord God, the God of hosts, that on the day I punish Israel for his transgressions, I will punish the altars of Bethel, and the horns of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground
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  Steph: The people had chosen to worship golden calves and pagan gods at the temple in Bethel.
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  Steph: And of their high places, the Lord says, "I'm bringing an end to all of it."
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  Steph: But he will rescue them as a shepherd rescues his flock.
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  Steph: We continue in chapter four Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy Who say to your husbands, "Bring, that we may drink."
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  Steph: The Lord has sworn in His holiness that behold, the days are coming upon you when they shall take you away with hooks, even the last of you with fish hooks God tells them judgment is coming for their injustice
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  Steph: Come to Bethel to Gilgal and multiply transgression.
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  Steph: Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days.
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  Steph: Offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them.
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  Steph: For so you love to do, O people of Israel," declares the Lord God God is calling them out for their wicked sacrifices to these false gods And next we see the efforts of the Lord to bring them to
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  Steph: the end of themselves I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places; yet you did not return to Me," declares the Lord.
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  Steph: I also withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest.
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  Steph: I would send rain on one city, and send no rain on another city; one field would have rain, and the field on which it did not rain would wither.
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  Steph: So two or three cities would wander to another city to drink water, and would not be satisfied; yet you did not return to Me," declares the Lord.
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  Steph: I struck you with blight and mildew; your many gardens and your vineyards, your fig trees and your olive trees the locust devoured.
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  Steph: Yet you did not return to Me," declares the Lord.
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  Steph: I sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword and carried away your horses, and I made the stench of your camp go up into your nostrils; yet you did
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  Steph: not return to Me," declares the Lord.
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  Steph: I overthrew some of you as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a brand plucked out of the burning; yet you did not return to Me," declares the Lord.
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  Steph: Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel."
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  Steph: For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth.
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  Steph: The Lord, the God of Hosts is His name God has disciplined them over and over for their abominations, yet they have continued in their wickedness.
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  Steph: He is righteously jealous for His people.
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  Steph: He knows He is the best thing for them, and He will not relent until this chosen nation returns to Him This faithfulness of God to teach His children, You will have no joy apart from Me," is such a
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  Steph: model for us As we parent and point our kids to the lasting joy of the Lord While they're learning about the pleasures this world has to offer, it's our job as parents to say, We can enjoy the gifts
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  Steph: of the Lord, but never think you'll be satisfied apart from the giver At times, we may see God taking away things they love dearly, and we can rejoice for God's faithful jealousy in their lives as well.
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  Steph: Perhaps you recognize that pattern in your own life, whether it's been the loss or the grieving of something you held dear that made you realize the sufficiency of your Savior The God of scripture does not punish for punishment's
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  Steph: sake.
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  Steph: He is a teacher and a restorer And we see this in chapter five.
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  Steph: For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel, Seek me and live.
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  Steph: But do not seek Bethel, and do not enter into Gilgal or cross over to Beersheba.
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  Steph: For Gilgal shall surely go into exile, and Bethel shall come to nothing."
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  Steph: Seek the Lord and live Next, God continues to rebuke their injustices.
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  Steph: They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks the truth.
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  Steph: Therefore, because you trample on the poor and you exact taxes of grain from him, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them.
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  Steph: You have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.
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  Steph: For I know how many are your transgressions and how great are your sins.
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  Steph: You who afflict the righteous who take a bribe and turn aside the needy in the gate.
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  Steph: Therefore, he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time, for it is an evil time.
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  Steph: Seek good and not evil, that you may live.
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  Steph: And so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you as you have said.
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  Steph: Hate evil and love good, and establish justice in the gate.
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  Steph: It may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
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  Steph: And many in the nation were hopeful for the day of the Lord to bring judgment upon the nations.
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  Steph: But God strongly rebukes them, saying in essence, "You want my justice?
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  Steph: Be careful."
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  Steph: Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord.
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  Steph: Why would you have the day of the Lord?
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  Steph: It is darkness and not light.
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  Steph: As if a man fled from a lion and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hands against the wall and a serpent bit him.
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  Steph: Is not the day of the Lord darkness and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?
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  Steph: I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
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  Steph: Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them.
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  Steph: And the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them.
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  Steph: Take away from me the noise of your songs.
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  Steph: To the melody of your harps I will not listen, But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
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  Steph: Do you hear these repeated calls that our faith in God should result in compassion toward others?
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  Steph: God is saying, "Don't pretend to honor me when you don't honor your fellow image-bearers."
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  Steph: But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood So God tells them For behold, I will raise up against you a nation, a house of Israel, declares the Lord, the God of hosts.
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  Steph: And they shall oppress you Next we come to chapter seven, where Amos begins sharing different visions the Lord gave him.
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  Steph: Initially, he envisions God sending locusts upon the nation, and he asks God to stop his judgment.
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  Steph: And the Lord relented concerning this.
