Amos 5:18-27

vv18-20

The Day of the Lord is when God visits his people. I think there are 4 days of the Lord: Exile of Israel, Exile of Judah, Jesus coming, and Jesus’ return. Day of the Lord is disastrous in the OT but because of Jesus we “eagerly await” it.

Here’s seven NT verses to prove to us that we don’t have to fear the Day of the Lord:

1 Thessalonians 1:9–10 “9 For they themselves report about us as to the kind of reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is, Jesus who rescues us from the wrath to come.”

1 Thessalonians 5:9 “9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

2 Thessalonians 1:6–10 “6 For after all it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us, when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God, and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These people will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes to be glorified among His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—because our testimony to you was believed.”

Hebrews 9:28 “28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.”

1 Corinthians 1:7–8 “7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you eagerly await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, blameless on the DAY of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

2 Timothy 4:8 “8 in the future there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that DAY; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

2 Peter 3:10–13 “10 But the DAY of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be discovered. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”

I think 2 Pt sums it up the best: the Day of the Lord will be even more destructive than previously, but we will be saved from it and brought into a new heaven and new earth. Therefore, we should live holy and godly lives and even “hasten that day” which means share the Gospel.

In summary, God visiting you before Jesus = very bad, but God visiting you after Jesus = very good. Notice the 200% swing. It could have been God visiting you after Jesus = no problem, but no blessings.

Even though we trust Jesus to carry us through the Day of the Lord, we still need to build carefully:

1 Corinthians 3:10–15 “10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each person must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 each one’s work will become evident; for the DAY will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each one’s work. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet only so as through fire.”

vv21-24

We know that God hates our worship if we don’t love him or are disobeying him, but v24 really drives home God’s heart: He hates our worship if we don’t have justice and righteousness in our society. This would likely be remarkably evident in their festivals and assemblies, as those are public occasions.

Some relevant NT scriptures: Matthew 5:23–24 “23 Therefore, if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.”

James 1:26–27 “26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” Honestly, the whole book of James is really like a NT translation of Amos: rebuke towards the self-serving rich, love for the poor, widow, and orphan, etc.

1 John 4:20–21 “20 If someone says, “I love God,” and yet he hates his brother or sister, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God must also love his brother and sister.”

1 Corinthians 11:17–22 “17 Now in giving this next instruction I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better, but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. 19 For there also have to be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you. 20 Therefore when you come together it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, 21 for when you eat, each one takes his own supper first; and one goes hungry while another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What am I to say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I do not praise you.”

1 Cor really summarizes what I think Israelites were doing in Amos. According to the NT, nothing has changed regarding our worship of God and our love for each other. So, as long as we have justice and righteousness, we can have festivals, offerings, songs, and harps.

Amos 5:24 “24 “But let justice roll out like waters, And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

Water has mixed symbolism in the Bible: can refer to judgment or life.

John 4:13–14 “13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never be thirsty; but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.””

We should do justice as much as we do Gospel or discipleship. Outsiders should be able to say “those people really love God and love each other.”

vv25-27

Commentators say v26 the most difficult passage to translate in Amos. Sikkuth and Kiyyun could be translated as simply shrine and pedestal. Probably refers to Mesopotamian astral deities like Saturn.

The point is that those gods will be carried into exile along with Israel.

Notice that God sends them into exile. We need saved from God’s wrath.

God of Armies again reminds Israel that God was omnipotently powerful for them or against them, and in this case, against them.

Major applications

Justice and righteousness. This verse was a favorite of justice-oriented ministries in America like the Civil Rights movement. MLK used it in his “I have a dream” speech. Our righteousness and justice should “roll out like ever-flowing waters.” This should include all our festivals like Christmas, Easter, Communion, Independence Day, etc.

“hasten the Day of the Lord” by living holy, godly lives and sharing the Gospel. Make sure we build either the foundation or on the foundation with work that will survive God’s judgment.