Latest / Journey Elgin / Journey Through Scripture - Amos 1-5
Transcript
- Phillip Thomas: It's good to see you today. My name is Philip Thomas, pastor of Journey here in Elgin and we are continuing our journey through scripture. We looked at ⁓ the book of Jonah. Today we're going to be looking into Amos. And so I encourage you to read the first five chapters of Amos. We're going to take ⁓ two episodes to go through Amos. So we'll go through the first five chapters today. All right. So Amos is a ⁓ pretty popular prophet. ⁓ Martin Luther King on ⁓ his I Have a Dream speech actually quoted from the book of Amos. ⁓ And so we'll see that actually in chapter five today. ⁓ But Amos was a prophet from Judah, so from the Southern Kingdom to the Northern Kingdom, to Israel. ⁓ And so God sent him from the Southern Kingdom to the Northern Kingdom to ⁓ speak and to prophesy a pretty tough message and it was to Israel during the time of Jeroboam. ⁓ This was a time where we just talked about, this was when Jonah also spoke with Jeroboam. Jeroboam did some good things. He expanded Israel's territory. ⁓ Actually economically, things were going okay in the Northern Kingdom at this time. However, As we saw at the end of there in second Kings, Jeroboam did evil in the side of the Lord. So there wasn't a spiritual renewal, but the Northern Kingdom ⁓ in politically, monetarily, ⁓ they were doing okay at this time. so, you know, probably a lot of, especially the leadership, they didn't really want to hear this message from Amos. But the people, they always had a... close enough connection with God that they at least listened or heard ⁓ prophets and gave them a chance to speak. And so we see Amos coming and speaking to the ⁓ Northern Kingdom. It's really interesting how he approaches things and how he starts. He says, you know, this is of course from the Lord. And he starts to go down all of the different enemies and says, for three transgressions and for four, ⁓ I will not turn away, God will not turn away His punishment. So he's going through the enemies of the northern kingdom of Israel and saying God is going to punish them, that there's going to be consequences for their actions. So you can imagine the king Jeroboam and the people are excited to hear this, they're like, yes, finally. You know, God's going to step up and protect us and, you know, exact vengeance upon our enemies. ⁓ So we see that throughout chapter 1, it's all the different enemies, and God says He's going to exact punishment because people took ⁓ captive, the whole captivity, right? So they put people in captivity. They delivered up the ⁓ captivity again and tired. Then talking about Edom because he pursued his brother with the sword. Right? So all of these things that these enemies have done, then you get to in that first chapter, verse 13, the transgressions of Ammon. I will not turn away its punishment because they ripped open the women with children, with child and Gilead. so that they could enlarge their territory. So God is going on and on about the things that these other nations have done and that they will experience God's punishment. So you can imagine King Jeroboam, they're like, hey, I like hearing this. And then ⁓ Amos begins judgment on Judah, so the Southern Kingdom. And this is in verse four of chapter two. Thus says the Lord, for threes transgressions of Judah and for four, I will not turn away its punishment because they have despised the law of the Lord. They have not kept his commandments. Their lies lead them astray, lies which their fathers followed, but I will send a fire upon Judah and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem." All right, so a couple things there. It's interesting, the sins of the other nations were the actions and unjust ⁓ actions that they have taken, how they have taken people into captivity, how they have killed innocent women and children, how they have murdered ⁓ people. So it's these ⁓ big, large actions that most of society, especially today, would see as reprehensible, that it's obvious that is something that you should not do. ⁓ You could put in here in our current political climate, ⁓ know, that ⁓ President ⁓ Putin, you will receive punishment for what you have done, you know, in Ukraine, right? That's kind of the, most people would recognize why there should be some punishment for these actions. But for Judah, it's very different. But it's said in the same exact way. God says, you will also receive punishment. Why? Because you have despised the law of the Lord. Now, that leads to bad action, but at this point, Judah is not in open rebellion against God. ⁓ They, in fact, are more faithful to God than the Northern Kingdom is, but they are starting to despise the law of the Lord. That's already, we're starting to see that. ⁓ They have not kept His commandments the way that they should. Their lies lead them astray, lies which their fathers followed. Right? And it's kind of like, you know, if you tell a lie long enough, it becomes the truth. You kind of get the feeling that's what's happening, is these lies have led them to not follow the commands of God. ⁓ And that's going to catch up with them. So Amos is... This is a little bit of foreshadowing to what is coming to Judah. So after this, focus shifts from Israel's enemies and Judah to Israel itself. And King Jeroboam, if he was kind of excited about hearing about all these things that were going to happen to all the other nations, his excitement would have changed very quickly and the demeanor would have changed quickly because what Jonah Excuse me, that was Tuesday. What Amos is going to tell ⁓ Israel is not popular and is certainly something that they did not want to hear and in fact, they disregarded. So you get there in verse 6 of chapter 2, we start seeing the judgment on Israel. says, will not turn away its punishment because they sell the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of sandals. They pant after the dust of the earth which is on the head of the poor and pervert the way of the humble. A man and his father go into the same girl to defile my holy name. They lie down by every altar on clothes taken and pledge and drink the wine of condemned in the house of their God." So the last part of that is talking about how they are worshiping other idols. ⁓ Sexual immorality is increasing. They pervert the way of the humble and then the way that they are treating the poor is atrocious. So they in some ways are just farther along than Judah because it would have had to start with them disregarding the commands of God, right? And now it's led to where they are now, to where the whole society now is starting to crumble. Now this doesn't mean that there aren't numerous people individuals and individual families that are God-fearing and seeking to do what God desires. But the tide has turned to the nation as a whole, ⁓ and punishment is coming. So then you can continue to read. A lot of this stuff is very cultural, specific to what was going on in that day. So it's just important to really understand the big picture here. ⁓ of what is going on. So Israel has clearly rebelled and God is sending prophets to give them a chance, but by this point, they've made their bed, if you will. So chapter three, ⁓ kind of, if the people thought that their special relationship with God, of how God had brought them out of Egypt, that that would save them, that that would be enough, ⁓ God makes clear there in chapter three that, no, you've let down your end of the bargain, right? This was a covenant, but there was a responsibility that you had. It says, ⁓ you only have known of all the families of the earth. Therefore, I will punish you for all your iniquities. Can two walk together unless they are agreed? Will a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? So basically, there's a partnership. There was a connection. here with this covenant relationship, but you have broken that and now there will be punishment. It continues on there in chapter 3, punishment for Israel's sins. They're in verse 9 and 10. says, ⁓ verse 10, "'For they do ⁓ not know to do right,' says the Lord, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces. Therefore, thus says the Lord God, and adversary shall be all around the land, and he shall sap your strength from you, and your palaces shall be plundered." So he's talking about what is to come. Chapter 4, hear this word, you cows of Bation, who are on the mountains of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to your husbands, bring wine, let us drink. This is the attitude of the leadership. ⁓ which has filtered down to many of the people as well. Again, not all of the people. There are going to be those who get caught up in this who are like, what's going on? I've tried to live my life the way that you desire God. Why are you doing this? And it just continues to go on. Verse 6, it kind of talks about how Israel did not... ⁓ accept correction. They had plenty of opportunities. Talks about, ⁓ know, anytime you undergo challenging circumstances on a societal level, it gives you an opportunity to kind of go back, to reset, and to maybe go back to your foundations. And Amos talks about that. I've given you, there's been times of drought, you still didn't turn back to me. There's been times of of plague, of those difficult ⁓ circumstances that you've been in, but yet you never thought to turn back to me. You just made it through those times in your own strength. You didn't turn back to me. It even talks about how you've been overthrown by enemies at times, and yet you still have not gone, come back to me. Verse 12 says, therefore, thus will I do to you, O Israel. because I will do this to you. Prepare to meet your God, O Israel." Now, I don't know about you, but that is a terrifying statement. You know, I think of different movies and stuff, whatever, you know, someone has, you know, had a victim in their sights and, you know, prepare to meet your Maker. Well, when the Maker Himself is saying, prepare to meet your Maker, that's worthy of being terrified. And that's the place that Israel is in because they have continued to not respond to the opportunities God has given them. And I do think that applies to other societies. Well, I think that applies to our society. We are not the new Israel. We do not have the same relationship with God as Israel did. ⁓ But I was hopeful that maybe as a country... ⁓ going through this pandemic, that we would have seen a ⁓ stronger spiritual revival of turning back to God. Unfortunately, I do not feel like that has happened. And you wonder, are those the chances that we are being given to, as a people, ⁓ to return back? to our foundations, to return back to who God is and what He has called us to do. I don't know, just a thought as I was reading that, that came into my head. But I do love that line, prepare to meet your God, O Israel. Not a good place. So then chapter five goes into a lament for Israel, that this is sad. This is not what he wants. But this is a consequence, a natural consequence of sin and rejection. Whenever we reject God, turn our backs on God, ⁓ these are the things that will happen. ⁓ Then there is a call to repentance. You know, kind of one of those calls that each individual can heed this call. Doesn't mean they're going to be spared from the coming disasters, but that at least they can go with a clean heart and a clean conscience. It says, seek me and live, but do not seek Bethel or Gilgal or Beersheba. ⁓ So it says, seek me, not your leaders, not the nation of Israel, not the people. Seek me ⁓ and live. then in verse six, seek the Lord and live. This idea, where are we going to put our trust? Where are we going to put our loyalty? And then verse 12, for I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins, afflicting the just and taking bribes, diverting the poor from justice at the gate. Therefore the prudent keeps silent at that time, for it is an evil time. Seek good and not evil that you may live. So the Lord God of hosts will be with you as you have spoken. Hate evil, love good, establish justice in the gate. It may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph." Right? So this call to the individual to seek good, to not evil, to hate evil, to love good, to establish justice. Then it transitions into the Day of the Lord, talking about the Day of the Lord. There shall be wailing in all the streets. They shall say, in all the highways, alas, alas. So the Day of the Lord is going to be a bad thing. in verse 18 says, woe to you who desire the day of the Lord. That jumps out because how many of us have said, okay, Lord, it's just time for you to come. Well, do we really know what that means? What that means is there's no more opportunity for repentance. There's no more opportunity to find deliverance. And ⁓ what God says here says, for what ⁓ good is the day of the Lord to you? It will be darkness and not light. It will be as though a man fled from a lion and a bear met him." So the Day of the Lord is, it's a powerful day. Justice is coming, but it comes with a price and all will be impacted, the faithful and those who have rejected alike. Then it continues to go on. ⁓ Verse 24 is the one that Martin Luther King used. but let justice roll down like water, righteousness like a mighty stream. The day of the Lord is going to bring that justice, but it does come at a cost. And it's more ideal to repent before the day of the Lord than to wait until that comes. But you know what? What history has shown us is that people usually have to wait for the day of the Lord. And then when that happens, there are those who have chosen to seek good and not evil, who are the remnant, who can help to to rebuild. But the process is tough. ⁓ And this is a powerful book, Amos. I do think it speaks to today and it's something for us to think about. ⁓ But what you can do as an individual is you can choose to seek justice. to seek the good, to hate evil. That is what God calls us to do, and that we put our trust solely in Him. All right, next we'll finish out the rest of Amos. So I hope that you have a wonderful week, and we'll see you on...