Certain men led other men—perhaps most men—to reject God, their maker and sustainer. They wanted a religion of man…to do what they wanted, how they wanted, whenever they wanted.”
–G.P. Hutchinson (Strong Conviction)
“For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News?”
–1 Peter 4:17 (NLT)
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Amos continues his discourse with a description of the might and power of God. The people held a low view of God; they were apostates, worshiping other gods. A.W. Tozer states, “The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.” Amos presents the God of power, or as Ogilvie relates, “God is not only inescapable, He is mighty.”
9.5 — The Lord GOD of hosts, He who touches the earth and it melts, and all who dwell there mourn; all of it shall swell like the River, and subside like the River of Egypt.
.6 — He who builds His layers in the sky, and has founded His strata in the earth; who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the face of the earth–the LORD is His name. (NKJV)
“Yahweh controls His creation because He is builder and founder of both heaven and earth.” (Ogilvie) He is the Commander of the armies of heaven–this is referred to nine times by Amos. His touch can melt the earth. Power and mighty are His and His alone.
.7 — “Are you not like the People of Ethiopia to Me, O children of Israel?” says the LORD. “Did I not bring up Israel from the land of Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?
.8 — Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the face of the earth; yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,” says the LORD.
.9 — “For surely I will command, and will sift the house of Israel among all nations, as grain is sifted in a sieve; yet not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground.
.10 — All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, who say, ‘The calamity shall not overtake nor confront us.'” (NKJV)
Amos calls Israel “the sinful kingdom.” They are a kingdom deserving destruction. To those who are arrogant, calamity will come. As Ogilvie reminds us, “The greatest sin is to persist in saying we have no sin.” However, there is a ray of hope. God will indeed sift His people, but to those who repent, God will offer grace. The nation will be sifted; judgment will come and sinners will be punished. God will watch and He watches carefully over those who are faithful and He remembers His covenant. By referring to the “house of Jacob,” God was mindful of His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would therefore preserve a remnant.
Woe unto Israel. From this time forward until God restores the nation there would be trials and troubles. Glance briefly at the timeline following Amos’ prophecy:
722 B.C. — Assyrian invasion (Israel destroyed and into captivity)
606 B.C. — Babylonian invasion (Judah destroyed and into captivity)
66-72 — Romans drive out the Seleucids
700 — Muslim invasion and persecution of Jews
1100 — beginning of Crusades
1200 — Papal persecutions
1306-1498 — expelled from various countries in Europe many of which blamed the Jews for the “Black Death” plague
1563 — order in Russia, they must be baptized or drowned
1900 — persecutions begin in Austria and Germany
1939-45 — Hitler murdered six million plus Jews
Yet God does and will remember. The words of Peter C. Craigie give out an ominous warning: “Righteousness and justice must be preserved at the centre, whether of the Church or of individual lives. When they are absent there, they will disappear elsewhere. And if the life-giving spirit of God does not flow from the centre to permeate the whole, then the judgment of God may fill the vacuum.” Take heed of God’s warning. Now is the day of salvation, repent and look to Him, lest He come with swift judgment.
—————————–
Amos continues his discourse with a description of the might and power of God. The people held a low view of God; they were apostates, worshiping other gods. A.W. Tozer states, “The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.” Amos presents the God of power, or as Ogilvie relates, “God is not only inescapable, He is mighty.”
9.5 — The Lord GOD of hosts, He who touches the earth and it melts, and all who dwell there mourn; all of it shall swell like the River, and subside like the River of Egypt.
.6 — He who builds His layers in the sky, and has founded His strata in the earth; who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the face of the earth–the LORD is His name. (NKJV)
“Yahweh controls His creation because He is builder and founder of both heaven and earth.” (Ogilvie) He is the Commander of the armies of heaven–this is referred to nine times by Amos. His touch can melt the earth. Power and mighty are His and His alone.
.7 — “Are you not like the People of Ethiopia to Me, O children of Israel?” says the LORD. “Did I not bring up Israel from the land of Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?
.8 — Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the face of the earth; yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,” says the LORD.
.9 — “For surely I will command, and will sift the house of Israel among all nations, as grain is sifted in a sieve; yet not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground.
.10 — All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, who say, ‘The calamity shall not overtake nor confront us.'” (NKJV)
Amos calls Israel “the sinful kingdom.” They are a kingdom deserving destruction. To those who are arrogant, calamity will come. As Ogilvie reminds us, “The greatest sin is to persist in saying we have no sin.” However, there is a ray of hope. God will indeed sift His people, but to those who repent, God will offer grace. The nation will be sifted; judgment will come and sinners will be punished. God will watch and He watches carefully over those who are faithful and He remembers His covenant. By referring to the “house of Jacob,” God was mindful of His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would therefore preserve a remnant.
Woe unto Israel. From this time forward until God restores the nation there would be trials and troubles. Glance briefly at the timeline following Amos’ prophecy:
722 B.C. — Assyrian invasion (Israel destroyed and into captivity)
606 B.C. — Babylonian invasion (Judah destroyed and into captivity)
66-72 — Romans drive out the Seleucids
700 — Muslim invasion and persecution of Jews
1100 — beginning of Crusades
1200 — Papal persecutions
1306-1498 — expelled from various countries in Europe many of which blamed the Jews for the “Black Death” plague
1563 — order in Russia, they must be baptized or drowned
1900 — persecutions begin in Austria and Germany
1939-45 — Hitler murdered six million plus Jews
Yet God does and will remember. The words of Peter C. Craigie give out an ominous warning: “Righteousness and justice must be preserved at the centre, whether of the Church or of individual lives. When they are absent there, they will disappear elsewhere. And if the life-giving spirit of God does not flow from the centre to permeate the whole, then the judgment of God may fill the vacuum.” Take heed of God’s warning. Now is the day of salvation, repent and look to Him, lest He come with swift judgment.