Tag: Amos

10.a. “But the Lord took me from following the flock”

Amos 10:14  Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ Now therefore hear the word of the Lord.

 Psalms 78:70-72  He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds;  from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance.

 Matthew 4:18-19  While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.  And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

 Matthew 9:9  As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

 1 Corinthians 1:27  But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;

Do you ever wonder what it is that God has called you to do?  Are you listening?  Are you wanting to hear Him and desiring to obey Him?  Amos, David, Samuel, Matthew, Peter, and Andrew are but a very few listed here.  They were humble.  They knew in there heart they were called to trust, follow, rely and obey.  I look back and know I have been placed in places and positions that were only by the hand of God and His leading.  I also know how many times I failed at being a good example, follower, and doing that which was honoring Him.  Paul put it best when he said “the things I ought to do I don’t, and the things I should not do I do”.  Such seems to be the battle we have in life with our sinful nature and humbly serving God.  These battles do not seem to go away.  After one is won or lost and a lesson is learned and our walk with Jesus Christ matures,  but God is always leading us deeper and deeper into knowing Him, trusting Him, and relying on Him.   He has called us into a life of knowing Him more and more.  He has called us to do special things once or the same things continuously.   As a follower we do well to keep our ears open and our hearts yearning for His leading. Remember you have been called to honor, follow, trust, and obey in whatever God has for you each day.  He has a purpose for your life.  Allow Him to use it for His honor and glory.

9.z. ““Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people “

Amos 7:7   This is what he showed me: behold, the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass by them; the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”

2 Samuel 8:2    And he defeated Moab and he measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground. Two lines he measured to be put to death, and one full line to be spared. And the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.

2 Kings 21:13    And I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria, and the plumb line of the house of Ahab, and I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down.

Isaiah 28:17    And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter.”

Isaiah 34:11    But the hawk and the porcupine shall possess it, the owl and the raven shall dwell in it. He shall stretch the line of confusion over it, and the plumb line of emptiness.

If you have ever done any construction “plumb line” would mean something to you.  A plumb line is a weight suspended from a string used as a vertical reference line to ensure a structure is centered. As they always find the vertical axis pointing to the center of gravity, they ensure everything is right and centered. Of course, now we use lasers to do this but the end result is the same, finding the center between two vertical points.  David used a horizontal line to say who was to live and die amongst the Moabites. In Isaiah, we see a line of justice and a plumb line of righteousness.

This got me to thinking about what we use to ensure we are centered in relation to God’s righteousness.  How can we know?  The Word of God will and does center us.  The problem is I think we wait until we are way too far from the center before we seek center.  Too often we use the plumb line of worldly expectations and definitions of what centered means.  Health, wealth, prosperity, busyness, and ease of life seem to scream out this is what being centered means.  God says, seek and desire me with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul, and all your strength.  Love your neighbor, help the orphan and widow, and humbly serve honor, follow, obey, trust, and rely upon Me.  Our center is found in His Word when our hearts, minds, and ears are opened with a hunger and thirst for its leading in our lives.  To be centered with God requires an intentional surrender of self and an intentional choice to keep focused on Him alone.  Grab hold of the plumb line and never let go.  Keep centered. Rely on, cling too, and trust in Him alone.

9.q. “You will be visited by the LORD of hosts with thunder and with earthquake and great noise”

Amos 1:1   The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. And he said: “The Lord roars from Zion and utters his voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the top of Carmel withers.”

Zechariah 14:5    And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

Isaiah 29:6   you will be visited by the LORD of hosts with thunder and with earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire.

Amos speaks of a pending earthquake that affects the region.  When looking at archeological findings from 1955 through the present day, many confirm a massive earthquake that took place during this time.  Warnings were given to the people of God.  Prophets were sent to proclaim the coming of God’s judgment because of their wayward living and neglect of following and obeying Him.  You have to wonder how many people listened and changed their lives because of the prophet’s warning.  At the same time, you have to wonder how many did not.   After all the times were good and prosperous.  Does a man ever change?  Does a man ever listen?  Are we seeking and desiring God to speak into our lives?  Are we any different than those who did not listen?  God’s Word is full of promises of both blessings and warnings of judgment.  We do well to spend time in His Word with a desire to have Him speak into our heart and soul and lead us on paths that honor and glorify Him.  Do not rest in prosperity and ease of life as time passes by.  We never know the time in which God will call people and nations into account of their complacency and neglect.

9.p. It was also a time of idolatry, extravagance, and corruption.

Amos 1:1   The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.

Amos, possibly the first of the writing prophets, was a shepherd and farmer called to prophesy during the reigns of Uzziah (792–740 b.c.) in the southern kingdom and Jeroboam II (793–753) in the north. During this time both kingdoms enjoyed political stability, which in turn brought prosperity. It was also a time of idolatry, extravagance, and corruption. The rich and powerful were oppressing the poor. Amos denounced the people of Israel for their apostasy and social injustice and warned them that disaster would fall upon them for breaking the covenant. He urged them to leave the hypocrisy of their “solemn assemblies” (5:21) and instead to “let justice roll down like waters” (v. 24). Nevertheless, said Amos, God would remember his covenant with Israel and would restore a faithful remnant.

Let’s see what God will say to us through Amos.  Let our ears be open and our hearts tender to His Word.  In three weeks or less, we will start to see the impact of Covid 19.  It will surely come in and through the US in separate waves, peaking state by state as it progresses day by day, week by week, and month by month.  Its effects will be seen and felt throughout our nation unless God alone puts an end to it.  As much as I want this to be wrong about the pending effects, how can it be wrong when it is certainly from the very hands of our sovereign God?  We do well to learn what it means to repent and return to God with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength.  Far too long, we have been complacent and neglectful of Him and His Word.  It is time for us to take our eyes off self, self-reliance, government reliance, and turn to God.  As a nation, we have tolerated pushing God out of honor, glory, praise, and worship due Him.  We have allowed ourselves to be drawn into false beliefs that we can live worldly lives and somehow think this is fully and humbly surrender to God with a whole heart, mind, and soul service to Him.  When in the past has all of the earth had so much technology and medical understanding?  Never and yet Covid 19 advances.  I fear we are looking for man to bring us out of this tragic global pandemic.  For sure God can give man understanding in and how to defeat it.  Yet when we give our reliance to man rather than the Author of all there is, we void ourselves of the help we need from God alone.

Seek and desire God’s intervention, repent and return to Him, and worship, praise and fully trust in Him alone.