Today’s Passage – Amos 1 – 5 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – 1 John 1 – 5; Psalms 106 – 110; Proverbs 22)
Read the “0922 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen 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 will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither. Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron…” (Amos 1:1-3)
Good morning. In verse 3 we find that Damascus is in very big trouble. And that’s not all, in verse 6, Gaza is in trouble with the LORD. Verse 9, Tyrus is in trouble. Verse 11, Edom. Verse 13, the children of Ammon. In chapter 2, and verse 1, we find that Moab is also in trouble. But look what comes next…
“Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked: But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem. Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes…” (Amos 4-6)
God’s chosen people of Judah and Israel are also in trouble with the LORD.
“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” (Acts 10:34-35)
How do you treat others? How do you treat the Bible: God’s Word? How does your nation treat Israel? How do you or your nation deal with the things that God calls abominations?
“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16-19)
“If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” (Leviticus 20:13)
The LORD roars from Zion! God wants the best from us.
“Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the LORD thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the LORD thy God.” (Daniel 17:1)
Now I know we don;t do animal sacrifices to the LORD anymore: Jesus was the final sacrifice for all. However…
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2)
The LORD roars from Zion! God wants us to be truthful.
“Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small. Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God.” (Deuteronomy 25:13-16)
The LORD roars from Zion! What about your leaders?
“It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.” (Proverbs 16:12)
Murder, corruption, lies, sexual immoralities, and that’s on bothsides of the fence. I saw this one TV campaign commercial against someone who wanted to overturn Roe v. Wade. Which do you think God would prefer? A baby killer or one who refuses to shed innocent blood? The LORD roars from Zion. Is He roaring at you?
Peace?
Amen