trample – Praying Pint

10.b. “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

Amos 8:4 Hear this, you who trample on the needy and bring the poor of the land to an end, saying, “When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great and deal deceitfully with false balances, that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals and sell the chaff of the wheat?” The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: “Surely I will never forget any of their deeds. Shall not the land tremble on this account, and everyone mourn who dwells in it, and all of it rise like the Nile, and be tossed about and sink again, like the Nile of Egypt?” “And on that day,” declares the Lord God, “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation; I will bring sackcloth on every waist and baldness on every head; I will make it like the mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day.

Job 20:23 To fill his belly to the full, God will send his burning anger against him and rain it upon him into his body.

Isaiah 22:12-14 In that day the Lord GOD of hosts called for weeping and mourning, for baldness and wearing sackcloth; and behold, joy and gladness, killing oxen and slaughtering sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine. “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” The LORD of hosts has revealed himself in my ears: “Surely this iniquity will not be atoned for you until you die,” says the Lord GOD of hosts.

Is it very hard to understand God’s anger and judgment when proclaimed clearly like this?. A warning has been given and the sentence announced. Yet the people went on about their lives without giving any thought to it. It is easy to do. Living life and getting consumed by it and especially now with all the news, true or false, about Covid 19, has a way of sidetracking our thoughts. It has a way of getting our eyes off of what it means to honor and glorify Jesus Christ. We just celebrated His death and resurrection. Does that give us any pause to live differently? Does it change how we think or act? Is it just something we do and then carry on as before? Does it bring us back to the great price that was paid for our redemption and salvation? Does it reset our purpose in life? Does is get our eyes focused again on humbly serving Him? If it doesn’t it is a good time right now to give it some thought. Intentionally choose to walk closer to Him and spend time in His Word every day that you have been given.

9.u. “For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it?”

Amos 3:1 Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt: “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. “Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet? Does a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey? Does a young lion cry out from his den, if he has taken nothing? Does a bird fall in a snare on the earth, when there is no trap for it? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when it has taken nothing? Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it? “For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

Genesis 50:20    As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Isaiah 14:24-27     The LORD of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stan  that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and on my mountains trample him underfoot; and his yoke shall depart from them, and his burden from their shoulder.”

This is the purpose that is purposed concerning the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations.  For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?

Isaiah 45:7   I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things.

2 Kings 22:13     “Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”

God is saying; “Will there be any evil, or calamity inflicted on a wicked city, which does not proceed from me, as the effect of my wrath?” These the examples were intended to convince the people that they had cause for alarm, as their monstrous iniquities called down the vengeance of God to punish them with these calamities. Time after time prophets were sent to warn the Israelites of pending action from God. This warning came with a call to repent and turn away from their sinful ways. I am sure there were those who did take this seriously even while most others did not. Such is the way of mankind when the Word of God is void and humble service, honor, praise, worship, trust, obedience, and reliance no longer are even a thought in their mind. The process of blindly following after that which is not pleasing to God will always start with losing desire, hunger, and thirst for God’s Word. When this happens that void is filled with what the world has to offer. That first day of thinking you are to busy to spend time in God’s Word is a slippery slope of more days to follow. At first, there may be some void that is felt somewhere in your soul but after repeated days this void is no longer felt. It has been replaced by things of this world that we so easily claim bring satisfaction into our life. I heard on the radio that some governors are proclaiming that abortion is not an elective procedure and federal judges are agreeing. I have a friend who needs a triple by-pass and that is deemed elective, some prostate and cancer surgeries, for the most part, are called elective, as well, some knee, hip, and other orthopedic surgeries. Think about this: taking the life of an unborn and healthy child is deemed medically necessary while treating other life-enhancing surgeries not. When has a nation that tolerates pornography (adult entertainment) ever survived judgment coming from God over it? When as a nation that promotes, supports, and tolerates homosexual activity survived coming judgment from God? There has not been any since the creation of the world. Denying God and that He exists does not mean it is true. It does not protect a nation or person from His judgment. “For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our father have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us”

9.t. “But their lies have led them astray”

Amos 2:4 Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have rejected the law of the Lord, and have not kept his statutes, but their lies have led them astray, those after which their fathers walked.

Amos 2:6 Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals— those who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth and turn aside the way of the afflicted;

Amos 2:11 And I raised up some of your sons for prophets, and some of your young men for Nazirites. Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel?” declares the Lord. “But you made the Nazirites drink wine, and commanded the prophets, saying, You shall not prophesy.’ “Behold, I will press you down in your place, as a cart full of sheaves presses down. Flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not retain his strength, nor shall the mighty save his life; he who handles the bow shall not stand, and he who is swift of foot shall not save himself, nor shall he who rides the horse save his life; and he who is stout of heart among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day,” declares the Lord.

How can someone reject what God expects inline with obedience? I fear it is easier than we think. Step back and take account of how much time was spent in His Word over the last week or two. Was there thirst and hunger for your soul? Was there anticipation for the Holy Spirit to speak into your heart and mind? When there is no desire and seeking how to humbly serve, honor, follow, trust, and obey Jesus Christ it is no wonder God can say “you have rejected the law of the Lord, and have not kept His statutes.” Not only this but because there is no hunger and thirst to serve and honor Him something else creeps into our lives – lies. These lies are born out of the lack of God’s Word and because of this, we are influenced by what the world, culture, and society deem appropriate. The worst part is that we buy into these lies. We buy into the lie that we are good enough and have done enough to merit God’s favor. We buy into the lie that if the world approves or condones something it is alright. A friend of mine told me this once, (I’m sure he heard it somewhere else) “right is right even though only one person is doing it, and wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.” It is more than a lack of God’s Word in our daily lives that leads us to rejection of its application in our lives. It is the lack of desire, hunger, and thirst for God’s Word that allows lies to replace the absolute truth found it in. If ever there is a time to repent from this lack of desire and hunger it is now. “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

7.h. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

Revelation 11:1 Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”

Deuteronomy 17:6     On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness.

Deuteronomy 19:15    “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.

Matthew 18:16    But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

2 Corinthians 13:1    This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

These two witnesses of God will proclaim messages of God on Jesus Christ and pending judgment. These messengers will speak the truth during a very difficult time on earth. We have already read of death, famine, pestilence, wars, earthquakes, and many other judgments from the hand of God on those who have rejected His offer of redemption through Jesus Christ. Can you imagine what it must be like to have at least 1/2 of the world’s population die and then have all of these acts of Judgment on top of that? What hope of survival is there for these people that are left behind. We must take note that these two witnesses are specifically in Jerusalem, the Holy City, which seems to have been taken over by the worship of false idols and the antichrist. They speak with the authority of God to those who remain behind. They speak to the Israelites with a message of deliverance. But like now, there are those who listen and repent and those who do not. It is clear that those who do repent will be persecuted for their belief and will die because of it. Those remaining will see the works of God through these two messengers and acts of power given to them from God.

How would we accept a message of redemption and/or judgment in a doomsday scenario? Would we accept it knowing that acceptance meant sure death or would we reject it and hope there was another way to survive? Would we look for survival and not give a thought about eternity? Would we just harden ourselves against the message and fight for our life any way possible? The truth is we would choose the very same thing we choose during a time of prosperity, grace, peace, and love. We choose to believe and seek redemption or we choose to deny the consequences/judgment of rejecting it. The outcome is still promised either way. With redemption comes eternal life. With the rejection of Jesus Christ comes eternal damnation. We intentionally choose our destiny by either believing and serving, honoring, trusting, following and obeying Jesus Christ or by rejecting this offer of grace-filled and abounding mercy through Jesus Christ.