230611 Amos 5: Establishing Justice

Pick Passage/Copy/Outline/MP: Seek Good and Not Evil

Amos 5:4–15 |

I. Seek Yahweh That You May Live (v4-7)

4 For thus says Yahweh to the house of Israel, “Seek Me that you may live. 5 “But do not seek Bethel, And do not come to Gilgal, Nor cross over to Beersheba; For Gilgal will certainly go into exile, And Bethel will become evil. 6 “Seek Yahweh that you may live, Lest He come mightily like a fire, O house of Joseph, And it will consume with none to quench it for Bethel, 7 For those who overturn justice into wormwood And put righteousness down to the earth.”

II. The Strength of Yahweh (v8-9)

8 He who made the Pleiades and Orion And overturns the shadow of death into morning, Who also darkens day into night, Who calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the surface of the earth, Yahweh is His name. 9 It is He who flashes forth with devastation upon the strong So that devastation comes upon the fortification.

III. Should There Be Silence? (v10-13)

10 They hate him who reproves in the gate, And they abhor him who speaks with integrity. 11 Therefore because you impose heavy rent on the poor And take a tribute of grain from them, Though you have built houses of cut stone, Yet you will not live in them; You have planted desirable vineyards, yet you will not drink their wine. 12 For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are mighty, You who distress the righteous and take bribes And turn aside the needy in the gate. 13 Therefore at such a time the one with insight keeps silent, for it is an evil time.

Isaiah 1.17 “Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Execute justice for the orphan, Plead for the widow.”

IV. Seek Good and Not Evil (v4-7) MAIN POINT

14 Seek good and not evil, in order that you may live; And thus may Yahweh God of hosts be with you, Just as you have said! 15 Hate evil, love good, And set justice at the gate! Perhaps Yahweh God of hosts May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

Jonah 3.9-10 ““Who knows, God may turn and relent and turn away from His burning anger so that we will not perish.” Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way, so God relented concerning the evil which He had spoken He would bring upon them. And He did not bring it upon them.”