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  Steph: "It shall not be," said the Lord.
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  Steph: Next, Amos sees judgment by fire.
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  Steph: Once again, Amos asks the Lord to change his mind.
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  Steph: And the Lord relented concerning this.
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  Steph: This also shall not be," said the Lord God.
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  Steph: Next, God shows Amos a construction tool of a plumb line.
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  Steph: A plumb line indicates whether or not the building is level.
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  Steph: And we know throughout the Bible that if you're not building on the foundation of the Lord, it's sure to be crooked.
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  Steph: God warns that these temples to false gods will be laid waste inserted here the wicked priest Amaziah goes to King Jeroboam II and tells him what Amos is saying against the nation.
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  Steph: Instead of repenting, this prophet and king rebuke Amos and order him to flee.
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  Steph: But Amos is confident in his mission from the Lord.
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  Steph: He responds, I was no prophet nor a prophet's son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs.
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  Steph: But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, Go prophesy to my people Israel.'"
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  Steph: And therefore hear the word of the Lord you say, do not prophesy against me?
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  Steph: And do not preach against the house of Isaac.
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  Steph: Therefore thus says the Lord, Your wife shall be a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be divided up with a measuring line.
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  Steph: You yourself shall die in an unclean land, and Israel shall surely go into exile, away from its land."
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  Steph: Next, God reveals to Amos a basket of summer fruit.
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  Steph: And in Hebrew, there's a play on words that we can't quite catch in English The Hebrew word for summer fruit and the word for the end are quite similar So when the Lord says, Amos, what do you see?"
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  Steph: And he said, "A basket of summer fruit," then the Lord replies, The end has come upon my people, Israel.
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  Steph: I will never again pass by them."
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  Steph: And to these people that do not want to hear the words of the Lord, God tells them in Amos 11 and 12, Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord God, when I will send a famine on the
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  Steph: land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.
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  Steph: They shall wander from sea to sea and from north to east.
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  Steph: They shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it."
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  Steph: This refers to the 400 years of silence between the Old Testament and the New Testament.
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  Steph: These people don't want to listen to God's words, and eventually He will issue His silence.
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  Steph: But after this purification of the nation, there is hope.
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  Steph: The book concludes, In that day I will rise up the booth of David that has fallen and repair its breaches and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old that they may possess the
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  Steph: remnant of Eden, and all the nations who are called by my name declares the Lord who does this.
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  Steph: And in the Jerusalem Council, in Acts 15, James quoted this very verse To confirm that our God is for every nation.
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  Steph: next God describes a restored Jerusalem Where the cities are rebuilt and inhabited, the vineyards are planted and enjoyed.
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  Steph: And God says, "I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them."
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  Steph: Though all of his disciplines to date have not produced fruit in their hearts, there will come a point where the nation will be purified.
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  Steph: Their religious hypocrisy will cease, and their love for God will produce a love for others.
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  Steph: Forty years after Amos proclaimed these words, the nation of Assyria entered and took them into captivity but it's not the end of the story.
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  Steph: Our God is a God that makes beauty from ashes.
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  Steph: And maybe you're looking at ruins in your own life.
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  Steph: Are there hopes and visions you had for yourself or your family you're evaluating circumstances and you only see ruins.
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  Steph: It's not turned out how you've expected.
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  Steph: Your family's health is struggling.
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  Steph: Your finances are dwindling.
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  Steph: Your relationships are far from thriving.
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  Steph: The things you wanted to do for the Lord haven't come to pass And when you look in the mirror you don't see what you used to But maybe in all of this, our hearts can be purified, and we
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  Steph: can be thankful for all of the circumstances that confront our complacency and help us be compassionate toward others that are struggling.
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  Steph: Let's pray now that the trials of this earth would produce a purity in our hearts that sets Christ alone on the throne Heavenly Father, as we read about your righteous judgment upon the nations, we are well aware of
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  Steph: the injustice we see today.
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  Steph: We plead for revival and a return to you, not just in our own hearts and in our families But in the countries we live, We don't just ask for a moral return, but rather pure-hearted worship that produces a
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  Steph: love for others.
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  Steph: We know without your hand of redemption, We are hopeless to produce this.
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  Steph: And Lord, it's a hard thing to praise you for, but we're grateful for the times that you have put an end to our dreams and our hopes so we could realize we have no delight apart from you We
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  Steph: pray for patience as we watch trials come upon our kids.
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  Steph: Help us to be mothers that meet our kids with compassion, but also faithfully point them to pursue you.
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  Steph: When doors close in their lives, give us eyes to see what you might be doing.
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  Steph: In the midst of it all, we thank you, God, that we have your word to continually guide us to your heart.
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  Steph: We thank you, Jesus, for the model that true love of God produces love for others And we long for this reality in our hearts and in our homes.
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  Steph: It's in your name we pray.
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  Steph: Amen