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The fall and rise of Israel
- 1st – A famine in the Land… vs. 1-14
- 1st – The vision of summer fruit… vs. 1-3
- God showed Amos a 4th vision – a basket full of summer fruit…
- When God asked Amos about the basket – He told him the end had come for Israel…
- Summer fruit was the last fruit of the year to be gathered – no more crops afterwards…
- It was also fruit that could not be preserved – it had to be eaten as soon as it ripened…
- The though being Israel was done producing good fruit – and was ripe for judgment!
- This wealthy prosperous nation would be brought to its knees – broken!
- If you are like me – there are times you wonder why God does not judged us yet…
- God is VERY patient when it comes to sin – He wants everyone to be save – II Peter 3:9
- But also in spite of all the wickedness – is there are still fruits of righteousness…
- There are still Godly men and women who are living for and serving Jesus…
- But that does not mean judgment will not come – God is not mocked – judgment is coming!
- God would not pass by the sin of Israel anymore…
- The songs (happy days) in their Temple were gone – to be replaced by mourning…
- Dead bodies would be everywhere – thrown out in silence because there were so many…
- There would be no ceremony – no funeral – there would be more dead than living!
- Speaking of the absolute devastation that was about to befall the nation!
- When the black plague hit London in 1348 – nearly half of the city died in 18 months…
- The result of so much death was people just thrown into pits often stacked 5 people deep!
- God showed Amos a 4th vision – a basket full of summer fruit…
- 2nd – Hear this – the charges against Israel… vs. 4-6
- God gives Amos a breakdown of the moral flaws of the people…
- They take advantage of those in need – ignore the plight of the poor…
- If someone is hungry and we say – God bless you – what good does that do – James 2:16
- We are called as believers to practically reach out in love / help out those in need…
- How can we say we represent Jesus – we Love someone – and not be willing to help!
- They are greedy – only think about money…
- They despise the ‘new moon’– a monthly day to celebrate the Lord – Numbers 10:10
- They cannot wait for the Sabbath to be over – because work was forbidden – Exodus 20:10
- Many years ago it used to be that all the businesses closed on Sunday…
- They did so because it was important to set aside a day to worship the Lord…
- But slowly that began to erode as people realized Sunday was another day to make money!
- People thought it was a better to open the malls – and close the churches!
- They use dishonest weights (ephah was a measurement of weight / shekel money)…
- This might seem a minor offense – just a little bit of cheating to get an extra buck…
- But the Lord calls it an abomination – Deuteronomy 25:13 / Proverbs 11:1 / 20:23
- We tend to think taking paperclip from the company is not a big deal…
- But the guy who stole millions from his company – probably started with a paperclip!
- Sometimes the minor offenses are the most important – because they reveal the heart…
- People start out small because they are afraid of getting caught…
- But if we check our heart in the little things – it will keep us from greater sin!
- They buy the poor for silver / needy for a pair of sandals – see people only as a tool!
- This is speaking of slavery – seeing people as a commodity to be traded for gain…
- There has been some speculation about what the Bible teaches about slavery…
- While the Bible does acknowledge slavery – does God view it as right or wrong…
- The simple answer is – God views it as a great evil – a sign of the wickedness of the heart…
- He created all men to be equal – Galatians 3:26 – and will judge those who mistreat others!
- They sell the bad wheat – perhaps wheat mixed with chaff…
- In the Philippines bad merchants often mix the rice with very small pebbles…
- The purpose is to increase the weight of the rice so they can charge more!
- It forces people to sift out their rice before cooking it – or end up with broken teeth!
- God gives Amos a breakdown of the moral flaws of the people…
- 3rd – Hear this – the consequences for Israel… vs. 7-10
- The Lord had sworn – He would not forget any of the ‘works’ (sin) of Jacob…
- Because the people did not mourn their sin – there was no regret for their wickedness…
- The suggestion is that if the people had repented – there was still hope…
- It was their indifference to their sin – that would ultimately be their undoing!
- It is not sin that keeps people from the Lord – Jesus took care of that on the Cross…
- It is their unwillingness to repent of their sin – and ask for forgiveness!
- As a result the people would be wiped away…
- Amos paints a vivid picture using familiar Biblical images of sorrow and devastation:
- The flooding of the Nile Egypt – rises as much as 20’ every year during the seasonal floods!
- The sun would go dark at noon – perhaps referring to an eclipse…
- Feasts would turn to mourning / songs into weeping / all would end up in sackcloth…
- All would shave their heads in sorrow – as if they had lost their only son!
- All of this simply because Israel had too much pride to turn back to the Lord!
- Did you ever wonder why so many people reject the Gospel message…
- They have LOTS of excuses – they blame science / evolution / other religions…
- But the truth is all of these excuses are paper thin – easily debunked…
- The real reason is they do not want to give up the sin in their life…
- They would rather have their sin – than eternal life with God in Heaven!
- The Lord had sworn – He would not forget any of the ‘works’ (sin) of Jacob…
- 4th – A famine of the Word… vs. 11-14
- The days were coming – when God would send a famine…
- Not a famine of food or water – but a famine of the Word of the LORD (Yahweh)…
- Speaking of the 400 years of silence – between Malachi and Matthew…
- When there were no prophets in Israel or Judah – no one declaring the Word of the LORD!
- They did not want to hear the Word of the LORD – so God gave them what they wanted!
- People would wander from sea to sea – from the Mediterranean to the Dead Sea…
- They would run to and fro – from north to east (notice not south to Jerusalem)…
- But the Word of the LORD would be nowhere to be found – because they did not want it!
- As a result the young women and men would faint from thirst – a thirst for the Lord!
- Psalm 63:1 – “My soul thirsts for You… In a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.”
