Daily devotion – Amos
Amos is another of the wonderful minor prophets. He warned the people of Israel of the danger of their rejection of the Lord. Amos was like David in that he too was a shepherd in a barren and rocky location by the name of Tekoa.
Amos was neither cultured or clever but as a prophet of God he had a burning and flaming message that needed to be heard!
Israel at this time was a divided nation, much like North and South Korea are today. Ten tribes to the north and two tribes to the south made up the division of the land. As an outward observer things appeared to be well, but God, who sees the heart, saw that there was a ‘cancer’ within the nation.
Outwardly the tribes had security, comfort and wealth, but their spiritual health was in great decline. In the midst of their affluence and arrogance, God called His prophet Amos to come forward and speak on His behalf.
The Bible tells us that at this time the people were worshipping but there was something not right. Amos gets right to the heart of the matter.
Amo 5:21 “I hate all your show and pretense— the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies.
Amo 5:23 Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps.
Amo 6:1 What sorrow awaits you who lounge in luxury in Jerusalem,
Amo 6:5 You sing trivial songs to the sound of the harp.
The people were worshipping outwardly but disobeyed inwardly. They were indifferent to sin within the assembly. They had ignored God’s Law and harassed the prophets so as not to preach the truth for they did not want God meddling with their consciences.
God loathed their services and had no use for their festivals and rich offerings. They rejected Him, and He rejected their phoney worship in every way!
Amo 8:4 Listen to this, you who rob the poor and trample down the needy!
Amo 8:11 “The time is surely coming,” says the Sovereign LORD, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread or water but of hearing the words of the LORD.
Amo 8:12 People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from border to border searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it.
There is a great famine today in our nation Australia. We hear the Word but don’t feed on it. Could you imagine taking food into a refugee camp and the people just looking at the food and not consuming it with great thankfulness and joy?
You and I need to be hungry for the truth. We have not only lost our way in calling out sin in the community; we have also lost the address in calling out to God.
Australia is obsessed with pleasure and financial success. Our morality is at an all time low. Amos words ring true to us today as they did to Israel.
Israel got a massive wake up call from God through His prophet Amos because of its rejection of God – what of our nation Australia that has not only rejected God but now is totally indifferent to Him?
Amos 4:12 – Prepare to meet your God in judgment, you people of Israel!” Seek good and not evil, That you may live….Amos 5:14.
How does one prepare to meet God?
Repent of your sin. Instead of rejecting Him, receive Him; for the “Lord of hosts is His Name. – Amos 4:13