There was nothing easier in the world than setting the Bible down, closing the cover, and neglecting to read it…”
–Kenneth Pratt (To Kill a Dragon)
“When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice… He will not forsake you…”
–Deuteronomy 4:30-31, (NKJV)
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Election by God, whether individual or national, has great privileges and responsibilities. Israel, the chosen people, was to fulfill God’s purposes. Amos proclaims, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” (3:2, NKJV) God had been faithful, but the covenant nation of Israel had not been faithful to God. As Peter C. Craigie says, “The nation’s past did not give it a license to sin, but imposed a special imperative to live in righteousness.” The same is true of believers. It would do us good to heed the words of the Apostle Paul, “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!” (Romans 6:15, NKJV) Perhaps the King James gives a stronger admonition, “Should we sin?…God forbid!”
Israel had forgotten all that God had done for them in the past; they had forgotten His blessings, now they would be judged. Lloyd Ogilvie states, “The nation was a rebellious child caught in the bind of a continuing tantrum against Yahweh’s authority.” Mercy, look at the news over the past few years. There is certainly a “continuing tantrum” taking place. Lawless cities, anarchy in some places, the havoc of progressive society with no rules or regulations, the influx of immigrants many of which are evil and cunning waiting to take advantage of their new situation. There is the continual mockery of God’s moral laws, the senseless murder of the unborn, and the snide smiles of those in leadership against the blessings of God, not recognizing Him as the Blesser.
To forget is dangerous. Ravi Zacharias related that once he was on a trip and sitting next to him was a young man who seemed to be distraught and somewhat cynical. He told Rev. Zacharias that he was going to a family reunion to which he said, “Nothing is worse than nostalgia.” To which Ravi replied, “Nothing except amnesia.” To forget, to deny the One who has blessed our lives, who has blessed this great nation is placing themselves in a precarious position. Paul tells us why we are to remember, “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:20, NKJV) “Glorifying God is our vocation, our calling. This includes personal piety and social righteousness.” (Ogilvie)
One of the most familiar passages found in Amos is 3:3, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” (NKJV) I am reminded that Adam walked with God until sin came and he hid himself. Enoch walked with God and the Lord took him. One walked away from God choosing sin, the other man walked step in step in unison with the Lord. Amos is telling us that God cannot walk, can no longer have fellowship with His own people because of their iniquity. They have chosen against Him. To walk with God means to have “a starting place, a shared pace, and a shared destination” (Ogilvie) It is our obligation, our duty to walk in step with God. We are not to walk in a different direction or not to walk in accordance to His word. “This is My way,” He is telling us, “walk in it.” Yet they were oblivious, careless, ignorant, and scoffable at their obligations before the Lord.
“The prophet simply informs sinning Israel that pending evil judgment should arouse them from their self-sufficiency and imagined self-security” (Albert Garner) The lion is roaring, is anyone listening? The warning blast from the trumpet is sounding, yet there is no fear. Israel is either blind, ignorant, or numb to the warnings given by the prophet. They do not seem to care or realize that they have a great obligation before the Lord. God will not excuse their actions. Jesus proclaimed, “…For everyone to whom much is given, for him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” (Luke 12:48, NKJV)
Has the trumpet been sounding? Has calamity come in various forms to waken us? Are we listening? Are we heeding His warnings? Amos was fulfilling his calling. “Amos heard the roar of God’s word” (Ogilvie). Each of us should heed God’s warning. We are without excuse, just as Israel was, and perhaps more so as we have the Bible easily available to us. Has itching ears caused us to cast aside the Word of God? Each of us should understand that “obedience is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22). If we neglect the warnings, and are not obedient, what then?” Matthew Henry warns us, “The distinguishing favors of God to us, if they do not serve to restrain us from sin, shall not serve to exempt us from punishment.”