July 12 - Amos 6-9: God Will Sift the Nations and Protect the Righteous

Today’s Reading: Amos 6-9

The Message

English Standard Version

Today we finish Amos (book 19). Don't worry, it gets less violent and more hopeful near the end.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

On God's Judgment Day no righteous person will be punished and no wicked person will be rewarded.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Amos continues God's warnings against Israel, "You who think you are strong, wake up. Disaster is right around the corner. Your luxurious life will vanish instantly.
"God will wipe out your arrogance using pagan armies.
"God prepared calamities against Judah. I begged for mercy and He relented. Instead, He will destroy the shrines and kill Jeroboam's family."
Amaziah confronted Amos. Amos replied that God's punishment would come whether Amaziah heard it or not.
God warns that Judgment Day is coming. All fake-god worshipers will be killed. Israel will be sifted. Worldwide, the righteous will be protected and the wicked punished.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God uses irony to show Israel their significance on the earth.

Israel has enjoyed peace and prosperity for so long they now believe they brought peace through their own strength. Now they boast in their strength and luxurious goods. God reminds them of their surrounding countries and mocks Israel, "Compared to them, you’re not much, are you?" (6:2, The Message). Instead of protecting Israel from their technologically-advanced neighbors, He will use these "pagan" armies to destroy Israel. Israel was to be God's example of righteousness to the world. Instead, they became just as corrupt as the nations around them. Since they forfeited their significance, God would show them how strong they were on their own. Our significance does not come from our strength or advanced culture/technology. Our significance comes from our advanced righteousness.

Israel will be sifted and the righteous and wicked separated—just like every other nation.

I have already written on how God's punishment extends to everyone. What Israel would find insulting about God doing such a thing is God's lowering of Israel from Chosen Nation status. Israel thought of themselves as higher, better, and more civilized than the other nations. God would not throw them in a sieve with the rest of the world. Israel was God's perfect nation. The other nations had no redeemable qualities. God, on the other hand, will put Israel through because He knows there are wicked people in His Chosen Nation of Chosen People. He will separate the righteous from the wicked in every nation. Your status as "righteous" or "wicked" is not dependent on your status as "Chosen" or "non-Chosen."

God will put everyone under His Influence into the same place and protect them forever.

Everyone under God's Influence, whether part of the Promise of Abraham, the promise of David, or outside the Law of Moses would be under God's hedge of protection. They would live the luxurious life Israel thought they were currently living. Everyone under God's Influence will one day be under the protection of God's Promise.
This is most likely a reference to the Church coming which would unite people from all countries throughout the world. However, it is a reference to what will happen in the end as well. Individuals from the Church, under the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ (the phrase from Romans), will only be protected by the Promise if they are under God's Influence. Those outside the Church are under the same conditions—righteousness leads to God's protection. Wickedness leads to God's punishment. Things are always the same with God! Only the names are changed as time goes by.

Are you under God's Influence or do you trust in your Chosen status?

July 11 - Amos 1-5: God's Chosen People in the Hands of an Angry (but Forgiving) God

Today’s Reading: Amos 1-5

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God chose Israel from the entire world. God expects more from them.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

The message of Amos during Uzziah's and Jeroboam (the Younger's) reign:
"God roars from Zion.
"'Aram! Gaza! Edom! Ammon! Moab! Judah! Israel! That's it! We're through!
"'Israel, I picked you, and in return you persecute the poor and delight in evil? We're going in different directions.
"'I swear your judgment is coming. You were too hardheaded to understand my messages. Now you'll listen!
"'Set things right and live. Otherwise God's punishment is coming—and it's not a pretty picture.
"'Here is what I want—rivers and oceans of setting things right. Or take your so-called gods with you into captivity.'"

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God is angry. He will be heard.

These chapters are difficult to read. They drip of anger, fury, rage, and exasperation. God looks down on His Chosen People and what does He see? War crimes, slavery of God's Chosen People, promise-breaking, murder, desecration of corpses, rejection of His revelation, and persecution of the righteous and the poor. Now, God will be heard or they will wiped off the face of the earth. Beware: Anger God and your punishment will come.

Israel thanks God for taking them out of slavery by selling others into slavery.

God has given Israel all it needs: deliverance from Egypt, safe passage through the wilderness, a land flowing with milk and honey, prophets to deliver His messages, and destruction for their enemies. Israel has regressed slowly but surely away from God's influence. Now, they must repent or die. Why has this happened? They forgot what God had done for them. They stopped training their young people to set things right. This is what happens when we ignore God's direction to teach the next generation what God has done. We must always remind our children how God delivered and blessed us.

God tried to communicate His Message, but they never listened.

Before we write Amos off as a harbinger of bad news, God reminds Israel that He tried to remind them of their God by taking away what Canaan gave them. Their so-called gods could not give them bread; yet they never hungered for God. What a sad, sad statement when God called out for His Chosen People to return, but they couldn't care less. If you lack something you desperately crave, it may be God's way of telling you that you are asking the wrong source for it. Ask God and He will respond.

God, through Amos, gives this message: Come back! I don't want to punish you!

It is easy to write Amos' presentation of God off as an angry man ready to strike at the first good opportunity. Unfortunately, we have often pictured the God of the Old Testament, especially the Minor Prophets, as a beast and the God of the New Testament as a fatherly, genteel god. Conversely, the presentation of God in the Old Testament is just as gentle and fatherly as the New Testament. God wants Israel to "Seek me and live" (5:4, The Message).

I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
   When was the last time you sang to me?
Do you know what I want?
   I want justice—oceans of it.
I want fairness—rivers of it.
   That’s what I want. That’s all I want.

God wants worship that comes from setting things right, not religious grandstanding.

Are you singing to the God who sets all things right or placating an angry God bent on destruction?