- And all those who swore by the gods of Dan (golden calf) – would fall and not get up again!
- It is sad that you can still search from sea to sea today and not find the Word…
- And for the same reasons – people do not want to hear the truth…
- They want their ears tickled – tell them what they want to hear – II Timothy 4:3
- As a result too many pastors today spend too little time teaching the Word…
- Instead they tell funny stories to entertain – sprinkled with the occasional Bible verse!
- They are more interested in filling pews – than creating saints!
- But it is not our words / or funny stories – people need to hear…
- They need to know about the hope of Heaven / or the horror of hell!
- But the ones who should be teaching them – the pastors – do not!
- The biggest problem in the church today – there is a famine in the Land!
- The days were coming – when God would send a famine…
- 1st – The vision of summer fruit… vs. 1-3
- 2nd – The destruction of Israel… vs. 1-10
- 1st – No where to run… vs. 1-4
- God showed Amos a 5th and final vision – the Lord standing by the golden calves (altar)…
- People thought they were safe in the temple of the golden calves – but God was there…
- And He commanded the columns of the temple to be hit – cause the foundations to shake…
- The temple would collapse and killing those who were worshiping inside!
- God would then hunt down anyone who survived…
- Those who escaped the sword (war with Assyria) – would not get very far…
- If they tired to hide in a cemetery (dig into sheol) – the Hand of God would find them…
- If they tried to climb up to heaven (mountain top – Carmel) – God would bring them down…
- If they tried to hide from His sight in the bottom of the sea – the serpent would bit them…
- Even once they went into captivity – the sword would find and kill them…
- Because the Lord had set His eye to harm and not help them!
- There is no place we can go to escape from the Lord…
- Hebrews 4:13 – “There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”
- I am sure just like in Israel – people think there are ‘safe places’ from the Lord…
- Perhaps they run to the bar / or to the ‘safe places’ on the college campus…
- Thinking surely God would never come to a place like this – but He is there!
- That can either be a VERY unsettling thought – if we are trying hide from the Lord…
- Or it can be a VERY comforting thought – to know the Lord is always with us!
- Psalm 139:7-12 – “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.”
- God showed Amos a 5th and final vision – the Lord standing by the golden calves (altar)…
- 2nd – The diaspora of Israel… vs. 5-10
- Just in case there was any doubt that God was capable of executing His Judgments…
- He is the Lord GOD of Hosts – Adonai / Yahweh / Tsabaw (military commander)
- A title used 33 times in the Old Testament (this is the last time) to declare His power!
- He is the one who touches the earth and it melts (volcanoes)…
- He causes the ground to rise like the Nile River – then sink again (earthquake)…
- He built his house in Heaven (sky) / He constructed the plates (strata) of the earth…
- He calls for the waters from the sea – and pours them down on the land (water cycle)…
- The LORD is His name – distinguishing Him from all other ‘gods’ on the earth!
- Did Israel think they were better than others (Ethiopians)…
- Yes God brought them out of bondage of Egypt – but they were not alone…
- God rescued the Philistines from Caphtor (Crete) / and Syrians from Kir (Mesopotamia)!
- Now the eyes of God were on this sinful nation – but He would not completely destroy it…
- God would sift them among the nations – diaspora – but the righteous would not be lost…
- But all the sinners WOULD perish – those who doubted the judgment of God!
- Too many Christians get the impression they are untouchable…
- Once saved always saved – they have nothing to fear from His judgment…
- But Israel – the chosen people of God – were broken off cause of unbelief – Romans 11:20
- How much more will he also be willing to break us off if we do not continue to live by faith!
- John 15:2 – “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away…”
- A branch apart from a tree dies – just as apart from Jesus we die spiritually…
- There is no middle ground in the Christian walk – we are either growing in Jesus…
- Or we are slowly dying – caught up in the care of this world!
- If you plug a light into a cinder block – nothing happens – only a socket has power…
- In the same way we often try and plug our lives into the world…
- Then we wonder why we have no power – why we are always in the dark
- It is only when we plug into Jesus – that the light comes on!
- Just in case there was any doubt that God was capable of executing His Judgments…
- 1st – No where to run… vs. 1-4
- 3rd – The resoration of Israel… vs. 11-15
- 1st – The tabernacle of David… vs. 11-12
- On that Day – God would raise up the Tabernacle of David that had fallen down…
- That day is not speaking of rebuilding the Temple – either Zerubbabel or Herod…
- Is it talking about the promise God made to King David – II Samuel 7:16
- The Lord promised the House of David would stand forever – referring to the Messiah!
- The tabernacle Amos is talking about – is Jesus Christ – John 1:14 (tabernacled)!
- Jesus would repair the damage done by sin – restore men to God as in the ‘days of old’!
- But this promise was not just for the Jews…
- Jesus would take possession of Edom (LXX – mankind) – all the gentiles called by His name!
- In Acts 15 the church faced a challenge – did gentiles have to become Jews to be saved…
- Paul and Barnabus made a special trip to Jerusalem just to resolve this issue…
- After hearing about the work they did on the 1st missionary journey…
- James (brother of Jesus) – head of the church in Jerusalem – addressed the counsel…
- God always meant for the Gospel to go to the Gentiles – and he quoted Amos 9:12!
- On that Day – God would raise up the Tabernacle of David that had fallen down…
- 2nd – The rebirth of Israel… vs. 13-15
- The days were coming – after the 1st advent of the Messiah – when Israel would be reborn…
- The land would once again flourish – when grain will grow faster than it can be harvested…
- When Israel would return again to their land – rebuild their cities / plant their crops…
- God would plant Israel in their land – and they will never again be removed!
- The days were coming – after the 1st advent of the Messiah – when Israel would be reborn…
- 1st – The tabernacle of David… vs. 11-12
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