In Dicken's "A Christmas Carol, after Scrooge had been with the "Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come", He awoke crying and begging for one more chance at life ... on his bed clutching the sheets of his bed coverings...it was then he realized...there was still hope...there was still time...
The prophet Amos was from an area called "Tekoa"... about 12 miles south of Jerusalem. Amos was a shepherd and tended to fig trees. He was originally from Judah, but the Lord had sent him to Israel. By this time, the nation of Israel was split into two nations, the nation of Israel and the nation of Judah.
We know little of the life of Amos, particularly his personal life. Did he have a family? How long did he live? Where did he speak the messages God gave to him? None of these questions have clear answers.
He might have spoke God's Word in Samaria...simply because he mentions Samaria in his writings numerous times.
It seems Amos spoke with 3 basic thoughts in mind: 1. There was only one God. 2. God is our judge...and we are responsible for our actions in life. 3. God is a God of mercy...Amos was a believer in " His mercy triumphs over His judgment."
The nation of Israel was in a period during the life of Amos where their hearts were far from the Lord God. They actually "worshipped the Lord" but did not obey His laws. As a result, their worship was false...and Amos could not offer Israel hope if they continued on the way of life they chose.
The "big sin" that seemed to stick out more than any other in regards to the nation of Israel was the fact they worshipped idols...and it was going on everywhere. They had built shrines in the hills and numerous cities had shrines dedicated to other gods whom Israel worshipped and paid tribute to.
So, when they came to the Temple to give worship and honor to the Lord...it was a "joke". In fact, the only reason Israel gave God any attention was to try and appease Him like the other gods they worshipped...that they might have "good things " happen to themselves. Israel had "no conscience" when it came to their daily lives and behaviors being offensive to the Lord God. They were taking advantage of one another in things like real estate...forcing some to become slaves to others...in fact it was a very a common occurrence...but it was not acceptable in the...Sacred Scriptures.
After Amos had given Israel numerous warnings of how bleak the future would be if they did not give their hearts to the Lord, he instills a statement of hope...even though the sins of Israel had "piled high".
A Gleaning from Amos 5: 13-14
" There is so much evil among you, true justice seems to be a lost cause. Evil is at epidemic proportions and your best bet right now...is to "shut-up!" Any one with just a little intelligence knows when trouble is about to come...it is a good time to become silent. By doing so, perhaps you can think through what has happened and come to your senses.
Here then is the first thing that you should make a ...top priority! If you really want to live a life that is rewarding...both to you and to the love you need to give to the Lord...by dedicating your very hearts to Him, so you might start to turn "this thing around"... you need to stop doing what is wrong and start doing what is right.
You are all talk! You act like the God-of-the-Angel-Armies is your best friend...but You treat Him with the utmost disrespect! Let your daily lives begin to confirm your friendship with Him! Then, maybe the Lord God will be with you...and help you...like all "your talk" has been claiming."
We know little of the life of Amos, particularly his personal life. Did he have a family? How long did he live? Where did he speak the messages God gave to him? None of these questions have clear answers.
He might have spoke God's Word in Samaria...simply because he mentions Samaria in his writings numerous times.
It seems Amos spoke with 3 basic thoughts in mind: 1. There was only one God. 2. God is our judge...and we are responsible for our actions in life. 3. God is a God of mercy...Amos was a believer in " His mercy triumphs over His judgment."
The nation of Israel was in a period during the life of Amos where their hearts were far from the Lord God. They actually "worshipped the Lord" but did not obey His laws. As a result, their worship was false...and Amos could not offer Israel hope if they continued on the way of life they chose.
The "big sin" that seemed to stick out more than any other in regards to the nation of Israel was the fact they worshipped idols...and it was going on everywhere. They had built shrines in the hills and numerous cities had shrines dedicated to other gods whom Israel worshipped and paid tribute to.
So, when they came to the Temple to give worship and honor to the Lord...it was a "joke". In fact, the only reason Israel gave God any attention was to try and appease Him like the other gods they worshipped...that they might have "good things " happen to themselves. Israel had "no conscience" when it came to their daily lives and behaviors being offensive to the Lord God. They were taking advantage of one another in things like real estate...forcing some to become slaves to others...in fact it was a very a common occurrence...but it was not acceptable in the...Sacred Scriptures.
After Amos had given Israel numerous warnings of how bleak the future would be if they did not give their hearts to the Lord, he instills a statement of hope...even though the sins of Israel had "piled high".
" There is so much evil among you, true justice seems to be a lost cause. Evil is at epidemic proportions and your best bet right now...is to "shut-up!" Any one with just a little intelligence knows when trouble is about to come...it is a good time to become silent. By doing so, perhaps you can think through what has happened and come to your senses.
Here then is the first thing that you should make a ...top priority! If you really want to live a life that is rewarding...both to you and to the love you need to give to the Lord...by dedicating your very hearts to Him, so you might start to turn "this thing around"... you need to stop doing what is wrong and start doing what is right.
You are all talk! You act like the God-of-the-Angel-Armies is your best friend...but You treat Him with the utmost disrespect! Let your daily lives begin to confirm your friendship with Him! Then, maybe the Lord God will be with you...and help you...like all "your talk" has been claiming."
No comments:
Post a Comment