When I retired a little over 2 years ago, I committed to read the Bible through each year.  This year (third time through), I am reading "chronologically, and find myself reading the little book of Amos this morning.

I challenge you to read the first five chapters of Amos, a writing I have often simply passed over. There is a LOT of stuff in these few verses. A recap:

God pronounces judgment on six city-states that have historically oppressed the Israelites, and behaved in a "sinful" fashion to their neighbors. Now, the Jewish people must have applauded and cheered as Amos went through this list of city-states, describing how God was going to "get them". 

You'll remember during this time the Jewish people were developing their "Day of the Lord" thought. Although the Jewish people were specifically "chosen" by God ( through whom God would bless the world - they seem to have forgotten that part), God had allowed them to be beaten and trodden upon, and generally disrespected. They built this "Day of the Lord" picture - one day, God would come striding into history, and would defeat all of their oppressors, and would establish a kingdom, with the Jewish people on His right hand. The Jewish people would rule in concert with God, in their rightful place, above all other humanity. 

So, as Amos foretold the destruction, you can just imagine they thought that "Day of the Lord" had arrived. 

But then, something very interesting happens. Amos turns the prophesy directly upon Judah and Israel. Judah will be judged specifically because they have abandoned the specific instruction from the Lord - they have a specific revelation of God they have ignored. They have lived in ways that are not God's ways, in ways they have been specifically instructed NOT to live. The Israel kingdom will be judged because they have specifically disrespected humankind, God's creation in His own image. They turn a blind eye to the poor and the needy!  (How many times do i pass by someone that is hungry?) And their sexual practices are detestable to God.  (Sound familiar?). And they are indicted because they are superficial in their worship - they spread coats they have essentially stole from the poor and needy next to the altars, and sleep on them - a false piety. (Not that we would ever be shallow n our approach to God!). 

It gets even better. God then goes through reminding the Jewish people what He has done on their behalf. God calls their hand - He says, essentially, "You guys have evidently forgotten all that!  And, I'm done with you!". And then God points out His faithfulness, even in the face of their unfaithfulness. He has known no other; He has specifically chosen them; they have not been faithful. So, God is going to bring judgement upon them. 

And it gets even better. God points out, through Amos, the "signs" He has sent - six "calamities". They are …

  … Famine

  … Drought

  … Crop disease and locusts

  … Plagues and warfare

  … Destruction of Israelite cities

Of course, the Jewish people didn't recognize these as warning signs - I would think, if they had, they would have changed their ways. 

"Since you haven't been paying attention …

Amos 4:12-13

Therefore, Israel, that is what I will do to you,

and since I will do that to you,

Israel, prepare to meet your God!

13 He is here:

the One who forms the mountains,

creates the wind,

and reveals His thoughts to man,

the One who makes the dawn out of darkness

and strides on the heights of the earth.

 Yahweh, the God of Hosts, is His name.

(In light of their defiance of God, would this not just draw you up tight?  WOW!  I have missed this for years!)

The remedy is easy…

Amos 5:14-15

Seek good and not evil

so that you may live,

and the Lord, the God of Hosts,

will be with you,

as you have claimed.

15 Hate evil and love good;

establish justice in the gate.

Perhaps the Lord, the God of Hosts, will be gracious

to the remnant of Joseph.

And, then, Amos gets to the "bottom line" (at least for me, in this reading). 

Amos 5:21-24

21 I hate, I despise your feasts!

I can’t stand the stench

of your solemn assemblies.

22 Even if you offer Me

your burnt offerings and grain offerings,

I will not accept them;

I will have no regard

for your fellowship offerings of fattened cattle.

23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs!

I will not listen to the music of your harps.

24 But let justice flow like water,

and righteousness, like an unfailing stream.

I approach all readings with an expectation that God has something to say to me.  So, what is in this for me this morning?

God is not appreciative - God does not respect - a shallowness in relationships. He expects me to be "sold out" - to have a deep appreciation of Him, and what He has done on my behalf. Just as He chose Israel through whom to bless the world, He has chosen me to be an empty vessel, "holy … available", ready for His use, through whom He will bless others. I have a tremendous responsibility here. He does not want a shallow, lip-service kind of a relationship with me; He wants a deep, abiding relationship, one that will allow Him to transform me into His image, just as He created me to be. In all that I do, He expects me to bring honor and glory to His holy name. 

Now, that is a scary prospect, isn't it?  How can I EVER accomplish that?

Fact of the matter is, I can't. Not through my own devices. 

God has provided a way …

Ephesians 3:16-19

16 I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit, 

17 and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 

18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, 

19 and to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

"Father, stir within me a strong desire to practice faithfulness to You; to recognize and to remember all that You have done, and will continue to do, on my behalf. Create within me a willingness to be transformed daily into an empty vessel through which You pour blessings. Grant me the discernment to recognize opportunities You put in my path."