Life has been so so busy lately that I keep telling myself that I am going to write another blog, but I never actually get around to doing. I have decided it is WAAYYY over due, and am being more proactive about getting it done, even in the midst of all of my projects, papers, presentations, and exams that need to get done in the next 18 days before graduation (which actually is less than that because grades are due long befoer graduation. Ok, enough of that rant. Here starts the actual post:
Amos. A little book in the Old Testament, about seven pages long in my bible and only nine chapters. It wouldn't surprise me if you've never even heard of it. That's ok. I knew it by name, but up until last weekend, I never actually read it. This past weekend I was on a retreat with Drexel's Cru up in the Poconos at a retreat center called God's Mountain (how fitting). It was a much-needed break from reality, even though my laundry list of assignments grew while I completely ignored it for an entire weekend.
The speaker for the weekend was a Cru staffer that works in the Mid-Atlantic region of Cru. One of his talks was on a chapter in Amos. He gave a brief overview of the book as a whole and I really like how he put it: Amos was a shepherd/fig-tree farmer form the southern nation of Judah that was sent as a prophet to the northern nation of Israel. the first few chapters talk about God's judgement on the nations surrounding Israel. You can imagine the nation of Israel "amen-ing" those judgements thinking how those nations deserve that judgement. Then, Amos goes on to speak judgement to the southern nation of Judah. The people are probably feeling that hits a little close to home, but they could still see that the nation of Judah were being rightfully judged. Then, Amos turns to speak judgement to Israel as a nation. now THAT is close to home. After Amos speaks God's judgement to them, they know its true, but refuse to heed his warning. They told him to go back from where he came (Judah) and even said 'don't bother us with your prophesies here' (7:13).
Now Amos was not a "trained" prophet. He was a shepherd, minding his own business, keeping to his flock. Amos' story is much like my own, or should I say my story is much like his. throughout middle school and high school I thought I had my whole life planned out. I thought I knew where I was going to be going to college: Penn State. I didn't, and God showed me that He had a far better and more perfect plan for my life than I did. Once again in college, I thought I had my 'post-college' life figured out, not all the fine details, but in general, I was pretty set. I was living my own life, wrapped up in MY life and those in it when I heard God calling. "[The Lord] told me 'go and prophesy to my people [in Israel]'" (7:15).
Amos spoke of judgement for the many sins of the nations. Their sins included beating down God's people (1:3), selling people as slaves (1:6), breaking treaties of brotherhood (1:9), chasing down their relatives, showing no mercy to them unrelenting in their anger (1:11), ripping open pregnant women (1:13), desecrating the bones of kings (2:1), rejecting the instruction of the Lord and refusing to obey his decrees, being led astray by the same lies that deceived their ancestors (2:4), and trampling helpless people in the dust and shoving the oppressed out of the way (2:7). It is stunning to see how relevant these sins are for today.
My pastor always says 'interpret scripture with scripture' for the Bible never contradicts itself and it is truth and perfect. Malachi 3:6 says "For I am the Lord, I never change." Hebrews 13:8 says "Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever." So, if God never changes, and He was speaking judgements for these sins some 2700 years ago, is this not what we deserve today? He speaks of sending down fire, famine, drought, death, war, desolation, etc. as payment for these sins, as payment for OUR sins.
It is only by God's mercy, patience and grace that we are all still alive today. If it weren't for God's patience, He would have already sent down these acts of judgement. But He hasn't yet, He is calling us to come back to Him. He is CONSTANTLY calling us back to Him. The trials we do see are God disciplining us, just as a father disciplines his children, it is all out of love (3:2). He is calling out to us to return to Him. But we still refuse. God is calling out to us saying the same thing that is repeated in chapter 5: "COME BACK TO ME AND LIVE!" God knows all of our sin, there is nothing we can hide from Him. He is calling is to "do what is good and run from evil so that you may LIVE! Then the Lord God of Heaven's Armies will be your helper… hate evil and love what is good" (5:14-15).
So many Christians talk about how excited they are for Jesus' second coming and what a glorious day it will be. And for those of us who believe, it will be, to an extent. But that day will also be filled with sorrow, much sorrow. For those who do not turn from their sin, they will have to pay for their judgement. "In that day you will be like a man who runs from a lion – only to meet a bear. Escaping from the bear, he leans his hand against a wall in his house – and he's bitten by the snake. Yes, the day of the Lord will be dark and hopeless, without a ray of joy or hope" (5:19-20).
But if we come back to the Lord, He promises LIFE! and life ABUNDANTLY (John 10:10). He wants to see "a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living" (5:24). What a sight that would be!
"The Sovereign Lord has spoken – so who can refuse to proclaim His message? (Amos 3:8). Not me. So, just as Amos left his flock and fig trees in Judah to follow God's calling, I will be leaving the comforts of this nation to minister to 'the least of these' around the world; to show them that there is hope and we do not have to face God's judgement. There is one who ALREADY faced God's judgement for us. And even if you were the only one to gain from it, He would have done it any way. You matter THAT MUCH to Him. He knows everything you've done, every thought you've had, but loves you just the same. And He loves you too much to let you stay where you are. But He will not force you to do anything. You must CHOOSE to come back to Him. You must choose daily. He offers you life. He paid the price for your sin so you wouldn't have to face them. After all the judgements Amos spoke to Israel, he finishes with a promise of RESTORATION. Now, just like those judgements, this promise is for you too. It is for EVERYONE.
"The Lord isn't really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent."
2 Peter 3:9
